Informative, uplifting and entertaining, this book is written by someone who loves and appreciates animals. It shows how we’re slowly changing from a selfish human-centered society to one that at least tries to get along with those who’ve been here centuries before we even existed. All these tales tell the same story: animals living happily till we showed up, they were then hunted to almost extinction, came back on their own or with human help (for selfish reasons) and are now living among us. If anything, we have the opposite problem of humans getting too friendly with them (I confess I would feed all the wildlife if I didn’t know it’s bad for them). Each chapter is devoted to a different species, from bears to alligators, some more dangerous than others. The author really drives home the fact that what some people see as a blessing, others may see as a nuisance. She therefore includes practical tips and resources to be a good neighbor. These are basically the same for each species (#1 is do not feed them), with only a few varying depending on their characteristics (when to run, when not to, when to be aggressive or to speak softly). Not 100% of this book was appropriate for crazy animal lovers, because it also discusses possible “solutions” when they become “a problem” and, many times, it’s heartbreaking. Living in the country I share my yard with most of the critters included here, so this was more than interesting, it was useful.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Globe Pequot | Lyons Press.

This was an informational and somewhat entertaining story. I like all the animals covered in the book. Thank you!