This scientifically grounded book reveals unknown details about 50 misunderstood animals.

Monarch butterflies emerge from sentient goo and beavers have been parachuted into new habitats.

Appreciating and understanding these wild creatures is important for rewilding our hearts and minds.

When we accept their presence, it's good for them and for us.

A vast majority of people live among or near a wide array of wild neighbors without even knowing they're trying to make their homes close to ours. I'm constantly asked questions about who they are, various aspects of their behavior, and why they are there, among other queries about these very interesting and important beings.

These are among the many reasons I was pleased to read a book by science journalist Jason Bittel, a National Geographic Society Explorer. His latest beautifully illustrated book is Grizzled: Love Letters to 50 of North America's Least Understood Animals. In this eye-opening book, he offers fascinating science-based and easy-to-read stories about the behavior of these all too often misunderstood animals, including a collection of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, all sentient beings whose lives must be appreciated and matter. Appreciating and understanding these wild creatures is important for rewilding our hearts and minds. When I lived in the mountains outside of Boulder, I often met some of these animals and learned many valuable life lessons about who they are and how to coexist with them.

Marc Bekoff: Why did you write Grizzled?

Jason Bittel: I’ve always been in love with wildlife, from the big, fluffy things to the itty-bitty creepy crawlies. But over the course of 15 years as a science journalist specializing in the animal beat, I’ve often been surprised at how little each of us........

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