Home Is Where the Herd Is: How Animal Families Take Care of Each Other

By Author / Illustrator

by Little Gestalten (Editor)

Genre

Animals

Age range(s)

Publisher

Little Gestalten

ISBN

9783967048087

Format

Hardcover

Published

20-08-2026

Synopsis

What does a family gathering in the wild look like? Do animals have a way of babysitting, or even send their young off to daycare? Get to know the amazing family units of the animal world, from clever female orcas who lead four generations of their family, to devoted clownfish fathers who protect their brood until they hatch, to resolute Greater Rheas that adopt and raise orphaned chicks.

Home is Where the Herd is tells how caring and devoted animals can be, how they collectively look after their young - even those of others - and how resourceful, brave, and clever they are when it comes to protecting their loved ones. And sometimes these incredible creatures even need the unexpected help of us humans to save their families

Reviews

Jane

This large format hardback presents young readers with a new way of looking at animal classification, not by class/genus/order, but by behavioural traits. So, dolphins, penguins and orangutans appear on the same double page spread because all exhibit superlative devotion in parenting. Another double page spread features beavers, lizards and anglerfish, due to their habit of forming lifelong partnerships.

Thus, we are given countless snippets of information (with maps) about numerous animals; just enough to whet the appetite and, perhaps, prompt a child's further studies or enthusiasm. It could be that some will want learn more about orcas or aquatic habitats; others may discover a love of ornithology, and still others may be interested in the use of tech in wildlife observation or join a conservation group.

Home Is Where the Herd Is presents humans as distinct from other animals, yet able to positively impact them by our own behaviour. The examples given are inspiring and offer hope that the natural world can thrive through mutual caring. For schools whose values include care, compassion, dedication or cleverness, here is a book which lends itself to being shared in assemblies or classrooms. It will also be a popular request among KS2 library users, as well as among young borrowers who may simply enjoy the pictures.

Evidently, careful thought has been given to the design, to make reading easy on the eye and brain, with chunks of clear sans serif text placed against plain but distinct background colours. The illustrations throughout are artistic rather than detailed or scientifically accurate, and there are beautiful end papers too.

48 pages / Reviewed by Jane Rew, school librarian