Have you seen Disney cartoons with Chip and Dale? Do you know what kind of animal they are? If you answered chipmunks, you’re right! Author and photographer Kathy M. Miller introduced a real live chipmunk named Chippy who lives in her garden in the first book of this series, Chippy Chipmunk: Parties in the Garden, which won fifteen national awards. In Chippy Chipmunk: Babies in the Garden, Chippy and his mate Lily have four babies: Rosalie, named for conservationist Rosalie Edge; Roosevelt, named for President Theodore Roosevelt; Rachel, named after author Rachel Carson; and Benjamin, named after Benjamin Franklin. As they grow, the babies learn about the flowers, the butterflies, the birds, and the other animals, including predators. So what will Chippy do to protect his family when Chester the cat sees the little chipmunks playing?
Kathy said that when a mother chipmunk brought her babies to the front window, as if to show them off, she knew that a sequel to her first book was in order to continue the educational and humorous adventures of Chippy. With over eighty photographs which reveal interesting details and expressions not normally visible to the naked eye, the book focuses on the four little chipmunks as they discover both the joys and the dangers of the world about them. It also has a couple of pages in the back which share fun facts about chipmunks and other animals mentioned in the book. You may already know that play is a way for animals to practice their survival skills. Did you know that chipmunk babies disperse to live independently when they are eight weeks old? Children always enjoy reading and learning about animals, so they will love this delightful story about Chippy and his little ones. ( )