Readers who have stumbled over a possum on the back porch or run over an armadillo on a dark highway will love Shedds brief discussions of 30 animals about whom most of us think we know
more than we do. Many of his subjects gather myths because they live fairly close to us: critters like squirrels (and flying squirrels), opossums, bats, toads, owls, armadillos, deer, weasels, raccoons, crows and ravens, foxes, wolves, and coyotes. Others are less often spotted in city or suburb-beavers, muskrats, porcupines, herons and cranes, big cats and bears, moose, and bison.
There's even a fascinating account of newts and efts. A former regional executive of the National Wildlife Federation, Shedd discusses each animal in a conversational manner, explaining the species' history, life cycle, method of reproduction, prey and enemies, and speculating about the sources of the myths that have grown up about the animal. Includes a select bibliography plus suggested resources on wildlife conservation.

Mary Carroll Copyright CC) American Library Association. All rights reserved