Environment and Nature Books

The author is very clear in his introduction to his book by saying that it is not a "how-to" book. It is instead a very insightful and anecdotal account of what it's like to be a veterinarian/zookeeper/curator in a zoo. His stories about his own experiences and historical accounts of advancements in the industry do well to remind us how far we have come and how far we have yet to go in caring for our animal charges. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the zoo industry and wants a better understanding of what it's like behind the scenes.

This was an easy to read, very well described, first-hand account of the complexity of working in a first class zoo.

This is a delightful book. From the dust jacket to the illustrations and index, it is beautifully produced. The author, standing on the left in the dust jacket photo, provides an important inside look at life in the zoo. Robinson's career as a field biologist and zoo veterinarian at the world famous Zoological Society of San Diego provide him great insights into the minds of beasts and bureaucracies. Much of this book is will be great interest to historians of animal collections and veterinary medicine for exotics. However, any dedicated zoo patron will find this account rich and the book will reach a very broad audience among students of animal behavior, aspiring veterinarians, animal lovers and zoo keepers. The anecdotes are lively and poignant, and will resonant with those who have worked behind the scenes in similar facilities. I especially liked the tale of the infamous Ken Allen, an orangutan Houdini!

This is a book that needed writing and Phillip Robinson was the one to do it. A leading authority on zoo medicine, the author also proves himself a skillful writer and storyteller. Life at the Zoo should be at the top of your shopping list for any animal lovers or aspiring ethologists.

"Life at the Zoo" opened up the zoo world for me and provided a long and candid glimpse into how zoos function. Before reading this book I couldn't imagine how anyone could begin to provide medical care for such a diverse population of animals. I got the feeling that I was looking over the fence, peeking through the cracks and peering over the shoulder of veterinarians, animal keepers and visitors. The author writes authoritatively about what animals experience in zoos and the grave responsibility that zoo personnel have in nurturing and protecting them from both people and themselves. I appreciated the parts that discussed wildlife conservation and ethics, and others about the construction of zoo exhibits and some of the nuts, including employees, who frequent zoos. This book made me a better informed zoo visitor. I now have more of a sense of purpose and understanding when I go to my zoo. One of the high points was the author's dry sense of humor and unassuming way of sharing his experiences. Anyone who likes animals and who is curious about the role of zoos in wildlife conservation will find this valuable.

As a zoo docent, I've read better books on related topics such as Hancocks' A Different Nature, and would give this 3 stars personally but maybe a 4 for the general public. In fact, Hancocks' book though published two years earlier has more current info on a couple specifics but it's also more academic in style.

Early chapters seem to feature quite a few zoo deaths of animals and keepers to grab your attention. Middle chapters feature vet-specific topics such as drugs and nutrition but not in any great depth. Lots of anecdotes make up most of the book, some amusing, many of which could have been left out with no loss.

I got the sense the book was written in bits and pieces. There are repetitions such as the nearly identical descriptions of elephant teeth on pages 157 and 222. Quite a few typos involving grammar and missing words, especially annoying in a book from a university press.

I'd call him a middle of the roader on animal issues--he now finds hunting of deer and rabbits distasteful, but still hunts ducks; he criticizes the extreme folks in both animal rights and animal experimentation. He's stronger on environmental issues and thinks zoos should become involved in local environmental issues such as the area's wildlife habitat and pollution.

The bibliography features description/comments on 22 zoo-related books on a variety of topics. Very good leads for people interested in further reading.

At one time, perhaps when few were able to travel, this book would have been a gem. If you enjoy detailed descriptions, incredibly well written, you will enjoy this book. But for me, I will just continue to revere John Muir for the inspirational human he was!

