Mammals Books

needed to purchase this book at the last minute for my daughter, Amazon and the supplier came through with flying colors...would definitely purchase again..

This book brings together information from primate field studies and presents it in an evolutionary context. 46 contributors cover more than 100 species of primate. Though it was published 20years ago it is still a great source of information - and before 40years ago very little was known about non-human primates.

The diversity of primates is clear from this collection. Mating systems, sexual dimorphism, infanticide by adult males, female dominance, dispersal and philopatry, aggression, conflict and cooperation, communication and intelligence - a wide range of observations of primate behavior are covered. I've found this book a very useful source.

Many interesting and readable chapters discussing numerous aspects of primate social life. There is one chapter for virtually every primate genus, and many more general chapters as well. As an actuary, I especially enjoyed the chapter on the demography of certain primate populations, particularly rhesus macaques.

Primarily a photography book, PRIMATES offers an intimate and often humorous (but not condescendingly so) look into wild primate life. Even the brief text, by Barbara Sleeper, is first-rate, revealing details about each species not often encountered by lay people. This is not meant to be a comprehensive text, however, but a celebration of some of our closest relatives. The photography is at times stunning, capturing intelligence, emotion, innovation, and above all personality. If you love primates, or are even vaguely attracted to their study, this is a must-have book.

This book is suitable for all ages. I just loved Art Wolfe's photographs. With so much emphasis on "trendy" primate species like gorillas and chimpanzees, this book introduces readers to the dozens of primate species of which you may never have heard. Like the gibbons, the lesser and often forgotten apes - whose domestic lives are lived by the standards humans so often fail to meet (sexual equality, no color bars, paternal role in infant rearing, monogamy)! Plus tiny marmosets you can old in the palm of your hand. All these animals are there. I loved this book. It is not a comprehensive guide or identification manual like Noel Rowe's book which I also like. It is a pleasant and readable book! Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman, International Primate Protection League

Filled with excellent photographs by Art Wolfe, this book shows more than 100 species of monkeys, apes, and lemurs. Seperated by geographical location and family, each specie represented has a short and comprehensible synopsis accompanying one or more beautiful photos. A great introductory book to the world of primates, I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the field. Thomas R. Null, A Walk on the Wild Side: International Nature and Wildlife

Racing the Wind is part of the Dolphin Diaries series. Although I have not read any of the other dolphin books, it didn't matter. Racing the Wind was great! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Initially, I was drawn to the novel because I had traveled to the Amazon last year and swam with pink dolphins in the wild. Naturally I was curious to see if the book could capture the essence of these delightful and illusive creatures. I was impressed by the accuracy of description and the plausibility of the events that occurred. The various encounters with the dolphins as well as the development of the characters added the kind of suspense that makes you want to read on.

The pink river dolphin, called boto rosa, is an amazing animal. The myths and legends surrounding botos are numerous and many natives both fear and revere them. I found these animals fascinating and very gentle. I fed them, and I swam with them. When one in particular first looked me in the eye, I felt like the creature was gazing into my very soul. I was prepared, therefore, to be under whelmed by Racing the Wind. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover that although my personal adventures were wonderful, this novel enabled me to bring back all those memories, and I even learned some new information about botos that I hadn't known before. In my opinion, Racing the Wind provides the reader with a true picture of pink dolphins. I would encourage anyone who loves animals and adventures, to join Jody on an amazing journey to a place where some of us can only dream about.

After a while, the stories of Jody's dolphin adventures on the blue sea, which all seem to be slightly similar to one another, can be become rather boring. That is why this book is so entertaining! Imagine Jody, cruising down the colorful-but-dangerous Amazon river with her family and friends, in search of rare dolphins that, for once, don't befriend Jody right away as though they've known her all their lives. I could hardly put this book down until the time when I finished it, and couldn't help wishing that it wasn't over yet. I highly recommend this book if you have finished the fifth one, and I recommend this series to girls who love originality and adventure!

This story is amazing. It has so much warm hearted characters. I also like this story because I am interested in botos like Jody.
Jody is my favorite character. She really loves to study marine animals. She is very brave to save a baby boto from the deadly sinking sand. Even though I'd never been in Amazon, I had a great feeling like that I was in Amazon with Jody, her family and her friends, while I was reading this story. It is very adventurous and exiting story.

