This was an excellent title for fans of wildlife and accounts of real life people! This title is definitely worth the time, effort, and money.

A beautiful book for kids showing what a wildlife photographer does and discusses how to become one.

A fun read, not my usual pick and not something I'd want to read all the time, but filled with fun pictures and captions.

My Wild Life: Adventures of a Wildlife Photographer by Suzi Eszterhas is a children's book about one person's journey to be a wildlife photographer. As a young girl, Suzi Eszterhas knew she wanted to be a wildlife photographer. But how did she go from snapping pictures of cats in her backyard to taking photos of cheetah cubs in Kenya? In this nonfiction picture-book biography, Eszterhas invites readers to find out what her life is like behind the lens. Photographs of animals paired with compelling anecdotes will instantly draw readers in. Each section of the book explores a unique part of Eszterhas’s job with energetic and engaging language. Along with photography tips and stories about life in the field, Eszterhas’s sections on conservation and treating animals with respect will enhance readers’ awareness of these issues. End matter includes answers to common questions Suzi has been asked.

My Wild Life: Adventures of a Wildlife Photographer is a wonderful and realistic look at what life as a wildlife photographer can be like. While there are stories about getting amazing pictures and some once in a life time experiences, like cheetah cubs getting so used to her presence on a shoot that they were playing on her jeep. She also talks about having to wear seven plus layers of clothing in the arctic, being charged by rhinos and gorillas, and having to sit in a blind long enough to have clearing labeled bottles for water, and well other things. I think Eszterhas does a good job here of showing the wonder and respect that the profession deserves, with the amount of dedication and hardship inherent in getting it right. I think the included photographs do a goo job of capturing the variety of the author's work, and that the endmatter with frequently asked questions are perfect additions to the book. I have to admit that I spent a good amount of this book thinking of my daughter, who has been saying she want to live with wolves or out in the wild for most of her life, and think I will have to show her some of the reality of such a life to see if it is really the path she wants.

My Wild Life: Adventures of a Wildlife Photographer is a great look at what is really involved in being a wildlife photographer; research, patience, danger, and all.

Thank you Owlkids books and Netgalley for access to this arc.

When I see wildlife photographs or documentaries, I think “Wow, how cool is that! Someone gets paid to do this for a living.” Then I begin to imagine all the hard work, patience, and skill that goes into getting paid to do this amazing job. This book answers a lot of questions about what goes into getting the perfect shots: studying up on animal subjects ahead of time to be ready for how they act and where they might be, being ready to live and be outdoors for days to months at a time, gaining the trust of animals, setting up blinds, and working with game wardens and trackers who know the area and the animals. The not so fun parts: watching out for ticks up your nose and bugs laying eggs in the soles of your feet. The rewards: priceless chances to see wildlife up close and personal and make a difference in conservation efforts and raising awareness. The pictures in the book are fantastic and I appreciate them even more now knowing what went into getting them. B+

Suzi Eszterhas shares what it is like to be a wildlife photographer. She shares some of her favorite memories, the main points of what it takes to be a wildlife photographer, the kind of people she works with, how what she does can help animals, and the highs and lows of her job. Her story is accompanied by photographs she’s taken (or others have taken of her in the field).

A fantastic behind the scenes look at what being a wildlife photographer is like. Eszterhas has a pitch perfect voice when writing for kids. The vocabulary and types of information are just right for middle grade readers. I liked that she was very honest about the highs and lows of being a wildlife photographer, but she didn’t share anything inappropriate for the target age group (absolutely no gory stories or anything too scary shared). The stories behind several of her photographs were fascinating, and it was eye-opening to hear just how long it took to get some of those fantastic shots. This is a great book to include in an occupations unit. And if you have a budding photographer who loves animals, this is a very good read for them to see if they have what it takes to be a wildlife photographer. Eszterhas also shares tips of how to start photographing animals in the nearby wild right now. Highly recommended.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw the title of this book I assumed it would be full of stories and perhaps anecdotes about things the author had experienced throughout her life as a wildlife photographer, focusing mainly on the story behind each animal or photo. However, there wasn’t a whole lot of what I expected. The descriptions behind each photo are short and sweet, and not many interesting anecdotes to hold the readers attention, especially a young reader. Still, it is a basic look at what it is like to be a wildlife photographer, with lots of beautiful photos. I think if you had a kid that was already specifically interested in becoming a photographer then this would interest them. But beyond that it may struggle to keep the attention of the average child.

I really loved this book. It's a look into the life of a professional wildlife photographer, Suzi Eszterhas. In it, she details what life is like for a photographer who shoots her photos in the field. She does not photograph zoo or captive animals like many wildlife photographers do. She spends days, months, in the field with the animals to get her fantastic photos.

The book is just full of her amazing photos of animals. I love the baby animals best, but all of the photos are cool. She shows how a photographer plans to set up a particular shot, once even using a stuffed animal in a pool to test how a shot would look!

Her story is one that can inspire other budding photographers to get out there and experiment with camera and techniques. She's a good role model for women photographers too, since she has had a successful career and has spent much time alone in the field.

