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 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Noah Strycker1529395224|title=Letting the Cat Out of the Bag: The Magic and Mystery Secret Life of Birdsa Vet|author=Sion Rowlands|rating=3.5

|summary=Sometimes it is easy Siôn Rowlands fell into veterinary science accidentally. His father was a GP and Rowlands didn't want to overlook follow in his footsteps, particularly when he considered the wonder all around us. For example, strain that scruffy looking starling sitting being on your garden fence may look unassuming and commonplace, but type -call put on his father''murmuration'' into s life. When he was seventeen he took the search bar on Youtube opportunity of doing work experience with a family friend who was a vet and prepare to be mesmerised as a huge flock of was convinced this was the birds perform a gracefully hypnotic aerial ballet which has an almost alien qualityjob for him. If we take time to stop and look Before long, he was at our feathered friends, we will see that they are anything but ordinaryLiverpool University. The bird world is full of unsolved mysteries that humans are only now beginning to unravel: How do pigeons navigate? How do vultures find food? What are penguins afraid of? How do nutcrackers find their hidden food caches? ''The Magic and Mystery of Birds' It hadn' searches for the answers to these questions, as well t - as with so many morestudents - been his dream since he was a child. If anything, opening our eyes he'd wanted to the hidden world of birdsbe a professional footballer.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0285642790</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Steve Backshall1839948493|title=Deadly Pole to Pole DiariesA World of Dogs|author=Carlie Sorosiak and Luisa Uribe|rating=4.5

|summary=Dear DiaryIn the interests of full disclosure, today I really woke up on the wrong side of the bedmust tell you that I'm a sucker for dogs. For In nearly eight decades, I've never met one I didn't trust and I've loved most people that means waking up in a grumpy mood, but for me it literally means the wrong side of the bedthem. I stepped straight into a pool full of viscous fish and then wish I climbed outfelt the same about human beings. So, only any book about dogs, I'm going to be chased by a bearsit down and devour. Then I am either eating too much cheese before I 'm going to go back and read it properly. And so it was with ''A World of Dogs'', with ninety-six pages devoted entirely to bed or partaking on my four-legged friends. Author Carlie Sorosiak found herself the accidental owner of an American Dingo - she's learned quite a magnificent journey from Pole to Pole visiting dangerous animals on the waylot about dogs since then.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444013769</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=The Snow Leopard (Mini Edition)Lev Parikian |authortitle=Jackie MorrisLight Rains Sometimes Fall |rating=34.5|genre=Confident ReadersAnimals and Wildlife|summary=You probably haven't heard of Mergichans – although if you pronounce it correctly in your headIf you’re a writer yourself, or an aspiring writer, in connection with spirits and magicor someone who pretends to write, then you will work out what they know that there areunnumbered types of books. One of them is the totemSome you read for fun, if you likesome for distraction, of a hidden Himalayan valleysome for vicarious emotion, and she is some to learn from in the form of a snow leopardrandom way, some for focussed research, singing existence as she sees fit and protecting some because they are, broadly speaking, the Shangri-La type locationkind of thing you think you might like to write. But she cannot protect it from all-comersOr, indeed, least of all when she's are actually trying to sing to find a successorwrite. Mergichans do not have it all their own way…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847805477</amazonuk>1783966386

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1398508632|title=Life on AirThe Wilderness Cure|author=David AttenboroughMo Wilde|rating=4.5|genre=AutobiographyLifestyle|summary=I was one of It had been on the generation who grew up when David Attenborough was cards for a giant among presenters of wildlife programmes on television, and anything with his name attached while but it was a mustthe week-watchlong consumer binge which pushed Mo Wilde into beginning her year of eating only wild food. At The end of November, particularly in Central Scotland was perhaps not the best timeto start, I had no idea that he was also one of the pivotal characters in a world where the development of broadcastingnormal sores had been exacerbated by climate change, having been controller of BBC2 Brexit and director a pandemic. Wilde had a few advantages: the area around her was a known habitat with a variety of programming for BBC TV for several yearsterrains. These daysShe had electricity which allowed her to run a fridge, he is probably best remembered for writing freezer and dehydrator. She had a car - and presenting the nine ‘Life’ seriesfuel. Most importantly, she had shelter: this was not a comprehensive survey of all life on the planetplan to ''live'' wild just to live off its produce.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849908524</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=0711266204|title=Mad About Mega Beasts!The Secret Life of Birds|author=Giles Andreae Moira Butterfield and David Wojtowycz Vivian Mineker (Illustratorillustrator)

