Celebrate the beauty and strength of solitude with this poetic observation of the animal kingdom and those who move through it on their very own.
That silvery cloud swimming in the sea is actually a school of fish. That splash and crash is a pod of whales, sounding. Behold, a fever of stingrays gliding by. But what do you call a group of octopuses? A tangle of octopuses? A chandelier of octopuses? A multipus of octopuses? No, octopuses prefer to be alone. The octopus is a solitary animal.
This lyrical, nonfiction text honors animals who live in solitude, in contrast to others who live in groups. Against a backdrop of the specific names of various animal tribes (a parade of elephants, a tower of giraffes, a dazzle of zebras), Stein shines a spotlight on those animals who go through life on their own. With nature at his back, Stein invites readers to draw strength and comfort from the behaviors of fellow animals. Perfect for children who are introverted or tend to be alone, and their parents...as well as all children, who will be encouraged to respect the "natural" choices of their peers.
BEST BOOK OF 2022 -- CHILDREN'S BOOK COMMITTEE OF BANK STREET COLLEGE
"An eye-catching affirmation of singular over plural." --Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
"Stein introduces four solitary species and contrasts their contented solo lifestyles with social animals in similar habitats." --Horn Book Review (STARRED REVIEW)
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library selected title (2023)
Amazon Best Book (2022)
Texas Topaz Reading List Pick (2023)
Camellia Award Nominee (2022)
Joshua David Stein is a journalist, author, and editor. He has served as the editor at large at Fatherly and Out magazines, the editor in chief of BlackBook and Avenue, and the senior editor at Departures. His work has appeared in The New York Times, New York, Esquire, GQ, Hemispheres, among many other publications. Previously, Stein was the restaurant critic for the Village Voice and the New York Observer. He is the co-author of Notes from a Young Black Chef with Kwame Onwuachi; Il Buco: Stories & Recipes with Donna Lennard; the Nom Wah Cookbook: Recipes and Stories with Wilson Tang; Why I Cook? with Tom Colicchio; and Vino: The Essential Guide with Joe Campanale. His children’s books include, among others, Can I Eat That?, What’s Cooking, Brick: Who Found Herself in Architecture, Solitary Animals, and Lunch from Home. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his two sons, Augustus and Achilles.
View titles by Joshua David Stein
Celebrate the beauty and strength of solitude with this poetic observation of the animal kingdom and those who move through it on their very own.
That silvery cloud swimming in the sea is actually a school of fish. That splash and crash is a pod of whales, sounding. Behold, a fever of stingrays gliding by. But what do you call a group of octopuses? A tangle of octopuses? A chandelier of octopuses? A multipus of octopuses? No, octopuses prefer to be alone. The octopus is a solitary animal.
This lyrical, nonfiction text honors animals who live in solitude, in contrast to others who live in groups. Against a backdrop of the specific names of various animal tribes (a parade of elephants, a tower of giraffes, a dazzle of zebras), Stein shines a spotlight on those animals who go through life on their own. With nature at his back, Stein invites readers to draw strength and comfort from the behaviors of fellow animals. Perfect for children who are introverted or tend to be alone, and their parents...as well as all children, who will be encouraged to respect the "natural" choices of their peers.
Praise
BEST BOOK OF 2022 -- CHILDREN'S BOOK COMMITTEE OF BANK STREET COLLEGE
"An eye-catching affirmation of singular over plural." --Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
"Stein introduces four solitary species and contrasts their contented solo lifestyles with social animals in similar habitats." --Horn Book Review (STARRED REVIEW)
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library selected title (2023)
Amazon Best Book (2022)
Texas Topaz Reading List Pick (2023)
Camellia Award Nominee (2022)
Author
Joshua David Stein is a journalist, author, and editor. He has served as the editor at large at Fatherly and Out magazines, the editor in chief of BlackBook and Avenue, and the senior editor at Departures. His work has appeared in The New York Times, New York, Esquire, GQ, Hemispheres, among many other publications. Previously, Stein was the restaurant critic for the Village Voice and the New York Observer. He is the co-author of Notes from a Young Black Chef with Kwame Onwuachi; Il Buco: Stories & Recipes with Donna Lennard; the Nom Wah Cookbook: Recipes and Stories with Wilson Tang; Why I Cook? with Tom Colicchio; and Vino: The Essential Guide with Joe Campanale. His children’s books include, among others, Can I Eat That?, What’s Cooking, Brick: Who Found Herself in Architecture, Solitary Animals, and Lunch from Home. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his two sons, Augustus and Achilles.
View titles by Joshua David Stein
