Sea Lions in the Parking Lot

A Junior Library Guild selection
A 2022 Green Earth Book Award Short List Nominee
A 2022 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year

“In years to come, these will surely be some of the few joyous tales told about the pandemic . . . This moment in time is gloriously brought to life on the page with brief descriptions and stunning, double-page illustrations of animals — playing, exploring and napping in peace — that will resonate with young readers….[Sea Lions in the Parking Lot] stands as an important reminder that things were different for a while, and guides readers toward deeper environmental thinking, about species and habitats and the interdependence of it all.” — Helen Scales, New York Times

“Captivating…. A must-have for all science and social studies collections at all grade levels.” —School Library Connections, highly recommended

“Intriguing take on the pandemic.” — Horn Book

“Fascinating… an eye-opening book and makes you wonder how humans can continue to stay away from animals’ natural habitats.” —Charnaie Gordon, @hereweeread

“Thought provoking. Boasting beautiful illustrations…. a remarkable look at habitat loss and how wildlife can rebound if humans are more thoughtful of environmental issues.” — Kendal Rautzhan, Books To Borrow, Books To Buy, syndicated column

 “A beautiful tribute to the animal kingdom….a testament to how much people stand in nature’s way, and everyone — including the animals — can use a little room to breathe.” — The Book Wrangler

“The art is haunting and a great testament to the fact that a picture is worth a thousand words…..The text in Sea Lions In The Parking Lot is smart and loaded with adjectives, similes, animal facts, and a big overview of their life….impressive.” — Daddy Mojo

“An amazingly timely and stunning account of how animals were impacted by the Pandemic. As educators we strive to encourage our students to become Global Citizens and this book points them in the right direction!  If you are a teacher who covers Climate Change, Human Impact , Biomes, or Animal Habitats, this book is a great resource to enhance your unit!” —Sasha Swift, Science Teacher, Arts & Letters 305 United, Brooklyn, NY

“Reminds us that we share this planet with other creatures, and makes us think about how we can make sure they have safe places to live and raise their families.” — Archimedes Notebook

“Timely, fascinating and informative! Sea Lions in the Parking Lot will make children laugh, wonder, and most importantly, see the interconnectedness between human life and wildlife. The short vignettes and beautiful illustrations make this book accessible to children of all ages. It lends itself perfectly to facilitating lively elementary classroom discussions about the pandemic, animal habitats and conservationism.” —Rebecca McMurdie, Principal, KIPP Washington Heights Elementary School, New York, NY

“If you’re looking for a book with wide appeal and broad curricular connections, look no further than Sea Lions in the Parking Lot! I teach grades K-5 and I try to incorporate the Global Goals into as many lessons as I can. I see this book fitting into several of those categories—Life on Land, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Climate Action, to name a few—making for a strong way to tie in a global focus and STEM themes.” —Laura Luker, MLS, Library Teacher, Massachusetts School Library Association President

“Delightful …. Todaro playfully captures some of the serious problems of coexistence between humans and wild animals.” —Dr. Matthias-Claudio Loretto, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior