It’s Not My Fault

A Pangolin’s Manifesto

by Rachel Shaw

A charming illustrated introduction to the pangolin—the shy, scaly-skinned creature scapegoated for the coronavirus outbreak.

Pangolin. You’ve seen the name on the news ticker. You’ve read the headlines. You’ve typed it into your search bar. Maybe you know how for centuries, poachers and traffickers have targeted these enigmatic mammals, selling their trademark scales for use in traditional medicine and folk remedies. And that today, pangolins bear an unwieldy burden as the long-snouted face of the COVID-19 virus, as they have been identified as a possible link in the spread of the disease. But what is a pangolin? A mythical creature? A dinosaur? How could it have started all of this? And what can a pangolin teach us about surviving sickness, attacks, and isolation?

With heartwarming images and witty revelations, this book will set the record straight: teaching you about these elusive introverts, the dangers they may or may not present to humans, and the threats that they face as an endangered species. This illustrated manifesto will clear up the tabloid misconceptions and reveal time-tested pangolin beliefs, including:

• Looks can be deceiving (pangolins are more closely related to cats and dogs than lookalike reptiles like armadillos).
• It’s okay to be a loner—especially in a global pandemic.
• Your worth is not skin-deep.
• You deserve protection, even if you’re different.
• Curling up into a ball is always the best defense.

Through the delightful drawings and clever captions that fill the pages of It’s Not My Fault: A Pangolin’s Manifesto, animal lovers of all ages will laugh, cry, and learn that even the most misunderstood members of the animal kingdom are worthy of a second look.