For Gianna

Gianna meets every animal like a friend she's been waiting for. No fear, no hesitation — just open arms and a delighted little gasp. Her imagination turns the backyard into a whole wild kingdom, and her enthusiasm is so big it spills over into everyone around her.

That's the feeling these stories try to bottle: the wonder of a child who believes every creature has a name, a home, and a heart worth caring for.

↳ Make this yours — swap in your own words about Gianna anytime.

Right here on our own four acres, Gianna has her favorites. The three deer — Maci, Mia, and Milo — who graze at the edge of the yard in the soft morning light. The wild turkeys that parade across the grass like they own the place. And, fittingly, two wild turtles — real-life little cousins of a certain tortoise we know. To her, they're not animals outside the window — they're family. So we drew them into the Forage Forest too.

From the foot of her bed to the far edge of the yard, Gianna's world is full of creatures with names and personalities. Here's the whole roll-call — the real-life cast behind the Foragers.

Yin & YangCats

Hide FastHamster

MaciDeer

MiaDeer

MiloDeer

Two wild turtlesShelldon's cousins

The wild turkeysBackyard parade

The new fawnsMaci's little ones

ShelldonHer tortoise pal