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Two dentists in California treat some very special patients.Their patients are animals!Animals can develop dental problems just like humans.These dentists help them, but sometimes it can be dangerous.Have they ever been hurt by an animal?How do they treat dangerous animals? ... Read more

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This digital document is a journal article from Endeavour, published by Elsevier in . The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
In 1886 William T. Hornaday, the Chief Taxidermist of the US National Museum, led the 'Smithsonian Institution Buffalo Outfit' to Montana. The American bison was fast heading toward extinction and the mission of the expedition was to locate those of the elusive animals that remained and obtain specimens for the scientific collection at the museum. The successful expedition produced the most complete scientific series, and the finest artistic grouping of taxidermied specimens of the American bison anywhere in the world. Haunted by the scattered skeletal remains of the millions of slaughtered bison that peppered the Eastern Montana Plains, Hornaday fought to establish the National Zoological Park, which would provide sanctuary for bison and other endangered species, and a captive breeding program, which would result in the eventual reintroduction of the American bison to the wild. ... Read more

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The captivating story of how a band of scientists has redrawn the genetic and behavioral lines that separate humans from our nearest cousins

In the fall of 2005, a band of researchers cracked the code of the chimpanzee genome and provided a startling new window into the differences between humans and our closest primate cousins. For the past several years, acclaimed Science reporter Jon Cohen has been following the DNA hunt, as well as eye-opening new studies in ape communication, human evolution, disease, diet, and more.

In Almost Chimpanzee, Cohen invites us on a captivating scientific journey, taking us behind the scenes in cutting-edge genetics labs, rain forests in Uganda, sanctuaries in Iowa, experimental enclaves in Japan, even the Detroit Zoo. Along the way, he ferries fresh chimp sperm for a time-sensitive analysis, gets greeted by pant-hoots and chimp feces, and investigates an audacious attempt to breed a humanzee. Cohen offers a fresh and often frankly humorous insider's tour of the latest research, which promises to lead to everything from insights about the unique ways our bodies work to shedding light on stubborn human-only problems, ranging from infertility and asthma to speech disorders.

And in the end, Cohen explains why it's time to move on from Jane Goodall's plea that we focus on how the two species are alike and turns to examining why our differences matter in vital ways—for understanding humans and for increasing the chances to save the endangered chimpanzee.

Customer Reviews (4)

Almost...a decent book.
Cohen gives a lot of information here.From genetics to language studies he really covers a lot of ground.What's unfortunate is that he retreads many topics that have already been done extensively and he doesn't do it particularly well.However, for people new to primatology or just looking for a quick bit of info, this is a good starting point.It is far from the best overview of primatology, though that's to be expected since Cohen has only passing familiarity with the subject.Cohen's experience with apes is limited to a few interviews and several well-planned vacations over the course of a couple years.Everything that he did to research this book, you could do too given the resources.

The problem with this book is not so much the information included, as the tone with which it is presented.Taking a cue from Fox News, Cohen repeatedly tells the reader how fair and balanced he is.Cohen notes in his introduction that while other books about chimpanzees are motivated by some overriding goal, he "has no agenda".This would be impressive if it were true, but Cohen most certainly does have an agenda and it imposes itself on the way he presents what he sees to be the facts.When he agrees with a position, he presents it as rational and normal.However, when he disagrees, the pages seethe with derision.This method does little to present the facts and more to flavor the reader's impressions.For this reason alone, it's hard to recommend this book as it is certainly an opinionated look at the subject.

Another problematic aspect of Cohen's overall tone is his need to repeatedly note that he is bringing topics down to a level that any reader could understand.This is a strange tactic as Cohen has no more experience or training in primatology than your average zoo visitor.Also, Cohen addresses primatologists as if they did not understand the entirety of their own discipline (he notes that if one studies wild populations, they don't know about lab research, which is a ridiculous and unsupportable contention).This attitude does little to further a reader's understanding of the topic as much as it promotes Jon Cohen and his 'superior' intellect.In many ways, this book reads as a bit of long winded self-promotion for Cohen himself.

