Check Out My Newest Guest Post From Author Jennifer Ussi PLUS Check Out Her Newest Book ~ Book 6: The Ostiches & Enter A Giveaway Too! #TheIncredibleAdventuresOfCasperTheCat

This post is sponsored by Jennifer Ussi. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

Wildlife Conservation for Kids: Starting the Conversation at Home 

When we talk about wildlife conservation, it often feels like a conversation that belongs somewhere else. 

Somewhere far away. Somewhere bigger. Somewhere involving experts, documentaries, or difficult questions about extinction and climate change. 

And yet, children are already thinking about animals – often long before adults realise it. 

They ask why some dogs don’t have homes. Why animals run away from people. Why certain animals need protecting. 

The mistake we sometimes make is assuming conservation has to start with big, heavy ideas. In reality, the most effective conservation conversations with children usually begin much closer to home — with animals they already recognise, care about, and feel connected to. 

Conservation Is About Values, Not Just Wildlife 

When we talk about conservation with children, we’re not really teaching them facts. We’re teaching them values. 

Respect. Responsibility. Empathy. Long-term thinking. 

These values don’t suddenly appear when a child learns about endangered species. They’re built gradually, through everyday interactions with animals – domestic and wild alike. 

During my travels through southern Africa, often staying near wildlife reserves, I noticed something consistent. The children who showed the greatest sensitivity toward wild animals were almost always the ones who had already learned to treat animals gently at home. 

Kindness, it turns out, scales. You don’t have to start with elephants or rainforests. You can start with the cat on your street, the dog in your home, or the simple idea that animals depend on humans more than we often admit. 

Domestic Animals Are a Child’s First Conservation Lesson 

For many children, their first meaningful relationship with another species isn’t a wild animal at all – it’s a pet. 

Dogs and cats teach children, often without a single formal lesson, that animals have needs, have moods, and rely on humans for care and safety. 

This makes domestic animals an ideal entry point into conservation thinking. 

Talking about strays, shelters, and responsible pet ownership introduces core conservation ideas without fear or overwhelm. Children begin to understand that animals don’t choose their circumstances – and that human decisions have consequences. 

Once a child understands why abandoning a dog is wrong, it becomes much easier for them to grasp why destroying habitats or exploiting wild animals is harmful too. The lesson is the same. Only the scale changes. 

Starting at Home Still Counts 

Not every family can foster animals, donate regularly, or visit wildlife reserves. That doesn’t mean they can’t raise conservation-minded children. 

Starting at home might look like teaching children to be gentle with animals, explaining why pets are a long-term commitment, supporting a local shelter once a year, or talking honestly about why some animals don’t have homes. 

These moments matter because they normalize responsibility rather than presenting it as something exceptional. 

Children don’t need to feel like heroes. They need to feel capable. 

A Small Moment That Says a Lot 

One afternoon in Botswana, I saw how early these ideas take hold. 

We were staying at a safari camp that had a group of young teenagers visiting on a tour. A stray dog lingered nearby – thin, wary, clearly used to people passing through and hoping for scraps. 

One of the boys noticed him and chased him away. When I asked why, he said that if you feed dogs like that, they’ll just keep coming back. 

He wasn’t being cruel. He was repeating something he’d clearly been taught. 

But it stayed with me because of course the dog would come back. That was the point. He had learned where people gathered, where food sometimes appeared, and where survival was possible. 

That small exchange was a quiet reminder that animals don’t misunderstand us – they adapt to us. And the values we pass on to children, often without thinking, shape how animals are treated long after we’ve moved on. 

Rethinking How We Celebrate and Consume 

One of the most practical ways families can bring conservation into everyday life is by rethinking how we approach gifts. Birthdays and holidays often come with an avalanche of plastic toys – many of which lose their appeal within weeks. While there’s nothing wrong with gifts, more doesn’t always mean better. 

Some families are choosing to make one small shift: one meaningful, conservation-based gift per year. 

These might include adopting a wild animal symbolically, sponsoring habitat protection, or supporting rescue or rehabilitation work. 

These gifts still feel tangible. Children receive certificates, photos, and updates – but they also gain something more lasting: a sense that their celebrations can extend beyond themselves. 

Well-established organisations offering these kinds of programmes include WWF, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, RSPCA, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. 

Importantly, these gifts don’t have to replace everything else. Even one such gift a year quietly reinforces the idea that caring about animals is part of normal family life. 

Stories Are Where Empathy Takes Root 

Facts inform, but stories connect. When children read stories where animals are characters — not mascots or villains – they begin to understand animals as beings with homes, relationships, and vulnerabilities. 

