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Wildlife of Nebraska: A Natural History
by Paul A. JohnsgardIn Wildlife of Nebraska: A Natural History, Paul A. Johnsgard surveys the variety and biology of more than six hundred Nebraska species. Narrative accounts describe the ecology and biology of the state&’s birds, its mammals, and its reptiles and amphibians, summarizing the abundance, distributions, and habitats of this wildlife. To provide an introduction to the state&’s major ecosystems, climate, and topography, Johnsgard examines major public-access natural areas, including national monuments, wildlife refuges and grasslands, state parks and wildlife management areas, and nature preserves. Including more than thirty-five line drawings by the author along with physiographic, ecological, and historical maps, Wildlife of Nebraska is an essential guide to the wildlife of the Cornhusker State.
Wildlife of Southeast Asia
by Susan MyersThis handy photographic guide offers a stunning look at the wildlife of Southeast Asia, which includes Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, West Malaysia, and Singapore. Accessible text and more than 500 color photographs help readers to learn about and identify the most common species found in the region, particularly the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects that visitors will most likely encounter. Detailed photos are accompanied on facing pages by succinct species accounts highlighting key identification features, status, and distribution. The book's brief introduction offers readers useful information on major wildlife sites as well as practical advice on making the most of a wildlife-watching trip.Wildlife of Southeast Asia is the essential resource for visitors and residents interested in the fauna of this fascinating area of the world.A photographic guide to the wildlife of Southeast Asia, including Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, West Malaysia, and SingaporeMore than 500 stunning color photographsAccessible species accounts highlight key identification features, status, and distributionA brief introduction discusses wildlife locations and practical travel know-how
Wildlife of the Caribbean (Princeton Pocket Guides)
by Herbert Raffaele James WileyThis is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the natural world of the Caribbean islands. It contains 600 vivid color images featuring 451 species of plants, birds, mammals, fish, seashells, and much more. While the guide primarily looks at the most conspicuous and widespread species among the islands, it also includes rarely seen creatures―such as the Rhinoceros Iguana and Cuban Solenodon―giving readers a special sense of the region's diverse wildlife. <p><p> Each species is represented by one or more color photos or illustrations; details regarding its identification, status, and distribution; and interesting aspects of its life history or relationship to humans. In addition, an introductory section focuses on the unique characteristics of the Caribbean’s fauna and flora, the threats faced by both, and some of the steps being taken to sustain the area’s extraordinary natural heritage.
Wildlife of the World (DK Wonders of the World)
by DKExperience the full force of nature with this stunning visual encyclopedia celebrating the world&’s most wonderful wildlife. With an inspiring foreword by leading naturalist and wildlife photographer Chris Packham, this epic adventure takes you across the continents to meet all creatures big and small. You&’ll visit the deserts of Australia, the grasslands of Africa, the rainforests of South America, the mountains of Asia, and the coral reefs of Australia on this mind-blowing tour to meet the incredibly diverse range of life on Earth. Breathtaking photography, animal profiles, accessible maps, and facts and stats combine to create this standout reference title. Revealing a wealth of species across hundreds of spectacular pages, Wildlife of the World introduces you to animals that roam, swim, and fly in each and every part of our planet.Calling all globe-trotters, nature enthusiasts, and biology students, this is your chance to experience the animal kingdom as never before and gain an absolutely essential addition to your home library.Produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution.
Wildlife on the Wind: A Field Biologist's Journey and an Indian Reservation's Renewal (G - Reference, Information And Interdisciplinary Subjects Ser.)
by Bruce L. SmithIn the heart of Wyoming sprawls the ancient homeland of the Eastern Shoshone Indians, who were forced by the U.S. government to share a reservation in the Wind River basin and flanking mountain ranges with their historical enemy, the Northern Arapahos. Both tribes lost their sovereign, wide-ranging ways of life and economic dependence on decimated buffalo. Tribal members subsisted on increasingly depleted numbers of other big game—deer, elk, moose, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep. In 1978, the tribal councils petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help them recover their wildlife heritage. Bruce Smith became the first wildlife biologist to work on the reservation. Wildlife on the Wind recounts how he helped Native Americans change the course of conservation for some of America's most charismatic wildlife.
