"The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival" by John Vaillant

A tiger crouches in the stillness of the Siberian taiga. His breaths are ragged from effort. He's spent days stalking around the cabin, his eyes trained on the man's every motion. There's a saying in the taiga--a tiger sees you one hundred times before you see it once. The man, with his sawed-off shotgun and sloppily homemade bullets, doesn't stand a chance against this four-hundred pound monster.

Vaillant uncovers this attack (and the ones that followed) piece by piece, only to discover that the tiger seemingly had a plan. Tigers are vengeful creatures--they don't hunt indiscriminately, but rather stalk and murder in premeditated attacks which sometimes last days. There are some books that take you far, far beyond any experience you've ever had in your life--The Tiger is one of those stories. Vaillant does a great job describing the poverty-struck village where townspeople are all but forced to poach for food or money. The tiger, of course, is worth an exorbitant amount of money--if he doesn't get you first. Thus, the Soviet government appointed a team of men to enforce strict anti-poaching laws. The team leader, Yuri Trush, becomes wrapped up in the mystery of the tiger and is determined to stop its reign of terror.

While telling the story, Vaillant goes on many tangents--all of which are informative, relevant, and interesting. He weaves in scientific studies about tigers as well as humans, how their behaviors have changed and evolved, and historical accounts of tigers.

This book is, quite frankly, all that is man--I can't imagine any father, brother, boyfriend, etc., not being completely wrapped up in this hunter vs. hunted tale. However, Vaillant's impeccable writing and research makes this a great read for anyone interested in nature, conservation, history, behavioral psychology, and, of course, survival.

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!

Click here to buy The Tiger at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop!

Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons

This is kind of a retroactive blog post, but with bullying in the news so much these days, this book has not left my mind. Odd Girl Out is a meticulously researched book, packed with interviews with real preteen and teenage girls. Oftentimes, parents don't realize the true extent of their daughters' struggles in school--girls can be especially adept at hiding that pain. This book focuses on the notion that, while boys take out their aggression in physical ways (i.e., a fight), girls fight a psychological battle that can last years. Girls can be shunned, teased, and publicly humiliated with horrible rumors. You'll be amazed at the cruelty Simmons has uncovered through her interviews. Simmons' dappling in social psychology manages to be informative while not overbearing, making this book accessible for all ages.

Simmons pairs this look into the world of bullying with realistic advice for both young girls and their parents. (Yes, despite what the quote on the cover says, dads can benefit from reading this too.) A book like this is especially crucial in this day and age, where constant texting, Facebook, Myspace and Twitter make "cyber bullying" a hot-button issue.

Beth gives it five out of five carrots!
Click here to order this book at The Velveteen Rabbit Bookshop.