Run, Sparky, Run!

Publishing October 21st, 2025 | 32 pages | Hardcover

"RUN, SPARKY, RUN!"

Follow Sparky, a curious baby squirrel, on her journey as she and her siblings, Scooter and Caroline, explore the world under their mother's watchful guidance. As the trio prepares to leave their maple tree, their mother must teach them how to avoid the dangers of the outside world-from hovering hawks to slithering snakes to crushing cars. While Sparky's brother and sister readily accept their mother's teachings, Sparky's inquisitive nature drives her to question these rules-often to her mother's frustration.

Written by Beth Kantrowitz to help her nephew learn to read, Run Sparky, Run! combines adventure, education, and fun. It features scientifically accurate details about Eastern Gray Squirrels, brought to life through realistic illustrations. Like Sparky, all children eventually have to leave the nest. Run, Sparky, Run! teaches kids the importance of safely discovering the world around them and helps guardians find the strength to let go.

About the Author

Beth Kantrowitz wrote Run, Sparky, Run! in 2008 to encourage her six-year-old nephew to read. The idea of publishing it was "sparked" when her sister rediscovered the story among her kids' childhood papers. Beth decided to bring Sparky's pure and beautiful story to life in 2025 to counter the current dismal state of the world. Beth has an undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell University and two graduate degrees from the University of Maryland: a master of science in sustainable development and conservation biology and a master of public administration in environmental policy. She currently manages grants and contracts for the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, DC. Outside of work, Beth is an avid birder who has served on the board of Prince George's Audubon Society for the past two decades. She is active in the skeptic, secular, and humanist communities and recently published an article about climate change on Humanist.org. Though Beth is a New York native (and a die-hard fan of the New York Mets), she currently lives in Hyattsville, Maryland, with her dog, Darwin.

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