Wildlife on the Wind
by Bruce L. SmithIn the heart of Wyoming sprawls the ancient homeland of the Eastern Shoshone Indians, who were forced by the U. S. government to share a reservation in the Wind River basin and flanking mountain ranges with their historical enemy, the Northern Arapahos. Both tribes lost their sovereign, wide-ranging ways of life and economic dependence on decimated buffalo. Tribal members subsisted on increasingly depleted numbers of other big gamedeer, elk, moose, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep. In 1978, the tribal councils petitioned the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help them recover their wildlife heritage. Bruce Smith became the first wildlife biologist to work on the reservation. Wildlife on the Wind recounts how he helped Native Americans change the course of conservation for some of America's most charismatic wildlife.
Wildlife Photography
by Richard BernabeThere is nothing quite so satisfying as capturing a stunning wildlife photograph; a good one will reflect practice, patience, careful equipment choice and dedication. Those challenges are perhaps why so many enthusiast photographers aspire to perfect their images in this area; to get their work recognised by the photographic community as well as record their experiences.This book reveals more world-class images with every turn. More than that, though, it takes a practical approach. It comprehensively introduces natural-history and wildlife photography techniques alongside truly useful tips about what gear you'll need (and what you can avoid) in your pursuit of perfection. It is illustrated by the author's professional work; his clients include National Geographic & Time amongst others.
Wildlife Photography
by Joseph ClassenWildlife photography is an adventure--and as any great adventure story unfolds, odds are, there are bound to be some great risks involved. Whether it's the risk or the reward--or both--that motivates wildlife shooters, there is one pervasive truth: Preparation is key to success--and survival. In this book, Joe Classen approaches the art of wildlife photography from a hunter's perspective. He teaches readers how to select and use the appropriate specialized photographic gear required for the rigors of wildlife photography--as you'd expect. However, he also teaches you how to mentally and physically prepare for an outing in which your wits must be as keen as your eye. Classen provides detailed insights into planning and packing for a wilderness adventure. Readers will learn how to securely pack their delicate photographic gear for a rugged, outdoor environment but will also learn how to choose and tote the best clothing for the site, accessories to ensure your personal safety, and even basic cooking and drinking requirements for days spent shooting in remote areas. Once you've scouted your location, you'll learn how to track and lure your photographic subject using time-honored practices (calls--from lust to hunger, to anger and sloth; decoys; attractor scents; working invisibly, etc. ) while "shooting" (your camera!) from a blind or stand--or, conversely, by using a more aggressive stalk-and-ambush approach. You'll learn how to read animal behaviors--from eating to mating--and predict how, when, and where your best photographic opportunities will arise--and when your safety should be a greater concern than your shot. With this soup-to-nuts approach, readers will find, in this book, a compendium of information about wild-animal behavior, wilderness survival and safety, the art and science of photographic capture, and even storing and processing your prized digital files once you return home from your adventure. Armed with Classen's suggestions and strategies, you'll maximize your photo opportunities and increase the odds that your wildlife images are the mount-and-frame trophies for which yourisked life and limb.
Wildlife Photography at Home
by Richard PetersRichard Peters won the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for a photograph taken in his very ordinary suburban back garden. In this book, he shares the methods he used to get stunning professional nature photos without having to head out on safari.Starting with the basics, this book will show a complete beginner how to capture pro-level pictures from their garden. It covers where to place your camera, how optics can completely change your shot, reveals the gadgets that can enhance your photos, and even how to overcome the elements. This is the perfect book for bird-watchers and animal lovers who want to capture what they see and share their passion with the world. Social media definitely loves a good animal photo!
Wildlife Photography at Home
by Richard PetersRichard Peters won the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for a photograph taken in his very ordinary suburban back garden. In this book, he shares the methods he used to get stunning professional nature photos without having to head out on safari.Starting with the basics, this book will show a complete beginner how to capture pro-level pictures from their garden. It covers where to place your camera, how optics can completely change your shot, reveals the gadgets that can enhance your photos, and even how to overcome the elements. This is the perfect book for bird-watchers and animal lovers who want to capture what they see and share their passion with the world. Social media definitely loves a good animal photo!
Wildlife Politics
by Bruce RocheleauAttitudes towards charismatic animals such as tigers, lions, bears and wolves vary greatly and change over time, resulting in bitter political debates. This comprehensive book identifies and analyses the factors that influence policies across the globe, highlighting how this impacts conservation as a whole. Issues such as overexploitation, hunting, ecotourism and the struggle to prevent illegal wildlife trafficking are examined and science's role in policymaking is assessed. The conflicting forces behind legislation, including institutions, interest groups and the media are analysed, with particular focus on the significance of the Endangered Species Act, covering over forty-five species that have become matters of political debate in sixty-seven different countries. Case studies and conceptual frameworks provide a clear understanding of the key topics, shedding light on this important yet often overlooked area of environmental politics.
