Solitary animals /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

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.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Many titles acquaint readers with terms of venery, but this book additionally celebrates the fact that not all species appreciate a crowd. While a water hole attracts "a parade of elephants" and "dazzle of zebras," writes Stein (The Invisible Alphabet), "the panther arrives by herself. The panther is a solitary animal." The octopus, the sloth, and the eagle share this solidarity of solitariness, and their far-from-lonely lives--the sloth exudes contentment, the octopus is playfully balletic, the bald eagle keenly observes the world beneath her--should be assuring, even profound, to children who similarly prefer their own company or treasure moments of alone time. And human introverts and extroverts alike will connect with debut artist Ramsey's radiant digital animal portraits: iridescent hummingbirds dance around a bright red hibiscus, while the sleek, prowling panther shimmers in tones of purple, black, and pink, its glowing eyes piercing the darkness. An eye-catching affirmation of singular over plural. Back matter provides additional background, covering survival and instinct. Ages 3--5. (Nov.)

School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1--This picture book highlights a random assortment of solitary animals. Groups of animals are highlighted and the appropriate collective noun used to describe them. For example, a "tower of giraffes" is juxtaposed with the solitary jaguar. Hummingbirds are a "charm," but eagles fly solo. Little more is explained about individual animals, and there is the odd switch, when a "swarm of swallows" is then called a gulp. Except for the alliteration, this will confuse readers. Brilliantly colored digital illustrations of the individual animals are sometimes realistic and sometimes less so. Very simple text introduces each animal and their collective nouns. The beauty of the illustrations could provide a jumping-off point to exploring individual animals in greater detail and could encourage a discussion of collective names. In addition, students could explore the details of why some animals live in groups and some do not. VERDICT With lovely illustrations and a variety of animal collective nouns, this book is meant for browsing.--Susan Lissim

Booklist Review

Stein introduces one aspect of animals' social behavior (whether they live in groups or alone) in this boldly illustrated picture book. To accomplish this, he utilizes playful collective nouns to contrast animal groups with solitary creatures that thrive on their own. The book opens at a watering hole, where a dazzle of zebras and tower of giraffes gather--and a lone black panther quietly lurks nearby. Similar scenarios are provided for wildlife in the sea and sky, but the illustrations are what will truly catch the reader's attention. Ramsey creates dynamic, large-format scenes full of drama and vibrant colors that pop against their backgrounds. For example, a bald eagle poses regally against a swath of blue sky, and a mesmerizing school of fish, shown only in blue silhouette, spirals into the ocean's inky black depths. At the very end of the book, readers will find a Q & A section about what it means to be a solitary animal and how they survive being alone. An edifying and entrancing book that works well in group and solitary settings.

Horn Book Review

Most animals live in groups, but some live most of their lives by themselves. Stein introduces four solitary species and contrasts their contented solo lifestyles with social animals in similar habitats. In describing the social animals, their colorful collective nouns are used: after a parade of elephants, tower of giraffes, and dazzle of zebras arrive at a waterhole, the panther appears "by herself" without additional descriptors. Similarly, an octopus and an eagle are contrasted with sea and air animals, respectively, which include a pod of whales, school of fish, huddle of hummingbirds, and kit of pigeons. A lone sloth receives no comparisons but is instead amusingly portrayed moving very slowly as a single short sentence unfolds across a three-spread sequence: "The sloth is... / ...a solitary... / ...animal, too." The visually stunning and dynamic illustrations favor inky black, indigo, and light blue backgrounds, in front of which the contrastingly colorful animals seem to glow. A section titled "More about Solitary Animals" provides brief answers to questions young children might ask as they compare their feelings about aloneness with those of the creatures. Danielle J. Ford January/February 2022 p.138(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Joshua David Stein is a writer, editor, and podcast host in New York City. He is the editor-at-large at Fatherly and host of The Fatherly Podcast. He is the author of multiple adult books, including Food & Beer (Phaidon), Epicurean Journeys (Rizzoli), the forthcoming To Me He Was Just Dad (Artisan), as well as the co-author of Notes from a Young Black Chef (Knopf). He has also written several children's books, including Can I Eat That? ; Brick, Who Found Herself in Architecture ; The Ball Book (all Phaidon); and most recently The Invisible Alphabet (Rise x Penguin Workshop). He recently founded The Band Books, a band that performs children's books to music. A longtime media fixture, Stein has been the editor-in-chief of BlackBook magazine, the editor at Black Ink , a senior editor at Departures , the senior editor of Eater , and the editor-at-large at Out magazine and Tasting Table . He is currently a contributing editor at Food & Wine . Stein lives in Brooklyn with his two young sons.