Poor Richard’s Books suggests titles celebrating our animal friends

Each week as part of SunLit — The Sun’s literature section — we feature staff recommendations from book stores across Colorado. This week, the staff from Poor Richard’s Books in Colorado Springs recommends volumes on chickens, bears and birding.

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From the publisher: For more than two decades, Sy Montgomery—whose “The Soul of an Octopus” was a National Book Award finalist—has kept a flock of chickens in her backyard. Each chicken has an individual personality (outgoing or shy, loud or quiet, reckless or cautious) and connects with Sy in her own way.

In this short, delightful book, Sy takes us inside the flock and reveals all the things that make chickens such remarkable creatures: only hours after leaving the egg, they are able to walk, run, and peck; relationships are important to them and the average chicken can recognize more than 100 other chickens; they remember the past and anticipate the future; and they communicate specific information through at least 24 distinct calls. Visitors to her home are astonished by all this, but for Sy what’s more astonishing is how little most people know about chickens, especially considering there are about 20% more chickens on Earth than people.

From Jeffery Payne, assistant retail manager: Sy Montgomery speaks, and understands, “chicken” well. For that, we are grateful. Gained from years of tending chickens (before it was trendy to do so), Ms. Montgomery shares enduring, delightful experiences about living with, and caring for, her clucking friends. Despite what non-chicken-caretakers may think, those simple hens and roosters live a very complicated and elaborate life. Her observations will make the reader smile and, perhaps, provoke an appreciation of an often overlooked fowl.

(On a personal note: A few years ago, I decided that I must have chickens. I brought home four fuzzy chicks from Big R. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done. The author’s reflections are spot-on when describing the distinct personalities and traits. One of my “ladies,” Pearl, used to follow me around the yard like a little puppy, loved to be held. Take the leap, go get a small clutch.)

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From the publisher: Bears have always held a central place in our collective memory, from Indigenous folklore and Greek mythology to 19-century fairy tales and the modern toy shop. But as humans and bears come into ever-closer contact, our relationship nears a tipping point. Today, most of the eight remaining bear species are threatened with extinction. Some, such as the panda bear and the polar bear, are icons of the natural world; others, such as the spectacled bear and the sloth bear, are far less known.

In “Eight Bears,” journalist Gloria Dickie embarks on a globe-trotting journey to explore each bear’s story, whisking readers from the cloud forests of the Andes to the ice floes of the Arctic; from the jungles of India to the backwoods of the Rocky Mountain West.

From Jeffery Payne, assistant retail manager: It’s a challenge to believe that folks and bears once, a millennia ago, lived in relative peace. My, how that heritage and respect has changed, and not in a good way, naturally. The once mighty world of Ursidae has now dwindled down to just eight species. Eight.

Gloria Dickie skillfully shares the history and plight of the remaining woolly quadrupeds by traveling hither and yon, gaining a global perspective of the precarious balance between humans and bears. We learn about the sloth bear, (aka dancing bear) which is not cute or cuddly as the name implies. We encounter bear farming in Asian countries, for “bear bile” (apparently it’s great for many ailments in other cultures). Then there is the “two strikes” regulation about North American black bears when they cross our boundaries of comfort and trash.

The author deftly balances living with bears in urban corridors, our waning regard for grizzly creatures and the grit it takes for them to survive in today’s NIMBY culture.

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From the publisher: Tracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, “The Backyard Bird Chronicles” maps the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world.

In 2016, Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.

From Jeffery Payne, assistant retail manager: We all know of Amy Tan’s incredible gift of the written word. We rejoice, tear up a bit, and lean into those moments of the spectacular prose she is well known for. In “Backyard Bird Chronicles,” she invites us to share in her delight for quiet, eloquent moments with hummingbirds and perky titmouse (mice?) friends. Did you know that the author is an incredible artist/illustrator as well? No, I didn’t think so.

We, the readers, are invited and welcomed into the author’s backyard as she nurtures nature. This beautiful book can be read as devotional. Open to any page, on any given day, and one will find guidance and solace. 

Type of Story: Review

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