The Inner Life of Animals: The Illustrated Edition

From the author of The Hidden Life of Trees: The Illustrated Edition

A visually stunning journey into the rich inner lives of animals.

In his New York Times bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben opened readers' eyes to the scientific mysteries of the forest. Next, he explored the world of animal emotions in The Inner Life of Animals. Now this new, breathtakingly illustrated edition of The Inner Life of Animals celebrates animals on the page like never before.

This stunning illustrated edition pairs highlights from the original text with remarkable photos that illuminate Wohlleben's enchanting storytelling and draws connections among a wide range of species. Animals, he reveals, are different from us in ways that amaze us--and they are also much closer to us than we ever would have thought.

Through vivid stories of devoted pigs, two-timing magpies, and scheming roosters, Wohlleben weaves scientific research into how animals interact with the world with his own experiences in forests and fields. We learn that horses feel shame, deer grieve, and goats discipline their kids. Ravens call their friends by name, rats regret bad choices, and butterflies choose the very best places for their children to grow up. Domestic and wild mammals alike, along with a wide variety of insects, fish, and birds, come to life through the vivid photography and thought-provoking captions that accompany their stories, sparking greater compassion and respect for all animals as part of the web of life.

An eye-opening celebration of the incredible diversity and richness of animals' emotions and inner lives, this illustrated edition is the ideal gift for animal lovers everywhere.

Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute

Praise for The Inner Life of Animals

"A treat for animal lovers of all stripes."
--Kirkus, starred review

"The Inner Life of Animals will rock your world."
--Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus

"Animal lovers everywhere will be enthralled by The Inner Life of Animals. Find out what squirrels, deer, and other animals really do out in the woods."
--Temple Grandin

"Wohlleben's words are bound to touch even the animal-emotion skeptic."
--Washington Post, Jennifer S. Holland, author of Unlikely Friendships

Author: Peter Wohlleben
Publisher: Greystone Books
Published: 10/20/2026
Pages: 184
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.55lbs
Size: 10.10h x 9.00w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781778404030


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 10/01/2026 pg. 54

About the Author

Peter Wohlleben is a world-renowned forester and author of many bestselling books for adults and children. His books have been translated into dozens of languages and have been adapted for the screen. When he is not writing and researching, Wohlleben manages a sustainable forest academy in Germany's Eifel Mountains.

Jane Billinghurst's career has been in book publishing in the UK, the US, and Canada, as an editor, publisher, writer, and translator. She has translated many of Peter Wohlleben's most successful books, including the international bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees, The Secret Network of Nature, and The Power of Trees.