From School Library Journal
Grade 3β5βCorwin began learning about animals at age three when he was given his first pet, a goat. Once his curiosity about animals was kindled, he never stopped exploring their world. This enthusiastic recounting of his life is a straightforward telling of the work it takes to realize a personal dream. Corwin shares the triumphs as well as the setbacks on his path to success. He also describes some of the mistakes he has made with wildlife. For example, he tried to eat raw harvester ants without studying the recipes of Native Americans, and they attacked the inside of his mouth and injected his cheeks, gums, and tongue with acid. This is a fast, easy read filled with entertaining anecdotes for animal lovers and fodder for biography assignments. A center section of full-color photographs of Corwin posed with some of the animals he studies is exuberant and fun. His larger-than-life personality shines through.β_Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA_
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In this approachable paperback, the host of Animal Planet, Corwinβs Quest, Planet in Peril, and other popular TV programs blends his exciting adventures in the wild with his passionate call for conservation. Although he failed biology in high school, Corwin went on to become one of the worldβs most celebrated wildlife biologists. He traces his interest in animals back to childhood; his curiosity about snakes, for example, started when he was bitten by a garter snake in a woodpile in his parentsβ backyard. An insert of beautifully reproduced color photos from his global travels show him with a giraffe in Kenya, a moose in Alaska, and more. But whether he is talking about the importance of poop as a biological learning tool or about his encounter with a cheetah in Namibia or being grabbed by an elephant in Cambodia, he also speaks about the importance of conservation in the βincredible frontierβ that starts in kidsβ own backyards. The multiple exclamation marks are unnecessary, but the adventures are thrilling, and the messages are urgent. Grades 4-8. --Hazel Rochman