A 365-Day Journey Through the Animal Kingdom, One Fascinating Creature at a Time!
We received An Animal A Day in exchange for our honest review from Timberdoodle Co.
If you’re a homeschool parent on the hunt for a stunning, engaging, and educational book to add to your nature or science shelf, look no further. An Animal A Day: 365 Amazing Animals To Take You Through the Year is the kind of book that instantly captures attention and keeps curious minds coming back for more. Whether your family leans into the Waldorf, Montessori, or Charlotte Mason philosophy or just has a deep love for nature this book is going to feel like a perfect fit.
Better yet, it’s been announced that this beautiful book will be included in the upcoming 2025–2026 select Timberdoodle Curriculum Kits! And after using it firsthand during our homeschool mornings, I can tell you it’s an absolute gem.
What’s Inside the Book?
An Animal A Day is exactly what it promises a full year of remarkable creatures, one for every single day. Each page features:
- A vivid, full-color illustration of an animal (some rare, some familiar, all fascinating)
- Fun, bite-sized facts that are digestible yet spark deep curiosity
- The scientific name and geographic region of the animal
- Occasional fun facts, myths, and natural history notes
The layout is clean, visually appealing, and feels like a cross between a naturalist’s field journal and an artist’s sketchbook. It makes learning feel magical.
Let’s Talk About Those Illustrations
The artwork is nothing short of stunning. Bold yet gentle, realistic yet whimsical it walks that perfect line between textbook clarity and storybook wonder. My middle schooler was immediately drawn to the pictures and spent extra time flipping through the pages even after our morning session had ended.
These illustrations aren’t just pretty they’ve been a launching pad for deeper learning in our home. On more than one occasion, my son has independently looked up more about an animal’s habitat, diet, and conservation status. It’s been incredible to see him take that initiative just from being inspired by a picture book.
How We Use It in Our Homeschool
We’ve added An Animal A Day to our Morning Start-Up routine—what we call our gentle start to the day. With a cup of tea and the sun streaming in, this book becomes a daily moment of connection, curiosity, and calm.
We read one animal entry aloud, admire the artwork, and then chat about the creature’s region, adaptations, and anything else that sparks our interest. Some days we even map the animal’s home on our wall map, and other times we turn it into a mini science notebook entry.
It’s also perfect for:
- Morning baskets
- Science warm-ups
- Nature table displays
- Independent reading time
- Supplementing unit studies on ecosystems, biomes, or continents
Who Will Love This Book?
This book is a must-have for:
- Students in upper elementary to middle school, though even many high schoolers will be enchanted by the quality and variety of content.
- Animal lovers and budding zoologists of all ages.
- Families using Waldorf or Montessori methods, who appreciate nature-led learning and beautiful visuals.
- Charlotte Mason homeschoolers, who will treasure the living-book style and gentle yet rich narration.
- Nature journalers, looking for a springboard into drawing or writing about the natural world.
Final Thoughts
As a homeschool mom with years of experience curating resources, An Animal A Day has quickly become a top-tier favorite in our homeschool space. It’s rare to find a book that hits so many sweet spots educational, beautiful, engaging, and versatile but this one truly does.
If your child lights up when spotting a creature in the wild or begs to visit the zoo “just one more time,” then An Animal A Day will be their new favorite part of the homeschool day. It has brought a new sense of wonder and exploration into our mornings, and I can’t recommend it enough.
Get ready to fall in love 365 times over.
Little Learner and Mom 