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Introducing to the pangolin--the shy, scaly-skinned creature scapegoated for the coronavirus outbreak. What is a pangolin? A mythical creature? A dinosaur? Why was this introverted animal one of the most feared creatures during the COVID-19 pandemic? And what can this endangered species teach us about surviving sickness, attacks, and isolation? This illustrated manifesto will clear up the tabloid misconceptions and reveal time-tested pangolin beliefs. -- adapted from back cover
About the author
Rachel Shaw is an author and illustrator, and the communications officer for the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. In 2009, she was part of an exchange program organized between the UK and the Philippines by Rotary International and was able to see some of the incredible diversity of species on the country’s 7,107 islands. As she learned more about the animals, she began to record their stories through text and artwork. Her children’s book on pangolins was published in the Philippines in 2015 by The Bookmark, Inc. Today she is the creator of the heartwarming Instagram page pipisinpangolin. She lives in Lincoln, UK.
Summary
A charming illustrated introduction to the pangolin—the shy, scaly-skinned creature scapegoated for the coronavirus outbreak.
Pangolin. You've seen the name on the news ticker. You've read the headlines. You've typed it into your search bar. Maybe you know how for centuries, poachers and traffickers have targeted these enigmatic mammals, selling their trademark scales for use in traditional medicine and folk remedies. And that today, pangolins bear an unwieldy burden as the long-snouted face of the COVID-19 virus, as they have been identified as a possible link in the spread of the disease. But what is a pangolin? A mythical creature? A dinosaur? How could it have started all of this? And what can a pangolin teach us about surviving sickness, attacks, and isolation?
With heartwarming images and witty revelations, this book will set the record straight: teaching you about these elusive introverts, the dangers they may or may not present to humans, and the threats that they face as an endangered species. This illustrated manifesto will clear up the tabloid misconceptions and reveal time-tested pangolin beliefs, including:
- Looks can be deceiving (pangolins are more closely related to cats and dogs than lookalike reptiles like armadillos).
- It's okay to be a loner—especially in a global pandemic.
- Your worth is not skin-deep.
- You deserve protection, even if you're different.
- Curling up into a ball is always the best defense.
Through the delightful drawings and clever captions that fill the pages of
It's Not My Fault: A Pangolin’s Manifesto, animal lovers of all ages will laugh, cry, and learn that even the most misunderstood members of the animal kingdom are worthy of a second look.
Foreword
Traditional and digital media: Timely topic guaranteed to draw media attention, particularly appealing with offer to feature designed color spreads and interview the knowledgeable author. Media to include general interest and pop culture because of fun, smile-inducing content, as well more science/nature-driven as author can speak to specifics qualities of the animal and the dangers it faces. Outreach to include the likes of Mental Floss, Mashable, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, The Atlantic, NPR, The New Yorker, Smithsonian magazine, Science, National Geographic, Yahoo News, USA Today, and Business Insider. Of particular interest will be sites that have previously featured content on pangolins, as well as those that featured comp titles.
Targeted digital advertising with SEO keywords: Searches for information on the little-known pangolin have soared since its association with Covid-19, according to Google Trends. Marketing on Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Instagram will make use of this and will allow the book to be the first viewed with searches related to pangolins.
International sales appeal: People around the world have sought to know more about pangolins since their association with the global epidemic and as the book has limited text and is illustration heavy, it should do well with an audience both in the US and abroad. Special interest is expected in the UK, where the author is based, as well as Southeast Asia where she studied pangolins.
Trade media outreach: Pitch for coverage by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness.
