Elephant Bowling and Other Animal Play - Out Now

Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis and written by Richard Haynes, take a walk on the wild side and prepare to be entertained by the shenanigans of critters around the globe.

Step into the fascinating world of animal playtime to find penguins surfing for the joy of it, primates playing peekaboo, and sneaky keas—the pranksters of the bird world—yanking one another’s legs just for kicks.Creatures of all stripes like to play! Some play builds strength and teaches survival skills: a game of tug-of-war prepares wolf cubs for hunting and taking down prey, while games of hide-and-seek give mongooses practice at quick escapes, handy for outmaneuvering predators.

Elephant Bowling and Other Animal Play was published by Candlewick Press on August 8th, 2025. Get your copy here!

“A treasure trove of facts about the different types of play that animals engage in around the world…The illustrations are whimsical, showing the animals with smiling expressions as they play.” - School Library Journal

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To work with Stephanie, get in contact with her agent Anne Moore Armstrong here.