Description

What is Dakota Babies?

Dakota Babies! is a board book from Farcountry Press introducing young children to 13 baby animals that live in or near the Dakotas. Each spread pairs a large color wildlife photograph with a short rhyme. Ducklings march in a row, a mountain goat kid plays hide-and-seek, and a bobcat kitten peers out of a hollow log. The photos come from wildlife photographers who specialize in this region.

The book is part of Farcountry Press’s long-running Babies! series, which covers dozens of regions and specific animals across North America. Each title in the series follows the same format: thick board pages, square dimensions sized for toddler hands, and photographs chosen for kid appeal over scientific documentation. Dakota Babies takes the format and fills it with animals a child might actually encounter in South Dakota, North Dakota, or the Black Hills.

What is inside

Twenty-six pages across 13 animals, one per spread. Each page has a single large photograph and two to four lines of rhyming verse naming the animal and describing what it is doing. The rhymes are simple enough for a two-year-old to follow along but not condescending for a five-year-old reading independently.

The board construction means pages are thick enough to withstand repeated handling by small children without tearing. The 5.5-inch square format is easy to hold open in a lap.

Specifications

• Format: Board book
• Pages: 26
• Dimensions: 5 1/2 in x 5 3/8 in
• Weight: 5.6 oz
• ISBN-13: 978-1560376859
• Publisher: Farcountry Press
• Published: September 27, 2016
• Reading age: 2 to 3 years, preschool and up
• Language: English
• Country of origin: Unconfirmed

Who is this for?

The primary audience is toddlers aged 2 to 3, ideally with a parent reading along. The board format and simple rhymes are calibrated for that age range. A child who can sit through a few pages will recognize the animals and follow the rhythm without needing to read.

It also works as a gift for families visiting the Black Hills. If you’re bringing a toddler or preschooler to Wind Cave or the surrounding area, this is the kind of book that can prep them for what they might see. Kids who have seen a real bison or prairie dog will recognize them in the photos.

For gift buyers: $8.95 is a comfortable price point for a children’s souvenir. It is lighter and more durable than a picture book for travel. It fits easily in a backpack or diaper bag.

About Farcountry Press

Farcountry Press, based in Helena, Montana, has been publishing regional books about the American West since 1980. The Babies! series is one of their best-known products, now covering dozens of states, regions, and individual species. The format has stayed consistent across the series, which makes individual titles easy to collect alongside one another.

Frequently asked questions

What animals are in the book?
The publisher description names ducklings, a mountain goat kid, and a bobcat kitten among the 13 animals. The complete list of all 13 is not published online. A physical copy of the book will show the full contents on the cover or interior. If you need the complete list before purchasing, contact us and we can check a store copy.

What age is this for?
The publisher rates it for ages 2 to 3, preschool and up. The board format (thick, durable pages) and simple rhymes suit that range well. Older children who can read independently will move through it quickly, but toddlers who are still learning animals will get repeat use out of it.

Is it a board book or a regular picture book?
Board book. The pages are thick cardboard, not paper. That makes it more durable for young children who handle books roughly. It is the same construction used throughout the Farcountry Press Babies! series.

Are there other books in this series?
Yes. Farcountry Press publishes dozens of Babies! titles, including Elk Babies!, Mountain Goat Babies!, Bighorn Sheep Babies!, and region-specific books for states and national parks across the West. Many of them are available at BHPFA partner site stores.

Does buying this support national parks?
Yes. BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.

Can I find this at other stores?
Dakota Babies! is a nationally distributed title and is also carried by other park association stores and online retailers. BHPFA purchases support our partner parks directly, so buying here puts a higher share of the proceeds toward those sites than buying elsewhere does.

Is this a good souvenir for a trip to the Black Hills?
For a family with a toddler, yes. The animals in the book live in this region. A child who spots a real pronghorn or ducklings in the wild will make the connection to the photographs. It is light, durable, and the right size for a bag.