Animals Books

thanks for a book like this i have a therapy dog myself i trained for me and then i followed his lead when he showed he wanted and needed and was so good at helping others
i have only read excepts of the book but will buy it my dad is dying of parkinson disease 1000 miles away i am a daddy girl so this time is hard anyway since i have no way to see him
your book helps so much
turns out my dads dog-has saved my dad a few times himself by going to get mom everytime dad falls or needs things
i know if i could get up to dad i could train the dog to do more
the dog is a cocker spaniel raised from 2 weeks old by my mom,but seems to glue itself to dad as dad got sicker
as i always said dogs know more then we think they do and do so much for people
what a gift god gave with allowing us a small time with his critters
[...]

I am grateful to Lynne Hugo for her heartwarming and insightful book. She encouraged me to continue to visit nursing homes and Alzheimer patients with my toy poodle, Lucy, even though she is not trained to perfection. Lucy brings joy to residents and care providers. God has presented me with the opportunity to share my dog and I am proud to serve Him in this way.

I can see why this book won a national writing prize. What a sheer pleasure to read. It's thoughtful, deeply considered and the language sparkles as the author deals with terribly difficult issues but helps us through them by injecting literally hilarious episodes at just the right moments. Marley and Me has nothing funnier than sections of this book. My dog and I are Delta Society volunteers, and I, too, have aging parents. Much of this helped me think about my own life as well as my parents' situations, and I'm really grateful that a friend recommended this book. Now I'm passing the favor on and giving this my most enthusiastic endorsement.

An enjoyable book! I was moved emotionally by the connections of the dog therapy team, the residents they visited, and the nature around them. Nice symbolism showing how human life events parallel changes in nature.

I throughly enjoyed reading "Where the Trail Grows Faint: A Year in the Life of a Therapy Dog Team" by Lynne Hugo. Lynne Hugo is masterful at blending the story of Hannah, her beautiful chocolate lab therapy dog, with the lives of the people who are in the nursing home, along with the lives of her own aging parents. Ms. Hugo has a beautiful way with words; her prose creates atmosphere and feeling....so much so that at the conclusion of the book, I immediately went to visit my own aging mother-in-law, who is in an assisted living facility. This book was clearly written from the heart!

I was a little disappointed. THis book doesn't keep my almost-two-year olds attention as well as I thought. He prefers his Sandra Boyton books much better. I do love the colorful pictures though. Maybe in a year or so he'll be more interested.

I love this book. It's a great "find-the-hidden-things" kind of book that kids love, and it teaches vocabulary in a fun way. Kids can learn the names of many different kinds of animals, as well as the descriptive words that illustrate them (e.g. who has horns, who is backward, who is sleeping, etc.) Finding the hidden descriptors is not super obvious even to adults, so it also teaches them to look closely at details when finding things.

I recommend this book to anyone with young kids - the kids love it and it's a great teaching tool as well!

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

Awesome, awesome book. Great for memory skill building, great for noticing detail, fun for interacting together. This is a book we all look forward to at our house! Love, love it. Wish there were more books like it. Love the illustrations too, and the clean modern design. Just awesome, you won't regret buying this one- the sooner the better!

Always looking for new and imaginitive books for my 2-year-old. Was pleased to find this one. The "guessing games" get more difficult as you turn the page, with fewer clues as to the animal's species being revealed. Eventually the child must call upon memory recollection to guess the animals. Wonderfully challenging for a preschooler, or any child learning their animals.

Our systematic abuse of non-human animals is so shocking and extensive that it is surprising how few people are even unaware of it. That's why this book is so indispensable. With this comprehensive survey of animal exploitation, Margo DeMello (co-author of Stories Rabbits Tell: A Natural and Cultural History of a Misunderstood Creature ) and Erin Williams -- both longtime activists -- seek to lift the veil of ignorance that sustains a cruel status quo. Product testing, breeding, medical experiments, hunting, blood sports, clothing (fur, wool, leather), and entertainment are all covered in heartbreaking detail. But it's the authors' discussion of animals used in food production that truly stands out, introducing readers to practices that some other animal rights books overlook, such as fishing and aquaculture, which they call "underwater factory farming" and observe is the fastest-growing segment of agribusiness.

