Alison Pearce Stevens—When Beavers Move In

Advance copy: Backstories on books by NASW members

Cover of the book When Beavers Move In by Alison Pearce Stevens, showing an illustration of a beaver, mostly underwater, holding a tree branch in its mouth as it approaches a beaver dam. The colors are true to life, with the beaver in brown, the branches yellow and tan, the water blue, and the sky above a lighter blue. The title letters are in red at the top of the cover, and the names of the author and illustrator in pale yellow at the bottom of the cover. — Beavers

WHEN BEAVERS MOVE IN
Alison Pearce Stevens (NASW). Illustrated by Natasha Donovan
Godwin Books (Henry Holt), March 10, 2026
Hardcover, $18.99, eBook, $10.99, Audio Book, $4.99
Hardcover ISBN-13: 9781250339447
eBook ISBN-13: 9781250473233
Audio Book ISBN: 9781250431011
For readers aged 4-8

Stevens reports:

This book grew from my 2022 article for Science News Explores on rewilding—reintroducing animals to places where they’ve been extirpated so they can help restore the ecosystem.

The Tulalip Tribes in Washington State relocate nuisance beavers from the Puget Sound area into the Cascade Mountains, releasing them on ancestral tribal land with the goal of restoring populations of trout and salmon.

Portrait photo of Alison Pearce Stevens — Alison Pearce Stevens
Photo by Images for a Lifetime

I interviewed one of the biologists involved in the Tulalip Beaver Project for my article; while we were talking, I knew this story needed to be a book. Beyond those interviews and follow-up emails, I did extensive online research into the various effects of beaver-created wetlands. I wanted to showcase the far-ranging impacts beavers have on their surroundings.

All that information percolated in my mind a long time. One day, I mentioned the idea to my long-time editor, who suggested writing it in the style of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Laura Numeroff’s well-known circular cause-and-effect children’s book. That was all the guidance I needed. I drafted it that day.

My background is in behavioral ecology. My text focuses primarily on the ecological impacts of beaver reintroductions. Because it also talks about the work the Tulalip Tribes are doing, I knew I needed to do two things: First, I needed approval from the Tulalip Tribes to publish a book about their work. The biologist I interviewed put me in touch with their spokesperson, who asked their chairperson to read the manuscript. The chairperson both approved it and gave me the quote I placed at the beginning of the book. Second, I needed to find an Indigenous illustrator. After seeing Natasha Donovan’s work in another book, I sent her name to my editors, who agreed she was perfect. I’m grateful she liked the manuscript and agreed to illustrate it. Her gift is in depicting scenes both above and below water—often simultaneously.

I would say it’s okay to write about stories that are outside of your lived experience if you do so with care and respect, work with members of the group in question, and remain open to their feedback.

Contact Info:

Alison Pearce Stevens, alison@apstevens.com
- Stevens’s website: Alison Pearce Stevens
- Bluesky: Alison Pearce Stevens
- Facebook: Alison Pearce Stevens
- Instagram: AlisonPStevens
Natasha Donovan’s website: Natasha Donovan
Book
- Publisher: When Beavers Move In
- Steven’s website: When Beavers Move In
Publicist: Kelsey Marrujo, 646-307-5218, kelsey.marrujo@macmillan.com
Agent: Alexandra Weiss, 651-785-5263, alex@azantianlitagency.com

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Banner image adapted from original photo by Alison Pearce Stevens.

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Advance Copy

The path from idea to book may take myriad routes. The Advance Copy column, started in 2000 by NASW volunteer book editor Lynne Lamberg, features NASW authors telling the stories behind their books. Authors are asked to report how they got their idea, honed it into a proposal, found an agent and a publisher, funded and conducted their research, and organized their writing process. They also are asked to share what they wish they’d known when they started or would do differently next time, and what advice they can offer aspiring authors. Lamberg edits the authors’ answers to produce the Advance Copy reports.

NASW members: Will your book be published soon? Visit www.nasw.org/advance-copy-submission-guidelines for information on submitting your report.

Publication of NASW author reports in Advance Copy does not constitute NASW's endorsement of any publication or the ideas, values, or material contained within or espoused by authors or their books. We hope this column stimulates productive discussions on important topics now and in the future as both science and societies progress. We welcome your discussion in the comments section below.