Chronicle Partners with Wildlife Conservation Society for Wenzel’s Latest Book

In celebration of Caldecott Honor recipient Brendan Wenzel’s new picture book, Hello Hello, which was released on March 20, Chronicle Books is teaming up with the Wildlife Conservation Society to increase awareness of endangered animals in young readers.

Hello Hello introduces species classified as endangered, vulnerable, and threatened, while exploring the interconnectivity of creatures from around the world. In keeping with the book’s themes and message, Chronicle will donate $25,000 to the WCS, which will distribute copies of the book to children during WCS Education programs at its five parks in New York: the Bronx Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Central Park Zoo, and the New York Aquarium.

Wenzel—who is a committed conservationist and whose murals are featured at the Children’s Zoo at the Bronx Zoo—said in a statement, “The care and attention WCS takes to capture every detail of the tropical forests, savannas, and mountaintops in their exhibits has virtually transported me to far off places since I first began visiting the Bronx Zoo as a child. It was where I fell in love with wild animals, and became curious about the places they live, and about the larger world. The same care, attention to detail, and integrity are also alive and well at Chronicle Books, and like WCS, they offer a vision of a kinder world, and practice the values they champion. It is one of the reasons the partnership of these two groups for the release of Hello Hello means so much to me.”

Ginee Seo, executive publishing director of Chronicle Books, said of the collaboration in a statement, “I can’t imagine a more perfect way to celebrate the publication of Hello Hello than with this partnership. The respect, joy, and wonder with which WCS approaches nature is evident in everything they do, and is very much at the heart of Brendan’s work as well. I’m especially thrilled that we’re in a position to help WCS inspire a love of nature in children with an artist who was himself inspired by them as a child—it’s a beautiful circle of creativity.”