I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book. I have never read any of the author’s previous works, but found this book informative and interesting. It reminded me of the short, feel good articles in Reader’s Digest.

I love Sy Montgomery's works and this memoir synthesizes the author's most memorable books. If you've never read her work, this will whet your appetite.

I loved this heart-tugging memoir by the naturalist, adventurer and National Book Award finalist, who shares poetically about the lives of creatures — from tigers to tarantulas — she considers friends. Rebecca Green’s illustrations add to the beauty of this profoundly moving book. 5 of 5 Stars.

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine. #HowToBeAgoodCreature #NetGalley. Pub Date 25 Sep 2018.

A quick read. Heartfelt. If one is having a bad day, this is the book to pick up and snuggle into the stories contained within.

I would submit that the lessons the author learns from establishing rapport with animals can be applied to human interactions as well.

Hopefully, I am a better human for having read this book.

I felt this book lacked nuance and depth of meaning. I loved reading about the author's experiences with animals, but there wasn't a lot of "show," it was more "tell," and for me, that takes away from the power of storytelling.

A touching book for any animal lover, whether or not you have pets of your own, you will appreciate this heartfelt collection of stories.

Wonderful book! I've had a range of pets over my lifetime, all remembered fondly and missed. I love reading stories about how animals enhance a persons life, teach them about the world. mine certainly taught me many lessons. Book for all ages to enjoy.

Every now and then along comes a book that is that is special. This is that book. I didn't devour this book. I savored it chapter by chapter, creature by creature,,,,much like I savor those tender, special moments with creatures I've know in my own life. Yes, there is loss included in the book but don't let that scare you aware from reading it. Sy Montgomery doesn't write about loss in the way that some writers do. Instead she celebrates the life and then describes how she heals from the loss (and as painful as it is, we all do). Read this book. Read this book. Read this book. Read for the magic of it. Read to know that all creatures: humans, dogs, pigs, octopus, spiders, birds...all creatures, have emotions and souls. Read this book.

I would recommend this heartwarming little memoir to all animal lovers. I found myself alternating between chuckling and crying as I read about all of the wonderful creatures who have welcomed Sy Montgomery into their lives: 3 emus (Bald Throat, Black Head, and Knackered Leg); a pig (Christopher Hogwood); a Goliath birdeater tarantula spider (Clarabelle); an ermine weasel (Christmas Angel); 2 tree kangaroos (Tess II and Chris II); an octopus (Octavia); and 4 dogs (Molly, Tess, Sally, and Thurber).

I never felt that the stories were overly dramatized or that emotion was being wrenched from my heart; the book is very sincere and beautifully written.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a digital advance review copy.

A touching memoir unlike any I've read before. Montgomery's newest title is a love story to just a few of the animals who have shaped her personal life, work life, and family. Each story (chapter) is different, and each will have you deep in the feels. Montgomery's passion for animals is at it's best and How to Be a Good Creature is one of the best love stories I've read all year.

Always a fan of Sy Montgomery's writing, this book is a wonderful collection snippets that take you through her personal growth and adventures through the animals in her life. Rebecca Green's illustrations add to the pleasant vibe you get while reading this, despite some tough choices and difficult farewells throughout her life.

I'd call it a memoir to the animals that have touched and molded her life and personality.

As another animal lover and someone that is childfree, I can relate on so many angles. Still, her career has meant that she has taken her love, her experiences, and her exposure to different species much further than I ever have or will have.

Each animal we have if we allow ourselves to think deeply, teach us something about life. Just as we have our own personalities and ways of facing the world, they have theirs and it's much less complicated to learn from them than from our friends and family thanks to all of the baggage.

We also suffer an extreme loss when they die, more so if we are true animal lovers. Montgomery isn't the only one that has suffered from depression after losing an animal, I know of may, just in my small circle.

I think the one animal she had that touched me most was her pig, Christopher Hogwood because his outgoing personality is so unlike mine and I think, unlike Montgomery's. I had a dog like that and still smile when I think of how many people he introduced me to because of his neighborhood wandering antics.

One would want to be a lover of animals for this book, other than that, it would make a grand gift since it's almost that most wonderful time of the year. Sigh.

Sy Montgomery writes books and documentaries about animals for both children and adults. In this book, Montgomery shares stories about some of her favorite creatures, including her family pets; an octopus in an aquarium; and creatures in their natural environment.

Montgomery travels around the world to research her books, and has visited the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea; Mongolia's Gobi Desert; Amazon rivers; the Australian Outback; and much more. Every animal Montgomery got to know was a good creature - "a marvel and perfect in his or her own way" - and each one helped her become a better person.

Sy's love affair with animals began when she was a child and her family adopted a Scottish terrier named Molly. Young Sy wanted to be just like Molly, "Fierce. Feral. Unstoppable." The author relates anecdotes about Molly breaking her tether to chase rabbits; stealing black dress socks and shaking them to death; capturing soccer balls and killing them; and being saluted as she trotted by the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (though that might be because Molly was the General's canine).

