Before we found the giant squid, we dreamed of the kraken.

Before paleontologists dug up dinosaurs, legends whispered of dragons. Inventing the Wild is a colorful, curiosity-driven journey through the creatures humanity imagined first—and the real animals science later revealed hiding behind the myths.

Written with warmth, wit, and wonder, this book turns folklore into an educational playground, perfect for teachers and lifelong learners who love connecting imagination with discovery.

Rather than focusing on what's false, Inventing the Wild celebrates how imagination helps science progress and how the stories we tell shape the questions we ask.