In this post, we feature author Carrie Tillotson, whose previous titles include Counting to Bananas, which was a Utah Beehive Award selection, among other honors. You can hear her speak about her new picture book, Alpacas Here, Alpacas There, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. You can also try her “invitation to imagine” activity and find other resources to explore. Thanks for joining us, and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Alpacas Here, Alpacas There
- Written by Carrie Tillotson and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
- Published by Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Books
- Release date: February 11, 2025
Thousands of years ago, people living high in the Andes Mountains of South America domesticated alpacas from wild animals. Today, millions of alpacas are still raised in the Andes, but alpaca farming has also spread to North America and around the world. Learn about the lives of alpacas, here, there, and everywhere in this bright, informative title that spans the globe.
Explore Alpacas Here, Alpacas There
Listen to Carrie Tillotson talking with TeachingBooks about creating Alpacas Here, Alpacas There. You can click the player below or experience the recording on TeachingBooks, where you can read along as you listen, and also translate the text to another language.
- Listen to author Carrie Tillotson pronounce her name.
- Listen to illustrator Elisa Chavarri pronounce her name.
- Sample an e-book of Alpacas Here, Alpacas There on Overdrive.com.
- Explore TeachingBooks’ collection of activities and resources for Alpacas Here, Alpacas There.
Invitation to Imagine
TeachingBooks asks each author or illustrator on our Virtual Book Tour to share a writing prompt, a drawing exercise, or just an interesting question to spark curiosity and creativity. Enjoy the following activity contributed by Carrie Tillotson.
Imagination Activity with Carrie Tillotson
When I drove past a farm in Washington State, I wondered what were the cute, fluffy creatures grazing in the fields? My curiosity led me to stop and meet alpacas! This chance meeting filled with curiosity and joy brought me on a 15-year journey to publishing this book. Imagine a time when something sparked your curiosity. How did it make you feel? What paths of discovery did it lead you down? How might you share your passion about that thing with others?
Finish This Sentence . . . with Carrie Tillotson
As part of our Virtual Book Tour, TeachingBooks asks authors and illustrators to complete short sentence prompts. Enjoy Carrie Tillotson’s response.
“I hope that my book may encourage young people to think about…”
I hope that my book may encourage young people to think about comparing and contrasting how animals and people from different places live. I hope they discover that, despite their differences, alpacas around the world have a lot in common and share many rhythms of life, just like the people who raise them.
“Where I work is…”
I can usually be found writing in my upstairs office. I’ll admit, it’s pretty messy! I often have water, coffee, or tea at my desk, and my “Velcro” dog, Willow, at my feet. My other dog, Lucky, is a more occasional office visitor, but he especially likes it when I put up my blanket fort.
Thank you!
To wrap up this Virtual Book Tour, we thank Carrie Tillotson for signing a book for all of us.
More Connections to Carrie Tillotson and Alpacas Here, Alpacas There
- Discover books like Alpacas Here, Alpacas There on TeachingBooks.
- Simon & Schuster’s page about Alpacas Here, Alpacas There, written by Carrie Tillotson and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri.
- Buy Alpacas Here, Alpacas There, written by Carrie Tillotson and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri.
Author photo by May Gunsul. All other text and images are courtesy of Carrie Tillotson, Elisa Chavarri, and Simon & Schuster and may not be used without expressed written consent.
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