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The Lion in the Living Room

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The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over The World by Abigail Tucker
Who it’s for: Adults
Format: Book

What have cats ever done for humans? They don’t provide food, they aren’t pack animals, they don’t protect our homes. So why are there nearly 100 million house cats in the US alone (and almost a billion worldwide)? In this well-researched and fascinating book, Abigail Tucker explores the history of the house cat, an animal that adapted to humans and essentially domesticated itself.

Unlike dogs and other domesticated animals, house cats haven’t physically evolved over the centuries. They are built to survive outdoors on their own, but they can also survive in a small apartment if necessary. They have, however, evolved their behaviors to influence us. Cats share some facial characteristics with human babies (round heads, front-facing eyes, small nose), and they’ve learned to use familiar sounds to get our attention. Many house cats have purrs and meows that sound suspiciously like a baby’s cry.

Tucker also addresses the impact cats have on environments around the world. Cats are hypercarnivorous and they do quite a bit of damage to ecosystems. Over the centuries, cats have been transported to new environments regularly, and they often destroy them by preying on native species. Yet we continue to live side by side with them, watch videos of them online, and follow them on Instagram.

Find The Lion in the Living Room in our catalog.

Look Big: And Other Tips for Surviving Animal Encounters of All Kinds

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Look Big: And Other Tips for Surviving Animal Encounters of All Kinds
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Teens and Adults

This easily-skimmable, illustrated wildlife survival guide, both humorous and helpful, explains what to do (or not do) in a showdown with 50 of the most feared and frustrating of North America’s creatures and critters.  As humans encroach on nature’s stomping ground, these run-ins are becoming increasingly common.  From bunnies to bull sharks, cockroaches to cows, this guide is handy for urban, suburban, and outdoor adventurers alike.  The readers can feel empowered to contain a major critter crisis or diffuse a dangerous disaster as each page contains expert tips, fascinating facts, and harrowing true tales of real-life encounters.  What I’ve learned: never turn your back on a goose, assume every moose is a serial killer, and if the mountain lion attacks, “give ’em hell.” Find it in the catalog.

Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter

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Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Ben Goldfarb is that rare breed of science writer who could probably turn a dishwasher manual into a page-turner…but let him loose with an already-intriguing topic like the beaver, and he’ll deliver a book that’s an absolute pleasure to read. In Eager, Goldfarb unveils beavers’ profound influence on the landscape of North America.

Our waterways behaved very differently when the beaver, fluvial geomorphologist extraordinaire, had the run of the continent. Beavers nearly disappeared from the land by the mid-1800s, largely due to trapping for their pelts. The sudden dearth of beavers was a calamity for biodiversity and water availability, particularly in the arid West. Eager reveals this unexpected history while showcasing the efforts of a diverse (and entertaining) army of “Beaver Believers” who work to restore our continent’s largest rodent.

Find it in the catalog.

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals

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The cover of this book caught my eye, so I decided to give it a try. And, I was pleasantly surprised. It is memoir that is interwoven with lessons learned from the animals in the author’s life. The author, Sy Montgomery, has been an animal lover since early childhood, and she developed deep connections with the animals that crossed her path. A writer by trade, Montgomery has traveled the world to conduct research for her writing. Thus, the animals she encounters range from family dogs and backyard hens to emus and octopuses.

Personally, I am not an animal person, but I still found Montgomery’s stories intriguing. In particular, I enjoyed learning about all of the exotic animals that she came across, including the Matschie’s tree-kangaroo and the Goliath birdeater. This was a quick, easy read. But, it may not be suitable for everyone, as it does contain a very frank discussion about depression and mental illness.

Find it in the catalog.

Professional Crocodile

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Submitted by Mr. Eric!

As we go about our day, meeting the various people that come our way, we all subconsciously develop ideas about those people. The older woman on the bus with the yellow coat? She looks like she might be a mom, maybe really good at baking. That man who waved at you as you checked the mail? He clearly is sporty, probably likes to run all the time… for fun. That crocodile with the very snazzy tie who gave you a polite smile on the subway? Who knows what his job is, but it’s clearly important. Professional Crocodile by Giovanna Zoboli, and illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio, is a wordless picture book that asks you to challenge those assumptions. It follows a very professional looking crocodile as he goes about his day before going into work, and what he actually does for a living may be a surprise for some readers. The beautifully detailed illustrations offer a rich view into city life, displaying a wealth of details. Professional Crocodile helps to teach us that no one is what they seem at first glance, and that everyone is much more complex than what you see on the surface. Recommended for: anyone interested in city life, anthropomorphic animals, beautiful illustrations, acts of kindness, and fancy ties. Pro-tip: When reading this book with your child, see if they can guess what the Crocodile does for a living. Is there anything hidden in the book’s illustrations that might offer a clue? See this book listed in our catalog

Horses

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Submitted by Ms. Sue!

In Horses by Seymour Simon we learn about their evolution and the more than 300 hundred breeds. This non-fiction book aimed at elementary ages 6-12 provides us with facts about horses from tens of thousands or years ago throughout history. During the Ice Age people made cave drawings of horses. Five thousand years ago people tamed and herded them on the plains of Europe and Asia. During the Babylonian, Greek, and Roman civilizations, people trained horses to draw war chariots. Medieval knights carried their armor upon horses into battle. The cowboys and Native Americans of the western plains rode them and are part of American history. Mr. Simon provides the basic facts, physical traits, interactions among themselves, and the various breeds from the past to the present. The clear and simple text and stunning photographs in this book help us learn that horses have been an essential part of human lives. We can learn all about their strength, speed, foals, and breeds. Horses need food, water, shelter, grooming, and exercise, just like people. In return they give us companionship and trust. They continue to capture our imaginations and it appears that they will be with us in one way or another throughout time. See this book listed in our catalog