Katherine Schwarzenegger has passed one of her greatest loves down to her three children, and she couldn't be happier about it. The 35-year-old, who shares her kids, daughters Lyla, five, and Eloise, three, and son Ford, who will be one on November 8, with her husband, Chris Pratt, has been busy promoting her latest children's book, Kat and Brandy, and revealed during an appearance on the TODAY show on Tuesday that her kids have inherited her love for animals.
Discussing the book, which is described as "a heartwarming tale about a young girl's bravery, overcoming her fear, and the healing power of animals," with co-host, Savannah Guthrie, Katherine explained: "My kids definitely have it in their blood to be an animal lover, they love being in the presence of animals. It's interesting now as a parent myself to watch the calm that comes over them when they're in the presence of an animal, and when they're having big feelings, to just be around an animal and see them be so calm."
She added: "It's really what I wanted to highlight in this book, too, is just, the gift of being able to be in the presence of an animal, and how, even in the presence of an animal, you can work through your fears, you can be brave, and just spark those conversations with children, it's the goal."
When Savannah pointed out that Katherine has the perfect "focus group" for her children's books now that she is a mom of three, Katherine replied: "This is new for me, though, because I had not had this with my previous children's books. This is the first time that I could go to my kids and say, 'Do you like these pictures? Do you like the way this story plays out?'"
Discussing her kids' bedtime routines after Savannah said she heard "Chris has a dramatic reading voice," Katherine said: "He's very theatrical, it's not fair actually because I read it, and I'm, you know, just reading it myself, and then he gets into full character, and sometimes my kids are really into it, and other times, they're like, 'Dad, stop.' Then he's in there for three hours and wonders why bedtime takes so long, and I'm like, 'You did this to yourself.'"
Kat and Brandy
According to Katherine's website, Kat and Brandy is based on her own childhood memories with her real-life pony Brandy and tells the heartfelt story "about the bonds we have with animals that help us feel strong and confident, and sometimes even allow us to conquer fears we never thought possible".
The official synopsis reads: "Kat has loved horses for as long as she can remember. She's grown up going to the barn, watching her mom ride, and riding herself. But while out on a ride one day, her pony gets scared, and she falls off. Ever since then, Kat has been afraid to get back in the saddle – until she meets Brandy.
"Brandy is a rescue horse with a past that makes it hard for her to trust others. From the moment Kat first sees Brandy in the pasture from afar, with her pretty white coat and the unique little scar on her face, she wants to learn the horse's story. Kat sees herself in Brandy and is intrigued, eager to get to know her better. Through patience and curiosity, Kat works through her worries and builds up the courage to get back in the saddle and ride again."