|genre=For SharingChildren's Non-Fiction|summary=When I was small have recently discovered a great pleasure: I was fascinated with things that were big; big buildings, big vehicles, big animalssit and watch the vast numbers of birds which visit our garden on a daily basis. However, I have recently learnt that there is a size that is bigger than big – megaAn hour can pass without my noticing. What beasts, both from now and I've established which species feed from the pastground, are large enough which pop to achieve this accolade and be welcomed into the hallowed pages feeders for a quick snatch of this some food and who settles in for a good munch but I wish I was more knowledgeable. It would have been wonderful if, as a child, I'd had access to a booksuch as ''The Secret Life of Birds''. So – what is it?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408329352</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=gareth_steel|title=Four FieldsNever Work With Animals|author=Tim DeeGareth Steel|rating=3.54

|summary=If asked I don't often begin my reviews with a warning but with ''Never Work With Animals'' it seems to name, or even think of, four fields, the common man might well struggle, such is the chance of him living in a citybe appropriate. He might not think Stories of the local park as a field, vet's life have proved popular since ''All Creatures Great and he may turn to Small'' but ''Never Work With Animals'' is definitely not the field of the cloth of gold if companion volume you've been looking for. As a historian, TV show the field of dreams perhaps, or he might at least have something looking like a football pitch in his mindauthor would argue that ''All Creatures''s eye. Tim Deelacked realism, not a nature scientist as such but so in tune with do other similar programmes. Gareth Steel says that the outside world he really doesn't seem to have stopped indoors but to write this book in the past decade, seems like the sort of person who could hardly name four buildings, but would relish the chance to itemise his favourite fieldsis not suitable for younger readers and - after reading - I agree with him. He is very doubtful any two in Britain are the same. Like snowflakes, then, they can bear a closer examination says that he's written it to show their full picture – inform and Dee picks on fourprovoke thought, across the world particularly amongst aspiring vets. It deals with some uncomfortable and noted for events across the last few thousand yearsdistressing issues but it doesn't lack sensitivity, to focus on. The result is a rich – if at times over-rich – summation of the birdlife above the fields, and everything Dee knows although there are occasions when you would be best choosing between reading and loves about themeating.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099541378</amazonuk>

I was going to argue. I mean, cows are for cheese (I couldn't consider eating red meat...) and I much prefer my elephants in the wild but then I realised that I was quibbling for the sake of it. Essentially that quote sums up my attitude to animals - and I consider myself an animal lover. If I had to choose between the company of humans and the company of animals, I would probably choose the animals. I insisted that I read this book: no one was trying to stop me but I was initially reluctant. I eat cheese, eggs, chicken and fish and I needed to either do so without guilt or change my choices. I suspected that making the decision would not be comfortable.}}{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=1786495902|title=The Natural Health Service: How Nature Can Mend Your Mind|author=Isabel Hardman|rating=5|genre=Lifestyle|summary=Isabel Hardman suffered a trauma which she chooses not to share. She says that a friend who does know, burst into tears and health-care professionals' jaws have sagged in disbelief. Hardman dealt with this at the time by 'keeping going': the next day she went to work to cover the budget, next there was the EU referendum, the political party leadership contests and then it was party conference season. One night she had to be sedated and returned home to begin long-term sick leave. That was what brought me to this book: 2020 was the year when the bins went out more often than I did.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1782407480|title=Animal LivesBird Love: LionsThe Family Life of Birds|author=Sally MorganWenfei Tong and Mike Webster

|summary=I was a little perturbed when I looked at the blurb for ''LionsBird Love'' is part on a couple of the wonderful on-line booksellers: ''Animal Livesexploring the sex life of birds'' seriesit said. I very nearly passed over the book, each focusing on but a particular animal from closer examination suggested that the book is about the African savannah''family life'' of birds, which is rather different. This time, If the book was confined to the king sex life of birds, you would be missing an opportunity to understand how birds live day-to-day, bring up their families and cope in the beasts takes centre stagewild. Not only that, in you have missed the treat of so many beautiful illustrations about a wide variety of birds which run through this book that mixes stunning photography with plenty of fascinating facts from the first page to the last.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=1846045576|title=Walks In The Wild|author=Peter Wohlleben and Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp (Translator)|rating=4|genre=Animals and Wildlife|Animals and figures.Wildlife|amazonuksummary=<amazonuk>1781715297</amazonuk>''An instruction manual for the forest'' is how Wohlleben's publisher described the idea for this book, and that's basically what it is – although right at the end the author says that it is not intended to be a reference book, but an appetiser.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Buckingham_Dawn|title=Animal Lives: GiraffesThe Little Book of the Dawn Chorus|author=Sally MorganCaz Buckingham and Andrea Pinnington|rating=4.5

