in

‘When Fur and Feather Get Together’ Book Review

'When Fur and Feather Get Together' Book Review

My kiddos love animals, and I love words. I know that a group of fish is a school and a group of seagulls is a flock. But what do you call a group of owls or a group of unicorns, two of my children’s favorite animals? When recently offered the chance to review When Fur and Feather Get Together written by David Margrave and illustrated by Kim Wyly in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add a new title to my home library and to find out more animal group names.

Author/Illustrator

After growing up in Texas, author David Margrave attended Stanford University and University of Texas Law School. He grew up reading, writing stories and poems, and doodling in his sketchbook and has spent his career working at a major law firm and as part of the management team of a biotech company working to develop innovative cancer treatments. Memories of reading picture books to his own two children inspired When Fur and Feather Get Together.

Currently based in Dallas and represented by the Elliot Yeary Gallery in Aspen, illustrator and professional artist Kim Wyly grew up in South Texas. She is bilingual. Her love of nature and her summers in Colorado inspire her paintings of abstracts and whimsical animals.

Synopsis

Some picture books teach. Others are about family. And more still have outstanding illustrations. When Fur and Feather Get Together combines all three elements, embracing the enduring themes of family, fun, learning and visual delight. Recommended for readers between the ages of 3 and 7 in preschool through second grade, the 32-page hardback book from Clovercroft Publishing offers a fun and educational rhyming story about a father and child enjoying a lazy day together. With warm and whimsical animal illustrations, the father teaches his child the names for different animal groups such as lions, whales, rhinos, owls, and unicorns. The full-color book currently costs $11.08 on Amazon with a list price of $11.99.

Cover of 'When Fur and Feather Get Together' Inside Pages of 'When Fur and Feather Get Together' 1

Inside Pages of 'When Fur and Feather Get Together' 2 Inside Pages of 'When Fur and Feather Get Together' 3

Evaluation

I love whimsical illustrations, and the animal paintings throughout When Fur and Feather Get Together remind me of one of my favorite series, Gossie & Friends. The pictures from Kim Wyly are soft and colorful and beautifully bring the story in When Fur and Feather Get Together to life. Wyly even adds some elements of humor to her paintings such as some of the owls wearing powdered wigs because a group of owls is known as a parliament. My 6-year-old, 3-year-old, and 6-month-old enjoy looking at the illustrations as I read the book aloud, and I could spend hours poring over the small details on each page!

My oldest daughter has been reading on her own for over two years now, and she can breeze through the text in When Fur and Feather Get Together quite easily on her own. She loved reading the rhymed text to find out the different names of animal groups, especially the group of unicorns. I often read books aloud to my younger two children, and I especially like reading rhyming verse out loud. Rhyme is interesting to read and helps with language acquisition. My preschool son loves when I read the book to him and his baby sister. He especially enjoyed learning that a group of owls is a parliament because he loves owls. My infant daughter also sits and listens while I read the rhymed text to her and her brother.

Final Verdict

If your young readers enjoy animals and learning the names of animal groups, my kiddos and I highly recommend When Fur and Feather Get Together written by David Margrave with illustrations from Kim Wyly. The gorgeous paintings that illustrate the pages are soft and colorful and whimsically bring the story to life. I could spend hours poring over the small details throughout each picture. The rhymed text, which helps with language acquisition, makes reading the book out loud fun for the reader and the listeners. My children loved learning the names of groups of animals such as owls and unicorns. Definitely check out a copy of When Fur and Feather Get Together for your little animal lover today!

Purchase When Fur and Feather Get Together on Amazon via my affiliate link.

Image Credits

‘When Fur and Feather Get Together’ Book Review © 2018 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘When Fur and Feather Get Together’ © 2018 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘When Fur and Feather Get Together’ 1 © 2018 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘When Fur and Feather Get Together’ 2 © 2018 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘When Fur and Feather Get Together’ 3 © 2018 Heather Johnson

Level 1 Post

Delicious Food-Allergy Safe Summer Snacking with MadeGood

Delicious Food-Allergy Safe Summer Snacking with MadeGood

'Look, See the Farm!' Book Review

‘Look, See the Farm!’ Book Review