Lastly, this book has no conclusion and no recommendation for fixes to what Cohen seems to see as a broken situation.He talks about apes in biomedical research but yet stops just short of endorsing it while deriding animal rights activists.He notes the need to look for the differences between humans and apes in contradiction to Jane Goodall's call for a look to our similarities, yet does not say how this should be accomplished.He talks about the difficulties of conservation and the bleak outlook for wild ape populations, yet still he does not offer more than an ambivalent shrug in response.

It is easy for Cohen to critique a discipline that he has no real connection to.Yet, instead of taking the opportunity to offer an outsider's view of how to find progress, he makes no calls for any action or further thinking.Cohen's conclusion is nonexistent.Rather than try to put forward something positive (read:constructive), he seems more intent on negatively portraying the viewpoints he doesn't agree with.

If you're looking for a quick reference that is slightly more focused than a wikipedia article, this may work.However, don't take it too seriously and only use it as a first step towards some real scholarship on primatology.There's much more information out there that is presented with much less editorializing.

Support scientists, not science writers.

Profound.
Almost Chimpanzee:Search for What Makes Us Human, In Rainforests, Labs, Sanctuaries, and Zoos by Jon Cohen is perhaps, the most significant book I've read so far in 2010.Almost everyone has heard of Jane Goodall and the work she has done for more than 40 years in the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania.It is largely through Goodall's work that the world has learned of the many similarities between chimp behavior and that of humans.Jon Cohen's Almost Chimpanzee is a fresh examination of some of the differences between humans and chimps rather than the similarities.

The genetic differences between human and chimp DNA is estimated to be about 1%.But even that minute difference has meant a huge separation between the fates of the two species.Correctly pointed out, man will determine the fate of the chimp and not the other way around.

Cohen has used research from virtually every field of primate research.He has included work done in laboratories and in field studies, and included efforts to teach apes and chimpanzees language.He also includes work that looks at the differences in the human body and that of the chimp.Why are we bipedal, the only primate to be so, and why do male chimps have larger testicles than their human counterparts?

Almost Chimpanzee doesn't attack the topic by comparing chimps to humans but instead approaches the subject from the other point of view....what makes us Almost Chimpanzees.

Profoundly interesting!I highly recommend.

Peace always.

Almost Chimpanzee Great Read!
This is a great book really for everyone. People who want to keep learning throuout life should read this.
My husband and I both read it and loved it thanks

Chimps, darwin and us
This wonderful book is a synthesis of humans, animals, science and history.
Beautifully written, it makes clear the things that make us like the chimpanzees but also the differences that make us humans.Based on extensive research, Cohen has taken Jane Goodall's study of chimps and added another dimension. ... Read more

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Portrays a variety of young animals in a zoo and shows how zoo personnel meet their needs and take care of them. ... Read more

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this book has the Endangered Species series of postage stamps with descriptions of the habitat and stories of the animals pictured there. ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Phoenix Zoo, Piestewa Peak, Arizona Biltmore Hotel, Us Airways Center, Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, Papago Park, Tovrea Castle, Camelback Mountain, Heard Museum, Ben Avery Shooting Facility, Encanto Park, Patriots Square Park, St. Mary's Basilica, Phoenix, South Mountain Park, Orpheum Theatre (Phoenix, Arizona), Wrigley Mansion, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Symphony Hall, Phoenix Points of Pride, Mystery Castle, Desert Botanical Garden, Cricket Wireless Pavilion, Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreation Area, Ro Ho En. Excerpt:Arizona Biltmore Hotel The Arizona Biltmore Hotel is a resort located in Phoenix near 24th Street and Camelback Road. It recently joined the Hilton Hotels' luxury collection The Waldorf-Astoria Collection and was also featured on the Travel Channel show Great Hotels . The surrounding commercial and residential neighborhood has become known as the Biltmore District. . This region has become nationally and internationally renowned for its real estate. This area is home to Phoenix's Ritz-Carlton hotel; the Biltmore Fashion Park shopping center, which includes many high-end tenants including Saks Fifth Avenue , Ralph Lauren , Cartier , and Escada ; and many eateries. The area has median home values of $1.1 million with many exceeding $10-12 million. The Arizona Biltmore Hotel has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride . History Lobby of the Arizona Biltmore Warren McArthur, Jr., and brother Charles McArthur along with John McEntee Bowman , the entrepreneur behind the Biltmore Hotel chain, opened the Arizona Biltmore Hotel on February 23, 1929. The Arizona Biltmore's architect of record is Albert Chase McArthur , yet its authorship is often mistakenly attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright , owing to Wright's on-site consulting for four months in 1928 relating to ... ... Read more