|summary=The new What a treat! I really did mean to just ''glance'Animal Lives'at ' series 'The Little Book of picture books aims the Dawn Chorus'' but the pull of the sounds of a dozen different birds singing their hearts out was far too much to help young children become animal experts, with each book focusing resist on a different wild animalcold and rather wet February morning. The current series looks at animals of I spent an indulgent hour or so reading all about the African savannah birds and listening to their song. Then - just because I could - I went back and did it all again and this time it is was just as good the turn of the noble giraffe to take centre stagesecond time around.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781715300</amazonuk> So, what do you get?

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Honeyborne BlueII|title=Animal Lives: ElephantsBlue Planet II|author=Sally MorganJames Honeyborne and Mark Brownlow

|summary=The eyeYou may well remember when the sticking of a number '2' after a film title was suggesting something of prestige -catching image on that the cover of this glossy picture book certainly encourages young readers first film had been so good it was fully justified to pick have something more. That has hardly been proven correct, but it up has until recently almost been confined to the cinema - you barely got a TV series worthy of a numbered sequel, and start reading. Two cute baby elephants gaze confidently into never in the camera lens whilst sharing a trunkful world of lush green vegetationnon-fiction. There is just ''something'' If someone has made a nature series about baby elephants, isnsay, Alaska (and boy aren't there? Who could resist opening are a lot of those these days) and wants to make another, why she just makes another - nothing would justify the numeral. But some nature programmes do have the prestige, the book for energy and the heft to demand follow-ups. And after five years in the making, the BBC's Blue Planet series has delivered a closer look?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781715319</amazonuk>second helping.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Taylor_Owls|title=Animal LivesOwls: CheetahsA Guide to Every Species|author=Sally MorganMarianne Taylor|rating=4.5

|summary=The first thing that struck me about this book was the excellent use of visualsI feel like I am being watched. Most A huge pair of the photographs in the book piercing orange eyes are for a double page spreadstaring right at me, locking me into their gaze. The images are crisp and clear and provide a great close-up view In contrast with the hardness of these beautiful cats. Using the photograph as a centrepiecedeep-amber eyes, each two-page section examines a different aspect of cheetah behaviour. Subjects covered include growing upsoft grey feathers fan out into the surrounding area, huntingintricate, territory detailed and cheetahs under threatbeautiful. The sections have a brief introductory paragraph in large, bold print An enigma; harsh and then several smaller facts surround gentle at the main picturesame time, sometimes including smaller photographs the owl is beckoning the reader to illustrate turn the main pointspages and take a closer look inside...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1781715327</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Montgomery Tamed|title=The BeeTamed and Untamed: A Natural History Close Encounters of the Animal Kind|author=Noah Wilson-RichSy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas|rating=3.5

|summary=Bees have been making a bit Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall-Thomas are best friends who also happen to be ''New York Times'' best-selling authors. They first bonded over their shared love of animals: shortly after meeting, Sy's pet ferret had given Liz a media splash of latenasty bite, due but Liz didn't seem to heightened concern about their declining numbers and general welfaremind at all. ''She REALLY didn't mind being bitten by a weasel. Governments have been urged to do more to protect these important creaturesI knew we were soul mates, with a recent EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides hailed as a 'victory for bees'recalls Sy. There ''Tamed and Untamed'' is no doubt that these prolific pollinators are a vital part of our ecosystem, the resulting collaboration between the two friends as they share personal anecdotes and amazing stories about the human fascination with bees goes back to our ancient historyanimal world. But just why do we find these hardworking insects so fascinating?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782401075</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Ellie LaksBarr_Elephant|title=My Gentle Barn: where animals heal 10 Reasons to Love an Elephant|author=Catherine Barr and children learn to hopeHanako Clulow|rating=4.5|genre=AutobiographyAnimals and Wildlife|summary=As a child Ellie Laks was abusedTen reasons to love an elephant, eh? Well, personally, I've never needed ten reasons as they've always been my favourite large animal, but not only did she suffer at the hands gentle giants of her abuserAfrica and India, she also had to endure parental indifference to what but it was happening good to herfind out more about them. Her only relief came through animals - and even then she had to cope when Perhaps the animals were taken from her. As an adult she most surprising fact which I discovered that she had a real talent for healing animals - and was that they helped her to heal toolive in herds headed by their ''grandmothers''. In a brilliant leap of intuition Female elephants and their calves stay together and the oldest female elephant is the one in charge as she realised that if the animals could help her knows where to heal they could do the same for others find food and so the Gentle Barn was born water - a place where animals were brought as a place of safety and where disadvantaged children and special needs groups could use as therapyshe knows her herd. She remembers about people too.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099584883</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael Fogden, Marianne Taylor and Sheri L WilliamsonGrindrod Outskirts|title=Hummingbirds: A Life-Size Guide to Every SpeciesOutskirts|author=John Grindrod|rating=4.5|genre=ReferenceAnimals and Wildlife|summary=I've always been fascinated by hummingbirds ' Outskirts'' is an interesting take on a phenomenon of the modern age: the introduction of the green belt of the countryside surrounding inner- delicatecity housing estates. John Grindrod grew up on the edge of one such estate in the 1960s and '70s, colourfulas he puts it, beautifully and brilliantly adapted to extract nectar from flowers''I grew up on the last road in London. '' Perhaps most Grindrod explores the introduction of all for me it's their acrobatic flight - the ability to hover green belt, and the various fights and manoeuvre which developments it has me hooked: I could watch them for hoursgone through over the subsequent decades, amazed that birds whose weight can only meaningfully be given in ounces can do so muchas environmental and political arguments have affected planning decisions. I was drawn Within this topic, he has somehow managed to this book as soon as I saw itwind around his personal memories of childhood, for producing a number memoir with a lot of reasonsheart.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782400893</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Marianne Taylor and Andrew PerrisMoss Wild|title=Beautiful OwlsWild Kingdom: Portraits of Arresting Species from Around the WorldBringing Back Britain's Wildlife|author=Stephen Moss