Wildlife Population Health
by Craig StephenThis textbook introduces the core competencies, tools and perspectives to manage free-ranging animal population health and demonstrates their need and relevance to help wildlife cope with the ever-increasing pressures of the Anthropocene, manifested by global megatrends such as climate change, urbanization and pollution. It adapts and adopts key concepts of population health from public health and herd health to a wildlife health context. In a highly-accessible and unique form, this book presents a modern way of approaching wildlife and fish epidemiology, health promotion and disease control, with a focus on the social dimensions of wildlife health management. Aimed at graduate students in veterinary medicine, wildlife researchers and health managers this textbook provides a valuable source of information to foster the knowledge and skills needed to protect and promote the health of free-ranging wildlife.
Wildlife Ranger Action Guide: Track, Spot & Provide Healthy Habitat for Creatures Close to Home
by Mary Kay CarsonAs concern for the welfare of species like honey bees and monarch butterflies grows alongside awareness of the impact of climate change, inspiring the next generation of citizen scientists is more important than ever. With Wildlife Ranger Action Guide, kids can make the world better for the animals and insects they love, starting right in their own backyards. Dozens of hands-on activities and habitat creation projects, such as making a frog pond from a kiddie pool, planting a pollinator garden for bees, painting a bat house, and building a lodge for lizards, encourage children to learn about and take an active role in protecting local wildlife. Lively photographic field guides covering 78 North American wildlife species teach kids about the habits and habitats of each and include tips for providing the plants and food needed for their survival. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Wildlife Rescue: The Work of Dr. Kathleen Ramsay
by Jennifer Owings Dewey Don Maccarter Jenn DeweyThe story of Dr. Kathleen Ramsay's wildlife center in New Mexico. How the Wildlife Center, based in Española, New Mexico, and headed by Dr. Kathleen Ramsay, nurtures sick and injured animals back to health.
Wildlife Restoration: Techniques for Habitat Analysis and Animal Monitoring (Science Practice Ecological Restoration #1)
by Michael L. Morrison Paul R. KrausmanWildlife Restoration links restoration ecology and wildlife management in an accessible and comprehensive guide to restoring wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend. It offers readers a thorough overview of the types of information needed in planning a wildlife-habitat restoration project and provides the basic tools necessary for developing and implementing a rigorous monitoring program. The book: explains the concepts of habitat and niche: their historic development, components, spatial-temporal relationships, and role in land management reviews how wildlife populations are identified and counted considers captive breeding, reintroduction, and translocation of animals discusses how wildlife and their habitat needs can be incorporated into restoration planning develops a solid justification for monitoring and good sampling design in restoration projects discusses and critiques case histories of wildlife analysis in restoration projectsThe author does not offer a "cookbook" approach, but rather provides basic tools for understanding ecological concepts that can be used to design restoration projects with specific goals for wildlife. He focuses on developing an integrated approach to large-scale landscape restoration. In addition, he provides guidance on where more advanced and detailed literature can be found.Wildlife Restoration sets forth a clear explanation of key principles of wildlife biology for the restorationist, and will allow wildlife biologists to bring the insights of their field to restoration projects. It is an essential source of information for everyone involved with studying, implementing, or managing wildlife restoration projects, including students, ecologists, administrators, government agency staff, and volunteer practitioners.
Wildlife Spectacles: Mass Migrations, Mating Rituals, and Other Fascinating Animal Behaviors
by Vladimir DinetsEqual parts nature guide, adventure story, and coffee table book! People are captivated by wild animals—by their strength and their size and by the things they do to stay alive. In Wildlife Spectacles zoologist Vladimir Dinets dives deep into this wonder, allowing curious readers to discover just how spectacular wild animals can be. In the rich, fully illustrated pages you’ll discover the migration of gray whales along the Pacific coast, the dancing alligators of the Everglades, the synchronized blinking of fireflies near Tennessee, the swarms of feeding bats over the Mississippi River, the blue-glowing scorpions of the Southwest desert, hundreds of wintering tundra swans in New Jersey, and much more.
