MUGAMBI'S JOURNEY

Returning Wildlife Books

The Florida Panther
Review by Karen C. Hill, The Florida Panther Society, Inc.
www.panthersociety.org 

The Florida Panther, by John E. Becker, is part of the Returning Wildlife series of books for children in 3rd through 6th grades.   Becker’s book, The Florida Panther, offers a comprehensive look at panthers, from biology and habitat to threats and recovery programs. Kids also get two accounts of what it is like to track panthers in the wild with FWC biologists. 
With pictures on most every page, kids are sure to enjoy themselves while learning about threats to panther survival and their recovery needs. Graphics are included to help children understand how mercury poisons the Florida Panther, and to grasp just how much the panthers range has decreased over time. The book also includes a glossary of terms and resources for more exploration.  After reading this book, children will have a broad understanding of panthers as well as the many issues in panther recovery.


School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-These two books are each constructed around a particular animal, but their focus is on the efforts to reintroduce it to areas of the U.S. where it was nearly extinct. Both titles begin with an explanation of what caused the animals to become endangered (e.g., the fur trade and destruction of habitat), followed by a general discussion of their habitat and habits. Finally, the author provides detailed descriptions of reintroduction efforts and a look at how the animals are faring now. Becker also examines some of the problems that the creatures have created, such as destruction of property caused by beaver dams and otters' invasions of fish hatcheries. Both sides are given equal space and the issues are laid out in clear, easy-to-understand language. A nice mix of full-color photographs and reproductions is a good complement to the texts. These books are useful additions to units on habitats and/or endangered species.-Arwen Marshall, Minneapolis Public Library Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

From Booklist
Reviewed with John E. Becker's The North American Beaver.
Gr. 3-6. These compact entries in the new Returning Wildlife series celebrate species that have made successful comebacks from near-extinction. In Beaver, Becker relates how a rage for beaver hats, the Hudson Bay Company, the French and Indian War, and Ulysses S. Grant played powerful roles in the beaver's fate and looks at contemporary setbacks caused by the increasing beaver population. In Bald Eagle, he again discusses his subject within a historical context, this time blending in a great deal about the bald eagle in Native American ritual and alerting readers to new perils that threaten the bird's success. Full-color photographs and illustrations are plentiful, and each book concludes with a glossary and a bibliography of mostly current, age-appropriate follow-up sources. Straightforward natural history, with an emphasis on history. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
 

From Booklist
Gr. 4-6. A nice antidote to the books on endangered species, the Returning Wildlife series focuses on animals that have made a successful comeback from the brink of extinction. This volume considers North American bison, which roamed the Great Plains in huge herds until nineteenth-century settlers, hunters, soldiers, and "sportsmen" slaughtered them. The clearly written text discusses the bison's characteristics and habits, its importance to Native Americans, its near extinction, and the century-long story of its recovery as a species. The colorful illustrations, which appear on nearly every spread, include maps, period prints and photos, and many contemporary photos of bison. A glossary and lists of books, periodicals, organizations, and Web sites are appended. A good, concise presentation. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


Children's Literature - Nicole Peterson
The book begins with a very close photograph of the American alligator. He almost seems to be smiling. The following page contains a complete picture of the alligator, with a diagram of the physical characteristics that an alligator has in order to survive. In this series on endangered wildlife young children can learn about species that were nearly extinct. Each book contains a good table of contents, four chapters about the specific animal, an index, a bibliography, and a list of organizations to contact to learn more about the animal. This particular book describes the alligator, explains why it was endangered, and then explains what is currently happening to help the alligator recover. The photographs are wonderful, and do a good job of capturing the American alligator in the wild. The maps in the book are also easily read, so that young children will be able to understand where these animals can be found. This is a volume in the "Returning Wildlife" series. 2004, KidHaven Press, Ages 8 to 12.



Children's Literature - Patricia Dole
Useful for the study of endangered species, United States history and geography, and mammals, this excellent account of the bison, often incorrectly called buffalo, chronicles their existence in America from their first migration 250,000 years ago over the land bridge that once connected Alaska to Siberia to their recovery today from near extinction. It describes their physical characteristics, reproduction, herd society, and predators, the worst of which is man. Herds that once spread from the east coast to the western plains were decimated by early settlers and professional hunters for their meat, hides, or simply for sport. The railroad companies also had them killed so that they would not interfere with the movement of trains. By the end of the nineteenth century millions of bison had been reduced to only six hundred. Congress eventually created bison reserves, Americans became interested in their survival, and the species is now propagating well. Fine color and black and white photographs and maps illustrate the clear, authoritative, interesting text. A glossary, book and periodical reading list, Web sites, a video, and addresses of pertinent wildlife organizations are all included. The series is "Returning Wildlife." 2003, KidHaven Press/Gale/Thomson Learning.

