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Nature and Science February 2026 |
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| Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings by Myriam GurbaLatine author Myriam Gurba’s poetic essay collection -- structured around 20 plants of her native California -- is intentionally designed to disorient the reader. The process of finding one’s way through the book’s “labyrinth” entails careful attention to Gurba’s observations about life and nature, which range from the scientific to the deeply personal. For fans of: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. |
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| Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research by Melanie D.G. KaplanJournalist Melanie D.G. Kaplan was curious about her beloved rescue beagle Alexander Hamilton -- a.k.a. Hammy -- and his past as a test subject in an animal research lab. In the course of exploring Hammy’s history and the ways animals are used in biomedical research, product testing, and veterinary training, Kaplan poses thorny questions about ethics and animal rights in her moving debut. For more on these issues, try Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility by Martha C. Nussbaum. |
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A Brief History of Earth: Four Billion Years in Eight Chapters
by Andrew H. Knoll
What it is: Harvard geologist Andrew Knoll's concise and accessible survey of Earth's 4.6 billion year history.
Deep time: In this "expert primer" (Kirkus Reviews) complex organisms don't show up until the halfway point of the narrative, while humans appear only in the closing section.
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| Tigers Between Empires: The Improbable Return of Great Cats to the Forests of Russia... by Jonathan C. SlaghtIn conservation biologist Jonathan C. Slaght’s Tigers Between Empires, he describes a coordinated effort between Russian and American scientists to rescue the wild tigers of the Amur River basin -- a forested area straddling Russia and China -- from unchecked hunting and habitat loss. After decades of work, the population of these magnificent predators is robust and growing. For fans of: The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant. |
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| The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind by Simon WinchesterAuthor and journalist Simon Winchester presents a celebration of wind. Drawing fascinating references from science, engineering, and literature, Winchester is clearly enraptured by this natural force, evidenced by his vivid depictions of its role in civilization’s destruction (typhoons, tornadoes, wildfires) and salvation (wind-powered energy solutions). This is a captivating ode to elemental nature in the vein of Cynthia Barnett’s Rain: A Natural and Cultural History. |
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| How Birds Fly: The Science and Art of Avian Flight by Peter CavanaghAuthor, photographer, and pilot Peter Cavanagh is uniquely suited to the subject of How Birds Fly, his illustrated exploration of this amazing natural phenomenon. Filled with fascinating facts about bird anatomy and aerodynamics as well as the author’s gorgeous photographs of various species in every stage of flying, this comprehensive volume will delight fans of Supernavigators: The Astounding New Science of How Animals Find Their Way by David Barrie. |
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A Feathered River Across the Sky: The Passenger Pigeon's Flight to Extinction
by Joel Greenberg
September 1, 2014 marks the centenary of the death of Martha, a passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) at the Cincinnati Zoo and the last of her kind. Once the most abundant bird species in North America, the passenger pigeon declined as European settlers arrived, according to naturalist Joel Greenberg. In A Feathered River Across the Sky, Greenberg describes how a combination of hunting (for food and sport) and habitat destruction (mass deforestation destroyed nesting grounds) caused pigeon populations to plummet precipitously -- from several billion individuals in 1860 to zero a mere half-century later when the species was officially declared extinct.
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| Starlings: The Curious Odyssey of a Most Hated Bird by Mike StarkEven bird lovers have a love-hate relationship with the European, or common, starling. They are an extremely invasive species that were introduced in the late 19th century and quickly spread across North America, competing with native birds for food and nesting space. Yet these clever creatures are skilled mimics and hypnotic to watch in flight, wheeling in enormous, agile flocks called “murmurations.” Author Mike Stark gives a comprehensive look in this “captivating read” (Booklist). |
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| The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris SweeneyJournalist Chris Sweeney's richly detailed debut profiles pioneering forensic ornithologist and Smithsonian Institution taxidermist Roxie Laybourne (1910-2003), who utilized her avian expertise to solve murders, investigate poaching activities, and inspect bird-related plane crashes, the latter of which led to aircraft safety reforms. For fans of: The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson. |
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| Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing by Lili TaylorAward-winning actor Lili Taylor first became a birdwatcher and nature advocate about 15 years ago during a break between film projects. She noticed how observing the sparrows and jays outside her house awakened her senses, especially her ability to listen, a skill she prizes in her acting work. Today she goes birding whenever she can, in the city and country, and will inspire her readers to rediscover the gift of noticing the world around them. For fans of: Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Central Arkansas Library System
100 Rock St.
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
501-918-3000www.cals.org/ |
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