|genre=PetsAnimals and Wildlife|summary=Owls are strange birds: because they're crepuscular and twilight isn't Wildlife has been declining in Britain over the best time for ''seeing'' birds with any clarity they tend to be the stuff last few decades; it is an unfortunate by-product of legend and we don't know as much about them as we might. On the other handhuman population growth, they're which in the most recognisable of birds, perhaps because modern world has increased significantly. Through this book Moss suggests a few ways in which we can start to bring back some of Britain's wildlife without compromising the forward-facing eyes and would look almost human if it was not for that uncanny ability to swivel the neck to almost 360°. Marianne Taylor has gone some way towards correcting this lack of knowledge in ''Beautiful Owls''life: we can co-exist with nature. She gives us an overview of the species, traces them back to the earliest civilisations and shows their evolution.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908005971</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jill HucklesbySewell Spot|title=Little Lost Hedgehog (RSPCA Fiction)The Big Bird Spot|author=Matt Sewell

|genre=Confident ReadersAnimals and Wildlife|summary=Grace Fallon was out Recently I stood on a viewing platform at the RSPB reserve at Bempton Cliffs whilst a very helpful volunteer guided my sightline to one of the puffins who'd arrived on the cliffs in her garden the last few days. Finally, I found one evening, doing what she did every night - making certain that her pet rabbits were fed, watered after visually sorting through all the other birds on the precipitous cliff face. It was great fun and safevery rewarding. When she saw a movement The third double-page spread in the flower bed she went to investigate wild-life author and found a baby hedgehog - or a hoglet as theyartist Matt Sewell's first book for children, ''The Big Bird Spot'', shows some cliffs very like those at Bempton, but this time you're correctly called. Wisely she didn't attempt going to touch be looking for twenty-three Little Auks, in amongst the animal but told her parents guillemots, puffins, herring gulls and then kept watch from inside the houserazorbills. When the hoglet reappeared Oh, and looked rather distressed her mother rang the RSPCA and was told to give it some food - dog food and crushed dog biscuits (NEVER milk as it can make any hog you're looking for a pair of binoculars too: our bird watcher is very sick). Later someone from the RSPCA came round careless because you're going to collect the hoglet and take it have to their centre for carefind them in every picture.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1407133217</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Simon BarnesBurkey_Ethics|title=How to be Ethics for a BAD BirdwatcherFull World or, Can Animal-Lovers Save the World?|author=Tormod V Burkey|rating=4.5|genre=Home Animals and FamilyWildlife|summary=Burkey argues that man''Look out s current practices are outside the realms of nature. He is no longer part of the windowecosystem but instead exists above it through his dominating ways.''<br>''See a bird''<br>''Enjoy He is himself distanced even further by advancement in technologies, industry, money and all the pollution that comes with them. The natural world, Burkey argues, no longer exists for man because he has altered itby such things.''<br>''CongratulationsIndeed, global warming has caused climate change, which, if it continues, will make the world unrecognisable. You are now For the world to become fuller, for it to be a birdwatcherworld that seeks to provide for the needs of every living thing, then it needs to change.''|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780720866</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sam HayLjung_Butterfly|title=Archie the Guide Dog Puppy: Hero in TrainingBuild a ... Butterfly|author=Kiki Ljung

