Perhaps you’ve seen the capybaras at the Memphis Zoo. The large aquatic rodents reside in a muddy section tucked away in, of all places, Cat Country, the big feline exhibit. I’ve commented, on more than one occasion, that the capybaras seem remarkably chill for an animal that can surely smell apex predators on all sides. Adding to the capybaras’ aura of calm imperturbability is that they almost always have some other animals hanging out in their enclosure. Another mammal might lounge in the mud near a capybara, or a bird might perch on top of the hairy, brown creature. Yes, I tell myself on seeing such a sight, capybaras seem to have it all figured out. A new picture book by Italian illustrator Michela Fabbri, I Am a Capybara (Princeton Architectural Press), would seem to confirm my suspicions.
Capybara
Fabbri lives in Genoa, Italy, and she’s worked in illustration and comic books for some time before penning I Am a Capybara. Her work was selected for the 2018 Illustrators Exhibit at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair; I Am a Capybara is her first children’s book. For her debut picture book, the author takes an interesting route, neither committing to full-fledged flights of fancy or a strictly scientific fact-based story. The result is a delight.
Though Fabbri’s debut picture book does include some facts about its namesake, I Am a Capybara also attributes thoughts and emotions to the giant rodent that Fabbri could have no hope of knowing. Even then, though, the more whimsical asides often have some basis in fact. Capybaras are social creatures. True, but Fabbri goes a step further, writing, “I’m sure you can see from my expression that I’m a tough guy. But not a normal tough guy. We capybaras know a secret: tough guys love cuddles and care sometimes.” The end result is an important lesson, especially in this age of understanding and countering toxic masculinity — that being tough and needing love are not antithetical.
It’s no surprise that Fabbri’s illustrations are the star of the show. Her pen seems to be able to walk the line between realistic representation and the exaggerated characteristics that make a good cartoon. In the end, Fabbri’s I Am a Capybara is a peaceful meditation on an oft-overlooked denizen of the animal world, one that just might have a thing or two to teach young readers willing to take the time to listen.