8 books like Hairy Frogfish

By Grace Hansen,

Here are 8 books that Hairy Frogfish fans have personally recommended if you like Hairy Frogfish. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Ultimate Book of Sharks

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why did Deb love this book?

This book is much meatier than the others on the list. But it also delivers information in easy-to-digest blocks and is filled with amazing photographs, many of which the author himself took.

This book provides information that corrects some myths or misunderstandings that people have about sharks.

By Brian Skerry,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Ultimate Book of Sharks as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Dive into the wild world of sharks! Get up close to learn the truth behind these fantastic, ferocious fish with famed National Geographic photographer and explorer Brian Skerry.

Join this amazing underwater adventure to track the sharks of the world, from the teeniest dogfish to the everfeared great white. This ultimate book features every species of shark on the planet, with awesome photos, fascinating facts, the latest science, and firsthand stories of real-life encounters with these incredible creatures. Learn how sharks live, how they eat, the challenges they face, and whether or not you are actually on the menu.


Book cover of Reptiles for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Lizards, Amphibians, and Cold-Blooded Creatures

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why did Deb love this book?

This book covers a broader range of creatures. I find it an outstanding introduction to reptiles, because each chapter discusses a different reptile group—snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises, crocodiles and alligators, and, lastly, amphibians.

The material is clearly organized and includes a general description of the animal type, their anatomy, their diet, and then, a separate section on reptiles (or snakes etc.) at home that gives the young reader a way to learn more about a specific creature that is safe for them to explore and even keep as a pet.

By Michael G Starkey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Reptiles for Kids as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

Explore the fascinating world of reptiles with the Junior Scientists series for kids ages 6 to 9

Big and small. Cute and dangerous. Covered in spikes, scales, and bony plates! Reptiles for Kids is filled with fun facts and amazing photos of slithering snakes and lizards, tough turtles and tortoises, creepy crocodiles and alligators, and some awesome amphibians. These ancient animals come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, from the weird to the wonderful and everything in between.

Learn how a tadpole becomes a frog, what a crocodile likes to eat (and how it catches its prey!), and which gecko…


Book cover of Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why did Deb love this book?

I loved Anglerfish because you really feel like you are traveling with this particular creature on her journey to the deepest reaches of the ocean. She starts out this really cute, vulnerable baby and ends up pretty darn ferocious looking (here I should add that I think the illustrations are just outstanding!!)

We see her morph from a regular looking baby fish to one that has ferocious teeth, and more unusually, a lantern sticking out of her forehead! This has GOT to be one of the weirdest creatures on the planet! Plus to see the size difference between the female (big) and the male (teeny tiny) was amazing. I turned back to those pages several times. 

By Elaine M. Alexander, Fiona Fogg (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Anglerfish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Dive thirteen thousand feet below the ocean's surface into the midnight zone, home to the anglerfish - a cunning hunter known as the Seadevil of the Deep.

Deep in the darkest part of the ocean where no ray of sunlight can reach, Anglerfish makes her home. Resources are scarce, and fellow inhabitants scarcer. Still largely a mystery to scientists, the deep-sea anglerfish is a true source of fascination and awe. This mesmerizing picture book shines a light on the fascinating fish, pairing a captivating text with stunning artwork.


Book cover of Aye-Aye Gets Lucky

Deb Aronson Author Of Reptiles: King Cobras

From my list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a non-fiction writer my entire career and I love learning new things and then sharing them with readers in an approachable and engaging way, as these books do. These books encourage curiosity and that kind of “Oh! I didn’t know that!” response, which can spark a young reader to dig deeper and even share their new knowledge with others.

Deb's book list on misunderstood or weird creatures for children

Deb Aronson Why did Deb love this book?

This picture book, part of an endangered and misunderstood animals series, aims for a much younger audience and is adorable!

The illustrations make the reader feel very connected to the aye-aye and the adventures of the aye-aye are fun for a very young reader to follow, especially this story because aye-aye gets in trouble and plays pranks and then learns that it is not fun to be on the receiving end of that kind of behavior, so you get a life lesson and information about an endangered animal, all in one!