Some say this is Muir's finest work. As the only other Muir book I've read (at this writing) is Travels in Alaska, I cannot comment on this, other than to say that I enjoyed this book a great deal.
From almost any vantage point in California, whether near or on a distant horizon, there are mountains. A fact not lost on Muir, whose sense of wonder and love of life endear him to his readers.
"God's glacial-mills grind slowly, but they have been kept in motion long enough in California to grind sufficient soil for a glorious abundance of life ... In so wild and so beautiful a region [was spent my day], every sight and sound inspiring, leading one far out of himself, yet feeding and building up his individuality."
Muir was the consummate man in nature. Anyone who is indifferent to Muir's writing may simply be indifferent to wonderment itself. I have no doubt that if Muir were placed in a room with the great kings and generals and tycoons and empire builders of history, he would appear singularly as a man among men. Unimpressed with their pomp and bluster over rotting empire, he might soon command more attention than they, and many would be happily listening to Muir in spite of their self importance. Why? He would have the most interesting insights, offered poetically and in a most humble and charming way. ... (in fact Muir was sought out by the great politicians and philosophers of his day).
If you like mountains, if you like California, if you like trees and glacier-fed streams, you will like this book.

As a Birder, I spend a lot of time travelling outdoors.I also have a large collection of Bird and Nature books and spend a great amount of time in them.For pure enjoyment;I found this one of the finest.Muir was as one of America,s greatest partakers in and writers of Nature and Enviroment and was in every way as much a giant as the Sequois and Mountains he wrore about.I read this Classic a short time before I visited Yosemite National Park and having done so,encreased my enjoyment and appreciation immeasurably.
After many years of reading,I have come to the conclusion ,that I tend to like books about people I would liked to have known,or to spend some time with.What an experience it would have been to have known and travelled with Muir. While that is impossible;at least we have his writings and can dream.

muir describes the sierras with detail and love. he is one of the few authors who is content just to be in and describe a landscape. and what a description!. he describes the evolution of glaciaral lakes to the hights of mount ritter and the migrations of deer and native peoples. a great book i recoment it to anyone who loves the outdoors.

The question is not whether Muir is a terrific writer-but how he got that way, and secondarily, why it is important. The Mountains of California was his first book, published in 1894, and was an instant success. This book contains not just some of the best nature writing, but for its vividness, immediacy and vision some of the best writing in English in any genre. Modern Library's edition is quite special with its introduction to Muir by Bill McKibbon and about 50 illustrations, though I wished there were better maps for following the footsteps of Muir's many great narratives among the fabulous natural wonders of the Sierra.

Muir succeeds in his writing in ways that Emerson and Thoreau fall short. Emerson's nature is an internal construct, almost a habit of mind. Thoreau conveys something of the immediacy of Muir in selected writing (and he, like Muir, actually immerses himself in nature itself), but his writings and especially his journals seem chaotic at times and lack a unifying vision.

Muir, on the other hand, always draws the reader forward from one vision to another, each one more fantastic than the previous.

My favorite passages are his descent into the Merced Glacier (in "the Glaciers"), and his description of being on the high slopes during a major windstorm when he climbs a swaying pine to get an even better look. His description of the Giant Sequoia is a work of great subtlety and richness--I seriously doubt you will find a more enchanting description of the two California Species of Sequoia anywhere.

This work abounds with rich and sensuous passages that are descriptions of actual experiences in over a decade of exploring, mostly alone, in the high Sierras. The strength of Muir's writing is based on the depth of his emotional experience of nature-his very personal relationship to the whole and many specific animals, trees and features of the landscape. You would say that it's mystical except for the fact that it's very sensual and very concrete. Muir employs religious language though he never becomes ethereal or abstract as Emerson sometimes does. The reader is always right in the immediate moment of the present listening to Muir's voice. And that suggests another reason why this writing is great. Muir's Scottish heritage (he was born in Dunbar Scotland in 1838) has provided him with a rich, luxurious and slightly exotic vocabulary for describing all the natural wonders that he sees, feels, and hears. It's a voice like no other in American writing.

Of course, the reason it is important is because of what Muir spawned through his vision and experience-he was the true creator of the conservation movement leading to modern environmentalism. I should say that this work is all luxurious description and scientific discussion and rarely becomes didactic or preachy-as modern environmental writers sometimes do. It is not fashionable to think that one person of vision can create so much;but it's hard to conclude otherwise about Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, after reading this work.

