Reviews

Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators


School Library Journal - December 2012

Gr 2-4 Great color photos (many spreads) of endearing young animals and impressive adult humans form a perfect backdrop for a simple text that describes the multifaceted work of wildlife rehabilitators. Speckled fawns sleeping in a playpen, infant opossums crowded in a tissue box, an indignant adult bald eagle being bandaged, and a baleful bobcat in a cage are among the critters offered as examples. The text, printed in large font, describes some of the daily experiences rehabilitators may encounter: feeding half a blueberry to a fledgling catbird, rescuing an adult osprey tangled in fishing line, returning a healthy animal to its habitat. To the joy of classroom teachers, homeschooling parents, and other adults instructing children in wildlife ecology and management, “For Creative Minds” will provide practical applications for the material in the book. An “Injured Animal True or False” has 25 questions for edification, as does a page querying real abandonment or just a parent away temporarily that gives pointers for making informed decisions. Even more resources are offered at the publisher’s website, providing a tidy framework for an interdisciplinary study unit. With those appealing photos and an easy text, this book is sure to be popular, even without the additional lure of classroom/home applications. - Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Horn Book Guide - April 2013

Appealing close-up photos of wild animal orphans being fed and doctored by specially trained people show how injured or abandoned creatures can thrive with extra intervention. The goal is to reintroduce them into the wild once they are physically fit. Large photos without busy backgrounds and limited text target younger audiences. Appended activities include more detailed information about caring for injured wildlife."

Foreword Reviews - December 2012

Caring for an orphaned animal is a milestone in every child's life. This friendly book describes the specific needs of birds, raccoons, fawns, squirrels, bobcats, osprey, and owls who all rely on professional rehabilitators. Large-format color photographs make readers feel like they're in the middle of the action. Ages four to eight. (August 2012)

Booklist - October 2012

It doesn’t take long for kids to notice hurt or dead animals on the road or in the park. This photo-heavy book provides proof that some wild animals are lucky enough to be nursed back to health. From the tiny, eyeless baby opossums swaddled in a towel to a squirrel with a cast on its leg(!), readers are treated to huge, often two-page photos of animals being fed, sheltered, and rescued. The text basically follows the photos: “Beak-like tweezers are used to feed half of a blueberry to this fledgling catbird.” The range of animals-raccoon, mourning dove, bobcat, osprey, and much more�is impressive. On the other hand, the variety is so wide and the situations so varied that the book could have benefited from some sort of organization. Still, the pictures say a lot, showing the modified shelters of opossums (a tissue box), fawns (a playpen), and a bunny (a cardboard box), and offering other rare glimpses, like a bald eagle undergoing surgery. Busy back matter including several quizzes concludes.

ePinions - October 2012

Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators provides an age-appropriate introduction to the variety of roles of rehabilitators. Three rehabilitators help rescue an osprey tangled in fishing line by climbing up on a ladder that is perched in a boat and leaning against an upright platform. The author worked withwildlife rehabilitators from around the country and relied upon them for their expertise while writing this book and then later for verifying the book’s accuracy. This publisher always turns to specialists for verification � they’re books teachers and parents can trust for accuracy.

The Learning Table Reviews - November 2012

One of Arbordale's new releases, Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators by Jennifer Keats Curtis is a nonfiction book for young children that depicts the various things wildlife rescuers do to help sick and injured animals. The book includes photographs of real situations at wildlife rehabilitation centers. Animal lovers will be hooked from the first cute picture, and they will be fascinated with the different ways rehabilitators work with animals, from bottle-feeding a baby raccoon to rescuing an osprey in the ocean.

4th Grade Reading - January 2013

The animal pictures in this book will win hearts, but the message is the important thing here...This photo-essay shows animal rehabilitators doing a variety of jobs: feeding orphan babies, helping animals that are trapped or tangled, even performing surgery. They train others to have the skills and knowledge to do the right things to help animals in need. The emphasis is on returning animals to the wild whenever possible, but animals living in zoos or education centers are mentioned.

Home Schoool Book Review - December 2012

Kids love to read about and look at pictures of animals. They can surely benefit from the information in Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators. Remember that wild animals aren't pets but require specialized treatment. Maybe someday you might even want to become a wildlife rehabilitator!

So Cal City Kids San Diego - December 2012

You know your kids get the passion bug when after reading the book Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators, they run to their rooms and convert everything from egg crates and shoes, into little creature beds and use baby socks as blankets. All the medical toys are dug out of the toy cabinet and all the stuffed animals are lined up for check ups. Even our family dog, gets a prescription!

This easy to read and eye opening book provides great insight into the profession of Wildlife Rehabilitators and the impact they have on sick and injured animals of providing food and care for orphaned baby animals. To an amateur, the care and nourishment of a needy wildlife animal may leave you feeling helpless. Lots of love and concern but minimal knowledge of what to do. No need to worry, leave it to the experts. Animal Helpers not only love animals, they can keep animals warm and safe from the elements and prey, feed them, provide similar shelters, rescue them from entrapment, perform operations and much much more.

Heck of a Bunch - October 2012

Shown with actual photographic images, Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators gives children insight on the tasks required of wildlife rehabilitators.� It is a beautiful book that will help young readers learn about this special job occupation. In the "Creative Minds" section in the back of the book is a compare and contrast of Rehabilitators and Veterinarians, help on determining if an animal is orphaned or just left alone, and true or false questions on injured animals.

Classic Children's Books - November 2012

What I loved about this book is how they explain the difference between a vet and a rehabilitator, explain how when they find an animal that needs help they feed it, care for it and then release it. They also explain what happens when they find a baby animal that's abandoned or orphaned. I could see a kid interested in animals, learning to be a vet would love this book.

Butterfly Wishes and Wonderland Dreams - December 2012

This one is right up my girls alley, especially since they would love to do this job when they get older. They enjoyed seeing just what their jobs would involve and we plan do the learning activities over Christmas break!

Mymcbooks Blog - October 2012

When wildlife animals become orphaned and injured, it is the job of the rehabilitators to care for them. In this book the photographic images will show how they care, feed and nurse them back to health. They use a special milk to feed young mammals like raccoon and use beak like tweezers to feed some birds. The rehabilitators also return animals back to their native environments.

The last few pages of the book compare and contrast rehabilitators and veterinarians, tell if animals are orphaned or just left alone? Take part in the teaching activities on questions and answers, interactive quizzes and more.

Outnumberd 3 to 1 - October 2012

I personally thought this book was a little advanced for my just turned 4 year old. I on the other hand really loved it! The pictures are really amazing and I found myself learning little tid bits of information even though it is a children's book.

Feathered Quill Book Reviews - October 2012

I found this to be an enjoyable read for the 4-9 year old audience. At the end of the story, Ms. Curtis provides thought-provoking questions that encourage the reader to engage in discussion toward what they learned. After reading Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators, there is no question as to how Ms. Curtis acquired her award-winning stature as a nature author. Her writing exudes confidence toward her knowledge of the subject matter. I would highly recommend anyone with a child in the 4-9 age groups to select this work for their personal library not only because of its educational value but the photographs as well.

Tif Talks Books - August 2013

I truly enjoyed this nonfiction book, learning new things myself as I read it to my children. And, with all books published by Arbordale Publishing, I love the activities found both in the back of the book as well as online to aid in the learning on this topic. My personal favorite helps readers (both children and adults!) know what to do if they find an injured animal.

Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators is a great choice for parents and children alike who love animals, particularly those who want to grow up to be a helper of animals themselves. You may even find yourself flipping through the book over and over again to simply get your wildlife fix through the photos.