Lyn Hancock

Read the latest review of Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon

Lyn Hancock

Award-Winning Australian Canadian Photojournalist, Wildlife Photographer, Teacher and Book Author

Visit my Bookstore

Lyn Hancock

Award-Winning Australian Canadian Photojournalist, Wildlife Photographer, Teacher and Book Author

Visit My Bookstore

Eaglet makes its first flight while Lyn films its backyard nest.

Eaglet makes its first flight while Lyn films its backyard nest.

News: Read my new new blog Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon, Chapter 4
Looking for The Wild

Come see Lyn

Come see Lyn at the Beban Social Centre in Nanaimo on October 19th. She will be giving a talk to the Nanaimo Naturalist Society and reading from her book LOOKING FOR THE WILD.

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Featured Books

Tabasco The Saucy Raccoon

At three weeks, Tabasco is a tiny, helpless ball of fluff. Already, the little raccoon’s life is unusual: tucked into Lyn’s pocket or tote bag, Tabasco accompanies Lyn on a cross-country tour, making friends every step of the way. By the time they get home, Tabasco is ready to explore the world—inch by exciting, fragrant, tactile inch. Nothing is safe from Tabasco’s clever paws. Dogs run and horses stand still when Tabasco comes to call. For some, the raccoon’s like her namesake: a little goes a long, long way. But children flock from all around to play with Lyn’s busy, talkative friend. Much as Lyn loves Tabasco, she knows that raccoons are wild creatures, not house pets. The story of Lyn Hancock’s search for a new, wild home for her beloved companion will melt your heart. Young and old alike will treasure the unforgettable tale of Tabasco, the saucy raccoon.

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About Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon

By Diana Lowery

Tabasco lives up to his name as he creates plenty of spicy adventures for his caretaker.

Adopting a three-week-old raccoon is a challenging responsibility even for an experienced wildlife researcher, but the rewards for keeping him hid from her landlord and smuggling him onto planes for a tour of Canada are worth the effort. Tabasco becomes a treasured asset to the author’s lecture circuit as she promotes animal research.

In Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon, author Lyn Hancock presents a chronological description of each stage of development as her pocket-sized, adorable critter grows into a full-sized raccoon. This memoir is a testament to Hancock’s patience and her concern for animal welfare. Her intention is to teach Tabasco the skills needed to live on his own. The situations that arise between the teacher and her pupil are both humorous and educational. Hancock’s writing skills are evident in this easy reading, 165-page story. The short chapters make this suitable for young readers. The descriptive passages make it enjoyable for an older audience.

The best part of this book is the realistic dialogue. Lyn’s conversations with both humans and animals add humor to the already comical circumstances that occur when raising wildlife inside your home. The trick-or-treat scene is one of my favourites. I also enjoyed the way that the author explains the various clicks and chirps that Tabasco uses to converse with her.

This book would be a perfect read-aloud in an elementary classroom. The students would be captivated by Tabasco and would be learning some zoology in the process. I was drawn to the story because I used to have a raccoon that knocked on my kitchen door at night asking for his dinner. After reading this book, I am glad I never encouraged my nocturnal friend to come inside.

Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon deserves 4 out of 4 stars. It is exceptionally well-edited: I found no errors. The cover is attractive, and the illustrations are clever. The black and white photographs at the end are endearing. The book will appeal to a wide range of readers. I recommend it specifically to nature lovers who appreciate the bond between animals and humans.

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The Ring by Author Lyn Hancock

The Ring

The Ring, formerly published as Tell Me, Grandmother, is the story of Sam and Jane Livingston, Calgary’s first settlers, as told by Grandmother Jane to her grandson, Dennis Dowler.

When Dennis asked Grandmother Jane how she got that mysterious ring she kept twisting around her finger, he discovered that Great-grandfather Joseph Howse was the first fur trader for the Hudson’s Bay Company west of the Rockies, and Grandfather Sam was a famous gold prospector, fur trader, buffalo hunter and Fort Calgary’s first farmer. But it was Grandmother Jane’s story Dennis liked best: her life at the Red River Settlement (now Winnipeg), her adventures crossing the prairie in an ox cart and raising her large family in a sod hut. Dennis became proud to be Métis.

This is a fascinating tale of love between a Métis woman and a flamboyant Irishman. Their romance, though not traditional in any way, was symbolized by the ring given to Jane as a token of his undying love. It remains today as a legacy to the many descendants of this remarkable couple.

The Ring by Author Lyn Hancock
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My Life at the Island View Research Centre on Vancouver Island

This snippet comes from a longer film called “Pacific Wilderness”.