With prose that is both vivid and insightful, DeMello and Williams invite the reader to reconsider the attitudes many of us hold about animals and the purpose we believe they have for existing. What would our world be like, they ask, if our choices expressed our compassion for the planet and those with whom we share it? "[G]iven what we now know about the lives of animals who die in order to provide us with our food, clothing, and entertainment choices -- the playfulness of pigs, the intelligence of whales, the family values of elephants, and the personal relationships of cows -- it's difficult to see how we can continue to make these personal choices. How do we proceed knowing how much a pig enjoys grunting to her friends, napping in a soft bed, splashing in a pond, and eating apples with the reality of what many female pigs' lives are like: trapped inside warehouses, confined in small stalls on concrete floors, with not a bit of straw to cushion herself, and separated from one's kin -- for her entire life?"

Buoyed with stories of animal survivors and their rescuers, "Why Animals Matter" offers some hope in a world of despair and is a compelling resource that is certain to widen our circle of compassion. Whether you're a long-time animal activist or you're just looking for an outstanding survey of humanity's offenses against our fellow creatures, this is an extremely reader-friendly guide that every compassionate person should read. Give a copy to everyone you know!

Mark Hawthorne, author of
Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism

I am not an "Animal Rights Activist" but thought I was fairly well informed on animal exploitation issues. How wrong I was. This book grabs you tells you what you probably didn't want to know or think about when it comes to animal treatment behind the scenes but it also tells you in very simple terms how to make better and well informed choices to effect change.

This book obviously envolved hundreds of hours of research and eloquently supports the Authors point of view; "That Animals Matter". I am going to recommend this book to everyone I know.

I just finished reading this wonderful book and I feel compelled to encourage others to read it as well. Though I wasn't familiar with the authors beforehand, the subject matter is very significant to me and I decided to give it a chance. I'm really very glad I did. This is a very impressive first publication, in my opinion on par with some of the most well-known works on the subject. Although I appreciate and admire the recognized philosophical works concerning our moral responsibilities to animals, the straight-forward, common sense presentation of this book renders the subject matter somehow more tangible and accessible. Though very readable, the authors don't shy away from tackling difficult issues, several of which I haven't seen elucidated elsewhere. To the book's great benefit, one of the authors works for the Humane Society (presumably, the Humane Society of the United States) and undoubtedly brings significant personal knowledge to the table. I hope others choose to read this most enjoyable and important book, and I look forward to future contributions from these authors.

If you love your dog or cat, this book is for you! Why Animals Matter makes a strong case for animal protection and is a wonderful primer for extending our circle of compassion to include all animals.

Why Animals Matter is full of information about the routine, systematic ways that animals are abused at the hands of the meat industry, fur trade, puppy mills, and more -- with a heavy emphasis on factory farms. It delivers an excellent overview of the suffering endured by billions of farm animals each year simply to satisfy the American appetite for cheap eggs, meat, and dairy products. Thanks to the stories of rescued animals, as well as the multitude of simple ways that everyone can help reduce animal suffering, the overall effect is one of inspiration -- it's easy to see that even with easy and enjoyable changes, we can make a huge improvement in the lives of animals.

Why Animals Matter is also ideal for people who are concerned about the environment and social justice. The authors heavily outline the way that factory farms -- and other industries that exploit animals -- devastate the environment and harm people. Overall, it's a compelling and accessible treatment of a critically-important social issue. Highly recommended.

First of all, I echo all the positive comments already made by other reviewers.

This book is dangerous, in the best sense!

I am a bookworm and consider this one of my favorite books. (It is also incredibly cheap for the quality, and this is true for the hardcover version as well.) It is nourishing to the soul, a delight to any seashell collector, and has surprised, touched and impressed all the non-collectors I have shown it to. I started collecting seashells a year ago and bought this book back then. It has made me immediately aware of the surprising level of beauty that can be found in well-selected specimens, even among very affordable species. It has done this at least as much as the finer photographs on seashell websites online (e.g. femorale, gastropods, topseashells).

Rarely have I seen a photographer demonstrate their deep love for their subject this directly and this well. I find that a lot of seashells photographs in other publications simply do not come close to the passion, beauty, communication, feeling, inventiveness and art found in each photograph here. (I am a passionate photographer - have been since a young age - and have been trying my hand at taking beautiful close-ups of seashells for the last year. These attempts have only deepened my appreciation of the photographs in this book.)

