Unlikely Heroes: 37 Inspiring Stories of Courage and Heart from the Animal Kingdom

Jennifer Holland (Unlikely Friendships) continues her series of profiles of amazing animals in this heartwarming and inspiring collection of tales of animalistic altruism. Featured in her latest are stories of dolphins saving swimmers from sharks and dogs alerting their owners to fires. There's Scarlett, the calico cat who repeatedly dashed into a burning building to save her five kittens; Alyna, the rabbit who uses a specially designed set of wheels to compensate for her paralyzed rear legs; Jasmine, the sweet Greyhound that has mothered animals of all kinds from birds and foxes to badgers and fellow dogs; and Wicket, a dog who's helping conservationists identify and track rare animal species. Holland's book is pure celebration of different animals and their amazing feats. Fans of her previous work will likely lap this one up. Readers looking to explore the nuances of animal altruism will likely be left wading in the shallow end of the pool. Color photos. (Sept.)