Wow! Everyone living in modern society should be issued a copy of this book. It's amazing the things in our homes touted as "safe" that are slowly killing us, and causing numerous health problems.

On the plus side, this book provides a great recap regarding the environmental impacts of everyday household products, although the book sometimes reads like a chemistry textbook. The authors cite numerous research examples that demonstrate links between common products we use and their environmental and health effects. They also offer many common sense changes for improving our home's environment.

My disappointment lies with the author's evaluations of readily-available cleaning products (which incidentally comes in the final chapter of the book). My past experiences with green cleaning products have been underwhelming at best -- performance is clearly lacking. The authors choose to evaluate over 300 products based only on the environmental impacts and specifically state that they did not evaluate cleaning performance -- a serious omission in their research. It feels like a job only half done.

This is a great book. More should read and learn what we are doing to our bodies without even knowing. Very fast shipment.

Naturally Clean is stock full of useful information about chemicals to avoid in the home. It is truly a must-have for every household, written by the crew at Seventh Generation, people who know their stuff. I now take it along with me when I go shopping and review labels for ingredients with a new-found appreciation for the hazards that are out there on supermarket shelves. I especially appreciate the Resource Guide at the end.

I own a green bed & breakfast and plan to make Naturally Clean part of our new Honeymoon Special. It is the type of book I wish I had owned thirty-five years ago when my children were small. Clean up your act. Get yourself a copy today!

The actual content of the book should be required reading for everyone. People might drive a Prius or a hybrid car but their big tub o' liquid laundry detergent is made from Petroleum. It's information like this that makes it a very interesting read.

I do not consider myself a stereotypical super-eco-freak, the kind that wears long flowing caftans and wears Birkenstocks and could generally be considered a modern-day hippie. Because let's face it; environmentalists do have that as a stereotype regardless of if it's true or not. I do consider myself a pretty normal person who likes to learn as much as possible about anything that involves my kids. Most people don't think that cleaning products or lawn fertilizers or driving the minivan that gets 17 miles to the gallon make a big impact on the world. But that is the danger; too many people think that what they do does not matter. This book reminds us that we live on the planet with others and should always remember that.

The only problem with this book is that for the first several chapters, I felt like I was trudging through a textbook. Very informative but very dry. But as the book went along, it seemed to pick up it's pace and the writing improved, becoming more conversational and easier to read.

This helped educate me a little more about living in a greener world, although much of the stuff I had read in several different places. It is nice to get all the important information in one place, though.

You will find this book a spiritual reflection, a personal memoir, an ecological thriller. It focuses on one of the most unique and special natural wonders of the world, Siberia's Lake Baikal, "The Sacred Sea," and the necessity of saving it as both a gift to the future and an end in itself. The author writes with passion, conviction and poignancy; a splendid and inspiring read!

Siberia's Lake Baikal is an astonishing body of water with a unique hold on Russian culture, and increasingly on the imaginations of nature lovers around the world. And of course, the pristine lake is under threat from pollution, development, and climate change. It might be up to the outside world to provide the help that will be impractical or impossible in the Russian bureaucracy and political regime. Peter Thomson embarked on an enlightening and unconventional journey to Baikal and writes beautifully on its natural wonders, the hardy local people, and the threats it faces. Thomson is also adept at exploring the conundrums and enigmas of environmental ethics and the political realities faced by activists working from near and far.

This book also includes Thomson's tales of his offbeat worldwide journey, just one part of which was his long visit to Baikal, but these other portions of the book are rather inconsistently presented, both detracting from the Baikal story and suggesting that the worldwide adventure might be better presented in a book of its own. And there is one real problem with Thomson's occasional lapses into soul-searching about his personal problems. While these issues were the partial impetus for Thomson's journey, such diversions become merely awkward and self-indulgent in a book that is supposed to be about something else. Fortunately, overall this book does an outstanding job of highlighting the unique wonders of Lake Baikal and why more than just the locals should care about its future. [~doomsdayer520~]

I make my living as a writer, so it is with some trepidation that I declare any book beautifully written. But in this case I have to, because it is.

