TATE’S WILD RESCUE, by Jenny Turnbull and Izzy Burton, Crown Books for Young Readers, June 18, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
An animal-lover invites a parade of animals to live in her home in Tate’s Wild Rescue, by Jenny Turnbull and Izzy Burton.
Tate loves animals, but she worries about the ones who live in the wild—aren’t they cold? Hungry? Lonely?
She is determined to help and comes up with the perfect plan: she’ll offer one a better life and they will be best friends! To her surprise, none of the wild animals she invites to live with her are impressed with her offerings—Orca is not interested in the kiddie pool, and Tiger would rather hunt than settle for cookies. Maybe Tate will have to look a bit closer to home to find her pawsitively perfect match. —Synopsis provided by Crown Books for Young Readers
The premise of Tate’s Wild Rescue is strong. That’s because author Jenny Turnbull’s story is plausible with a touch of magic tied in. My kid would have been one of those kids that writes to wild animals. In fact, she’s did something similar with a different topic. She totally expected a reply. And the animal replies in Tate’s Wild Rescue are a lot of fun.
In her own roundabout way, Tate learns to recognize the things that need help (rescuing) and those that don’t. Turnbull’s strong note at the end provides readers with ways they personally can help wild or domestic animals.
All this is accompanied by illustrator Izzy Burton’s bright and inviting illustrations. She’s included lots of details for readers to peruse, and eagle-eyed kids will notice clues leading up to the ending throughout. It’s a charming read that will make kids giggle.
About the creators:
Jenny Turnbull lives by the sea in Los Angeles. She left a career in film and television to pursue her passion for writing and has never looked back. Tate’s Wild Rescue honors her love of animals. When not writing, she enjoys exploring the wild with her husband and her furry best friend, Enzo. Learn more at jennyturnbull.com.
Izzy Burton is an award-winning director, artist, and writer working in publishing and animation. Beyond her picture books, she makes short films and advertisements and does design work for TV and film. She lives in Brighton, UK, with her rescue pup, Twigs. Learn more at izzyburton.co.uk.