At the back of the book are some fun facts about the aye-aye and also “how to draw an aye-aye,” which are perfect for this readership. Young readers will also like that there are several other, similar books in the series.

By Terri Tatchell, Ivan Sulima (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Aye-Aye Gets Lucky as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

Aye-Aye doesn't mean to be naughty. He can't help himself. Or can he?

Aye-Aye is an endangered lemur who loves pulling pranks on the villagers of Madagascar. He loves it when they squeal, but mostly he loves it when they huck their yummy meals at him.

Until one day, they decide enough is enough and ban him from the village! Poor Aye-Aye is lonely and hungry and desperate to find a way to win back their hearts and clear his name. But how can he when he doesn't understand where he went wrong?

Luckily, a friendly flying fox swoops in…


Book cover of Genes in Conflict: The Biology of Selfish Genetic Elements

J. Arvid Ågren Author Of The Gene's-Eye View of Evolution

From my list on selfish genes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an evolutionary biologist and a Wenner-Gren Fellow at the Evolutionary Biology Centre at Uppsala University, Sweden. My research focuses on the biology of genetic conflicts and what they can tell us about the evolution of conflict and cooperation more generally. I develop population genetic theory and perform comparative analyses to ask how and why such conflicts occur and how they fit into models of social evolution. I also work on the foundations of the so-called gene’s-eye view of evolution, also known as selfish gene theory. I studied at Edinburgh and Toronto and was a postdoc at Cornell and Harvard.

J.'s book list on selfish genes

J. Arvid Ågren Why did J. love this book?

The biggest strength of the gene’s-eye view is that it helps us make sense of things that seem impossible to understand from the perspective of individual organisms. One example is selfish genetic elements. These are genes that in one way or another have hijacked the system by which genes are replicated and passed on to the next generation. This ability allow them to spread in a population, even if they are harmful to the organism that carries them. I was given Burt and Trivers's book as an undergraduate by the professor who would later become my PhD advisor. That was over ten years ago, but every time I pick up this book I am reminded of how awestruck I was. Selfish genetic elements and genetic conflicts are a weird and wonderful world and Genes in Conflict is the best guide there is.  

By Austin Burt, Robert Trivers,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Genes in Conflict as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In evolution, most genes survive and spread within populations because they increase the ability of their hosts (or their close relatives) to survive and reproduce. But some genes spread in spite of being harmful to the host organism-by distorting their own transmission to the next generation, or by changing how the host behaves toward relatives. As a consequence, different genes in a single organism can have diametrically opposed interests and adaptations. Covering all species from yeast to humans, Genes in Conflict is the first book to tell the story of selfish genetic elements, those continually appearing stretches of DNA that…


Book cover of Empire of the Ants

Catherine Austen Author Of All Good Children

From my list on understated siblings.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the youngest of five, and my siblings are what shaped me and my world. Growing up, I never felt alone, except climbing the stairs to bed half an hour before anyone else (such an injustice!). We played cards and games and had noisy discussions throughout my childhood and youth, and we still do. I wouldn’t be me without siblings. It’s the relationship that most fascinates me. There are siblings in all the books I’ve written and probably in all the books I’ll ever write. It’s not a theme I look for when I read, but I recognize the feeling when I encounter it and it feels like home.

Catherine's book list on understated siblings

Catherine Austen Why did Catherine love this book?

There are thousands of siblings in this bookthe offspring of a single queen ant are siblings, aren’t they?and they are most definitely understated. There are humans in the book too, but it’s the ants that interest me, and their sense of relationship to each other. This is one of my favourite novels. It’s beautifully imagined, and so full of fascinating facts that I can never retain them all, so I need to read it again and again. I tried to choose contemporary titles for this list; this is the oldest, from the 1990s, set in the near future, which we’re now living in. 

By Bernard Werber,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Empire of the Ants as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Here is the stunning international bestseller in the tradition of Watership Down but with a dark, original twist. Unique, daring, and unforgettable, it tells the story of an ordinary family who accidentally threaten the security of a hidden civilization as intelligent as our own--a colony of ants determined to survive at any cost....