Wildlife Stewardship on Tribal Lands: Our Place Is in Our Soul
by Serra J. Hoagland and Steven AlbertThis groundbreaking book brings together Native American and Indigenous scholars, wildlife managers, legal experts, and conservationists from dozens of tribes to share their wildlife stewardship philosophies, histories, principles, and practices.Tribes have jurisdiction over some of the healthiest wild areas in North America, collectively managing over 56 million acres of land. This is no accident: in addition to a deep reverence for the land and a strong history of environmental stewardship, Native peoples implement some of the best fish and wildlife preservation and management practices on the continent. Wildlife Stewardship on Tribal Lands is the first comprehensive resource dedicated to the voices and expertise of Native scholars and wildlife professionals. In its pages, nearly one hundred Native and non-native wildlife conservationists, managers, and their collaborators share lessons to guide wildlife professionals in how best to incorporate native methods and how to work effectively with tribal stakeholders. The authors cover topics that include:• Guidelines for conducting research on tribal lands• Traditional ecological knowledge-based management models• The cultural and ecological importance of key species• Legal battles for treaty rights, management authority, and funding• First foods and food sovereignty • Fisheries and migratory bird management• Tribal perspectives on the Endangered Species Act• A history of modern fish and wildlife management on tribal landsThe content of this book is not limited to the invaluable reports of research findings, explications of methodologies, and case studies. Capturing oral histories and spiritual knowledge through interviews with tribal leaders and the work of Native artists and writers honors the holistic awareness of the land offered to readers of this unique volume. Ultimately, the contributors to Wildlife Stewardship on Tribal Lands demonstrate how tribal practices are pivotal guideposts for those seeking to protect and harness our natural resources in ways that can help reverse grievous biodiversity losses and ensure the health of our environment for future generations.Contributors: Scott Aikin, Steven Albert, John Antonio, Dale Becker, Bethany Berger, Kimberly Blaeser, Arthur Blazer, Michael Blumm, Michael Brydge, Ashley Carlisle, Frank Cerno Jr., Sally Carufel Williams, Guy Charlton, Samuel Chischilly, Bob Christensen, Gerald Cobell, Cody Desautel, Lauren Divine, Douglas W. Dompier, Ramona Emerson, Kari Eneas, James Fall, Julian J. Fischer, James R. Floyd, James Gensaw Sr., Michael I. Goldstein, Kim Gottschalk, Shaun Grassel, E. Richard Hart, Dylan R. Hedden-Nicely, Caleb Hickman, Serra J. Hoagland, Kraig Holmes, Nathan Jim, R. Roy Johnson, Jovon Jojola, Tamra Jones, Emily Sylvan Kim, Winona LaDuke, Stacy Leeds, Crystal Leonetti, Aaron P. Lestenkof, Chip Livingston, Lorraine Marquez Eiler, Eric Mellink, Paul I. Melovidov, Lara Mengak, Gary Paul Nabhan, Liliana Naves, Vern Northrup, nila northSun, Raymond E. Paddock III, Lizzy Pennock, Nicole Marie Pete, Aaron Poe, Georgiana Pongyesva, Ken Poynter, Mathis Quintana, Seafha Ramos, Janisse Ray, Vanessa L. Ray-Hodge, Amadeo Rea, Mitzi Reed, Marcie Rendon, Sarah F. Rinkevich, Bruce Robson, Andrea Rogers, Thomas C. Rothe, David E. Safine, Patty Schwalenberg, Kyle Secakuku, John Sewall, Todd Sformo, Richard T. Sherman, Ron Skates, Arthur M. Soukkala, Lawrence Stevens, Juliana Suzukawa, Julie Thorstenson, Gloria Tom, Christopher Tran, Craig van der Heiden, John Wheeler, Jessica Wiarda, Tiana Williams-Claussen.