Stories like Casper work because the animals aren’t fearless or perfect. They’re cautious. They hesitate. They worry. And then they move forward anyway. That emotional recognition is powerful. Children protect what they feel connected to, not what they’re told is important. 

From Guilt to Responsibility 

One thing conservation conversations with children should avoid is guilt. Children don’t need to feel responsible for fixing the world. What they do need is reassurance that problems are being worked on, small actions matter, and caring is worthwhile. Conservation framed as responsibility – rather than blame – feels achievable. It invites participation instead of fear. 

Making Conservation Part of Family Culture 

Conservation doesn’t need to be a topic. 

It can simply be part of how a family talks about animals – at home, on walks, in books, and during celebrations. 

When children grow up seeing kindness toward animals as normal, conservation stops being something you teach. It becomes something you live. 

A Gentle Call to Action 

This week, try one simple question. Ask your child: Is there an animal you’d like to help? 

It might be a stray dog, a rescue cat, or an animal they’ve only met through a story. 

Wherever the answer lands, the conversation has already begun.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Written by Jennifer Ussi

Illustrated by Lekshmi Bose

Ages: 6-10 | 82 Pages

Publisher: Little Boola Books (2026) | ISBN: 978-1923356269

Publisher’s Book Summary: What happens when the fastest birds on Earth would rather hide than face the truth—and a tiny lost cat refuses to look away?

In The Ostriches, Casper’s journey east leads her into the wide-open savannah, where danger is approaching fast…and no one wants to admit it. The ostriches have perfected the art of avoidance—heads down, problems ignored—but when real threats close in, Casper must help them discover that bravery isn’t about speed or strength, but about choosing to see what matters.

Packed with laugh-out-loud moments, sharp dialogue, and heartfelt wisdom, this story tackles big ideas—fear, denial, courage, and responsibility—in a way that feels playful, empowering, and deeply relatable for young readers. As always, Casper’s kindness, quick thinking, and gentle leadership prove that even the smallest voice can inspire change.

Beautifully illustrated and seamlessly blending adventure, humour, and wildlife education, The Ostriches is a standout chapter in the series—perfect for readers aged 6–10, classroom discussions, and families who love stories with both heart and substance.

A fast-paced, funny, and meaningful read that sparks conversations long after the last page.

Ideal for reviewers who love spotlighting children’s books with depth, charm, and purpose.

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Ussi is an award-winning filmmaker and children’s author whose work has screened at international festivals and cinemas worldwide. With a background spanning feature films, television, commercials, and education, she brings a cinematic eye and a storyteller’s heart to everything she creates.

The idea for The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa didn’t arrive at a desk—it emerged on the road. Over two years, Jennifer and her husband explored the wilds of Africa in an ancient campervan, camping in wildlife reserves, and sharing their days with elephants, birdsong, dust, stars, and stories. Armed with her camera and an insatiable desire to observe and imagine, Jennifer absorbed the landscapes and rhythms of life close to nature—experiences that now pulse through every page of the Casper series.

Her work blends adventure with authenticity, using storytelling to spark curiosity, build empathy, and invite young readers to see the natural world—and their place within it—just a little differently.

Discover more from the author at www.littleboolabooks.com.

INSTAGRAM ~ FACEBOOK ~ PINTEREST ~ YOUTUBE ~ TIKTOK ~ LINKEDIN

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, February 16, 2026

The Children’s Book Review

Book Review of The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa series

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Life is What It’s Called

Author Interview with Jennifer Ussi

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

@nissa_the.bookworm

Instagram Post about The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Thursday, February 19, 2026

icefairy’s Treasure Chest

Book Review of The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Friday, February 20, 2026

@avainbookland

Instagram Post about The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Monday, February 23, 2026

Crafty Moms Share

Book Review of The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Froggy Read Teach

Book Review of The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Mrs. Makes Reading Fun

Book Review of The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Country Mamas With Kids

Guest Post about The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Friday, February 27, 2026

Delicously Savvy

Guest Post about The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Monday, March 2, 2026

Because I Said So

Book Review of The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Lisa’s Reading

Book Review of The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Confessions of a Book Addict

Book Spotlight on The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

Wednesday, March 5, 2026

@meghenslittlelibrary

Instagram Post about The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches

NOW TO THE GIVEAWAY!

Enter for the chance to win one of ten paperback copies of The Ostriches by Jennifer Ussi. One grand prize winner will receive paperback copies of the first six books in The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa series!

The Incredible Adventures of Casper the Cat Who Got Lost in Africa, Book 6: The Ostriches: Book Giveaway