12-01-25 Meet the Wild Things: Children’s Books for Conservation
Guests Hayley and John Rocco, Children’s Author and Illustrator Team, Co-founders of Children’s Book Creators for Conservation (CBCC)
One million species are threatened with extinction, and the number one cause is habitat loss. We have the knowledge and the ability to reverse this trend by 1) protecting important areas from destruction, 2) restoring habitats that have been lost, and 3) rewilding restored habitats. Rewilding means reintroducing wild species in a way that brings back ecological balance.
Guests Hayley and John Rocco are the co-founders of Children’s Book Creators for Conservation (CBCC), a collective of children’s book authors and illustrators who support conservation efforts with the mission to partner with organizations like Wild Tomorrow. Members of this collective use their creative storytelling skills to amplify the work of conservationists and make lasting connections with young readers that cultivate a climate of hope. Their stories empower children with the knowledge, inspiration and confidence they need to be change makers and future leaders.
Hayley Rocco is the author of multiple books for young readers including Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough and the Meet the Wild Things series about endangered animals which she and her husband, John Rocco, created together. An ambassador for Wild Tomorrow, a nonprofit focused on conservation and rewilding South Africa, Hayley travels the world armed with a pen, a journal, and her camera, discovering stories of wild things and wild places.
John Rocco is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of many acclaimed books for children, including Blackout, the recipient of a Caldecott Honor, and How We Got to the Moon, which received a Sibert Honor and was longlisted for the National Book Award. John, also an ambassador for Wild Tomorrow, ventures with Hayley into the wild in search of stories they can bring back and share with readers everywhere. John and Hayley live in Rhode Island in an old house tucked in the woods near the sea.
LOOK FOR THESE BOOKS BY HAYLEY AND JOHN ROCCO
Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough
https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Places-Naturalist-David-Attenborough/dp/0593618092
All the Books
https://www.amazon.com/All-Books-Hayley-Rocco/dp/0316512745
Hello, I’m a Sloth (Meet the Wild Things, Book 1)
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Sloth-Meet-Wild-Things-ebook/dp/B0CJT9ZWZK
Hello, I’m a Pangolin (Meet the Wild Things, Book 2)
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Pangolin-Meet-Wild-Things-ebook/dp/B0CJT8N9X4
Hello, I’m a Quokka (Meet the Wild Things, Book 3)
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Quokka-Meet-Wild-Things-ebook/dp/B0CQJHMGTP
INFORMATION RESOURCES
Learn more about the remarkable Gray Tree Frog – View its camouflage photos; find craft ideas, walking activities, creative writing and more children’s book recommendations on Wendy’s Substack at https://storywalkerwendy.substack.com/p/frogs-of-stone
Meet the Wild Things
https://www.meetthewildthings.com/
Meet the Children’s Book Creators for Conservation 2025 Team
https://www.meetthewildthings.com/cbcc.html
Visit Hayley Rocco at https://www.hayleyrocco.com/
Find more of her books, and follow her on Instagram @hayleyroccobooks.
Visit John Rocco at https://roccoart.com/index.html
Find more of his books, and follow him on Instagram @roccoart.
Learn more about Wild Tomorrow
https://wildtomorrow.org/
Purchase Wendy’s book, The Angel Heart – https://www.amazon.com/Angel-Heart-Wendy-Nadherny-Fachon/dp/1967270279/ref=sr_1_1
Read about DIPG: Eternal Hope Versus Terminal Corruption by Dean Fachon begin to uncover the truth about cancer – https://dipgbook.com/
Learn more at https://netwalkri.com email storywalkerwendy@gmail.com or call 401 529-6830. Connect with Wendy to order copies of Fiddlesticks, The Angel Heart or Storywalker Wild Plant Magic Cards.
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