The New Zealand Horse by Deborah Coddington

$90.00 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

A magnificent tribute to the New Zealand horse, documenting its pivotal role in the development of the early colony, in farming, transport, war, sport and in our affections. Writer Deborah Coddington and photographer Jane Ussher capture the strength, beauty and mystery of the horse across New Zealand, f rom bareback beach riders in the far north and huntsmen in Hawke's Bay, to the Otago high country, the stud farms of the Waikato, the wild horses of the Kaimanawas, film horses, dressage horses and many, many more. Warmly and expertly written, and including a range of historical images, this magnificent book is brought to startling life by the astounding photographs of Jane Ussher. ...Show more

Amazing Dogs with Amazing Jobs (Junior Edition) by Laura Greaves

$17.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

In this book, you'll find all kinds of dogs- fast dogs, heroic dogs, therapy dogs, stunt dogs and ecowarrior dogs and many more. Find out how Bailey the border collie became the Assistant Director of Seagulls at the Australian Maritime Museum, or what Caesar, the footy mascot for the Western Bulldogs, d oes in day during footy season. Discover how Chloe, the canine actor, became a star and why Oscar, the Rock Dog is so musical. From saving lives to spotting dolphins, helping wildlife and being social media superstars - these canines can do it all. ...Show more

Almost Human: A Biography of Julius the Chimpanzee by Alfred Fidjestol

$37.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

The Year of the Dogs by Vincent J. Musi

$49.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

As a National Geographic photographer, Vince Musi travelled the world to photograph lions, tigers and bears. All that changed when his son turned sixteen - he decided to try something different; to spend some quality time at home and open a hometown studio to photograph dogs. From a farting bulldog to an opera-loving labrador, Musi chronicles the personalities of everyday dogs in words and photographs. His stunning portraits are matched with witty 'dogographies' and a comic blend of Vince's own personal stories - from girl-next-door crushes to professional failures - from his wildly popular Instagram feed. Now, for the first time, The Year of the Dogs brings together this eccentric cast of characters in one volume, doggone guaranteed to put a smile on the face of anyone who loves animals. ...Show more

Smoky the Brave by Damien Lewis

$27.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

The World's Smallest Dog with the World's Biggest Heart Smoky the Brave is the extraordinary, touching and true story of a heroic dog and her adoptive masters in the jungles of the Pacific War. In February 1944, as Japanese military advances threatened to engulf Australasia, a tiny, four-pound Yorkshir e terrier was discovered hiding in a Japanese shell scrape amidst the thick jungles of Papua New Guinea. The GIs who discovered her presumed she had been some kind of Japanese army mascot, but it soon turned out that she understood neither commands rendered in Japanese nor English. A mystery, she was adopted by Corporal William 'Bill' Wynne, an air-crewman with the US 5th Air Force's 26th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron. Living in Bill Wynne's tent, sleeping on a piece of green felt salvaged from a card table, and sharing his rations, Smoky became the de facto mascot of the regiment. She went on to fly numerous photo-recce and air-sea rescue missions, cocooned in a soldier's pack hanging next to the machine-guns used to repel marauding Japanese fighters. She was awarded eight battle stars, surviving dozens of Japanese combat raids on Papua New Guinea, and braving a typhoon that ravaged Okinawa. After saving Wynne's life by warning of a falling shell, as their landing craft approached an enemy-held beach - a shell that killed the eight men that Wynne was standing beside - he nicknamed her the 'angel from a foxhole'. In one of her most famous exploits Smoky parachuted using a special rig designed to fit one of the world's smallest but toughest dogs. In perhaps her most heroic exploit of all, Smoky ran a cable through a seventy-foot pipe no wider in places than four inches, to enable telephone lines to be run across the recently occupied airbase of Luzon. Her efforts saved hundreds of ground-crew from being exposed to enemy bombing, preventing injury and loss of life. Amongst her many other awards, she was given the PDSA's Certificate for Animal Bravery or Devotion in 2011, a relatively new class of PDSA award. ...Show more

Barrie by Sean Laidlaw

$37.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

Barrie was rescued from the rubble by Bomb disposal expert and former soldier Sean Laidlaw. He gradually gained her trust and they soon became inseparable. When Sean's contract to Syria was not renewed and he could not return to her, he raised the funds to bring her home with him. The two created an in credible bond in their three months together, and they were reunited in emotional scenes in early November. Sean credits Barrie with helping him with PTSD, and Barrie has been rescued from a life on the streets in war-torn Syria. ...Show more

Space Dogs - The Story of the Soviet's Celebrated Moon Pups by Martin Parr

$29.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

In the 1950s the space race between the USA and the USSR was well and truly on, and was for both a matter of pride and propaganda. But before man ventured into the cosmos, his four-legged friends would pave the way for space exploration. The first canine cosmonaut was Laika, meaning 'barker'. The little stray could never have anticipated that she would one day float 200 miles above the Moscow streets. She would be canonized as a proletarian hero, appearing on stamps, postcards and souvenirs. Her successors were Belka and Strelka, the first dogs to successfully return safely to Earth, and with them, the cult of the space dog was born.This fascinating book tells the story of the space dogs, illustrated with legendary photographer Martin Parr's vintage space-dog memorabilia. In a regime that eschewed celebrating individual achievement, these dogs became Soviet superstars, with a vast array of merchandise, books and films in their honour. ...Show more

A Handful of Happiness by Massimo Vacchetta; Jamie Richards (Translator); Antonella Tomaselli (Contribution by)