"Sacred Sea" is a must-read, the tale of a journalist and his half-brother who decide to voyage to the world's oldest, deepest and biggest lake - without boarding an airplane to get there. When they arrive, they are told of the lake's magical power to restore itself in the face of increasing pollution. They become environmental detectives, using the tools of journalism.

It's at once travelogue, environmental investigation and a study of the Russian character, punctuated by passages in a personal emotional voyage. Thomson's renderings of characters are delightful: the long-suffering scientist, the boastful - and yet ultimately conflicted - political appointee, the earnest environmentalist-turned-tour guide, the vividly dressed "Old Believers" for whom even the Russian Orthodox Church is too modern.

My favorite chapter, and perhaps the most beautifully written, is Thomson's imaginary trip to the lake's bottom. Yes, it's imaginary - the only part of the book that is - and yet so revealing. No wonder the New York Times called the book "compelling" and a "superb paean to a unique and bizarre ecosystem."

Sacred Sea: A Journey to Lake Baikal is at once a deeply engaging memoir, highly entertaining travel book (and boys' adventure), and a remarkably acute (and non-polemic) cautionary tale about the environment.

A few years back, Peter Thomson, then editor and producer of NPR's environmental news program Living on Earth, found himself at the loose ends. Thomson's way of tying up the loose ends was to embark on an around the world boat and train (no planes!) journey with his younger brother, a journey that would center on Siberia's Lake Baikal,the world's largest body of fresh water and home to a unique ecosystem.(With a heavily-polluting paper mill on its shores, Lake Baikal is in some danger.)

Thomson managed to talk to a number of people on all sides of the Baikal issue - scientists, business people, environmentalists, politicos - and these conversations make for compelling reading.

So do all the sections on getting from Point A to Point B,legs of the journey largely made on cargo ships and not particularly comfortable trains. For the most part, Thomson went native in his travels, and thus left himself open to the types of encounters you won't have if you're riding the clean toilet tourist bus with the Kiwanis Club.

This book is highly recommended - and would make an excelent book club choice. Plenty to discuss here!

Much more than a travelogue, the author does a superb job of chronicling his personal and ecological discoveries--illustrating his NPR investigative skills throughout--when he makes his way from Boston to Lake Baikal in the Siberian plateau. A very good read with good pacing, and a true eye-opener about the vulnerablity to pollution of the world's largest body of fresh water.

Another reader reviewed this as "old news". I disagree. In academic geographic, architectural, and sociological circles the content of this book may be old news, but as a layman in all of those studies, I found this to be a profound introducton to the subtleties of human development. I know I'm not alone - there are plenty of people out there who have no real understanding of the underlying principles of heredity, childhood development, human environment, and physiology. Dubos covers these topics with amazing sensetivity and wisdom. This book's illuminating treatment of the issue of race alone should be enough to keep it relevant and important 40 years after it was written.

It does read like a self-help book in a few places, but the surrounding context is penetrating enough to compensate for those few sentences.

the biggest thing to remember is that the book is written in 1968, and it well supported Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" (1970) to a T. today. Dubos makes his points well, tho spends about half a chapter to illustrate the evidence, i feel such explanations are not always needed. almost feels like he's writing to an audience of complete non-believers; as a geographer i find it dummyfying.

still not a total failure for human geographists of 2005, there are some interesting tid-bits. Some high points are why there are different races (previously mentioned by National Geographic founder in 1899 in his observations of Alaskans), and why Southeast Asians are so short and Norwegians so tall, and how archetecture affects human life and well being. Also, the significance of human life chapter is interesting (if you havent found it yet, look at any self-help book).

if you're really interested, concentrate on beginnings of paragraphs and last few pages of each chapter.