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Hardcover book concerning history of the Detroit Zoo ... Read more

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Margarita Brown is a seven-year-old girl who wakes from a coma to find herself unable to speak or hear... until she visits the Bronx Zoo where the voice of a giraffe penetrates her silent world. With Henry the kind-hearted giraffe as her guide, Margarita travels back and forth between her silent world in New York City and the exotic world of the African plains. On her way to discover the source of her trauma, she learns to fly with a mischievous bird named Keechee and swims to the bottom of the sea with Ella, the oldest fish in the world. Part contemporary literary novel and part supernatural fantasy, The Zoo is an exploration of a girl's awakening to a world that is filled with both brutality and beauty. ... Read more

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Carlee narrates this story of all the animals she saw while at the zoo with her family.Each picture has an identifying description of the animals she saw. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Carlee's & Ry's Trip to the Zoo
All the animals while at the zoo.Traditional format, big pictures and an identifying description of each animal! ... Read more

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Rhyming text depicts the chaos caused by shouting at the zoo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Never Ever Shout in a Zoo
This is a fun and great book to share with any child who enjoys going to the zoo.Another parent told me about the book after my 3 year old daughter dropped her ice cream at the zoo and began to cry.We read the story and it has helped when we have been out in public settings to share what happens when we yell and how it affects other people around us.The pictures are great and my 2 year old is also a fan of the book.A great addition to any library for young children.

Odd illustrations, fun text
I feel like I'm writing two reviews here because my views on the illustrations and the text are so different!

The illustrations are painfully odd in some ways. They're pretty, yes, and they feel alive in a way, and you can really see the animals moving and all that - great. But the zoo itself alternates wildly between an extremely old-fashioned zoo of steel bars and barren cages (grr!) and one with basically no enclosures whatsoever such that the animals could hop out of their slightly raised platform and onto the paths at any old time! Either one of those zoo models would be strange to me, but both in one zoo seems... odd. (Why do the apes even NEED to get the keys when none of the animals are "locked" anywhere, anyway?)

As for the text, it's funny and bouncy, and has a few opportunities to build your kid's vocabulary. Yes, I'm talking about the words "malicious" and "conniving". I don't know about YOU, but I would describe a plan by apes to free the animals and lock up the people as, yes, malicious. And I would say sneaking around to do it is conniving. I'm not... I'm not really sure when it became a crime to call a spade a spade unless the spade was light and fluffy.

As far as warning the kids... well! If all these bad things might happen because you shout in a zoo, I'd like to be warned too! And if I shouted anyway, I wouldn't be surprised to get a few friendly "I told you so's" when all was said and done.

But don't ask me, ask my nieces (in pre-k and the first grade). Did they feel upset at the language in this book? Did it scare them? Was it, in fact, horrific?

No. Actually, they laughed and asked me to read it again. I get that not all children are the same, but this is a pretty light-hearted book. Some people need to get a grip.

Love this book! Great linguistic imagery!
This book captures the imagination of a child... I can't tell you how many conversations I have had with my own children that remind me of the narrator in this book. The author applies descriptive wording to paint a vivid image of what might happen. The words like "mischievous, dreadful, grouchy, etc" enlighten a child's vocabulary. Of course I don't want my children acting "malicious" but I do want them to know what it means when they hear or read it. It is a great way to introduce new words and talk about positive behavior. My 6 year old son loves the pictures and re-examines them each time we read this.There is a wonderful energy about this book. I can imagine reading this book to a classroom of kindergarteners with wide eyes. It is perfect for that setting! Love it!