This book contains an average of about 2 colour photographs for each page, and close to 2000 specimens and at least 500 species/forms (I counted once when sick in bed :-). Many photographs show several specimens and/or species combined fruitfully. Others concentrate on a single shell, sometimes taking up the entire page. All have very well chosen and crafted backgrounds - either lush, saturated colors or various more recognizable themes, none but a few volutes shown with the animal have the usual black background. You will enjoy a selection of the finest examples of the - cheap, affordable and expensive - species and forms the authors, all long-time collectors, deemed among the most beautiful. They bring you super-selected gem specimens from their personal collections and from a number of other personal collections they borrowed from. All this combines to draw you into looking at the shell more carefully, longer and with your aesthetic eye opened up - not something easily done by any means.

The texts contain all kinds of interesting information, some apparently not necessarily known even to very seasoned collectors, as mentioned in other reviews. It is true that there is no detailed index by species, but in this case it doesn't matter too much: if you own a copy you will be looking at it often and will soon start remembering which specimens are included and where. The sections are organized by families.

My only wish, my only suggestion for improvement, honestly, is for James Carmichael to publish a sequel of the same size even now that Leonard Hill, alas, has passed away at a young age. Perhaps not likely but we can dream, no?

So do not hesitate and buy yourself a copy. It would be hard to imagine that you will be dissapointed. Even if you are not a seashell lover or collector but enjoy beauty and enthusiasm.

Do get the hardcover version as this book is tall and wide and heavy. The covers of a softcover copy will certainly start bending and cracking very soon. The difference in price is small and in this case not worth saving on.

Expect to dive into this book often. With, dare I say?, love... And expect to become even more mad about seashells.

The two authors have done an excellent job, not only of selecting truly beautiful shells from all over the world and doing an outstanding job with the photographs, they have also written very informative text for those who are new to shell collecting. The types of shells are representative and nicely organized.

While this may not be the first book you need to identify your beach shell collection if you are a new comer to shell collection you discover shortly to compare your own sheels to these and realize that in fact your own may compare well.

I especially enjoyed the collages of limpets turned on both sides with the wonderful greens and blue greens of quite ordinary Barbados Limpets.

I would recommend it as say a fifth purchase after some good idenfication compendia and shorter books on just starting the hobby, if you are a beginner.

My wife purchased this book for our beach house and we decided to keep a copy for ourselves at home. It has every shell that you could ever dream of. Our kids love the book because they can look up shells that they have found in the book and see what they are called and what use to live inside of them.

It is great for anyone that has a room or bathroom using seashells or an ocean decoration theme.

Very good book!

This book is pure eye candy for shell lovers. The photographs are beautiful and the close ups allow you to see the fine detail of many shells. This book can also be used as a shell identification reference as the photos are clearly annotated with the names of the shells.

This book is not by any means scientific.
This book is not an identification guide.
The species list is obviously very incomplete.
but...
Truly marvelous, large-format photography of only the best of the best GEM specimens. Each with a short description, which is VERY interesting to read - these are some real facts about the shells and not the description of what you can see on the photo. I consider myself an advanced collector, and this book is a real relief after reading some of the more advanced publications on shell collecting. An excellent source for some real-life knowledge. Highly recommended - both for collectors, or just anyone.

I first fell in love with Gary Larson comics, then he stopped. I then fell SO in love with Calvin and Hobbes and they went away (I was devastated). About 3 or 4 years ago a local business paid to have Mutts comic printed in the local paper here just for the month of December (thought it was a great, inventive advertising gimmick) and I fell in love at first sight....with Mutts comics.
I'm very picky about the comics I like, they have to have a certain special something and Mutts comics have filled my comic void. Thank you Patrick McDonnell.

Patrick McDonnell manages to capture the essence of dogs and cats in a wonderfully endearing and often hysterically funny way. The best cartoonist to come along since Charles Schulz and Peanuts, I look forward to enjoying his art and humor for many years to come. If you are a cat or dog lover, oh heck, if you are a human being you will just love his SCHTUFF!!

I love Mutts. It's one of those rare comic strips that can one day be cutsy, and the next day be profound. Of all the comic strips to appear in the last few years, Mutts is easily my favorite. We're no longer getting new Peanuts strips, but at least (may Schultz rest in peace), but at least we still have Mutts for a long time to come.

As the pet parent of 3 cats and someone who can't resist any dog that crosses my path, I thought my heart was a little softer than most when it came to the Mutts. I was wrong! Almost every one who picks up the copy of Yesh! that I have on my coffee table is charmed! The very endearing Mooch and Earl have put smiles on quite a few faces.