My Mum and Dad in Australia always expected to be grandparents of human babies, not orphaned wild animals like Sam the Fur Seal, Tom the Cougar, Boo Boo the Bear, Rocky, and Tabasco the Raccoon. I was often mother to dozens of baby birds, Eagles, Murres, Falcons, Puffins, and the Seabirds toddled behind me in a long line. Yes, I was a mother all right, Mother Teresa of the Wild Animal World.

About

Lyn Hancock

Lyn is a dynamic, award-winning writer and photographer, a highly-recommended, captivating speaker, an inspiring, widely-experienced teacher, and in the words of a spokesman for one education board, “an extraordinary person.” The New York Times added that she has “enough energy and exuberance to light up the streets of New York.”

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Lyn Hancock

Books I’m Known By

Theres a Seal in My Sleeping Bag

Theres a Seal in My Sleeping Bag

There's A Raccoon In My Parka
Love Affair with A Cougar
An Ape Came out of My Hatbox
Looking for The Wild
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Teaching

Resources

Tabasco The Saucy Raccoon

Author Lyn Hancock's Teacher's Guide for Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon

Teachers are busy people and we hope some of these suggestions prove useful, not only for elementary and secondary school students but for adults as well. Here are some ideas for questions, activities, discussion topics, further research, ways you can correlate your reading, your writing and your science studies, and some background material on the writing process. 

Click here for latest review

See What Others Are saying

About Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon

By Diana Lowery

Tabasco lives up to his name as he creates plenty of spicy adventures for his caretaker.

Adopting a three-week-old raccoon is a challenging responsibility even for an experienced wildlife researcher, but the rewards for keeping him hid from her landlord and smuggling him onto planes for a tour of Canada are worth the effort. Tabasco becomes a treasured asset to the author’s lecture circuit as she promotes animal research.

In Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon, author Lyn Hancock presents a chronological description of each stage of development as her pocket-sized, adorable critter grows into a full-sized raccoon. This memoir is a testament to Hancock’s patience and her concern for animal welfare. Her intention is to teach Tabasco the skills needed to live on his own. The situations that arise between the teacher and her pupil are both humorous and educational. Hancock’s writing skills are evident in this easy reading, 165-page story. The short chapters make this suitable for young readers. The descriptive passages make it enjoyable for an older audience.

The best part of this book is the realistic dialogue. Lyn’s conversations with both humans and animals add humor to the already comical circumstances that occur when raising wildlife inside your home. The trick-or-treat scene is one of my favourites. I also enjoyed the way that the author explains the various clicks and chirps that Tabasco uses to converse with her.

This book would be a perfect read-aloud in an elementary classroom. The students would be captivated by Tabasco and would be learning some zoology in the process. I was drawn to the story because I used to have a raccoon that knocked on my kitchen door at night asking for his dinner. After reading this book, I am glad I never encouraged my nocturnal friend to come inside.

Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon deserves 4 out of 4 stars. It is exceptionally well-edited: I found no errors. The cover is attractive, and the illustrations are clever. The black and white photographs at the end are endearing. The book will appeal to a wide range of readers. I recommend it specifically to nature lovers who appreciate the bond between animals and humans.

View All
Author Lyn Hancock's Teacher's Guide for Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon

See What Others Are saying

About Lyn

The presentation you gave to our students was most enchanting and dynamic. It kept our ordinary short-attention-span-students spellbound for the entire hour. That is quite an accomplishment, believe me. You are an inspiration.

Shirley Coffin, St. Joseph’s/A.McKay School, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

I have had so many favourable comments from the children. One little boy told me “Mrs. Hancock was the BEST speaker I’ve ever heard,” EVERY child in the class bought your Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon.

Maria Vavarikos, Lower Canada College, Montreal, Quebec.

I am a ten year old girl who read Tabasco the Saucy Raccoon. She made me laugh, she made me cry, and now is definitely living in my heart. Thank you for making such a wonderful book. I would love to have you at our school.

Zoe, Bella Coola, BC

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Latest

Blog Posts

The Art of Wildlife Photography: Tips and Tricks from Lyn Hancock

The Art of Wildlife Photography: Tips and Tricks from Lyn Hancock

Oct 22, 2023

Wildlife photography is a fascinating and challenging field that requires a unique set of technical and behavioral skills. The ability to capture the essence of an animal in its natural habitat is a talent that few possess. Lyn Hancock, an award-winning...

The Unforgettable Adventures of Tabasco: Lessons in Wildlife Care

The Unforgettable Adventures of Tabasco: Lessons in Wildlife Care

Oct 2, 2023

In the heart of the Amazon rainforest, where the lush canopy of trees stretches endlessly, and the symphony of wildlife echoes through the dense foliage, there exists a remarkable tale of a bond between a human and a unique, fiery companion. This is the story of...

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