By Claire Buchwald and Sarah Buchlaw; Illustrated by Rebecca Evans

Friends in Fur Coats

A young boy sitting on a bed in a treehouse, hugging an orange tabby cat, surrounded by various animals including a raccoon, a black bear cub, a fox, a rabbit, a chipmunk, and a squirrel in a lush green forest.

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Noah finds out from his animal friends why fur belongs on animals, not people. Sitting on his bed with his cat, Mango, and his furry toy animals, Noah asks, “Why do you get to have fur coats, but I don’t?” In his dream that night, Noah’s animals offer a variety of answers. He learns how vital each animal’s coat is to its survival and happiness.

Through lighthearted, engaging, and informative interactions, Friends in Fur Coats tackles the difficult topic of why using animal fur is inherently inhumane. Children learn in vivid detail what makes each animal’s fur unique, as well as other facts special to each animal.

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Classroom Guide

  • Wildlife, Animal Welfare, Wild Animals, Bedtime

  • 24 Pages

  • Hardcover

  • 3-7 Years

  • Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade

  • 0940719290

  • 9780940719293

A young boy in red and white pajamas holding a teddy bear, looking down, walking barefoot next to an orange tabby cat, also walking barefoot.

Reviews

  • School Library Journal

    “(Excerpt) During a dream, young Noah visits his stuffed animals in their different habitats and learns why their fur coats are important for their survival. Noah says goodnight to all of his beloved stuffed animals before going to bed. As he falls asleep, he is surrounded by trees and deep in a forest. He talks to Bella, his stuffed animal bear, who has transformed into a real bear. She tells him all about her fur and its purpose. Throughout, Noah travels to various habitats and is greeted by his stuffed animals. In the end, he realizes why fur is so important to his animal friends and why he does not need a fur coat…”

  • Janisse Ray (Author of "Ecology of A Cracker Childhood," and six other titles, Georgia Writers Hall of Fame honoree)

    “Young Noah, like most children, is so attuned to animals that he joins them in his dreams, wondering why he has skin rather than fur. This lovely book looks at the ways animals benefit from their fur. It is beautifully rendered and fun to read.”

A watercolor series illustrating a boy in bed, with a cat on the headboard and a woman leaning over him, in a lush, blue-green forest setting with trees and greenery.
A young boy with black hair and a striped shirt is lying in bed, talking to a dog and two cats. The boy has a curious expression, resting on his chin with hands under his chin. The dog, a black and tan breed, sits next to him, and a small orange tabb
A boy lying on a bed in a forest, talking to a black and tan dog and an orange tabby cat. The bed has a wooden headboard and a blue blanket, surrounded by trees and greenery. There is text on the right side of the image.
Illustration of a young boy and various animals on a wooden bridge overlooking a grassy field and a frog, with a background of a dusk sky and forest; dialogue and narration are overlaid on the scene.
Four watercolor paintings of animals in natural habitats: a bear climbing a tree with a fox and bear cubs nearby; a beaver swimming in a river with a dam and forest; a group of goats on green hills with a gray mouse in the grass; three penguins and a