Wildlife Heroes

January 2, 2012
Environmental advocates Scardina and Flocken profile the grassroots organizations, tenacious scientists, and willful philanthropists that shape today’s conservation policy and practice. Each portrait centers on a threatened or endangered species and describes the life and work of the person who has dedicated his career to protecting the species from extinction. Organized into sections corresponding to the four elements—Earth, Water, Air, and Fire—with introductory essays by celebrities like Ted Danson, the subjects are grouped according to their habitat, with “Fire” focusing on the broader threats to the world’s ecosystems. The pithy summaries of the activists’ struggles are accompanied by informative tidbits about the biology, behavior, natural history, and cultural context of the target species, along with delightful photographs of both human and beast. From the grassland-dwelling maned wolf of Central South America to the iceberg-hopping emperor penguin of Antarctica, the book shows how negative human interference imperils the welfare of all living things, and suggests that by taking an active role in conservation, education, and community building, we can help prevent the tragic loss of the world’s biological diversity. Agent: Sandra Choron, March Tenth Inc.

February 15, 2012

Here, Scardina (animal ambassador, SeaWorld) and Flocken (director, D.C. office, International Fund for Animal Welfare) profile conservationists and the endangered species they work to save. Each short section features a conservationist and animal or issue; a treatment that at times feels somewhat choppy and superficial. Though the featured activists have accomplished amazing work and the authors encourage readers to join them, the book ignores the most effective ways we can mitigate the devastation of animals, opting instead for glib recommendations like "avoid plastics" and "donate." Contributor Ted Danson even concludes his introduction to ocean conservation by recommending that people eat fish, though fishing is the number one cause of harm to aquatic animals and their environments. VERDICT Jane Goodall's Hope for Animals and Their World is a more cohesive and in-depth picture of conservation efforts, though it covers more North American and Asian species than those of Africa and South America. Animal- and nature-loving readers will enjoy the photos and descriptions of conservation efforts but will have to look beyond this title for solid information and effective guidance.--Leslie Patterson, Chicago P.L.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2012
Conservationists Scardina (a regular on Today and The Tonight Show) and Flocken have created an alluring book of dazzling photographs and stirring stories of adventure and breakthroughs that introduces intriguing wildlife heroes and portrays the imperiled animals they have dedicated, even risked, their lives to save. Under the heading Earth, we meet Claudine Andre, the first to successfully reintroduce rescued bonobos into the wild, and Brazilian jaguar advocate Leandro Silveira. Water embraces champions for the great and the small, from whale hero David Wiley to Amanda Vincent, the world's foremost seahorse specialist. Air is the realm of bats, which fascinate Merlin Tuttle, and the little-known sun bear, the focus of Siew Te Wong's expert efforts. Fire is the heading for a remarkable group of crusaders (ocean champion Sylvia Earle, global-warming watchdog Kassie Siegel) confronting the most critical wildlife issues on our glorious, hard-used planet. With a closing How to Help section, this keenly charismatic, solidly informative call for the preservation of life affirms that it is still possible, with concerted effort, to save animals from extinction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)