$24.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

The heart-warming story of how a tiny hedgehog helped one man find hope. 'Could you look after it for a couple of days? . . .' So begins the extraordinary friendship between veterinarian Massimo, who is at a low spot in his life, and a tiny, orphaned hedgehog. Only a few days old, covered with soft, whi te quills and mewling quietly, this little creature will turn around his life forever. Through the sheer force of Ninna's personality - curious, playful, affectionate - and the sudden, unexpected paternal protectiveness he feels nursing her back to health, Massimo reconnects with the world - and finally begins to feel like home. But as Ninna wakes from her first hibernation, she grows up, like any teenager, longing for freedom. A creature of the wild, she craves the free range of the woods beyond Massimo's house. Massimo must accept that Ninna is ready to move on . . . but one little hedgehog saved and released into her natural habitat is a new beginning for Massimo: setting up a sanctuary for the injured, orphaned, fragile - but with a will to live so strong it is truly contagious. A Handful of Happiness is their funny and life-affirming story - a celebration of our favourite prickly wildlife creature, which will make you laugh and cry. Perfect for animal lovers and fans of A Streetcat Named Bob, Arthur, Finding Gobi and Monty Don's Nigel. ...Show more

The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young

$19.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

"Within a day of receiving this book, I had consumed it... Absorbing, moving, and compulsively readable."--Lydia Davis   In this affectionate, heart-warming chronicle, Rosamund Young distills a lifetime of organic farming wisdom, describing the surprising personalities of her cows and other anima ls   At her famous Kite's Nest Farm in Worcestershire, England, the cows (as well as sheep, hens, and pigs) all roam free. They make their own choices about rearing, grazing, and housing. Left to be themselves, the cows exhibit temperaments and interests as diverse as our own. "Fat Hat" prefers men to women; "Chippy Minton" refuses to sleep with muddy legs and always reports to the barn for grooming before bed; "Jake" has a thing for sniffing the carbon monoxide fumes of the Land Rover exhaust pipe; and "Gemima" greets all humans with an angry shake of the head and is fiercely independent.   An organic farmer for decades, Young has an unaffected and homely voice. Her prose brims with genuine devotion to the wellbeing of animals. Most of us never apprehend the various inner lives animals possess, least of all those that we might eat. But Young has spent countless hours observing how these creatures love, play games, and form life-long friendships. She imparts hard-won wisdom about the both moral and real-world benefits of organic farming. (If preserving the dignity of animals isn't a good enough reason for you, consider how badly factory farming stunts the growth of animals, producing unhealthy and tasteless food.)   This gorgeously-illustrated book, which includes an original introduction by the legendary British playwright Alan Bennett, is the summation of a life's work, and a delightful and moving tribute to the deep richness of animal sentience. ...Show more

The Dog That Saved My Life - Incredible True Stories of Canine Loyalty Beyond All Bounds by Isabel George

$22.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

Five incredible true stories of canine bravery in wartime. For as long as dogs have lived alongside man, they have saved their lives in wartime with their bravery, loyalty and companionship. From the WWII dog that was adopted by the Royal Navy as a mascot, torpedoed, shot at and registered as a prisoner of war, to the more recent heroics of explosives dog, Sadie, in the Afghanistan conflict where she saved hundreds of military and civilian lives, this is a collection of the most incredible and heartwarming accounts from around the world. Capturing the fear, uncertainly, determination and undying devotion of these amazing dogs and the young soldiers, sailors and airmen they befriended, these are truly inspirational tales of loyalty and companionship beyond all boundaries. ...Show more

Finding Gobi - The True Story of a Little Dog with a Lot of Stamina by Dion Leonard

$19.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.2 BESTSELLER Like A Streecat Named Bob before it, Finding Gobi is a truly heart-warming story for animal lovers worldwide... In 2016, Dion Leonard, a seasoned ultramarathon runner, unexpectedly stumbled across a little stray dog while competing in a gruelling 155 mile race across the Gobi Desert. The lovable pup, who earned the name 'Gobi', proved that what she lacked in size, she more than made up for in heart, as she went step for step with Dion over the treacherous Tian Shan Mountains, managing to keep pace with him for nearly 80 miles. As Dion witnessed the incredible determination of this small animal, he felt something change within himself. In the past he had always focused on winning and being the best, but his goal now was simply to make sure that his new friend was safe, nourished and hydrated. Although Dion did not finish first, he felt he had won something far greater and promised to bring Gobi back to the UK for good to become a new addition to his family. This was the start of a journey neither of them would ever forget with a roller coaster ride of drama, grief, heartbreak, joy and love that changed their lives forever. Finding Gobi is the ultimate story of hope, of resilience and of friendship, proving once again, that dogs really are 'man's best friend.' ...Show more

Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog: A True Story of Friendship and Heroism by Steven Jamieson; Alison Bowyer (Contribution by)

$24.99 NZD

Category: Animal Biographies

When Steve Jamieson met Bilbo, a chocolate Newfoundland puppy, little did he know that the small bundle of fluff would grow to take up a huge space in his heart and change his life forever. The pair were inseparable, with Bilbo accompanying Steve to his job as head lifeguard of Sennen beach in Cornwall every day. With his webbed paws and thick, double layer of fur, Bilbo was an excellent swimmer and he was soon promoted to honorary lifeguard. He was even credited with saving the lives of three people.Word about Bilbo spread and fans flocked from miles around to meet the friendly giant. But Bilbo and Steve couldn't have foreseen the obstacles that life would throw at them. Together, they would have to gather every bit of their strength to fight for their livelihood. Warm, heartfelt and moving, Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog is a tale of heroism and friendship, and is one man's tribute to his extraordinary dog. ...Show more