The Raccoon Next Door [Paperback]

Gary Bogue (Author), Chuck Todd (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2003

You believe your home is your haven, but think again, for there are eyes everywhere! What is that rustle in the bushes? Where did that silver streak come from? Why does your dog bark at nothing?

For most people, urban encounters with wildlife seem accidental and precious; but a wide range of critters—from bats and mice to deer and owls—are among us no matter where we live, whether it be in the country, the suburbs, or even in the city. _The Raccoon Next Door_ is a guide to help us identify and get along with the neighborhood raccoon and all our other wild neighbors. Author Gary Bogue presents stories, anecdotes, and sound advice for coexisting with the common creatures that you might encounter in your front yard, backyard, and sometimes even inside your home. Chuck Todd’s illuminating illustrations bring the animals to life in vivid detail.

The species discussed in the book include everything from coyotes and mountain lions to tarantulas and earwigs, newts and salamanders, songbirds and butterflies. Learn how to be a good animal neighbor using down-to-earth, practical, and homey advice that will show you how to live in harmony with those wild and crazy skunks who like to party all night long!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"(Mr. Bogue is)...an embedded reporter on the front lines of suburban wildlife." -- The New York Times, August 19, 2004

About the Author

Gary Bogue was curator of the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek, California, from 1967 to 1979. For thirty-two years he has written a popular daily column on pets, wildlife, and environmental issues for the "Contra Costa Times." He lives in Benicia, California, with his wife, two cats, a parrot, and a cockatoo.

Chuck Todd is an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, literary journals, annual reports, posters, and exhibits in California and the Midwest. He is a full-time news artist for the "Contra Costa Times" and a freelance illustrator, and he also teaches drawing and storyboarding at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife and two daughters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Heyday Books; First Edition edition (December 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890771716
• ISBN-13: 978-1890771713
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #545,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories - Great information, February 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Raccoon Next Door (Paperback)

Great book, fun stories, and great information. Mr.Bogue appears to write from the heart, with a fun wit, while educating people about the wildlife that is all around us. It would be a wonderful tool to have grade school chidren read. Teaching them about the animals and how to live with them. A lot of adults could use this too. Written in such a way that we all can understand and in short stories that won't lose anyones attention. It will make you laugh as well.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compendium of practicality, March 5, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Raccoon Next Door (Paperback)

Nicely enhanced with the occasional black and white illustrations and drawings of Chuck Todd, The Raccoon Next Door: Getting Along With Urban Wildlife by Gary Bogue (former curator at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek, California) is a compilation of information and advice for people who live in urban and suburban areas and find themselves dealing with animals and birds. From the right way to attract and feed hummingbirds, to dealing with the nocturnal intrusions of raccoons, as well as the appearance of predators such as the coyote and the mountain lion. The Raccoon Next Door is a compendium of practicality ranging from how to remove the smell of skunk from a household pet, to sizing up a neighborhood in terms of what critters might be encountered, to "wild neighbors of the future". Whether you are an nature lover seeking to live in harmony with all manner of wildlife, or an urban curmudgeon wanting only to avoid things that creep or crawl or fly, The Raccoon Next Door is the perfect "how to" book for you!

5.0 out of 5 stars I like Raccoons, August 2, 2010

By 

Elizabeth Ayala (San Mateo, California USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Raccoon Next Door (Paperback)

Animals dont give me trouble. Mine is an animal friendly household. I bought it because I am a neighborhood watch block captain and host neighborhood meetins. I have a different reason for acquiing the book. I bought the book because I heard it had humane tips on deterring animals from your property. I dont want anyone on my block using harmful means against animals. I am going to share humane tips with them.