Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

The stories of seven Western Hemisphere species—headed toward extinction for different reasons and saved in different ways—introduce and explain issues involved in the preservation of endangered animals.After a short introduction to the concept of extinction and the importance of the Endangered Species Act, Castaldo describes her visits to restoration centers for whooping cranes in Wisconsin; gray wolves, bald eagles, and American bison in New York; giant Galápagos tortoises in Ecuador; condors in California; and alligators in Florida. Her admiration and appreciation for these wild creatures and their human helpers permeate the gracefully written text. Chapter by chapter she explains why each species was in trouble, the often controversial restoration methods, and the results. The well-organized and convincingly presented narrative is supplemented with sidebars and enlivened with plentiful photographs, most taken by the author herself. She uses her examples as springboards to introduce and explain larger questions as well as to introduce important concepts such as the need for apex predators. She uses fresh, less-familiar quotations (Herman Melville on the giant tortoise!) and cites scientists both male and female, naturalists, and volunteers, including young people. A "Call to Action" offers solid, meaningful suggestions for young readers, and she concludes with 18 pages of backmatter including many, many learning opportunities: things to watch and read, organizations to investigate, websites and parks to explore.Challenging but important reading for the intended audience. (notes, bibliography, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Kurtz describes the feces of zoo animals, emphasizing the wide variety of textures, shapes, and smells in a lighthearted yet information-oriented manner. Key features are highlighted in the main rhyming text at the top of each page, while additional information can be found in secondary prose on the bottom. The friendly, smiling zoo creatures and their dung are displayed in colorful cartoonlike images.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

The stories of seven Western Hemisphere species—headed toward extinction for different reasons and saved in different ways—introduce and explain issues involved in the preservation of endangered animals.After a short introduction to the concept of extinction and the importance of the Endangered Species Act, Castaldo describes her visits to restoration centers for whooping cranes in Wisconsin; gray wolves, bald eagles, and American bison in New York; giant Galápagos tortoises in Ecuador; condors in California; and alligators in Florida. Her admiration and appreciation for these wild creatures and their human helpers permeate the gracefully written text. Chapter by chapter she explains why each species was in trouble, the often controversial restoration methods, and the results. The well-organized and convincingly presented narrative is supplemented with sidebars and enlivened with plentiful photographs, most taken by the author herself. She uses her examples as springboards to introduce and explain larger questions as well as to introduce important concepts such as the need for apex predators. She uses fresh, less-familiar quotations (Herman Melville on the giant tortoise!) and cites scientists both male and female, naturalists, and volunteers, including young people. A "Call to Action" offers solid, meaningful suggestions for young readers, and she concludes with 18 pages of backmatter including many, many learning opportunities: things to watch and read, organizations to investigate, websites and parks to explore.Challenging but important reading for the intended audience. (notes, bibliography, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Castaldo vividly chronicles efforts to save seven endangered species: whooping cranes, wolves, bald eagles, Galápagos tortoises, California condors, American alligators, and American bison. For each species, she discusses the reasons for their dwindling populations and the strides being made to assist in their recovery. In the case of the Galápagos tortoises, conservationists were forced to wipe out destructive goats introduced to Isabela Island: -If officials didn-t get rid of the goats, the entire ecosystem would continue to collapse.- Castaldo also describes the triumphant reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park, which led to a rebalancing of that ecosystem. Photographs of the animals in the wild and in protected facilities complement this intimate and optimistic look at humans- ability to protect the planet-s biodiversity. Ages 10-12. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Agency. (Apr.)