A wonderful, astonishing book. If you are interested in how we, as a species forever in a state of subtle evolution, are unwittingly influenced by our environment, this is a book to read.

A wonderful, astonishing book. If you are interested in how we, as a species forever in a state of subtle evolution, are unwittingly influenced by our environment, this is a book to read.

NOTE it was written in 1968 - and Dubos was right on about all our problems...

I heard about this book in a magazine before it came out, and I just had to own it. The combination of rare photographs and case studies on each animal were irresistable. Such animals would be forgotten without the artistic eye of Purcell and the efforts of naturalists to complile their stories.The photographs of the museum specimens are haunting, but with a clear purpose. It shows the importance of conserving the species we have left, so that we do not have to depend upon mishapen skins to remember them. I hope those who read this book recognize the human error in the past so that we cannot make the same mistakes in the future.

I'm afraid I was dissapointed in the book. Either it was a lame attempt at an artsy style or there was a decision to try and keep costs down by limiting the number of photographs. In way too many cases the photographer seemed to be obsessed with dramatic lighting of extreme closeups. Although the photos were well done, in very few cases were there full body pictures. In other cases the head would be brightly lit while the rest of the body (of what there was included) would be in deep shadow. The most dissapointing were the Cuban Macaw, and the Cape and Barbary Lions. The text, although well written, was also very sparce, and could have used some map diagrams to show population ranges. In short, there was a lot of empty space that could have been filled with photographs and information. The only reason I would reccomend the book is that as far as I know its the only one of its kind. I sincerely hope someday another book will be made with more descriptive text, and several photographs of various angles for a more "scientific" and comprehensive coverage. Those stuffed animals will not last forever and there is definitly a need for a well documented record.

The photos in this book are not images you want to put in your child's nusery, but they tell the story of animal extinction better than any post-card shot could. This book highlights the finality of extinction as well as the importance of natural history museums.

The Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Naturalis of Leiden, Netherlands, exhibits a collection of extinct and near extinct animals. Photography on this part of the museum collection is done by Rosamond Purcell. Texts are written by Lars v.d. Hoek Ostende, Martien van Oijen, Rinus Hoogmoed, René Dekker and Chris Smeenk. Editing was done by educational officer Lars. So the bibliographic refernce best should read: Swift as a Shadow, ed. Hoek Ostende (Lars v.d.) Photography Rosamond (Wolff) Purcell. Being a museum employee I may not appear to be an objective reviewer but the collection is famous. Photography and text are fully worth buying it!

Each photograph of Swift as a Shadow greets the reader as a quick slap in the face. The range of 'grotesquely beautiful' images leaves the reader with a sense of helplessness when the initial awe of beauty turns to the realisation that in most cases the creatures displayed are gone forever. The multitude of animals, birds and even fish represented is an amazing array seldom found in one volume. Some animals represented are quagga, barbary lion, thyacine, javan tiger. The birds are an extensive collection (usually more than one example) representing most of the infamous and unfortunate extinctions of our time; Carolina Parakeets, Passenger Pigeons, Great Auk, Pink Headed Duck, Labrador Duck, Paradise Parrots (amazing!) Huias plus Dodo bones and Elephant Bird eggs to name a few!

Text is sparse, and given the stark, sometimes ghoulish photgraphic reality, this is not a detraction from the books theme. All photographs are high gloss quality, if a little detail restricted by 'photographing for arts' sake' eg; back neck view only of the quagga, skin pattern only of the Balinese Tiger. I'm sure that enthusiasts of endangered animals will now strongly consider a visit to the Natuurhistorisch Museum of Leiden, Netherlands, once in their lifetime.

I was so excited to receive this book-- as someone who has had some experience farming and who hopes to continue in the future BUT who will be living in a city for the foreseeable future, I couldn't wait to get my hands on my guide to sustainable homesteading in the city.

While this book is full of great concepts, it fails to deliver on the instruction side of things. This is not a Guide Book as the cover proclaims-- it is an Ideas book. The authors suggest planting fruit trees in your yard, and to save space, prune them into "an espalier". How do you do that? The authors kindly refer you to another book.

