Halfway Wild

Laura Freudig lives on an island along the Maine coast with her husband, six children, two ducks, fifteen chickens, one dog, and one really wild cat. She likes reading, singing, hiking, and gardening.

At an early age, Kevin Barry began drawing crazy cats and martial artist monkeys on the backs (and corners) of his homework assignments, a habit he has yet to break. He was thrilled to put this wildlife sketching inclination to good use in illustrating Halfway Wild. When not illustrating books for children, the award-winning children’s book illustrator can be found either scratching out stories with elementary students, snout deep in a book, or exploring the wilds of New England with his own Halfway Wild family.

"Good both for classroom explorations of metaphors and for inspiring imaginative play."
––Kirkus Reviews

 

"This fun read-aloud about a loving family encourages children to mimic the animal behaviors depicted."
––School Library Journal

 

"Imaginative and playful, each page begs a second look."
––Children's Book Review (@childrens_book_review on Instagram)

 

"Barry's caricatured aesthetic fits the unusual goings-on"
––Publishers Weekly 

 

"This delightful tale of a family’s animal-like similarities plays into some of our greatest observations as young parents. Telltale images of tired kids sliding on socks and deep sea divers splashing in the water remind us that play is truly the work of childhood–and one that we’ll pine for once it becomes just a memory . . .  A sweet read that reminds us that life with kids is never dull, especially when we can take time to appreciate the insanity, inside and out."
––Pamela Brill, The Talking Walnut 

 

"This is a whimsical and poetic story, well-suited to the imaginations of children ages 4-7, and beautifully illustrated with hilarious, detailed and colorful artwork by award-winning illustrator Kevin Barry."
––Bill Bushnell, Central Maine Newspapers