Sy was enraptured by Molly's "otherworldly powers" - the dog's enhanced abilities to hear, smell, and see in the dark. To learn more about these superpowers, little Sy intensely studied every inch of the canine, from her tongue to her anus - and daydreamed about running away with Molly, living in the woods, and learning the secrets of wild animals. Sy grew up to fulfill this ambition, and became a renowned naturalist and animal expert.

*****

Montgomery has studied animals of every description. For example, she made friends with three emus in the Australian Outback after, in her words, the first sight of them felt like a "shock stung the top of my head, like a laser bolt." To determine if emus were important dispersers of seeds, Montgomery spent her days searching for 'emu pies' and following the birds, who she named Black Head; Knackered Leg (for a leg injury); and Bald Throat (for a whitish patch on the neck).

It took a while, but the huge flightless birds eventually accepted Montgomery's presence, allowing her to follow them and even sleep with them. The writer studied the emus for six months, and wept when it was time to return home, where she would miss the peace, joy, and satisfaction the birds had given her.

*****

Sy and her husband Howard Mansfield (the writer) live on a farm in Hancock, New Hampshire - perfect for raising animals. At a low point in Sy's life - when she was deeply depressed about the cancellation of a book deal and the loss of her father - Howard arranged for the adoption of a sick baby pig to cheer Sy up.

The piglet, named Christopher Hogwood, needed warmth, love, and TLC - and caring for him helped Sy heal. Christopher loved to eat, play, snuggle, explore, and meet people, and he often broke out of his pen to visit the neighbors.....who would call Sy to retrieve him. Thus Christopher helped Sy make new friends, and gave her something to talk about at parties.

Christopher was soon joined by 'the ladies', a gaggle of black, sex-link hens gifted by Sy's friend. The chickens enjoyed being petted, picked up, and kissed on their combs.

Then came Tess, a previously abused two-year-old black and white border collie - who liked to play with toys, catch frisbees, and go for hikes. Tess amazed Sy with her intelligence, strength, and agility.

The menagerie at the farm attracted visitors from the entire neighborhood, especially two schoolgirls next door, who saved their lunches for Christopher, made him a 'pig spa' (for baths), and visited the farm every day - essentially becoming part of Sy and Howard's family. In essence, the domestic animals helped Sy (who's childless by choice) acquire a large extended family to love.

*****

Montgomery traveled to French Guiana in South America to meet the "Goliath birdeater", the largest tarantula on Earth, who has a leg span that can cover a person's face (think of the larval monster in the movie 'Alien' 😵☠ ).

In French Guiana, Sy fell in love with a tarantula called Clarabelle, who became the spider ambassador to a group of Guianan schoolchildren. The brave kids even consented to hold Clarabelle on their palms, and one little girl exclaimed, "Elle est belle, le monstre." (She is beautiful, the monster.)

[FYI: In graduate school I worked for an entomologist/arachnologist who whipped out a tarantula whenever he interviewed a new job applicant, just for fun. He probably lost a few prospective employees. 😁]

Other animals Montgomery writes about in the book include:
- An ermine that, following its instincts, killed one of the farm's pet chickens (Sy was sad but doesn't hold a grudge).
- Tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea - which required three days of arduous mountain hiking to reach.
- A giant Pacific octopus called Octavia, who lived in the New England Aquarium and liked to embrace Montgomery's arms with her tentacles.

*****

When - at ripe old ages - Christopher (the pig) and Tess (the dog) died, Montgomery was so grief-stricken that she considered suicide. Sy's hair fell out, her gums bled, and her brain misfired, making it hard to remember words. Months later Tess came to Sy in a dream, showing her a new border collie to adopt. After considerable searching, on border collie rescue sites and at rescue facilities, a friend came up with the exact right dog. Sy's husband Howard took some convincing, but soon enough Sally - a female border collie who'd been seriously mistreated - came to the farm.

Sally was a handful! She dug holes in the lawn; constantly ate and rolled in other animals' poop; and ate any food she could reach - including Howard's crab cakes; a birthday cake; an entire box of oatmeal; lunches out of backpacks; and sandwiches on their way to a person's mouth. But Sally was also a fun playmate, an enthusiastic hiker, and an affectionate pooch. Sally loved to be kissed and brushed, and she made Sy "unspeakably happy."

After Sally passed away, Sy and Howard got a third border collie called Thurber, who's "so happy that he sings." Thurber is especially prone to howl along with morning radio; Bruce Springsteen; and the songs 'Say Something' and "Gracias a la Vida."

*****

In addition to talking about her animals, Montgomery includes snippets about her personal life - which wasn't always easy. In addition to suffering from repeated bouts of deep depression following the loss of people and animals, Montgomery had a fraught relationship with her parents.