I understand that covering all the skills involved in Urban Homesteading in-depth would require a tome many times the length of this paperback. But an Urban Wild Edibles section with no pictures? Seriously?

This is a great tool for people who haven't gardened before and who have the motivation to seek out the actual technique elsewhere. But this is nowhere close to a guidebook, and most of the sections were wildly uninspiring, under-explained, and uninformative. If you had the foresight to seek out this book, you can probably figure out on your own that you can bake bread even in the city (!), red lettuce and green lettuce look pretty together in your garden, and composting may help reduce some of your soil woes.

To be fair, the cooking section and home cleaning supplies section, while not very enlightening in terms of ideas, has a slightly more complete informative style. But really, this is a basic, basic book, and while some of the book caters to those of us in tiny apartments with no yard space, the majority deals with ideas best tackled with large kitchens, some sort of yard/roof, and owners (or at least tenants of some very permissive landlords) of their own place. There was nothing particularly urban about most of these instructions, and this book doesn't even go near anything I would call homesteading.

In the end? If you won't do any growing of your own food if you don't buy this book then BUY IT. But, if you're like me and you are hoping for something to really make your apartment more sustainable, you may be better off reading Gaia's Garden and making the necessary adjustments yourself.

My wife and I were delighted to get our hands on The Urban Homestead. We have been following the Urban Homestead journey via the authors' blog and we have enjoyed the projects, the experiments, the successes and the failures. Most of all, we have enjoyed a shift in our consciousness as we began to evaluate our relationship to our home, our community and our environment.

And so, with book in hand, we can now leave the computer, go for a walk, sit and read and contemplate the future and the route we'd like to take in getting there.

This book is a great value, even if you never set out to garden or raise chickens. The conservation and home ec projects alone have given us great pleasure.

The authors challenge the reader to live less as a consumer and more as a producer. The Urban Homestead is an effective and inspirational guide to making that journey a successful reality.

Like the first reviewer, I too have been long looking forward to this title's release. Unlike the first reviewer I am not at all disappointed with "The Urban Homestead." It's a well-written and engaging resource and I don't find fault in it as a book of ideas and initiatives rather than as all-encompassing encyclopedic volume. In fact I like that I don't have to be entirely dependent on something trying to show me how to be independently sufficient.

The authors are obviously well-informed and hands-on involved and thanks to them I'm already planning my first project involving gray-water capture, storage and re-use.

I've been reading the authors' blog, HomegrownEvolution.com for more than a year, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect from this book, and I was not in the least disappointed. I think perhaps even more than all of the practical advice and specific directions in The Urban Homestead, Coyne and Knutzen's perspective and approach are what I value most. There's an overriding attitude--almost philosophy, really--that the authors convey so well. It's positive yet somehow never sappy. They recommend doing what you can and doing what you like.

They also warn: "Work makes work" in the gardening section, and to me that perspective is more valuable than knowing how frequently to water my sweet peppers once they've flowered. (Which brings up another thing I've enjoyed so much about reading this book and the H.E. blog: The blog pointed me to Pat Welsh's Southern California Gardening for more specific and advanced gardening advice.)

The Urban Homestead is laid out in a way that makes it easy to pick up and read a little bit here and there. And I've been picking up my copy every chance I get, rereading sections, too, both for knowledge and enjoyment. It's really oriented toward people with a new or recent interest in living more like their great-grandparents did, more engaged in the world around them, even if that world is a major metropolis. It's less about preparing for disaster than thwarting it.

If you want to ditch your TV, buy less crap at the supermarket, learn how to use a bicycle to transport your self and your stuff, conserve, reuse, bake, make and otherwise reject so many things that until recently our society believed were progress, this book will get you going on the right path.

