A Storytelling of Ravens

A parliament of owls and a sloth of bears are some of the idiosyncratic names for groups of animals. Inspired by the evocative possibilities of collective nouns, also called "terms of venery," this picture book is full of clever wordplay and delightful illustrations. Full color.

A sloth of bears, a smack of jellyfish, a nuisance of cats -- these are some of the surprising and idiosyncratic names we have for groups of animals. Inspired by the evocative possibilities of collective nouns, also called "terms of venery," author Kyle Lukoff and illustrator Natalie Nelson have created a picture book full of clever wordplay and delightful illustrations. Each spread features a nugget of a story using a particular term, which is accompanied by a collage illustration that serves as the visual punch line.

But where did these unusual names come from? Many of them can be traced back to a book on hunting, hawking and heraldry, printed in 1486 -- the Book of St. Albans, which has been reproduced many times since.

A Storytelling of Ravens provides a unique opportunity to explore and rejoice in the oddities of the English language.