Publishes November 10th, 2026. Online preorders made through the Oak Tree Comics website are as much as 50% off when you preorder six months or more in advance of publication, up to 40% off three months in advance of publication, or 30% anytime after.
 
WHY PREORDER? Preorders help us reach more readers and reduce waste by better predicting how many books to print. That's why we offer unbeatable preorder pricing as thanks for supporting our books and independent publishing.
 
Have you ever seen a monarch butterfly-dragon? How about a sloth-mermaid?
 
In this madcap anthology, you will find 60 WEIRD ANIMALS that combine mythical creatures with endangered species. Each illustration comes accompanied by a fun write-up about the animal combo and shares ideas for how you can help endangered wildlife. 
 
Readers will marvel at the inventive illustrated mash-ups while learning real facts about mythology and animal conservation. From the award-winning team who brought you Thorn the Unicorn, The Weird Animal Hour makes for a great introduction to cryptozoology and environmentalism for middle-grade readers and animal lovers of all ages.
 
By the way, did you know… the book’s cover glows in the dark?! Now that’s WEIRD!
 
Artwork by A. D'Amico
Written by Josh Oaktree
With graphic design and editing by Haley Rose-Lyon
 
Awards and Praise for The Weird Animal Hour
 
2025 Independent Publisher Book Award Silver Medalist for Best Juvenile-Young Adult Non-Fiction 
2025 Green Earth Book Award Long List Nominee
 
🌿 In addition to the subject matter, what are other ways our books at Oak Tree Comics are eco-friendly? 🌿
 
The Weird Animal Hour is printed on FSC-paper, that's paper that comes from sustainably-grown forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
For every book we print, we donate a dollar to an environmental non-profit. For the first edition of The Weird Animal Hour, Oak Tree Comics has donated a dollar per book printered to the World Wildlife Fund.
All of our books use soy-based inks instead of petroleum, which is better for our planet.
All of our book packaging is either recyclable or compostable.
Our goal for all of our books is to have as minimal of an impact on the environment as we can while inspiring the next generation to love and care for our planet as much as possible. We strive to improve our impact and would love to hear from you. If you have questions or ideas to share, please reach out to our team here.