Jonathan Wells and his young family have come to the Paris flat at 3, rue des Sybarites through the bequest of his eccentric late uncle Edmond. Inheriting the dusty apartment, the Wells family are left with only one warning: Never go down into the cellar.

But when…


Book cover of Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss

Claudia Marseille Author Of But You Look So Normal: Lost and Found in a Hearing World

From my list on living with a severe hearing loss.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve had a severe hearing loss since birth and grew up dependent on lipreading and hearing aids. I’ve witnessed profound change in technology, from the large primitive hearing aid I had as a child, to digital and assistive listening technologies and the availability of cochlear implants. I’ve painfully navigated my way through public schools, and later at jobs, with an invisible disability. Today I am grateful for connectivity to the phone, captioning for movies and Zoom which enables me to lipread! I finally found my way to a life of creativity as a painter and writer. 

Claudia's book list on living with a severe hearing loss

Claudia Marseille Why did Claudia love this book?

This book has become a kind of Bible for those with hearing loss, certainly it has for me. Both authors share their own personal experiences with hearing loss, but this book is primarily a wonderful handbook for self-advocacy.

It is chock full of valuable information about how to navigate the hearing loss world; from the latest hearing technology to how to communicate more effectively in the world. I learned new things that I’ve now applied to my life.

I love movies, but unless they are foreign films with subtitles, I’ve always struggled to understand what is being said. But I discovered there are captioning devices that will download in real time what is being said. Just recently, I watched Barbie with a captioning device that fit into my seat’s cup holder. To my delight, I was able to glance down periodically and read all the dialogue. 

This is just one…

By Shari Eberts, Gael Hannan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hear & Beyond as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hearing loss doesn't come with an operating manual-until now.

If you have hearing loss, you already know that the conventional approach to treatment is focused on hearing-aid technology. What's missing from this hearing care model is the big picture-a real-life illustration of how hearing loss, its emotions, and its barriers affect every corner of your life.

Now, hearing-health advocates, consultants, and speakers Shari Eberts and Gael Hannan offer a new skills-based approach to hearing loss that is centered not on hearing better, but on communicating better.

With honesty and humor, they share their own hearing loss journeys, and outline invaluable…


Book cover of Phantoms

R. David Fulcher Author Of The Movies That Make You Scream!

From my list on staying awake at night.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a writer or horror and suspense books myself, I’ve always sought out exceptional works in the genre that are able to scare me and keep me on the edge of my seat. As a student of the horror film genre as well, a number of the books recommended on my list were made into thrilling movies as well, including Phantoms, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and The Tommyknockers.

R.'s book list on staying awake at night

R. David Fulcher Why did R. love this book?

Phantoms is an exceptional book. When two sisters discover that their hometown of Snowfield, CA is deserted, the reader is instantly pulled into the mystery. Koontz’s powerful description of finding homes deserted without warning, with dinner still on the table in some cases, is uncanny and unsettling. A masterful storyteller, Koontz adds special touches to increase a sense of the supernatural – voices coming from drain pipes, streetlights shattering, and even random bursts of music being heard over loudspeakers by the handful of survivors. The terror reaches a cosmic scale when Dr. Timothy Flyte recognizes the source of the supernatural events as humanity’s “ancient enemy” – a cunning being of massive size that has been feeding on mankind for centuries. I highly recommend this book if you need to stay awake all night!

By Dean Koontz,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Phantoms as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Phantoms is gruesome and unrelenting...It's well realized, intelligent, and humane."-Stephen King

They found the town silent, apparently abandoned. Then they found the first body, strangely swollen and still warm. One hundred fifty were dead, 350 missing. But the terror had only begun in the tiny mountain town of Snowfield, California.

At first they thought it was the work of a maniac. Or terrorists. Or toxic contamination. Or a bizarre new disease.

But then they found the truth. And they saw it in the flesh. And it was worse than anything any of them had ever imagined...


Book cover of The Ultimate Book of Sharks
Book cover of Reptiles for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Lizards, Amphibians, and Cold-Blooded Creatures
Book cover of Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep

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