Don Lerch was born and raised in Schuyler County, Illinois. He began coon hunting as a young boy and continued until he was no longer able to go. As a young boy, coon hunting was a necessity for meals, as there were nine other siblings, and the hides were as important because they would provide money for cloths, shoes, groceries or whatever might be needed for the family. Don and his wife Char retired in 2005 to spend more time together. He lost her in 2006 shortly after retirement. Although she was not a coon hunter, she was a rock of support throughout their marriage. The have two children and seven grandchildren. Don published his first book in 2012 and the response was so great for another one, be began gathering stories and went to work again. These stories generate from six different counties, Adams, Brown, Cass, Fulton, McDonough and Schuyler and span from the 1930's till present day. You will read about heartbreaking losses, mule riding, trying to cross the river without a plug in the boat, forgetting the gun, getting lost and some hunts you wish you had been along for the ride. The thrill of the hunt is priceless. Although Don is no longer able to hunt, the "fever" is still there, and as long as their are coon hunters, there will be stories, and he will listen.

"Cindy Traisi has done it again. She has brought me joy with her storytelling abilities and brought this self-perceived, tattooed tough guy to tears with her accounts of the injured wild animals passing through the Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Southern California.

"Cindy's first book, Because They Matter, was a constant nightstand companion when my children were younger. My daughters demanded "just one more" of the heart-touching stories of the remarkable job of treating wild animals while they are trying to get by as best they can in a world dominated by human hazards. Some animals in her stories make it, too many don't, but every one of Cindy's accounts of the work done by her husband, Chuck, and their dedicated staff allows readers to appreciate the personalities and endearing qualities of nature's wonders.

"Because They Matter, Too is filled with new heart-lifting and heartbreaking stories of the wild animals that live all around us in Southern California. If you love nature, or just love expert story-telling, Because They Matter, Too is a must read. As my daughters put it: just one more Cindy Better yet... keep them coming, Cindy."

-Loren Nancarrow, Weathercaster and Environmental Reporter- KGTV San Diego

This is an entirely new revision, expanded and updated by Dr Morris to take account of recent research and controversial issues (including evidence that probably the greatest threat to hedgehogs comes from the rapidly expanding badger numbers - supported by research results published as recently as April).The book is illustrated throughout with cartoon and fine line drawings by renowned wildlife artist Guy Troughton. This special edition also features a gallery of the author's photographs. Pat Morris is this country's leading hedgehog expert. Having studied them for over forty years, he has probably published more scientific papers on the European hedgehog than anyone. He is President of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, which recently celebrated its 30th year, and is an establishedwriter and broadcaster, often appearing on television and radio wildlife programmes.

Lizards of the World is ultimate book on these fascinating creatures, featuring the all the different types of lizard worldwide. As survivors from the time of the dinosaurs, lizards are scaly, cold-blooded, living fossils - relics from a prehistoric world that remain alive and well in ours. Lizards exert a morbid fascination, in many mythologies they are dark creatures, symbolizing death and misfortune. From chameleons and skinks to geckos and iguanas, Lizards of the World brings these creatures firmly into the light, to reveal their extraordinary diversity Found in almost every type of terrain globally, there are almost 6,500 species of lizard, including lizards with frills, horns or wings, those that drop their tails, and others that squirt blood from their eyes. Here, the lizard family and subfamily profiles, organized phylogenetically, are illustrated with stunning photography. Each profile includes a population distribution map, a table of essential information and a fascinating commentary revealing notable characteristics, fresh scientific understanding and the diversity of species. Written by world-renowned herpetologist Mark O'Shea, Lizards of the World is a magnificent showcase of the natural history and beauty of these remarkable reptiles.

BY THE WAINWRIGHT-CONSERVATION-PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF REBIRDING Transform your understanding of the natural world forever and discover the wild forces that once supported Britain’s extraordinary natural riches, and could again. Our precious archipelago is ravaged by climate change, bereft of natural ecosystems and lies at the mercy of global warming, flooding, drought and catastrophic biodiversity loss. But could restoring species that once helped protect our islands help turn this crisis around? From familiar yet imperilled honeybees and ancient oak woods to returning natives like beavers and boars, Britain’s cornerstone species may hold the key to recovering our biodiversity on land and in our seas. In Cornerstones, we discover how beavers craft wetlands, save fish, encourage otters, and prevent rivers from flooding. We learn how ‘disruptive’ boars are seasoned butterfly conservationists, why whales are crucial for restoring seabird cities and how wolves and lynx could save our trees, help sequester carbon and protect our most threatened birds. Benedict Macdonald transforms our understanding of the natural world forever, revealing lives that once supported extraordinary natural riches and explaining how humans – the most important cornerstone species of all – can become the greatest stewards of the natural world.