Children's Literature - Nicole Peterson
Over a hundred years ago, gray wolves were almost extinct in North America. Pilgrims had thought the wolves were a threat to their survival, and later on farmers found that wolves were killing their livestock. This book, along with the others in the series, takes a unique look at a formerly endangered species. This particular book describes the wolf, how and when it became extinct in the wild, and what has been done to reintroduce the wolves into their natural habitat. The amount of information in this short book is amazing. Many other resources have been used (they are listed in the back of the book) for a comprehensive look at gray wolves in North America. The photographs are beautiful and tasteful, but one or two (showing the wolves eating their prey) are graphic. If a student is interested in the environment, or learning about wildlife animals in general, this is a good book. It is part of the "Returning Wildlife" series. 2004, KidHaven Press, Ages 8 to 12.


Children's Literature - Nicole Peterson
Green Sea Turtles get their name from the green color of their body fat. The top of their shells is black, and the underside is yellow, making it very difficult for anything to see them directly above or below. This book is full of fascinating facts about the green sea turtle. The first part of the book talks about the turtle's characteristics, the habitat, what it eats, how much fully-grown turtles weigh, etc. The second part of the book describes the reasons that the turtle was becoming extinct, and the things that are being done to protect the turtle, and help the species to continue to grow. A child who is interested in wildlife will enjoy the book, but a child who is interested in endangered species, and environmental protection will find the book fascinating. The photographs in the book are amazing. Through the photographs the young reader can watch the turtles in a variety of environments. This is a volume in the "Returning Wildlife" series. 2004, KidHaven Press, Ages 8 to 12.


Children's Literature - Nicole Peterson
Do you know who Grizzly Adams is? This book will tell you that—and much more information about the grizzly bear. The first part of the book is devoted to describing the life of a grizzly bear. Things that are explained about the bears include their eating habits, their size, hibernation, and sociality. The middle of the book talks about the reasons that the grizzly bears were hunted and who the hunters were. Then, the last part of the book is devoted to the recovery and the future of the grizzly population. The book covers an enormous amount of information and details about the lives of the bears. The photographs throughout the book are taken of bears in the wild, and include pictures of them fighting, standing on their hind legs, fishing, eating a deer (a graphic picture for young children) and interacting with the cubs. This is an excellent source for young children to gain information about the grizzly bear, how it is studied, and what is being done to help the species survive in the wild. This volume is part of the "Returning Wildlife" series. 2004, KidHaven Press, Ages 8 to 12.

Children's Literature - Andrea Sears Andrews
As part of the "Returning Wildlife" series, this book details the history of the manatee and the struggle the species has had to survive. The manatee has lived on earth for at least sixty million years. It does not have any natural predator, but man has hunted it since 8500 B.C. and has been careless in preserving its natural habitat. This naturally playful and gentle giant (weighing up to twelve hundred pounds) is a victim to man's carelessness. Poaching, boating accidents, polluted waters, excessive housing development, and flood-control gates have been the leading cause to the manatee endangerment. Although a number of manatee hunting laws were enforced in the late 1800s, the most effective means of protecting these creatures occurred in the 1970s when the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the U. S. Endangered Species Act were passed. These acts made it a federal crime to hunt or pursue any marine mammal or import or export any product of a manatee. Additionally, Florida (home to one of the manatee subspecies) has declared the manatee its official marine mammal and created many refuge and sanctuary programs for the creature. Readers will learn more about the efforts to protect the manatee as well as organizations seeking public support and funding. The close-up photographs of the manatees will charm any reader and encourage activism. A glossary, resource guide, and index are included in the back of the book. 2003, Kidhaven Press,

Children's Literature - Andrea Sears Andrews
It is a tradition for the president of the United States to "officially pardon" a wild turkey near Thanksgiving Day in order to return it to its home in the wild. This tradition may have been the brainchild of President Theodore Roosevelt who passed the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act in 1937 in an attempt to save the wild bird from extinction. The wild turkey has existed for more than eleven million years and has been domesticated for nearly five hundred years. Although it is a bird with many natural defenses (keen eyesight, acute hearing, camouflage, and flight speed), it has been an easy prey for humans for centuries. For this reason alone, the wild turkey has been in a long fight for survival. This book goes into detail about this very issue. Readers will learn the failures and successes of official programs designed to protect the bird. The information can get heavy at times and will most likely overwhelm the reader looking for "fun facts" about the bird. Photographs throughout the text are entertaining, bringing some whimsicality to the read. It is part of the "Returning to Wildlife" series. 2003, KidHaven Press,