Lessons from WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T PEE ON THE BEAR!:

• Teaching the failures of  “manifest destiny”, we can’t just go around “marking our territory” claiming everything as our own; we need to make sure some land stays for everyone. Taught through a little dog who naturally wants to do just that.

• Teaches the value of thinking bigger than ourselves.

• Getting out together and enjoying and protecting the environment.

• There are equal “Female” and “Male” characters in the story. I wanted children to be able to see Park rangers aren’t just “men” and girls don’t always have to be “girly”.

• The illustrations all take the perspective or viewpoint of the puppy, giving it a relatable child-like vantage point.

• There are no faces in the book, so people of all races, gender identities, sizes, shapes, colors, styles, religions and sparkles can see themselves in the story. This is a reminder that we are better together than apart.

• Teaches the history of how we got National Parks.

• The Man in the Muddy Boots = John Muir, founder of Yosemite but in a palatable way. We need to talk about history, the good, the bad, and the ugly and have dialogues about what we can do better, differently, or keep doing as a culture.

• The parents in the book aren’t good at camping, but they are trying to do something new, and by the end, they succeed.

• The dog literally sees “The bigger picture” when he sees the giant sequoias that have been around before him and will be here after him if he helps take care of the environment.