The Wildlife Techniques Manual: Volume 1: Research. Volume 2: Management.
by Nova J. SilvyThe #1 selling wildlife management book for 40 years, now updated for the next generation of professionals and students.Since its original publication in 1960, The Wildlife Techniques Manual has remained the cornerstone text for the professional wildlife biologist. Now fully revised and updated, this eighth edition promises to be the most comprehensive resource on wildlife biology, conservation, and management for years to come.Superbly edited by Nova J. Silvy and published in association with The Wildlife Society, the 50 authoritative chapters included in this work provide a full synthesis of methods used in the field and laboratory. Chapter authors, all leading wildlife professionals, explain and critique traditional and new methodologies and offer thorough discussions of a wide range of relevant topics. To effectively incorporate the explosion of new information in the wildlife profession, this latest edition is logically organized into a 2-volume set: Volume 1 is devoted to research techniques and Volume 2 focuses on pragmatic management methodologies.Volume 1 describes research design and proper analytic methods prior to conducting research, as well as methods and considerations for capturing and handling wild animals and information on identification and marking of captured animals. It also includes new chapters on nutritional research and field sign identification, and on emerging topics, including structured decision-making. Finally, Volume 1 addresses measurements of wildlife abundance and habitat and research on individual animals.Volume 2 begins with a section on the relationship between research and management including public outreach, described in a context that encourages engagement prior to initiation of management. An adaptive management approach is described as a cornerstone of natural resource management, followed by a section on managing landscapes and wildlife populations. The volume also includes new chapters on ethics in wildlife science and conservation, conflict resolution and management, and land reclamation.A standard text in a variety of courses, the Techniques Manual, as it is commonly called, covers every aspect of modern wildlife management and provides practical information for applying the hundreds of methods described in its pages. This deft and thorough update ensures that The Wildlife Techniques Manual will remain an indispensable resource, one that professionals and students in wildlife biology, conservation, and management simply cannot do without.
Wildlife Tourism, Environmental Learning and Ethical Encounters
by Ismar Borges de Lima Ronda J. GreenThis book outlines the status quo of worldwide wildlife tourism and its impacts on planning, management, knowledge, awareness, behaviour and attitudes related to wildlife encounters. It sets out to fill the considerable gaps in our knowledge on wildlife tourism, applied ecology, and environmental education, providing comprehensive information on and an interdisciplinary approach to effective management in wildlife tourism. Examining the intricacies, challenges, and lessons learned in a meaningful and rewarding tourism niche, this interdisciplinary book comprehensively examines the major potentials and controversies in the wildlife tourism industry. Pursuing an insightful, provocative and hands-on approach, it primarily addresses two questions: ‘Can we reconcile the needs of the wildlife tourism industry, biodiversity conservation, ecological learning and animal ethics issues?’ and ‘What is the Future of the Wildlife Tourism Industry?’. Though primarily intended as a research text, it also offers a valuable resource for a broad readership, which includes university and training students, researchers, scholars, tourism practitioners and professionals, planners and managers, as well as the staff of government agencies.
Wildlife Watching: Spotting Animals on Outdoor Adventures (Outdoor Adventure Guides)
by Raymond BeanBinoculars, camera, action! This handy guidebook provides basic tips and tricks for wildlife spotting and nature photography, including recognizing animal signs, essential gear, and wildlife dos and don'ts. With bold photos and infographics, step-by-step projects, and expert instructions, OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GUIDES will have first-time campers and enthusiasts alike opting outside.
Wildlings: How to raise your family in nature
by Steve Backshall Helen GloverThe ultimate handbook for raising wilder, happier, muddier, more resilient kids - whatever the weather and wherever you live.In the last few years parents everywhere have realised how crucial the freedom of the outside world is, not only for their kids' wellbeing, but the whole family's. They've also realised, however, that it's not always that easy. That's where this book comes in. Taking you through different environments and activities to explore, from minibeasts in the garden and pond dipping all the way through to beach Olympics and sea swimming (via rainy days, wild woods and river exploration), there are ideas small and big for all ages that will get them - and you - more engaged and involved with nature, and the wildlife in it.With contributions from;Bear Grylls on embracing adventure, Ed Stafford on flirting with danger , Sir Chris Hoy on riding bikes, Judy Murray on rainy day kitchen games, Michaela Strachan on creative word games, Gordon Buchanan on toasting marshmallows, Caroline Lucas on protecting the planet, Wayne Bridge on garden football,and many more, Wildlings is a map to a more adventurous, wilder future.