Cesar Millan Doesn't Live Here is a collection of stories that are snapshots into the daily life of Michelle and Jason. Stories include Aurora knocking a king size bed off its frame with her head, Porter's harrowing experience with Frosty the Snowman, the basic decorating rule of never picking out paint while angry, and other events that remind us that sometimes our horoscopes to stay in bed are good advice.

Lee Stuart learned from an early age to respect all creatures through his heritage as a Native American; he also learned what it was like to be an unwanted citizen in this country. Throughout his life, he demonstrated an uncanny knack for understanding and communicating with animals, particularly those that were unwanted. From Teddy the Bantam rooster to Sparky the pigeon, as well as a wide variety of other pets, Stuart loved them all deeply and fought to protect them from ill treatment.  The deep bond that developed between himself and the unwanted black Labrador retriever his daughter named Boomer confirms that there is much to the master/dog relationship, which is poignantly demonstrated when Boomer saves Stuart's life in 1996  

Secrets of an Ageless Journey (1997) the journey begins once again when a sixteen year old girl, Sarah, ventures into the mysteries surrounding her grandfather and the family ancestral ranch. While visiting her cousins on the ranch she discovers an old journal written over eighty years before. The journal becomes the focus of her quest for discovering a mysterious influence that is about the family; and in some way guiding her. (1915) the journal takes Sarah back to one summer in the life of her great grandfather, Joseph, and his twin sister, Ida Belle as they experience a similar ancestral stirring in their lives. A great grandmother comes to visit the twins, involving them in a mystery that has haunted her and the clan. It is through the grandmother that the premise of an invisible force and invisible world exist and was essential to the culture and heritage of an American Indian nation.

  Watch a thousand years unfold in the life of one magnificent tree! A thousand years ago, a tiny acorn fell to the ground. As the years pass, it grows . . . and GROWS into an enormous oak tree! As the centuries sweep by, children play games around the tree. Families dance about it. A fleeing king even hides inside its hollow trunk! The tree gives food and shelter to a host of animals, from squirrels and badgers to birds and beetles. After a thousand years, the ancient tree finally falls in a storm - but a new acorn sprouts, and the cycle of life begins all over again. The tree's magical life story is brought to life in Julia Donaldson's rich, dramatic rhyme. Victoria Sandøy's gorgeous, atmospheric illustrations perfectly capture the changing seasons, and the people and wildlife that pass by Children will love spotting all the creatures in the pictures, and seeing the games children play around the tree This is a book that encourages us all to look more closely at nature, and to appreciate the wonder of our ancient trees. The final pages of the book contain extra fascinating facts about oak trees and the animals that depend on them. Praise for The Christmas Pine, also by Julia Donaldson and Victoria Sandøy: "Magical . . . as well as paying tribute to tradition, the gentle rhythmic verse and stunning pictures illuminate the two other things close to Julia's heart: the power of children and song" Julia Donaldson is the author of many of the best-loved children's books ever written. She has been awarded a CBE for services to literature, and is the most celebrated children's writer in Britain today. Many of Julia Donaldson's beloved picture books have been made into award-winning animated films which are regularly shown on the BBC at Christmas.

When American explorers crossed the Texas Panhandle, they dubbed it part of the ""Great American Desert."" A ""sea of grass,"" the llano appeared empty, flat, and barely habitable. Contemporary developments - cell phone towers, oil rigs, and wind turbines - have only added to this stereotype. Yet in this lyrical ecomemoir, Shelley Armitage charts a unique rediscovery of the largely unknown land, a journey at once deeply personal and far-reaching in its exploration of the connections between memory, spirit, and place. Armitage begins her narrative with the intention to walk the llano from her family farm thirty meandering miles along the Middle Alamosa Creek to the Canadian River. Along the way, she seeks the connection between her father and one of the area's first settlers, Ysabel Gurule, who built his dugout on the banks of the Canadian. Armitage, who grew up nearby in the small town of Vega, finds this act of walking inseparable from the act of listening and writing. ""What does the land say to us?"" she asks as she witnesses human alterations to the landscape - perhaps most catastrophic the continued drainage of the land's most precious resource, the Ogallala Aquifer. Yet the llano's wonders persist: dynamic mesas and canyons, vast flora and fauna, diverse wildlife, rich histories. Armitage recovers the voices of ancient, Native, and Hispano peoples, their stories interwoven with her own: her father's legacy, her mother's decline, a brother's love. The llano holds not only the beauty of ecological surprises but a renewed realization of kinship in a world ever changing. Reminiscent of the work of Terry Tempest Williams and John McPhee, Walking the Llano is both a celebration of an oft-overlooked region and a soaring testimony to the power of the landscape to draw us into greater understanding of ourselves and others by experiencing a deeper connection with the places we inhabit.