I WARNED You! You can't say I didn't!
This is my son's (18 months) FAVORITE book and has been for some time. And we read A LOT of books!!He constantly brings it to me to read and as soon as he hears the first sentence, his whole face lights up.My daughter (age 3 going on 16) loves it as well and she is VERY curious to know what all the big words mean? (which I for one like!) They both love the repetition and beautiful artwork.They especially love the phrase "Don't say I didn't warn you," which is repeated quite often.This is a home run for Karma Wilson!Her best yet in my opinion!!

LOVE THOSE WORDS!
I really loved this book.I am not a teacher just a mom that likes to read to her kids.The concept of the story is cute.I would shout if I dropped my ice cream too!!But it shows you can't just shout anywhere...especially the zoo.My boys like the "describing words".In fact I think on more than one occasion I have used..."Your a BIG BULL MOOSE WITH A BAD ATTITUDE!"Thanks Ms. Wilson for helping me find a way to get my kids out of a bad mood! ... Read more

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Brimming with charm and whimsy, this exquisite novel set in the Tower of London has the transportive qualities and delightful magic of the contemporary classics Chocolat and Amélie.

Balthazar Jones has lived in the Tower of London with his loving wife, Hebe, and his 120-year-old pet tortoise for the past eight years. That’s right, he is a Beefeater (they really do live there). It’s no easy job living and working in the tourist attraction in present-day London.

Among the eccentric characters who call the Tower’s maze of ancient buildings and spiral staircases home are the Tower’s Rack & Ruin barmaid, Ruby Dore, who just found out she’s pregnant; portly Valerie Jennings, who is falling for ticket inspector Arthur Catnip; the lifelong bachelor Reverend Septimus Drew, who secretly pens a series of principled erot­ica; and the philandering Ravenmaster, aiming to avenge the death of one of his insufferable ravens.

When Balthazar is tasked with setting up an elaborate menagerie within the Tower walls to house the many exotic animals gifted to the Queen, life at the Tower gets all the more interest­ing. Penguins escape, giraffes are stolen, and the Komodo dragon sends innocent people running for their lives. Balthazar is in charge and things are not exactly running smoothly. Then Hebe decides to leave him and his beloved tortoise “runs” away.

Filled with the humor and heart that calls to mind the delight­ful novels of Alexander McCall Smith, and the charm and beauty of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise is a magical, wholly origi­nal novel whose irresistible characters will stay with you long after you turn the stunning last page.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

Royal menagerie of glee
Buy this adorable book that both breaks your heart over a lost boy and makes you smile at a preacher writing erotic novels. Just a delight but wish it would say what parts are true history.

Quirky and Amusing
This was a very quirky odd book.It was very imaginative with a great setting -- The Tower of London.I liked the book b/c I thought it was different and amusing at times but other times I think I got bored with the descriptions of the menagerie and random happenings and the jumping around, which I guess is sort of a contradiction b/c what made it quirky also annoyed me at times.I think the most compelling part of the book were the characters the beefeater and his wife and how they handle their loss and life.I would recommend it to someone looking for something different.

Cute and unique book
This book is very imaginative. I love the setting of the Tower of London and the history that is included, as well as the imagined (I assume) tale of what it's like living in the tower.I thought the writing was good - very easy and enjoyable to read, but the writing was not suspenseful in the way that if I put the book down, I couldn't wait to pick it up again.I thought all of the characters were very unique and fun to get to know. My only complaint is that I thought there were some loose ends that were not wrapped up in the ending (the rain samples??).

The Talent, The Idea, and the Unforgivable Editing
I've never read a book so poorly edited and constructed.The writing is good, and the idea of creating a story that takes place in the Beefeater community of London tower is great, but, unfortunately, they didn't come together very well at all.It's as if they thought the power of the idea and the talent of the writer would be enough to make the book good, but it clearly was not, and what we, the readers, end up getting is a patched up, stitched together, unrelated, and uninteresting barrage of quasi-random happenings (events would be too strong a word here).And, I'm sorry to say, you could clearly tell that she was trying to write the movie as well as the book, what with the ridiculous outfits of Valerie Jennings (who acts like no adult would ever act), and the Reverend Septimus Drew's stepping out on the town in such an 'odd' way.It had a cheesy Bridget Jones's Diary feel to it, and not even the first one, but that atrocious sequel.

