Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico

by Marty Essen

Overview

Winner, Silver Nautilus Award for Animals & Nature
Winner, Silver Nautilus Award for Middle Grades Non-Fiction
Winner, National Indie Excellence Award in Nature
Winner, Readers’ Favorite Book Award in Environment

Endangered Edens is the long-awaited follow-up to Marty Essen’s six-time award-winning book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents.

Whether traveling with Marty and his wife, Deb, in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico, or going solo with Marty in the Everglades, readers will experience nature’s Endangered Edens in a way few others have—all while laughing and learning along the way.

In addition to Marty’s entertaining stories, Endangered Edens also features more than 180 stunning color pictures—merging the genres of wildlife photography, adventure travelogues, and environmental education into one unforgettable book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780977859993
Publisher:	Encante Press, LLC
Publication date:	01/08/2016
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Marty Essen is the author of the six-time award-winning book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents. He is also a frequently booked college speaker. His college program, Around the World in 90 Minutes, has become one of the most popular slide shows of all-time.
 

Editorial Reviews

 “A magical, fun journey through some of the world’s hidden and not so hidden Edens, as seen through the eyes of a true wildlife aficionado and author whose writing makes the pages come alive and vibrate with the sound and pulse of nature. A book that once started is impossible to put down.”  —Dr. M. Sanjayan, senior scientist, Conservation International, television host, EARTH: A New Wild

“I highly recommend that everyone join author Marty Essen and his wife, Deb, as they explore our planets’ Endangered Edens. After reading about these last great wild places, you will surely be tempted to visit them and more importantly protect them for future generations to enjoy.”  —Cindy Shogan, executive director, Alaska Wilderness League

“Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico is impressively informative and a lot of fun. Ideal for the armchair traveler and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.”  —Midwest Book Review

“Join photographer extraordinaire Marty Essen and his intrepid wife Deb on their adventures through four endangered Edens. You'll be treated to funny stories, unforgettable characters, and striking images. But most of all, you'll come away with new appreciation for special places, and their wild inhabitants, under threat today.”  —Sy Montgomery, author, The Soul of an Octopus

From the Publisher

02/15/2016
Travel writer and global wildlife photographer Essen (Cool Creatures, Hot Planet) visits four wild and endangered places around the edges of North America. The brief and direct text describes each trip, the author's experience of each area, and is illustrated with 180 outstanding color photographs. Much of the content is about his adventures finding and photographing rare or camouflaged creatures, some of them dangerous. A large font and generous spacing make this easy to read. However, environmental commentary is limited. In the portion on Alaska, the author contrasts the spring vitality of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which has repeatedly been threatened with petroleum drilling, with the industrial ambiance of the nearby Prudhoe Bay oil fields. During the Everglades foray he mentions that sea level rise, caused by climate change, will menace many of the area's denizens. As a travel book, this effort is superficial, covering only a single destination per region. However, Essen's enthusiasm for wildlife conservation, viewing, and documentation helps to redeem the work. VERDICT Essen's most appreciative audience will be secondary and postsecondary students, including reluctant readers who are interested in wildlife, travel, or photography.—David R. Conn, formerly with Surrey Libs., BC

Library Journal