If you've got gopher tortoises in your backyard or just wanna learn more about this fascinating critter, this book's for you! Rich in color and photographs and chock full of firsthand information from the authors' many years of research living amongst the tortoises on their biological preserve, Finca de la Tortuga, in sunny Florida.

This is an engaging book for both young and young-at-heart, but be forewarned, you will be a gopher tortoise fan after reading it and long to see one in person. I would give this text a mark of 10 if it included more alternatives for homeowners and park managers to co-habitate with these animals.

We have a couple of burrows in need of protection, located in an open playing field near our home. The entrances are not clearly visible and deep enough to cause a fall, so we're seeking gopher-friendly landscaping ideas to integrate these habitats with the natural design of the park. This book addresses dedicated preserves, rather than home or small land management, such as our park. However, there are helpful documents on this subject available on the Ashton Institute website: http://www.ashtonbiodiversity.org

All-in-all, this is a book worthy of Dorling Kindersley -- very professionally done, and perhaps even more appealing to the intellect. We are keeping one edition for our permanent homeschool collection and look forward to hearing others' impressions in the near future once we donate this copy to our Community library.