For those of us city-dwellers contemplating the fundamental lifestyle adjustments demanded by the looming global socio-economic reorganization, this book provides a detailed, lucid, step-by-step, blueprint that takes what seems to be an overwhelming task of historical reversal and transforms it into an open-ended series of tangible, human-scaled projects. The writing and design make it easy to browse, read straight through, or use for reference, and it brims with an infectious curiosity and enthusiasm for the exploration and reclamation of our culture and species' relationship to the land. The longest journey begins with a single compost heap.

Terry Moore's "The Watchers" delivers a wonderful story about kids, summer, the beach, parents, summer friends, mysterious sea creatures, corporate greed, ecology, and nature's delicate balance of all life on earth.
Mr. Moore manages to touch all the bases succinctly in an totally enjoyable "quick read."
The story centers on three children, (two girls, named Timi and Sataki, and their friend Brian) spending the summer vacation at the shore, in a beach town, that we eventually find out has nearly become ruined by corporate pollution. And as the plot thickens, more and more surprising details are revealed. These children are very perceptive and have amazing, insightful things to say. They seem wise beyond their years (eight or nine). Such an interesting bunch, I can picture more adventures coming out of this crew, maybe a movie! The story is almost like a modern day fable, complete with a surprise twist at the end and even a moral to learn from.
A recurring "treat" in this book, is the listing of a "summer pleasure", such as ice cream, amusement park rides, sleep & summer rain, etc., for each of its 15 chapters ... and that might be the best way to describe this read, (which I happened to read during the summer)... "a summer pleasure." Thank you Terry Moore, I'm sending a copy to my great nephew, -- Lou Russo

I found this book to be very well written. Though the book was written for children, as an adult I enjoyed reading this book. Both children and adults can learn something about environmental issues and also how children can work together on an issue. It also brough back my memories of memories of the Jersey Shore. I happen to buy two copies of the book and plan to give one of friends's daughter.

Bravo to the author Terry Moore

I read The Watchers, by Terry Moore. I found the plot intriguing, even though it is meant for a younger reader. It kept me interested and kept me reading on. The story was interwoven with important issues, such as becoming aware of ecology and our interdependence of life forms on each other; the importance of family relationships; loyalty of friends; illness and environmental toxins, and becoming proactive about it all. It was well done and can have a positive impact on these issues.

The Watchers is even better than you might think. The writing is good. The story is surprisingly exciting -- even for an adult -- and the surprise ending is really a surprise and brilliantly executed. If you thought horseshoe crabs would make a nice story for kids, wait until you find out what the author has in store(y) to tell you about them. In an hour you can learn a lot and like what you read -- all at the same time.

Could any review be without some criticisms? How about a little more character development. And where did those weird kids' names come from? Is anyone really named Timi? (Brian I can believe.) But who cares; this is a wonderful book and here is a surprise for you readers on top of the surprise ending: serious politics abound in this book and yet they are presented in a way that makes it possible for not-too-political folks to absorb them. I wouldn't expect corporate America to lavish much praise on this book, but then I wouldn't expect corporate America to care much about horseshoe crabs or a little girl named Timi who spends her summers at the New Jersey shore or about her friends who have...well, read the book if you want to know.

"The Watchers" will provide a few hours of fun for young readers and adults alike, with an accent on environmental themes. Author Terry Moore proves that you don't have to "dummy down" serious topics for a kid's audience. He artfully weaves important issues about the health of the planet into an interesting plot that unfolds during what should-have-been an idyllic summer vacation at the New Jersey shore. It's a well-written book populated with delightful children, especially young leading lady Timi. You'll come to love horseshoe crabs and care about their future, and you'll be looking forward to more books with this delightful cast.

And from another reader, Feb. 2008:

Beautiful book with important messages for children around eight and for over 65 second-childhood seniors. Also very timely as environmental groups are battling to have a two year-old ban on harvesting horseshoe crabs extended.

