Unusual Animals

As an Academic's Choice Award Winner, Adventures of Unusual Animals is a quirky, jam-packed journey that excites listeners to eagerly listen to the next whimsical tale. Narrated by a colorful, invigorating cast, including the author, Adventures of Unusual Animals delights both young and old with stories of captivating characters, like Ulysses the unau, Izzy the ibex, and Nico the narwhal from Norway.

Twelve-year-old Sophie Brown feels like a fish out of water when she and her parents move from Los Angeles to the farm they’ve inherited from a great-uncle. But farm life gets more interesting when a cranky chicken appears and Sophie discovers the hen can move objects with the power of her little chicken brain: jam jars, the latch to her henhouse, the entire henhouse.

Have you ever heard of a bird that lays its eggs on the ground instead of in a nest? What about a bird that lays eggs in other birds' nests? Young listeners will learn all about killdeers, cuckoo birds, and other birds with unusual life cycles.

Have you ever heard of a reptile that spends most of its life in an egg? What about a reptile that has to lay its eggs on the same beach where it was hatched? Young listeners will learn all about Madagascar chameleons, sea turtles, and other reptiles with unusual life cycles.

Have you ever heard of an invertebrate that spends its whole life inside another animal? What about a beetle that spends most of its life underground? Young listeners will learn all about lancet flukes, Hercules beetles, and other invertebrates with unusual life cycles.

Have you ever heard of a male fish that carries eggs? What about a fish that gives birth to live young? Young listeners will learn about seahorses, guppies, and other fish with unusual life cycles.

Have you ever heard of a mammal that lays eggs? What about a mammal that can give birth to 50 babies at once? Young listeners learn all about echidnas, Tasmanian devils, and other mammals with unusual life cycles.

Have you ever heard of a frog that freezes solid in winter? What about a toad that carries its eggs on its back? Young listeners will learn all about wood frogs, Suriname toads, and other amphibians with unusual life cycles.

Random Facts You Should Know: WTF Edition is jam-packed with fun and strange facts that you will be itching to unpack in any conversation to impress those around you. Whether you enjoy listening through these by yourself, with a partner, or with a group, you are bound to lose track of time while having a laugh and learning something new.

Owl tries his best to wrap up his night and settle in for a long sleep–after moving past a few bumps in the road—in this Geisel Honor-winning, giggle-worthy bedtime story. Will Owl ever get a good night's sleep? He's ready for bed, but as soon as he settles in, he hears a strange noise. He...

Late in 2013, snowy owls started showing up in places no one expected to find them - including Florida. What had caused so many of these majestic birds to leave their Arctic home and fly to southern Canada and the United States? Scientists quickly began working to find out. Author Sandra Markle brings together firsthand reports from the scientists involved along with stunning photographs of the owls to explain this rare event, known as an irruption.