THE RHINO WITH GLUE-ON SHOES is a fantastic read for people of all ages. The commitment and ingenuity of these zoo professionals is inspiring. I am astonished by the case of the anorexic eel, mortified at the damage done to Earring Boy, and delighted by the story of Tulip, whose owner's devotion and love is a testament to the impact animals have on our lives. Spelman and Mashima have edited a lovely book, which should be read by young, aspiring veterinarians, conservationists, and all animal-lovers.

I should preface this by saying I have helped do some promo for this book - which, as an animal lover, I've been really excited to do! "Rhino" is an engaging read for anyone wanting a view into the lives of zoo and wildlife veterinarians. The stories chronicle surprising and innovative solutions to various animal patient treatment challenges encountered by zoo and wild animal vets' from around the world.

Photographs of many of the actual animals help to connect the reader even more to these special animals. These true animal stories should appeal to any reader with an interest in animals or veterinary work - both adults and younger readers!

This is a wonderful collection of stories that can inspire the youngest aspiring vet, while making even a medical professional smile. These ingenious, dedicated exotic animal doctors deserve our admiration even though their patients can't say "thanks" for themselves.

My granddaughter Ruby loves this book! She is only three and a half months old, and (no kidding) this is her favorite book. Everytime we open the first page and sing, "La La La! Bang Bang Bang!" she lights up with a huge smile. The colors are great; the story is cute; and it lends itself to lots of reading and singing with inflection (which is entertaining for us as well as Ruby)! This book is a must-have for fun, high-energy afternoons.

I mean really embarrassing. The sort of person you invited to a dinner party, and your spouse asks "Why on earth did you invite that imbecile?" and you reply "I only invited him to be polite, I didn't think he'd actually come."

Our morals are challenged when reading this book. When we have an embarrassing friend, should we still cleave to that person or should we make every effort to be cleft from him or her?

"Dog" features in this book, but note that s/he has a leading role in Helen Stephen's other marvelous volume "Ruby and the Muddy Dog". We also see "Bear" a number of times, but it seems Stephens is yet to provide us with a volume starring him or her. Will Stephens write one? Will she listen to the growing demand from her readers? I can almost hear the chanting in nurseries and homes across the Western World right now: "We want Horse! We want Horse! We want Horse!"

This book is great fun to read to young children. My boy enjoys it every time. I note that on the page which reads "But by the time they reached the postbox, Hippo was singing..." It's at this point I'd insert the La La La, not after the rest of the text on the page. Maybe that's an obvious point.

5 stars. Great!

I purchased this book for my daughter - Rubey.

Like the other Ruby Book - Ruby and the Muddy Dog (also by Helen Stephens) - this Ruby book is also fantastic. The illustrations make the story. The Hippo hiding behind the telephone box, lamp post and generally trying to be quiet is funny.

The Noisy Hippo saves the day by scaring away the Big Candy Eating Monster and Ruby and Hippo walk off into the sunset together - stomping and making lots of noise.

The initial attraction of this book is the wonderful artwork, but further investigation reveals a thoughtful and fresh look at nature. Robert Bateman tells you enough about himself and his lifes work to make you curious about him. Most importantly, he provides the reader with a close up and personal view of animals we rarely experience. He provides a quick run down of the facts of each animal and where it lives in a small information box. The text provides some very unique information on the animal. I found his information on how a giraffe runs to be facinating. A great read for children (and adults) of any age who appreciate nature and beauitful art.

This is a beautiful wildlife art book for children in elementary and middle school; adults will enjoy it also but might like the larger version. The book includes the natural histories of each animal in Bateman's realistic paintings and may be a useful resource for home libraries.

This is a great book for children who like animals. The book inspires children to draw. My six year old son and I have enjoyed this book and have spent many hours reading it over and over. The drawings are incredible. Your "animal loving" child will love it, too.

The information is current and plentiful as usual with this series. The spanish is correct. The pictures are germane to the explanations on the page. They are also excellent pictures. This book is perfect for 8 to 12 year olds as a reference and for just reading. The children want to read it all at once. It definitely gives them everything they want to know about deer; their habitat, food, etc. This also makes it great for the teacher to read before talking about deer.

Excellent pictures, great information and easy to read. The America Salvaje series did it again. Sections on babies and interactions with man makes this a spanish reference book that's fun to read. Classification, habitat, food, etc. is done beautifully for 8 to 12 year olds. A must book from a must series.