I was not expecting anything deep.The title and the jacket blurb clearly prepared me for some light hearted humor and just a fun, interesting story, but what I got was so shallow that I had trouble hanging on to it.Reading this book was like jumping into a pool and landing in a sandbox-confusing, painful, and unfortunate.

Mrs. Stuart, if you are reading this, kick it up a notch, and the next time out try for something closer to Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.Your prose is outstanding.

Loved every minute of my time with this book
This is one of the most delightful books I've read in a long time. I especially loved the visual aspects of the descriptive writing. I feel like I've been in London at the Tower for the past few days meeting all of these unique characters and following them around London. My heart broke for Balthazar as he struggled to continue going day after day. Hebe also was so touching. I could picture every character clearly. I loved the book, and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
KC and Marshall are helping out with the baby tigers at the National Zoo when they meet a new friend, Sunwoo from China. Sunwoo’s father is lending the zoo a precious jewel called the Tiger’s Eye to raise money for endangered tigers. But during the zoo’s big party, the lights suddenly go out. And when they’re turned back on, the jewel is missing! Who stole the Tiger’s Eye? And how did someone sneak it out of a room with no windows and a guarded door?


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Another great read
My 9 year old loves to read mysteries.Ron Roy does another great job.

good for second grader
We have several in this series. It is a good mystery book,my 8 year old loves these. ... Read more

Product Description
What should you do when you go the zoo. Do brush your hair with a lion but don't try to braid his mane. Do take a nap with a hippopotamus but don't let him steal all the bed covers!Amazon.com Review
In author-illustrator Todd Parr's world, there are a few important rules one must always follow when visiting the zoo. "Do feed an elephant peanuts. Don't feed her peanut butter. Do take dancing lessons with a porcupine. Don't slow dance with him. Do wash your clothes with a rhino. Don't hang them on his horns to dry." Civilization would be much more civil if we could all abide by these simple behavior guidelines.

Brilliant colors and boldly outlined kid-style drawings of animals set Parr's books apart from the pack, not to mention his thoroughly nutty views on social decorum. Every one of his outrageously goofy (yet somehow earnest) life primers, including The Okay Book, The Best Friends Book, and Do's and Don'ts, will keep readers from 2 to 102 giggling and sputtering with delight. Parents might want to keep a close eye on their young ones during their next visit to the zoo, on the off chance Junior might forget his etiquette and try to use a snake as a bookmark or connect the dots with a leopard's spots. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

I should have known better
I should have known what to expect since we have purchased other Todd Parr books, and have been delighted with all of them, including this one.

For parents who are looking for a book to teach their kids how to behave at the zoo, THIS ISN'T IT.I should have realized that before we bought it - I was looking for a book to teach my son to not tease the animals, not throw things in their cages, etc.But at least he knows now not to feed macaroni to the elephants.

That said, this is a wonderful book, very colorful and entertaining, and my son loves it.

Fun story, easy to read, vivid colors
I started reading this to my daughter when she was six months old.The book is smaller than the traditional big picture books, and is very easy and quick to read.The books pages go as follows:
On one page it says: DO feed an elephant peanuts
On the opposite page it says: DON'T feed him peanut butter

The colors are very vivid and the drawing simple.This is a nice book to read to your child starting from day one!We are on our third copy of it and my daughter just turned three.
Great for a boy or a girl.

Our Son's Favorite Book!
Among the crowd of classics, such as "Goodnight Moon," and newer books by Boynton and others, this book captivates the attention of our 14-month old son, and we are grateful to the author.After two months of daily reading, we put it away.It was recently rediscovered, and he constantly reaches for it in the pile of books we make available to him.Is it the colors?The characters?Or the sheer amusement of it all?Maybe it's laughing along with his father or mother as we read it together. Highly recommended from a happy father. I'm buying more from Todd Parr!

Great
It is just as good ad the author's other book. With cute colourful illustration, it grasp my son's eye right away. ... Read more

Product Description
Two lion cubs in the zoo frolic with each other until they are ready to take a nap. ... Read more