FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Peter Parente, a children’s book author and environmentalist, provided a presentation to elementary school students in the Freehold Township schools during the first week in May. Parente used his book “Peeper the Kinkajou” and real animals as educational tools to promote conservation and an appreciation of nature.
“Peter has done an excellent job gearing the presentation to kids and gives them ways to help with conservation,” said Elizabeth Giacobbe, principal of the West Freehold School.
According to Giacobbe, pupils at the school have been studying the rain forest and each class has read at least one of Parente’s books.
“The assembly complemented our third-grade study of the rain forest and its creatures,” said JoAnn Zamrzycki, a teacher at West Freehold.
Students have been researching animal facts, writing descriptive paragraphs and creating drawings of animals to display in the hallway with trees, flowers and insects found in the rain forest.
“Many of the animals we researched were in the book ‘Peeper the Kinkajou,’ ” she added.
During his presentation, Parente explained that his love of animals and their natural habitat was the inspiration for writing his series of books.
He discussed conservation and specific ways to help, such as properly throwing away trash, recycling and conserving water. The highlight of the presentation for the children was seeing the live kinkajou, Peeper, and a two-toed sloth, Maggie, both characters in his books.
“Seeing the animals come to life was the best part for the kids,” Giacobbe said.
In addition to providing his presentations to schools, zoos and various organizations, Parente is currently working on a part in the television show “Reading Rainbow.”
Through his work, he hopes to inspire others to be part of the conservation effort. Parente also works with Wildlife Rescue, the Dolphin Research Center in Key West, Fla., and the Sloth Rescue Center in Costa Rica.