A great book in the America Salvaje series. Pictures couldn't be better. The information is as up to date as you can get. Placing skunks in their own family instead of with Mustilidae (weasels) is an example. I use this series with second graders (it's hard to find good second grade Spanish reference books on specific animals) but this book is definitely great for 8 to 12 year olds. Easy to read with plenty of information. A must reference and reading book.

As an elementary school teacher, nonfiction material that is informative and entertaining is hard to find. This book with its wonderful illustrations opens many doors for discussions about animal behavior, adaptations, and their habitats.

The topic of this book is interesting to children. It deals with factual events, yet explains them in a manner that children can follow and enjoy. Characters (i.e., sea lions) with their own "personalities" are used to explain important conservation points.

This book is of particular interest to our children because of their interest in animals, particularly sea life. Pier 39 is now in our list of places to visit.

The accurate,interesting history combined with colorful illustration takes you to Pier 39. Real life characters that you can care about. Beautifully done.

Professor John A. Murray, editor of many anthologies on nature writing. "Mr. Gormley is the equal of any nature writer publishing today ... epic sweep and grandeur ... beauty and power of ... descriptions." Professor Murray compares the quality of Gormley's writing to that of Melville in MOBY DICK.

ORCAS OF THE GULF is a natural history of killer whales in the Gulf of Maine, where orcas visit each summer to hunt bluefin tuna and other prey, including the occasional great whale. The book's narrative focuses on a pod of twelve orcas over a period of ten weeks, from mid-August through October. Everything in the book is based on fact. In its first printing, ORCAS OF THE GULF was voted one of the best popular science books of 1990 by Library Journal. Professor John A. Murray, editor of many anthologies on nature writing, later opined, "Mr. Gormley is the equal of any nature writer publishing today ... epic sweep and grandeur ... beauty and power of ... descriptions." Professor Murray compares the quality of Gormley's writing to that of Melville in MOBY DICK.

"ORCAS OF THE GULF will be a pleasure to anyone who wants to explore the realities of nature. Mr. Gormley's awe and respect for these magnificent whales is shared with us as a small pod of orca pass through the familiar waters off New England. We find ourselves enveloped in the interlocked, interwoven spectrum of the sea; everyday life to the orca, white water drama and magical beauty to Man. Much seems incredible, impossible, even mythical, yet the author has included every available bit of science in his exciting and educational narrative. He takes us a few steps farther than science has yet gone, with common sense and realism, challenging the scientists to discover the full world of the orca. His narrative theories on perception, communication, pod society and chillingly realistic assessment of human impact are most interesting. The values and perceptions expressed in this work are not human, but they may just be the orca's, and we can all learn from that." William W. Rossiter Vice President Cetacean Society International

"ORCAS OF THE GULF will be a pleasure to anyone who wants to explore the realities of nature. Mr. Gormley's awe and respect for these magnificent whales is shared with us as a small pod of orca pass through the familiar waters off New England. We find ourselves enveloped in the interlocked, interwoven spectrum of the sea; everyday life to the orca, white water drama and magical beauty to Man. Much seems incredible, impossible, even mythical, yet the author has included every available bit of science in his exciting and educational narrative. He takes us a few steps farther than science has yet gone, with common sense and realism, challenging the scientists to discover the full world of the orca. His narrative theories on perception, communication, pod society and chillingly realistic assessment of human impact are most interesting. The values and perceptions expressed in this work are not human, but they may just be the orca's, and we can all learn from that." William W. Rossiter, Vice President, Cetacean Society International.

While camping 200 miles north of Toronto, Lawrence rescues 2 wolf pups who are barely two weeks old, their eyes not yet open. What a series of adventures are in store as they live with him & his wife on their 350 acres. There are engaging descriptions of the wolves' individual personalities & how they interact with people, pets & other creatures on the property, as well as descriptions of life in the far north, including making maple sugar. Here's a memorable exerpt:
"Observing them, I realized that they looked out of place in the house. It was as though a piece of the wilderness itself had suddenly and magically appeared in one corner of our kitchen, each wolf seeming to be surrounded by an aura of primordial force so compelling that it gave off sensual vibrations. They were utterly alive, two organisms tuned to fine pitch, strong, lithe, and absolutely formidable."

This book is one of the best I've read in a while. The author describes the lives of two young wolves through human eyes in a way that is uncomparable. I would really reccommend this one!

I loved this book the second I picked it up. The author, RD Lawrence, can get his point through very well. The book goes into detail about the lives of wolves, and through a year and change in their life. It's wonderful reading at any time, especially if you enjoy wolves, RD Lawrence, or both.