Rolling Meadows Library: Nature and Science: February 2026

Recent Releases

Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research
by Melanie D.G. Kaplan

Journalist 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.

Undammed: Freeing Rivers and Bringing Communities to Life
by Tara Lohan

Environmental journalist Tara Lohan uplifts in her report on United States waterways and the growing movement to remove dams blocking their courses. Incorporating the perspective of Indigenous tribespeople whom she met while chronicling the health of rivers in the Pacific Northwest, Lohan clearly explains the benefits, both environmental and communal, of undamming our rivers in her hopeful, inspiring book. Read-alike: Everything Is Water: A River-Walking Journey by Simon Cleary.

Tigers Between Empires: The Improbable Return of Great Cats to the Forests of Russia...
by Jonathan C. Slaght

In 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.

The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind
by Simon Winchester

Author 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.

Birds and Birding

A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World's Smartest...
by Jonathan Meiburg

Introducing: the caracara, a.k.a. "Johnny rook," an endangered South American falcon relative with a reputation for being "curious, social, and brave, with many interests and few skills."

Best known for: attempting to steal Charles Darwin's hat, inspiring Victorian naturalist (and Green Mansions author) William Henry Hudson.

About the author: When he's not out in the field researching caracaras, Jonathan Meiburg is a member of the band Shearwater.

A Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever
by Matt Kracht

Professional birding amateur and national bestselling author Matt Kracht has had it with these birds! His new book is a warning, a field guide to help you identify and stay away from the absolute worst birds ever to plague planet Earth. Featuring an all-new scientific scale devised by the author that proves how awful birds really are.

Featuring fifty of the absolute worst birds to fly the earth, Kracht identifies each of their most terrible qualities, details exactly why they suck, and shows you why with furious (but actually quite lovely) full-color drawings. Including all-new, all-worst fowl, such as:

Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World
by Christian Cooper

What it is: an engaging memoir from birder and activist Christian Cooper, whose Central Park encounter with a white dog walker went viral in 2020.

Read it for: Cooper's love for the natural world; insights on how his hobby informs his experiences as a gay Black man; tips for birdwatching.

Media buzz: Cooper is the host of the National Geographic Wild series Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper.

Birding to Change the World: A Memoir
by Trish O'Kane

Former journalist and "accidental birder" Trish O'Kane describes how her passion for birdwatching transformed her into an environmental activist. You might also like: Mya-Rose Craig's Birdgirl; Susan Fox Rogers' Learning the Birds; Christian Cooper's Better Living Through Birding.

Contact your librarian for more great books!