Meet the URBAN WILDLIFE of San Francisco:

A Children's History of City Animals

What are the stories of our wild animal neighbors? Where were their first homes?
When did they first arrive in San Francisco? Have some of them lived here longer  than the city itself?

Meet the Urban Wildlife of San Francisco introduces children to the natural history of the city,
focusing on seven animals: Raven, Skunk, Raccoon, Pigeon, Squirrel, Opossum, Conure.
Meet the increasing variety of animals who have shared San Francisco, as it has changed
and grown into the place we know today.

Nine sample illustrations from the children's book, which has 40 illustrated pages total:



Meet the Urban Wildlife of San Francisco is natural history for children ages four to eight.
Most city animals came from other places, moved here over time, and are still coming here
today. This book takes kids through the stages of San Francisco, from when it was Ohlone
Native Land, to a Gold Rush town, to a Victorian city, to today. Local wildlife is shown in
historical contexts by being anthropormorphized in the illustrations. Younger children will
have a sense of the different eras and the different cultures from the visually engaging
costumes. Older children can understand the timeline. This book tells the story of the animals
who represent the spirit of the city.

The dynamics of a changing city environment and its animal inhabitants is different for every
place, so I've begun with my hometown San Francisco. A flux of wildlife is relevant in an urban
setting. It acts as a metaphor for the human immigration which grows and sustains cities.
Considering this concept through appealing animals supports neighborhood diversity from
an early age.

A natural history with animal protagonists not only fosters environmental sensitivity, and a
better understanding of local history, but also encourages appreciation for how cities continue
to be created through unique groups coming together, each with their own gifts.