Mousy Cats and Sheepish Coyotes

October 1, 2017

Biologist Shivik (The Predator Paradox) shares how he discovered that animals have distinct personalities and don't simply operate by instinct, as he was taught as a graduate student. Individuals within a single species, such as western bluebirds, range from aggressive to passive; meanwhile, mosquitofish can be adventurers or homebodies. The author explains that coyotes can be both predator and prey, with behaviors that identify them with either type. Some spiders are loners, while others of the same species prefer to live in groups, dependent on their surroundings. Shivik shares experiments performed by many researchers, along with their results, to demonstrate how spiders, fish, and birds, among others, have varying personalities, and how these characteristics are adaptive to different and changing environmental conditions. For another work on the interior lives of animals, see Carl Safina's Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel. VERDICT A fascinating, accessible, and well-documented work that will be enjoyed by those interested in animal behavior and anyone who has ever had a pet with personality to spare.--Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2017
Federal researcher and wildlife expert Shivik uses his considerable prowess as a storyteller to delve deeply into the blossoming field of animal-personality research. As anyone with a beloved pet can attest, animals have personalities as unique as humans'. Shy, cranky, happy, or crafty, animals of all shapes, sizes, and species exhibit characteristics of thinking and feeling sentient beings. In this often laugh-out-loud-funny work, Shivik explores both legitimate and anecdotal evidence that supports the notion that all animals have individual personalitiesfrom chickens to lizards to insects, oh my! Set against the backdrop of his travels around the globe in search of animal truths, Shivik's book often references his own relationships (of the love and hate variety) with the animals in his life. Front and center is a cat he grew to love, Pinguino. A character in his own right with a serious personality and undisputed individuality, Pinguinoleaps off the page, as does the pride and prejudice of many of the cast of animal characters Shivik introduces to us. A thoroughly enjoyable and informative read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)