I love Mutts. It's one of those rare comic strips that can one day be cutsy, and the next day be profound. Of all the comic strips to appear in the last few years, Mutts is easily my favorite. We're no longer getting new Peanuts strips, but at least (may Schultz rest in peace), but at least we still have Mutts for a long time to come.

This is a great book. I find myself laughing at times, grimacing at others.

The author has a great understanding of snakes and other reptiles. His respect for crocodiles comes across very clearly in this book. He also has a great understanding of human nature and some of the stories he tells are touching and sensitive. Others are hilarious and I laughed out loud while reading this book

The book is well written and enjoyable. It is easy to read and grabs you right from the opening pages. Even when he is lecturing to the reader or providing information, it is done in context and is very interesting.

Well worth every penny.
Enjoy.

I am loving this book. I decided to come online in the midst of it and urge others to read it...and this is not a paid urging!!!I hate to see what I look like reading this book..I go from grimaces to smiles to shock to belly laughs...I at times find myself leaning back in my chair as a particular tale is taking hold of me! The information is astounding and the authors sympathy with snakes is heartwarming...truly!!! More...more...more!!!

You Belong In A Zoo!: Tales From A Lifetime Spent With Cobras, Crocs And Other Creatures is the one-of-a-kind memoir of Peter Brazaitis, a man who dedicated his life to working with exotic reptiles and other animals, ranging from alligators in the reservoirs of Florida, to cobras on the loose, to capturing giant frogs in West Africa. A wry dash of humor flavors an inspired and informative discourse. You Belong In A Zoo! is a life story highly recommended to the attention of anyone with an interested in reptilian wildlife as a hobby or as a potential career.

"You Belong in a Zoo" is Peter Brazaitis' tale of his storied career caring for and studying reptiles. Brazaitis' served as Superintendant of reptiles at the Bronx Zoo and as Curator of the Central Park Zoo, and has also acted as an advocate for endangered reptiles through his work to prevent the illegal importation and killing of these animals. Brazaitis of course has a wealth of stories to tell - some humorous, some frightening, and some a combination of the two. After describing 15 foot long King Cobras capable of rising to look a full grown man in the eye, Brazaitis relates the story of his attempt to capture one of these fascinating but deadly creatures by precariously balancing above a pool of crocodiles to reach the ceiling panel where the snake is hiding. Brazaitis' take on reptiles, and animals in general, is interesting. He obviously has a deep respect and admiration for animals, especially the reptiles he has spent a lifetime studying, but his view of animals seems different from that of some of the more radical animal rights activists. One could also argue that Brazaitis' work - especially his work with customs officials to stop the smugggling of endangered reptiles - has done more good than some of the antics of the more extreme members of PETA, for example. Brazaitis writes in an earnest style with some dry wit thrown in, and this style is quite effective in relating the story of his career. "You Belong In a Zoo" is an entertaining tale of reptiles and other animals, and an enjoyable autobiography of a man who has obviously "found his niche" in caring for these creatures.

As a child, Peter Brazaitis' stepmom told him "You belong in a zoo!" He decided she had a point.

This book is part biography, part recollection of interesting episodes in his career. Brazaitis went on to work at the Bronx Zoo and Central Park Zoo in New York, and his specialty is reptiles.

Many people find scaly animals to be scary or repulsive, but Brazaitis helps to bring some uunderstanding and fondness for them to the reader. He has a talent for storytelling. He raises the tension in a scary story about an escaped cobra. He transports you to a very different kind of society as he describes a trip to capturte goliath frogs in Africa. He brings insight into how zoos are run and how they've evolved. And more than once he gets a lot of chuckles from landmark human stupidity. (Such as the lawyer with a unique idea about the digestive + reproductive systems, or the true pinheads who seem to think venomous snakes make for interesting pets.)

If you're interested in animals, you'll find "You Belong in a Zoo!" to be an excellent read.

Being a big fan of Guess How Much I Love You, I had to get this book the minute it was published. It absolutely did not disappoint.

None of my children are picture book age any more. The youngest is nine years old, the oldest is 27, but they all love this book too. It transcends age.

For my family, it is particularly apropos, as only three of our kids still live at home, and we call ourselves "Team Bear". So a story about three little bears wanting to know who is best, well, it fits us.