Wildly Successful Farming: Sustainability and the New Agricultural Land Ethic
by Brian DeVoreWildly Successful Farming tells the stories of farmers across the American Midwest who are balancing profitability and food production with environmental sustainability and a passion for all things wild. They are using innovative techniques and strategies to develop their "wildly" successful farms as working ecosystems. Whether producing grain, vegetables, fruit, meat, or milk, these next-generation agrarians look beyond the bottom line of the spreadsheet to the biological activity on the land as key measures of success. Written by agricultural journalist Brian DeVore, the book is based on interviews he has conducted at farms, wildlife refuges, laboratories, test plots, and gardens over the past twenty-five years. He documents innovations in cover cropping, managed rotational grazing, perennial polyculture, and integrated pest management. His accounts provide insight into the impacts regenerative farming methods can have on wildlife, water, landscape, soils, and rural communities and suggest ways all of us can support wildly successful farmers.
Wildness: Relations of People and Place
by Gavin Van Horn John HausdoerfferWhether referring to a place, a nonhuman animal or plant, or a state of mind, wild indicates autonomy and agency, a will to be, a unique expression of life. Yet two contrasting ideas about wild nature permeate contemporary discussions: either that nature is most wild in the absence of a defiling human presence, or that nature is completely humanized and nothing is truly wild. This book charts a different path. Exploring how people can become attuned to the wild community of life and also contribute to the well-being of the wild places in which we live, work, and play, Wildness brings together esteemed authors from a variety of landscapes, cultures, and backgrounds to share their stories about the interdependence of everyday human lifeways and wildness. As they show, far from being an all or nothing proposition, wildness exists in variations and degrees that range from cultivated soils to multigenerational forests to sunflowers pushing through cracks in a city alley. Spanning diverse geographies, these essays celebrate the continuum of wildness, revealing the many ways in which human communities can nurture, adapt to, and thrive alongside their wild nonhuman kin. From the contoured lands of Wisconsin’s Driftless region to remote Alaska, from the amazing adaptations of animals and plants living in the concrete jungle to indigenous lands and harvest ceremonies, from backyards to reclaimed urban industrial sites, from microcosms to bioregions and atmospheres, manifestations of wildness are everywhere. With this book, we gain insight into what wildness is and could be, as well as how it might be recovered in our lives—and with it, how we might unearth a more profound, wilder understanding of what it means to be human.
The Wildness Within: Remembering David Brower
by Kenneth BrowerThe twentieth-century environmental movement owes much to a single man: David Brower. Countless natural wonders would have been lost if not for his efforts and the tremendous energy put forth by organizations he directed and/or founded (including the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and the Earth Island Institute). A tireless defender of wild areas, Brower worked to protect iconic places, including the Grand Canyon and the California redwood forests, and his work and passion helped define modern environmentalism. For the hundredth anniversary of David Brower's birth, his son Kenneth Brower, an acclaimed nature writer, has brought together the testimonies of nineteen environmental leaders whose lives and careers were transformed by David Brower; the result is a book in which a repertory company of path-forgers reveal their deepest values and most moving experiences. Reading like an adventure novel told by the intrepid folks who rode alongside Brower, The Wildness Within presents illuminating anecdotes about a multifaceted man who changed the world, serving as a guide to young people and a bane to bureaucrats and others more cautious in their approach to the crises at hand. Contributors include: Paul Ehrlich, author of The Population Bomb Dave Foreman, founder of Earth First! Harold Gilliam, former San Francisco Chronicle environmental columnist Paul Hawken, founder of Smith and Hawken, and coauthor of Natural Capitalism Randall Hayes, founder of The Rainforest Action Network Huey Johnson, pioneer environmentalist and founder of the Trust for Public Land Amory Lovins, author of Reinventing Fire Nancy Skinner, coauthor of 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth
Wildoak
by C. C. HarringtonGive the gift of connection this holiday season with this lushly illustrated story of a girl and a snow leopard and their unlikely friendship. <p><p>Maggie Stephens's stutter makes school especially hard. She will do almost anything to avoid speaking in class or calling attention to herself. So when her unsympathetic father threatens to send her away for so-called "treatment," she reluctantly agrees to her mother's intervention plan: a few weeks in the fresh air of Wildoak Forest, visiting a grandfather she hardly knows. It is there, in an extraordinary twist of fate, that she encounters an abandoned snow leopard cub, an exotic gift to a wealthy Londoner that proved too wild to domesticate. But once the cub's presence is discovered by others, danger follows, and Maggie soon realizes that time is running out, not only for the leopard, but for herself and the forest as well. <p><p>Told in alternating voices, Wildoak shimmers with beauty, compassion, and unforgettable storytelling as it explores the delicate interconnectedness of the human, animal, and natural worlds.