The Creatures' Guide to Caring: How Animal Parents Teach Us That Humans Were Born to Care

by Elizabeth Preston

A lively and revelatory journey through the evolution of caretaking on Earth, from animal parents to modern-day humans, making the case that caring for children and each other made us who we are

Poison frog fathers carry tadpoles on their backs. Killer whale grandmothers hunt to feed their adult sons. Tropical birds incubate their friends' eggs. Spider moms let their hatchlings eat them alive. Around the world, animals from the exotic to the familiar go to astonishing lengths to keep their young alive. Their biology, brains and behaviors show us what we have in common with other creatures, as well as what's unique about Homo sapiens.

With warmth, humor, and occasional run-ins with bodily fluids, science journalist Elizabeth Preston leads a highly accessible tour of cutting-edge research into how and why we and other animals care for young. She discovers that humans evolved to raise our kids in cooperative groups, and that the tools we've inherited for caretaking aren't only for moms or dads—they're the basis for our human society.

Genres: Nonfiction

416 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Vmndetta (or V!) ᛑᛗᛛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I'm always curious about animals, and it didn't disappoint. The book is full of fascinating (sometimes unhinged) examples of animal parents that made me go wait, WHAT? and admire just how wild and unexpected caretaking in nature can be.

What really hooked me is the storytelling. The writing is super friendly, engaging, and often funny, so the science and research things never feels heavy or too boring even for me. I learned a lot about animal parenting while also gaining insight about how humans evolved to care for each other.

One part I really loved was when the author meets researchers from different universities and places who study animals to understand their behavior. It made the science feel real, human, and even more exciting.

If you want a science book that's smart, entertaining, and full of wow moments, I recommend this book.

EDIT: I FORGOT TO ADD THAT there's also animals illustration in every chapters too!!!

[triceratops-stomp · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Creatures' Guide to Caring is a beautiful, fantastically compelling, and well-researched book! This novel pulls together stories from across the animal kingdom, most of which are snippets from studies and interviews with researchers. Together, it tells the both scientifically rigorous and emotionally compelling story of how creatures across the animal kingdom care for their children, and how we, as humans, came to be the parents we are today.

This book was so awesome and well-researched (and it had a precise and thorough bibliography!). And even beyond that, it was such a joy to read--the stories given a human cast, asking readers to consider science not just in terms of pure objectivity, but also through the lens of our humanity. In that vein, the book is delightfully informed by Preston's own experience as a human adult who has been subject to crying, sleepless nights, and numerous body fluids in the name of motherhood. A particular favorite quote of mine:

"Weird, worm-shaped amphibians called caecilians grow thicker skin as mothers (don't we all?)...Then the babies use specialized teeth to peel pieces of their mother's skin straight from her body and eat it. The mother survives this--physically, anyway."

I giggled and "aww"-ed and goggled at the bizarre and unique ways that animals care for their children. In addition, I learned so much from this book, things that I had literally had no idea about before, even as a semi-habitual pop science reader and, in the olden days, a science tumblr lurker. Preston presents all the information in a both approachable and scientifically accurate way. To me, this goes up there with "The Genius of Birds" by Jennifer Ackerman and "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" by Stephen Brusatte as my favorite pop science books of all time. Literally, ever since I started reading it, I've been randomly quoting the book and its stories to all my friends and family and having a GREAT time doing so. This book lives in my brain rent free. Please read it so it can live in your brain rent free too.

(I did receive a promotional copy from Netgalley for this book, thank you!)

[Rem71090 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and very hopeful! I read it concerned that it would be overtly in favor of everyone having kids (the “caring for our young has made us who we are” bit in the summary that I read gave the vibe) but it definitely wasn’t - Preston talked a lot about non parents and their roles in caring. I had hoped it would expand into other aspects of care outside of raising our young, but those were really only lightly touched upon. But the book was approachable without being watered down to the point that readers with more scientific background won’t get anything out of it, which is hard to do. It also had the sort of sly humor that is probably only appreciated by the sort of people who want to read scientific nonfiction. I learned a *lot* about bug parents - and I left the book feeling not only hopeful about people in general, but also more respectful and appreciative of the animal kingdom as a whole.

[RavenReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I clutch my pearls, and I shed more than one quiet tear. Preston’s writing celebrates the strange, beautiful, and messy ways life cares for life, and in doing so, reminds us that the roots of society may be found in the most primal acts of parenting. With meticulous research and lively storytelling, this book is a joy for anyone curious about biology, evolution, or what it truly means to care.

Whether you’re a parent, a pet owner, or someone who’s ever noticed how weird and wonderful caretaking can be, this book will open your eyes and your heart. Elizabeth Preston has found a way to blend science, soul, and a bit of bodily fluid humor (yes, really) into a guide that’s as moving as it is illuminating.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Elizabeth Preston, and Viking Penguin for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded to 5 ⭐️

The world is dark right now, and I needed this reminder that we can be good, helpful, and altruistic.

Sometimes it's for obvious evolutionary reasons (i.e. parents taking care of their own bio kids) but oftentimes a species' childrearing structure is creative bordering on seemingly nonsensical - at least to us. Preston guides us through the animal kingdom's numerous parenting styles, some of which we can see ourselves reflected, others not so much. There's unique biology, swapped gender norms, and sometimes murder.

**I received my copy from Netgalley.