With my three little bears (who I actually married into about four years ago), they've often asked me if I liked them best. This book answers the question pretty much the same way I always have, except that I use their eye colors, blue, brown, and hazel. :)

A great and touching book. Sure to be a classic.

My husband bought this book for our 2 1/2 yr old for Christmas. He will soon be a big brother and this was the perfect subject matter. He loves the story and illustrations.

We stumbled upon this book in our local Children's book store and absolutely love it. We haven't seen many books that speak to triplets so we're so happy to have found it. It's a fantastic book, beautifully illustrated and exceptionally well written for children. We know it will be a favorite bedtime book for our triplets.

We got this book as a gift for our 3yr old daughter, who is soon going to be a big sister. Reading this book reassures her (what we have been telling her all along) that her mommy & daddy would love her and her new sibling just the same. They both would be our favourites. It address the issue that each child is unique and special in their own way, and loved the same by their parents inspite of their differences.

This book is a must have for people who have more than one child. I have three and they all enjoy reading this with me. This book came in excellent condition and in two days like they said it would. Thank you!!

This book is wonderful. Stunning photographs of all types of dogs in the neatest settings. Everyone I've shown it to (I bought it on my lunch hour at work) has loved it and walked away with a smile on their face. It's like a mini therapy session.

This was exactly the book I needed for research....I do dog portraits for pet lovers.

This is a lovely, feel-good book, that's just right for when you need reminding of the important things in life. Rachael Hale has the knack of sensitively capturing the beauty in every dog. A must for dog lovers.

Put a smile on my face. It is a wonderful book for dog lovers and maybe for those who arent. You will definately appreciate your 4 legged friend after looking at this. It will inspire you to capture more of your shared "great moments" with your pet by taking pictures to have for a lifetime.

We have given this delightful book to family members and friends and everyone has loved it. The photographs are wonderful! The author/photographer really captures her subjects very well. It is a great gift for anyone who loves dogs.

Another enjoyable read for me. The author has done a very good job in communicating the subject to the readers. I would highly recommend this for the young reader as well as the parent who reads to their children.

Everyone that's read this book has had very positive things to say about it. The story is in depth and helps teach some of life's valuable lessons in an engaging way.
Can't wait to read the third one. Great web site too.

What a precious, uplifting story full of encouragement and positive reinforcement. I enjoyed every minute of it and I know my grandchildren will too. The patience and understanding that Sunny showed Cloudy was so sweet. Very well done!

I'm not sure which was best....Reading the book WITH my six year old niece, or merely watching her expressive face as she experienced Sunny and Cloudy come to life. The books engage and entice a young reader to laugh, learn, and live. Sunny and the Chocolate Dog series conveys values and virtues in an enjoyable manner. "What is a buddy system..." she asked.....I myself had forgotten all about the buddy system. "Was I scared of the water the first time I went to the beach....". A great team approach to reading. Initially she needed help with some of the larger words, she now prides herself in the ability to annunciate and read them with ease. She has replaced the books on her bed side table with the Sunny and the Chocolate Dog series.

My son and I find the beautiful artwork very pleasing to the visual senses. The dogs are a lot of fun and my son learns along the way. My son said this is a "happy" book.
We want more of these guys!

This book was a favorite throughout all three of my children's childhood. They never got tired of it and, the real miracle was neither did I! Gustafson's illustrations are outstanding but the story line is a perfect match. Buy it as a gift for any new mother! Worth the price!

This is a stunningly beautiful book with incredible detail drawn on each page. Each animal that comes to the party brings a list of alliterating items that are at times a tongue twister to read, but the illustrations and cleverness are worth the difficulty! If just for the language that it would illicit by discussing the illustrations this is a must have addition to your alphabet book collection!

I purchased this book for my 2 1/2 yr. old son. He LOVES this book and we read it every night. I'm amazed that he has memorized the entire book.

I bought this book for my four year old daughter being it received high reviews on Amazon. I was a little disappointed. About mid story, my daughter was bored with the whole concept and pretty much wanted to go on to reading another book. The illustrations are beautiful and detailed but I think it would be better for ages kindegarten and up rather than preschool or younger. Sorry...

I first checked out this book from our library and it has proven to be one of our best book selections ever. Our 3 year-old son has requested it every single night since we brought it home and he loves studying the illustrations. He is especially amused at the jaguar making a jam sandwhich at the end of the story. I often find him looking at this book on his own. It has truly sparked his interest in letters!