WILD ABOUT CAPYBARAS

Curious kids explore what makes capybaras so special—and learn that there’s so much more to these oversize rodents than their cute appearance.

McCloskey uses the comics format to great effect once more as two children—one white, one Black—trade banter while uncovering facts about capybaras. The vibrant gouache and ink illustrations carry much of the storytelling, depicting everything from the animals’ sharp teeth to their scent glands with kid-friendly humor. McCloskey’s expressive characters have wide eyes and make animated gestures, while his capybaras range from realistically textured to charmingly cartoonish depending on context. Standout images include one of capybaras in a Japanese zoo luxuriating in hot tubs and a visual comparison showing how a single capybara outweighs 25,000 jerboas. The conversational exchanges between characters ground scientific information in relatable scenarios. McCloskey smartly balances appeal with education, explaining why these South American semi-aquatic mammals make terrible pets despite their friendly appearance. The Level 1 designation (indicating that this tale is ideal for beginning readers) proves optimistic, however. Font sizes fluctuate—at times becoming quite tiny—and complex sentences like “Capybaras eat their poop to digest their food a second time to get more vitamins” will challenge emergent readers. Words such as coprophagia and territory and multiclause constructions will require guidance.

A visually delightful capybara primer best enjoyed as a read-aloud.