September 26 is Alpaca Day, so it’s time to talk about one of the world’s cutest animals. And no, we’re not talking about llamas here!
Often considered the cuter version of a llama, the Alpaca Owner’s Association uses this day to teach the country about their favorite farm friends. In case you don’t know, alpacas are prized for their extra soft wool. Native to South America, alpacas have been domesticated for over 6,000 years! Because of their soft, fuzzy feet and sustainable wooly coats, they are also considered an environmentally friendly farm animal.
There are several ways to celebrate Alpaca Day. But just in case you can’t get to an alpaca farm or knit with alpaca yarn, we have a few books featuring alpacas to check out!
Stories About Alpacas:
“Alpaca Lunch” by John Churchman
Based on a real Huacaya alpaca named Poppy, this book tells to story of Poppy’s year at Moonrise Farm. Throughout this sweet picture book, Poppy and her friends sample different kinds of foods. Poppy meets with many friends, such as Maisie the dog and Sweet Pea the sheep. It follows Poppy through spring, summer, fall and winter as she tastes the seasonal foods that Farmer John grows and even some that grow in the wild.
“Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse” by Jonathan Sturtzman
Okay, so technically this is the story of Llama. But, stay with me here because Llama tries to replicate himself and ends up creating Alpaca. Llama gets Alpaca to clean up Llama’s messes and Alpaca does such a good job that Llama clones him! Llama gets overwhelmed by the many alpacas and simply lets them out of his front door. As Llama spends the day eating, alpacas flood the streets. With neat illustrations and funny writing, you have to see if Llama can learn to clean up after himself or if he just keeps eating cheese pizza.
“Alex and the Alpacas Save the World” by Kathryn Lefroy
While visiting her grandfather on his farm in Tasmania, Alex learns something pretty freaky: she can talk to the alpacas! Her grandfather is a little curmudgeonly, but after his olive orchard burns down in a freak storm, Alex knows that he is hiding something. Eventually, Alex learns that not only is she a descendant of ancient warriors, but there is a spirit of destruction escaping from the forest. Alex must work with the alpacas, immortal reincarnations of other great warriors, in order to save the world! Great for older kids looking for a descriptive, magic-filled chapter book.
This eBook is available through Hoopla.
Learn About Alpacas:
If you’re just looking for facts about alpacas, we have some great online services. “ALPACAS” by Michelle M. Hasselius has streaming audiobook version on Hoopla if you just need to learn about alpacas right this instant. You can also check out another aptly named picture book, “Alpacas” by Alonso Garcia. This book not only focuses on alpacas, but it also explains how the alpaca’s wool is used and its different treatments. It is available now as an eBook through Hoopla. “Alpaca or Llama” by Tamra Orr, on the other hand, arms you with the ability to finally tell the difference between alpacas and llamas! Also available now as an eBook through Hoopla.
For more books about alpacas (and we’ll even throw in a few llamas), please check out our list of recommendations.
Summer is winding down and school is here, but that doesn’t mean the adventures have to stop! With your library card, you can go on a virtual vacation from home using