Next Reads: Animals: Home

Presents a collection of stories about animals who have forged unlikely, abiding bonds with other animals of different species, from Koko the gorilla and All Ball the kitten to Owen the hippo and the tortoise Mzee.

From dancing squirrels to bashful gorillas to spiteful killer whales, Masson and coauthor Susan McCarthy bring forth fascinating anecdotes and illuminating insights that offer powerful proof of the existence of animal emotion.

A wondrous, serendipitous tale that tracks Christian's migration from London streets to Kenyan wilderness and the new friends, both lion and human (notably lion expert George Adamson of Born Free fame) that he finds there. Most astonishing, however, is that in 1971, after a year's absence, his old friends Bourke and Rendall returned to Africa and successfully reunited with Christian.

Drawing on the latest scientific research and her own work with animals, the author discusses the emotional needs of animals and how to fulfill them, challenging common myths about animal emotions, mental stimulation, and emotional well-being.

When Bob Tarte bought a house in rural Michigan, he was counting on a tranquil haven. Then Bob married Linda. She wanted a rabbit, which seemed innocuous enough until the bunny chewed through their electrical wiring. And that was just the beginning.

Dr. Pol shares his amusing and often poignant tales from his four decades as a vet in rural Michigan. [He's] not your typical veterinarian: born and raised [in the] Netherlands on a dairy farm, he is the star of Nat Geo Wild's hit show The Incredible Dr. Pol and has been treating animals in rural Michigan since the 1970s. Dr. Pol's more than 20,000 patients have ranged from white mice to 2600-pound horses and everything in between"--Provided by publisher....

Brimming with practical tips and techniques, "A Member of the Family" addresses the most common issues and questions that emerge over the course of a person's lifetime relationship with a dog.

Also Available as an Audio Book.

Follows the life story of an exuberant Labrador retriever who gets into perpetual trouble and experiences a range of inspiring adventures, from shutting down an entire beach to guarding a seventeen-year-old neighbor after a stabbing attack.

Describes how the author adopted a wild dog by installing a dog door so that the dog could live both inside and outside, in a study of the human-dog partnership, animal consciousness and behavior, and how dogs might live if they can make some of their own decisions.

A pet rescue volunteer and literacy outreach coordinator describes her relationship with a three-pound blind cat whose daredevil character and affectionate personality saw the author through six moves, a burglary, and the healing of her broken heart.

Traces the author's discovery of a half-frozen kitten in the drop-box of her small-community Iowa library and the feline's development into an affable library mascot whose intuitive nature prompted hundreds of abiding friendships. The story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat, starts in the worst possible way. Only a few weeks old, on the coldest night of the year, he was stuffed into the book return slot at the Spencer, Iowa, Public..

Philip Gonzalez had lost all interest in living after an industrial accident left him disabled. A friend suggested he adopt a dog.Reluctantly he went to the shelter, where Ginny, a badly abused one-year-old pup,quickly won him over. Philip realized immediately that Ginny was no ordinary dog--she had an amazing sixth sense that enabled her to find and rescue stray and ailin.

The story of the Mongolian mare, who, despite only measuring about thirteen hands high, became an American hero for her actions during the Korean War, being awarded two Purple Hearts for her valor and being officially promoted to staff sergeant twice, a distinction never bestowed upon an animal before or since.

Presents the story of Marine Jay Kopelman's efforts to have Lava, a dog found in Fallujah, sent to the United States, at the same time focusing on Iraqi political corruption, miltary bureaucracy, and the sufferings of ordinary Iraqis who have become the innocent victims of the war.