The story will be inspirational to kids who are interested in this field. Adults will also enjoy her story and find the photos absolutely stunning.

I enjoyed this book and think it will be useful for any library or classroom to have on hand. Highly recommended!

My Wild Life
Adventures of a Wildlife Photographer
by Suzi Eszterhas
This is such a wonderful book! A great inspiration especially to young girls! Suzi explains how she had a dream and went from taking pictures in her backyard to photographing animals around the world! She doesn't pull punches either. She tells of the hard work involved, the many challenges to overcome ( bugs, heat, long hours in the heat or ice). But her pictures show the great benefit of her hard work. The book has delightful images of Suzi with many animals and other photos from her collection. Beautiful!

Suzi had unique dreams as a young girl. Her hope was to become a wildlife photographer. Her parents encouraged her and helped her move toward that goal. She spent hours watching squirrels and birds and practiced photographing her cats.

Once she became an animal photographer, she studied animal behavior and spoke to experts so she could learn what made each type of animal feel frightened. That way she could avoid threatening the animals and be as safe as possible.

As a result of her travels, Suzi has had many adventures. She has visited all 7 continents and has lived in all sorts of environments. She has even lived in tents for years at a time. Because there is no electricity when she scamps, she has to charge her cameras using a car battery and solar panels.

“When I planned to photograph swimming sloths in Panama, I had never taken photos under water before. So I practiced in a swimming pool, using a teddy bear as my model.” The picture of the sloth is amazing and Suzi used it on the cover of her book about sloths. When in the wild, she sometimes only had seconds to snap the perfect picture, so preparation is important.

Suzi especially loves to photograph animal babies. The photos in this book are stunning, beautiful, a feast for the eyes. I am now curious to hunt down all of Suzi’s books. I know I won’t be disappointed.

I received an electronic ARC copy of this book from net galley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

"My Wild Life" is a great introduction to what the life of a wildlife photographer is like. Filled with tons of fantastic photos by the author, we are shown numerous examples of what conditions photographers endure and what it takes to be successful. Show this to any girl who thinks they can't do something they love for a career.

This was such a inspiring story! Good for Ms. Eszterhas for following her dream! I Wasn't encouraged to follow my dreams, but in the end found the perfect job that tied all my loves and interests into one great job. I like inspirational stories for kids. It gives them courage to strike out and follow their dreams, no matter what. The photos were so cute, too! Nice addition to a collection. or make a nice gift for a young girl.

Fascinating career and the information she shared was more in depth than I thought this book would get. Very inspirational and encouraging toward anyone interested in becoming a photographers. Great pictures.

3.5

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via netgalley!

My five year old loved the pictures in this book! She was fascinated that these pictures were taken by someone whose job is to take these! And the fact that it was a woman was even more special for my daughter! She also learned that you need to prepare yourself in life and the example of the teddy bear in the swimming pool was so sweet and a great teaching moment for her!

Suzi Eszterhas always knew that she wanted to be a wildlife photographer. All of the hours she spent taking pictures of her cats in the backyard, observing squirrels and birds, and taking notes in her field book were great preparation for fulfilling that dream. Now, in a follow-up to her acclaimed 2017 release Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat’s Foster Mom, Eszterhas shares stories from over twenty years as a professional wildlife photographer. Two-page chapters on topics including “Prepping for Shoots,” “Living in the Field,” “Mothers and Babies,” and “Giving Back to Animals” feature plentiful full-color photographs. Meaningful captions add context and special behind-the-scenes information. In the final chapter, “Ask Suzi,” the author answers questions about the best part of her job, how to become a wildlife photographer, and her most memorable wildlife experiences. She also shouts out her organization, Girls Who Click (https://girlswhoclick.org/), which helps girls fulfill their dreams of becoming wildlife photographers. With an eye toward conservation, Eszterhas presents a candid memoir of her wild life and career, acknowledging the challenges as well as the rewards. Young readers will love her story, and they will love her photographs even more!

A fascinating look into the life of a female wildlife photographer. Packed with excellent photos, animal trivia, and advice for kids who may be interested in the field.

For younger readers. This is a brief look into Suzi's life as a wildlife photographer and what that means. The book is scattered with adorable photos of a variety of animals. It's clear that she lives a really wonderful and fantastic life. I would recommend this for schools and other places with young, curious readers.

I love this Wildlife book! The author explains what it takes to get the shots.
Hours and hours of waiting, for example.
The photos in this book are amazing. I have been crazy about Meerkats for many years.
It's a wonderful book I would like to have in my collection of animal and wildlife books.


Thank you so much, Suzi Eszterhas, the publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to read
and review this beautiful book!

This book was wonderful. I loved reading about Suzi Eszterhas' experiences in trying to take pictures of wile animals. I think children will love reading this book and will enjoy all the phenomenal pictures that are included. I will definitely purchase for my library!

I have enjoyed Suzi Esterhas’ work for some time now. It was most enjoyable to read about how she entered this field and to see new photos of her work.