Our Animal Neighbors

By Matthieu Ricard, Jason Gruhl, Becca Hall (illustrator)

Book cover of Our Animal Neighbors

Book description

Winner of the Moonbeam Children's Animals/Pets Non-Fiction Gold Medal!

A story about the fundamental connection between animals and people and how we can treat all of Earth's creatures with compassion and empathy.

Furry polar bears, playful sea otters, slow sloths, prickly porcupines, and slimy snakes are just a few of…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Our Animal Neighbors as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Although co-authored, the main driver behind this book appears to be Tibetan Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard’s take on the Buddhist tenets of the interdependence of all things and compassion for the precious lives of all sentient beings. And we are not talking about cute, cuddly panda bears and koala bears. Talking about all creatures—whether they be furry, slimy, prickly, or just plain ugly.

Taking out a key species—ugly or not—can disrupt an entire ecosystem. For instance, wolves have long been considered pests—until the discovery that they are critical for keeping balance in entire ecosystems. But what about mosquitoes? Should there…

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