The axolotl is not a monster at all. It’s a salamander that will never lose its gills or fins! Now in paperback!

A fun and engaging nonfiction picture book for kids ages 3-7 that includes Spanish vocabulary, a color concept, and life cycle of this popular amphibian.

An axolotl may look like one, but it is certainly not a monster. This curious creature, made popular by Minecraft, is actually a salamander that will never lose its gills or fins.

Not a Monster explores the traits of the axolotl, the Aztec origin myth about the species, and the way pollution is affecting its natural habitat: the canals of Xochimilco in Mexico City. 

Perfect for preschoolers and pre-readers, this charming and informative read-aloud introduces curious kids to one unique animal that is NOT a monster!

Story Locale:Mexico

Series Overview: If it's not that, then what is it? The Not a . . . series explores different animals native to Mexico and follows their life cycles using integrated Spanish vocabulary and concept-based learning.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
Claudia Guadalupe Martínez learned that letters form words from reading subtitles of old westerns with her father. Her debut novel, The Smell of Old Lady Perfume, received the 2009 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, the 2008 Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult Book Award, and a 2009 Americas Award Commendation. Pig Park won the 2015 Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult Book and the 2015 NACCS Tejas Foco Young Adult Fiction Award.

Author Residence: Chicago, IL

Author Hometown: El Paso, TX

Laura González has a degree in graphic design from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Mexico, where she also studied illustration. She is a member of the Mexican Association of Illustrators (AMDI) and has illustrated several books for children. www.laugonzalez.com

Illustrator Residence:Mexico

Illustrator Hometown:San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico