Animals at Play: Rules of the Game [Hardcover]

Marc Bekoff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2008 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Dogs chase each other and wrestle. Cats pounce and bite. These animals may look like they are fighting, but if you pay close attention - as world-renowned biologist Marc Bekoff does - you can see they are playing and learning the rules of their games. In "Animals at Play", Bekoff shows us how animals behave when they play, with full-color illustrations showing animals in action and having fun - from squirrels climbing up a tree to polar bears somersaulting in the snow.Bekoff emphasizes how animals communicate, cooperate and learn to play fair and what happens when they break the rules. He uses lively illustrations and simple explanations of what it means when a sea lion swims with kelp in its mouth or when two dogs bow to each other. Bekoff also describes what happens when animals become too aggressive and how they apologize, forgive and learn to trust one another. This entertaining and informative book will delight every child and show readers how animals - and humans - interact when they are having fun. The series "Animals and Ethics" is edited by Marc Bekoff. It is recommended for ages 9 -11.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Marc Bekoff's ideas about fair play stress the significance of cooperation and justice, aspects of behavior desperately needed in the world today...Read this book, share it with the children in your life, and incorporate its lessons into your classroom, family room or Board room." Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, UN Messenger of Peace, www.janegoodall.org "Animals at Play engagingly explains how animals interact with one another for enjoyment, and how each species has its own 'rules' that make play fair and fun." The Daily Camera, 28th November "The author begins with simple scientific ideas, establishing that play is exercise and practice, in addition to being fun... [He] explicitly welcomes young readers into his intellectual community and invites them to observe animals in their local parks and the behavior of people as well... Michael J. DiMotta's illustrations convey the same sense of intimacy." The Latham Letter, Winter 2009 issue "[A] delightful book for young people." -ENCOUNTER: Education for Meaning and Social Justice, Spring 2009 "Bekoff, an ethologist who sometimes teams with Jane Goodall, and whose work is becoming a national treasure of insight and activism, writes frequently about animal emotion. Here he showcases a behavior all kids resonate with: play. There's good science conveyed here... Bekoff probes the play of different species, and DiMotta's illustrations enliven the words... [W]hat better foundation for kids' kindness to animals than knowledge of those animals in all their joy and sorrow and smartness? The playing animals in this book apologize to each other when things get too rough, and shun those who lie. Kids will relate."-Bookslut, April 2009

Book Description

What can we learn from watching animals play?  Dogs chase each other and wrestle. Cats pounce and bite. These animals may look like they are fighting, but if you pay close attention— as world-renowned biologist Marc Bekoff does—you can see they are playing and learning the rules of their games. In Animals at Play, Bekoff shows us how animals behave when they play, with full-color illustrations showing animals in action and having fun—from squirrels climbing up a tree to polar bears somersaulting in the snow. 

Bekoff emphasizes how animals communicate, cooperate and learn to play fair and what happens when they break the rules. He uses lively illustrations and simple explanations of what it means when a sea lion swims with kelp in its mouth or when two dogs bow to each other. Bekoff also describes what happens when animals become too aggressive and how they apologize, forgive and learn to trust one another.  This entertaining and informative book will delight every child and show readers how animals—and humans—interact when they are having fun.
 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (September 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159213551X
• ISBN-13: 978-1592135516
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,068,545 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous illustrations and a very sweet and memorable story!, September 28, 2008

By 

Sebastian Vale "I can read good" (New Orleans, LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animals at Play: Rules of the Game (Hardcover)

The illustrations in this book are GORGEOUS. They are so sweet, charming, and memorable. I love looking at every one of them. I actually want two of these books --- one to keep on the kids' shelf, and another to keep on MY shelf, because I want this book to stay in gorgeous shape. I just adore it, and know what I am giving as stocking stuffers to all the children I know this holiday season. Dimotta is a real talent -- his animals just make me smile. So, so sweet.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Animals at Play is delightful!, September 26, 2008

By 

V Belt "Educator" (CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animals at Play: Rules of the Game (Hardcover)

Marc Bekoff's Animals at Play is a delightful and informative book that gives children the tools to understand the importance of play in an animal's life. The book provides detailed information about how animals go about engaging friends or family members in a bit of fun and also explains how they indeed abide by rules during these social interactions. The illustrations are amusing and thoughtful and accurately depict how a variety of animals play as they run, chase, wrestle or just stroke each other. Children will truly enjoy learning something new while reading Animals at Play: Rules of the Game!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fair Play Beautifully Illustrated, December 12, 2008

By 

Phyllis F. Perkins (New York) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Animals at Play: Rules of the Game (Hardcover)

A wonderful book that adults will enjoy reading to young children age 4 and which the children will enjoy because of the illustrations which are worth the price of the book just on their own. The lessons are that all beings -- animal and human have rules to live by and we can learn from watching how the animals do it. The paintings stay away from being cutsey and anthropomoric but are energetic, engaging, fun and just plain beautiful. A lovely book.