I remember seeing hordes of crabs packed on the beaches during egg-laying seasons in years past. The fisherman wanted them for fertilizer and the medical industry used them as blood donors. To their credit, the meds did not kill them. The environmentalists want to protect red knot shorebirds which fly from South America to their nesting grounds in arctic Canada making one stop only in the Delaware Bay area where they feed on the crab eggs. Wow! What an effort. Saving the crabs means saving the red knots. We must work on Corzine to keep the ban in effect. Maybe we should send him a copy of The Watchers.

Once again, as in Smith's WHAT THE PARROT TOLD ALICE, there's plenty of nature, fascinating mind-popping science (including a discussion of the theory of evolution that will knock both Darwinists and Creationists on their ears), finger-pointing at humankind's shortsightedness (as well as a deserved jab at Americans' refusal to embrace other cultures), suggestions that humans would do well to emulate animals, and wondrous encounters with the rainforest. There are plenty of animal characters such as the wise Lorax-like Marco, the Old Man of the Forest, love-monkey Nik, and survivor Jude, whose owner taught her to drink martinis and smoke Marlboros (no joke). There's an international (even extraterrestrial!) perspective, intelligent environmental and scientific discourse, as well as the sense that people are finally lighting candles rather than cursing the darkness.
Teens are fond of the phrase "Get real." In Smith's story, both teens and adults tell the world to get real and listen to WHAT THE ORANGUTAN TOLD ALICE.

If you like fun and adventure, you'll like this story about two teenagers' journey deep into the rain forests of Borneo, in search of Orangutans. An imaginative and captivating tale, it is funny and at the same time poignant. It teaches children about the fragile balance between civilization and nature and the delicate web that binds us all together. It leaves us with an understanding of the plight of the Orangutans, as well as with a sense of hope.
I read this book with my 10 year old daughter and we loved it!

I found this book while looking for a gift for my 15 year old nephew and was amazed by how much I enjoyed reading it myself. This is such a creative way to engage young people in looking at issues of habitat preservation, wildlife exploitation and extinction, conservation, (human) overpopulation and more! What might be difficult and abstract concepts for a young person to understand, are made real and personal through the stories of a young girl and the animals she meets in the rainforest. If we are really going to save the earth and all of it's inhabitants, we will have to get the next generation involved. This book has the power to do that and should be in the hands of children all around the world.

What The Orangutan Told Alice: A Rain Forest Adventure by environments Dale Smith is an engaging, informative, entertaining, environmental novel written for young adults and thoughtful conservationists of all ages. A story that relates human and ape, as much from the orangutan's point of view as that of Alice, What The Orangutan Told Alice is a meaningful story meant to make its reader aware of the importance of the natural world...

I loved this book. Through the eyes of a 14 year old child we look into the world of the orangutan, the gibbon, and other animals of the world's shrinking rain-forest. There is a useful dictionary of rain-forest and animal terms. As a former teacher who now works full-time for primate protection, I think this book is suitable for readers from eleven years old right up to 100! It is really thought-provoking but never leaves one with the feeling of helplessness. Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman, International Primate Protection League

I purchased this book for it's content(penguin info), and the illustrations. It exceeded my expectations.

Very good book, came quickly, faster then was told. I'm looking forward to my next purchase.

This is a story about the emperor penguins of Antarctica and it touches on the Weddel seals and the Adélie penguins as well. The first have of this beautifully illustrated book explains how the female emperor lays her egg and how the male tends to it for up to two months while the female is at sea. It's just a fascinating introduction for a child about how different animals can be from us and also, how important they are.

The story also introduces the child to the effects man is having on the lives of the animals that live in the frozen south. Ms. Cowcher's drawings are just so captivating, that your child can't help caring about the animals. It's a good primer for the Greens, for caring, for perhaps a future Rainbow Warrior.

Sophie Cacique Gaul

The first thing that drew me to this nonfiction book was the gorgeous illustrations by Cowcher. They are beautiful. Her use of "cool" colors such as blue, purple, green, and gray add to the wonder of this book. If you are a teacher, this would make a great addition to your personal library to use with units on penguins or Antarctica. It also comes in a "big book" format and is worth the money!