Animal lovers are a special breed of humans. As children, they often befriended the little wildlings who lived in their backyards or visited their balconies. Their first and closest friends might have been the household cat, dog, bird, or small mammal, and they may still be more comfortable in the company of animals than other humans. They treasured trips to petting zoos and gasped in delight when they encountered wild creatures on camping trips. This closeness with wild creatures isn’t new, of course. Our ancestors danced alongside animals since we first climbed down from the trees and lived among them. It’s only recently that we have been distanced from our wild cousins, our long-held bonds forgotten.
Our connection with animals has shifted from deep reverence and fear to friendship and family bonds and back again. The Book of Beasts by Elizabeth Sulis Kim reminds us of the deep-seated connection between us. She takes us on a journey around the world, sharing stories from ancient civilizations as well as dreaming of what our future could be with them.
The Book of Beasts: Reclaiming Animal Wisdom
The Book of Beasts is steeped in magic, mythology, folklore, and religion from around the world. In the vein of many classic tales and religions, it centers around the number 12.
In this book, readers are introduced to 12 emblematic animals ranging from our ancient past to the present. We’re introduced to the Lion-Man (aka the Löwenmensch figurine) who was carved in Germany from mammoth ivory 40,000 years ago. There’s the Celtic salmon of wisdom, who grants knowledge of the past, present, and future. We meet Artio and Artaius: Gaulish bear deities who inspired the Arthurian myths, and so many more.
Each of these animals have invaluable lessons to teach us — both about ourselves, and our inextricable bonds with our wild relatives.
A Reconnection to Our Wild Cousins
The Earth in currently in chaos, causing anxiety about climate change and its impact on humans and wild creatures alike. Together, we’re mourning the loss of native habitats. We also cheer every time a pet or wild creature is rescued from a raging wildfire or pulled safely from a collapsed building.
In this era of AI, synthetic foods, and startling deepfakes, people are clamoring for substance and sincerity. They’re eschewing digital media in favor of real books that they can hold in order to reconnect with their humanity. The Book of Beasts doesn’t only offer the opportunity to do just that, but to also reconnect with the animals who share existence with us.
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Our lives have been interwoven with our furred, scaled, and feathered kin for millions of years. This book encourages us to re-examine what we think we know about our wild cousins and friends, and to consider what kind of world we’d like to create from here on in.
Animals aren’t just important because they’re useful to us, but because they’re also denizens of this beautiful planet. It’s their world as much as it is ours. They aren’t here for our benefit, but have rich lives and stories of their own, which have intertwined with our own since the very beginning.
This book encourages us to celebrate them for the sacred beings that they are, and forge a way forward in kinship.
The Book of Beasts is available for pre-order, and will be released in August, 2026.
Order your copy here.
+ Elizabeth Sulis Kim’s Website
Featured image © Michael Vince Kim and Penguin.co.uk