They’re back! A Beaver Tale: The Castors of Conners Creek

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By Amanda Proscia

Review

A Beaver Tale: The Castors of Conners Creek cover. Image: Wayne State University Press

A Beaver Tale: The Castors of Conners Creek cover. Image: Wayne State University Press

A beaver family reappeared near the Detroit River in 2008, more than 100 years after industrialization and a profitable fur trade wiped out the species in the area.

Author and illustrator Gerald Wykes tells the story of the beaver family’s astonishing return in his book, “A Beaver Tale: The Castors of Conners Creek” (Wayne State University Press, $18.99)

Beavers appeal to children and adults alike, according to Wykes, who lives in Monroe, Michigan.

“Beavers alter their environment to fit their needs, like people do, so it’s easy for readers to identify with them.”

His full-color illustrations and kid-friendly text create an easy-to-follow narrative of the discovery of beavers at the Conners Creek Power Plant on Detroit’s east side after residents noticed trees being mysteriously cut down.

On the surface, it’s a children’s book, but Wykes’ storytelling is highly informative, even for adults. The illustrations, done in acrylic, achieve a watercolor look, making it easily digestible for all ages.

“I wanted to make the language of nature and voices of history easy to understand, but I didn’t want to have to put a beaver in overalls to do it,” Wykes said.

The book encompasses the beaver family’s return to Detroit, the history of the rich fur trade in the area and facts about beavers.

It also contains an environmentally optimistic subtext within the narrative of the beaver family’s return to a previously ill-suited environment.

“There’s an ecological story that this presents,” Wykes said. “Environmental damage is reversible. The beaver story is an example of that.”

Amanda Proscia is a reporter for Great Lakes Echo.

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