According to Sy's aunt, her mother smothered and shook her repeatedly when she was a baby, because her crying "ruined mom's cocktail hour." Whatever happened, two-year-old Sy fell dangerously ill, and didn't play, talk, or grow for months. Sy's parents worked hard to make her well, and small Sy's love of animals (including Molly) helped her recover.

Montgomery's parents also rejected her as an adult, after she became a naturalist. They were disappointed that she didn't train for the army in college and adopt their lifestyle. Sy's parents kept a membership for her at both the 'Army Navy Town Club' and 'Army Navy Country Club' in Washington, D.C., hoping she'd meet a suitable military man. Instead, Sy married a middle-class, liberal Jewish writer.

A week after the wedding, Sy's wealthy, conservative Methodist father wrote her a letter in which he formally disowned her and compared her to "the serpent that did sting thy father's life" (a quote from Hamlet). Sy later (more or less) reconciled with her parents, but they never allowed her husband Howard into their home.

Nevertheless, in her acknowledgements Montgomery notes that, although she and her parents had many disagreements, "I always loved them. I know that, in their own way, they loved me, too." Sy notes that she wouldn't have wanted any other parents, because her folks made her the determined person she is.

At the end of the story, Montgomery lists the ten books that inspired her to write about the natural world, and the books she's penned for adults and children.

Because of the personal anecdotes, this book is probably suitable for ages 12 to adult (though small children would like the animal stories).

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to people interested in animals and nature.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Sy Montgomery), and the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) for a copy of the book.

I was able to read an advance reading copy of How to be a good creature. I loved the cover which made me want to know more about this story. I like the story and I must say I would have loved to have more illustrations such as the one on the cover.

How to be a Good Creature is a memoir in which a woman tells how animals profoundly changed her life. The type of animal varies, but every story and background of each is heartwarming and you can really tell the author has a love for animals. I think this would have been a more enticing read for me had I known more about the author beforehand. As it was, I picked up this book because the cover is really appealing. I did enjoy what I read, though at times I felt it a bit overwritten and flowery. The illustrations is the book were adorable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Sy Montgomery's How To Be A Good Creature is a personally engaged reflection on her career learning from and writing about a veritable menagerie of animals. With individual chapters devoted to a different animal that has been important in Montgomery's life, the book is both a personal reflection upon these animals and an invitation to appreciate different ways of being alive and what humans can learn from animals. The memoir aspect of this was the strongest; we see Montgomery at her most blissful and her worst; both enthralled by creatures and severely depressed. The one constant in her life, it seems, are animals, those from her personal and professional life. Her engaged reflections which recognize the personhood of her animal friends, is stimulating and pleasant to read. The chapters are fairly short so the reader does not get bogged down in any one story. This brevity is both a merit of the book and a drawback. As an introduction to Montgomery's writing, career, and way of thinking about creatures, the books is effective. As a memoir of how Montgomery has lived her (child-free) life with animals, her husband, and her community, the book leaves out much. Moreover, the structure seems to flow chronologically, but the different contexts in which Montgomery encounters animals makes it slightly difficult to build a narrative thread.

This reviewer has not read Montgomery's other works and therefore cannot comment on possible overlap between this and her other books (for example, it may be the case that some of the material of the chapter on the pig Christopher Hogwood is found in Montgomery's book on him). However, the reader is motivated to read Montgomery's other works. Thus this book is recommended for those interested in the natural world, creatures, and memoir. It may be less than satisfying for science professionals except as a pre-bedtime reading. Overall, How to Be A Good Creature is a pleasant and stimulating short read that opens up avenues for further engagement with books about animals in general and Montgomery's career specifically.

Every year I try to find a really good book for my niece's Christmas present. I think that this is the book. This book tells stories of different animals in the author's life and how the animal taught her and the effect they had on her life. I will purchase this book for my branch library and recommend it to animal lovers.

The author’s love for the animal kingdom shines through in this book. Although a bit simplistic at times, it was still an enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 BIG HAPPY stars! If you wanna know how to be good creature, you can learn this from animals, like Sy did with 13 written about here. Such a good book! I must buy a copy. I enjoyed hearing about all 13 of her animal loves. My favorites were the dogs, Christopher Hogwood, the good pig, Octavia the Octopus, and the tarantula. So much to learn here and enjoy. "Understanding someone who belongs to another species can be transformative. No one knows this better than author, naturalist, and adventurer Sy Montgomery." ~(from the library book blurb)

I have read one other book by Sy Montgomery. It was The Soul of an Octopus. I enjoyed it immensely. Now I want to read all of her books. At the end of the book she gives a list of 10 books she recommends to read that helped her on her journey. She writes with such a true heart. I feel like we would be very good friends.

I also have a number of rescues that live with me. I learn daily from them and can relate to much of what she trys to relay in her book. I don't know where I would be without the animal friends of my life. I would not be who I am today.

Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via NetGalley and Sy Montgomery for a digital copy to read for review. I highly recommend it!

A heartwarming book with outstanding illustrations throughout. Perfect for animals lovers big and small. Written for the person who names any animal that crosses their path