|summary=I donlove butterflies: they't often pick re one of the delights of my garden and it's always a pleasure when there are children there and they see a butterfly close up , possibly for the first time, as it rests on a non-fiction flower. Kiki Ljung has given us the opportunity to learn about butterflies and also to build a 3D model of our own. The book for is primarily aimed at the 7+ five to eight-year-old age group, find it riveting reading and informative about but I have to confess that I had a subject with which great deal of fun building my own painted lady. I'm already familiarlearned quite a bit too!}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Jones_Foxes|title=Foxes Unearthed: A Story of Love and Loathing in Modern Britain|author=Lucy Jones|rating=4|genre=Animals and Wildlife|summary=As one of the largest predators left in Britain, but that was the case with ''Archiefox is captivating: Hero a comfortably familiar figure in Training''our country landscapes; an intriguing flash of bright-eyed wildness in our towns. Archie is Yet no other animal attracts such controversy, has provoked more column inches or been so ambiguously woven into our culture over centuries, perceived variously as a puppy destined to be beautiful animal, a guide dog for cunning rogue, a blind person vicious pest and he's just one story in a book about worthy foe. As well as being the pups-in-trainingmost ubiquitous of wild animals, it is also the least understood. Here Lucy Jones investigates the working dogstruth about foxes – delving into fact, fiction, folklore and her own history with the creatures. Discussing the adults who have guide dogsdebate on foxes, Jones asks what our attitudes towards foxes says about us, or struggle to learn and our relationship with the techniques natural world.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Metisola_1st|title=My First Animals|author=Aino- or even what happens Maija Metsola|rating=4|genre=Animals and Wildlife|summary=Get used to the dogs who dontwo simple words if you have a child, ''t turn out to be whatWhat's neededThat?'' You will hear it over and over and over again. If you are lucky they are pointing at something that you actually know – chair, hat, my sense of regret. Sometimes they will point at something that is not too familiar. ThereHere the parental practice of making something up comes into play – it's a full range as well as information bird type thing. Books that show images of items, colours or animals may seem a little dull to an adult, but to a toddler learning about the world, they are a who's who of what a guide dog costs - and it's not cheap!that.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Packham_Babies|title=Amazing Animal Babies|author=Chris Packham and Jason Cockcroft|rating=3.5|genre=Animals and Wildlife|amazonuksummary=<amazonuk>033053792X</amazonuk>Many children love animals, but they love baby animals even more. Would you rather watch a dog or watch a puppy? A cat or a kitten? A meerkat or a smaller meerkat? The answer is a no brainer to most children who enjoy the wide-eyed stumbling of youth that is not dissimilar to their own. However, someone needs to give them the facts about baby animals and who better than wildlife presenter Chris Packham?

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Matt WhymanPrasadamHall_Pairs|title=Pig Pairs in the MiddleGarden|author=Smriti Prasadam-Halls and Lorna Scobie|rating=4.5|genre=PetsAnimals and Wildlife|summary=I'm so pleased I read this 'Pairs in the Garden'' is a fun book/game hybrid for little fingers into creepy crawlies. It's only a lift-the occasional writer who grabs me by the short and curlies -flap book with his observation of human naturea difference, but accomplished childrenbecause not only do you get to see what's writer Matt Whyman not only grabbed meunderneath, but sold me you then must see if you can find a matching pair on the mini-pigs as wellsame page. But beware! You cannot just use the process of elimination because there are 7 flaps on each page, but only 3 pairs to find. One poor creature is all alone with no partner.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444711466</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Gordon Grice|title=The Book of Deadly Animals|rating=4.5|genre=Popular Science|summary=Animals and humans have long mixed, even though the one has almost always proven capable of being lethal Move on to the other. Many scientists in the past decided animals killing humans were aberrant, and that the real animal knew it was second best to humans, having been saved in the Ark, and respected our dominion over them. Even now, it seems, there are opinions that creatures attacking mankind are somehow rogue and need destroying. But where is the wrong in an animal behaving as its nature compels it? Similarly, the human wandering around the wilderness, or even the idiot woman feeding a black bear her own toddler's honey-dripping hand (true story - what the bear thought of the taste of honeyed fingers we don't know) is just the same in reverse - humans behaving as only humans can.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0670919675</amazonuk>}}[[Newest Anthologies Reviews]]