Description: What these breathless headlines announce is a growing phenomenon in America: increasing interaction in the suburbs between people and animals that we think of as "wild". They have adapted to our takeover of their habitat, and have found ways to survive -- even thrive -- right under our noses. How we react to them and the real and perceived threats they bring is at the core of this book.

Fran Hodgkins discusses why certain populations such as deer, Canada geese, and beavers have made such a dramatic comeback in the East and have become, in some places, nuisances. She details why songbirds are dying off, why coyotes are moving in; what is to be feared, or not, in diseases such as rabies and Lyme disease; how some interactions have led to open warfare on animals, or between their advocates and detractors. Hodgkins signals the need for coherent strategies for dealing with the animals among us and gives pointers on how we can live together in peace.

This book teaches the lesson of "eco-awareness": thinking ahead for the sake of all species. It can be used as the basis for reports and even field work by youngsters learning about the consequences of environmental interactions. Besides that, it is lively and fun to read.

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