Leaping Lizards! Check Out These New Non-fiction Titles From JCPL!

One of the biggest music hits of the 1970’s was a song by Jim Stafford called, “I Don’t Like Spiders and Snakes.” If I had written the lyrics, they would have included lizards. Creepy crawly creatures just aren’t my thing; they belong in the wild, like way OUT in the wild; the wild that is nowhere near my house. One wayward lizard mistakenly thought it was a good idea to hole up in my house, and with 3 cats and a dog with a sense of smell rivaling a blue ribbon winning bloodhound, this little creature did not stand a chance of fading into the woodwork. The only thing about relying on animals to exterminate the unwanted reptile (or whatever species a lizard is) is that they enjoy the thrill of the hunt more than actually catching the thing. I know how to get rid of a mouse that’s illegally entered my humble abode, but, besides a broom and some great timing, how can you send a lizard packing? Leaping Lizards! I may be stuck with the creature until it grew to Jurassic Park proportions! I should get in touch with the reptile smugglers in “Stolen World: A Tale of Reptiles, Smugglers, and Skullduggery” by Jennie Erin Smith; they’ll know what to do, because that is their specialty. These devious, dangerous and creepily charming humans deal strictly in the reptile business, illegally smuggling them into and out of the country, making trades with zoo keepers and collectors who pay top dollar for them, breaking the moral codes that make environmentalists and the law abiding animal lovers cringe.


This is not the only new non-fiction title that will keep you entertained and enlightened on some off the beaten path subjects. Read on!


“Australians: Origins to Eureka” by Thomas Keneally is volume 1 in a series of books that sheds light on the “land down under,” describing in detail the formation of the continent as it separated from the supercontinent of Pangaea 140 million years ago. Written by Booker-Prize winning novelist and non-fiction writer, Thomas Keneally, this first volume collectively informs the reader on Aborigines, transplanted convicts, settlers, soldiers and miners who all played a part in the early settlement of a new and harsh land.


When her olfactory nerve was damaged by the use of a common nasal spray that is used to combat the common cold, Bonnie Blodgett lost her sense of smell. Strangely enough, the loss of smell began with a stage called “phantosmia,” a constant stench of, as she puts it, “every disgusting thing you can think of tossed into a blender and pureed.” “Remembering Smell” by Bonnie Blodgett is a memoir recounting the author’s journey into the world of smell, and the unfortunate events that led her into the workings of the human body and its extraordinary power to heal itself.


Roles on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Golden Girls,” and other popular TV programs made Betty White an icon for TV viewers everywhere. Now 89 years old, Betty White is widely recognized for not only her television roles, but for her lifelong work for animal welfare. A force of nature and determined to continue in her celebrity successes as she still goes strong after seven decades in show business, Betty White shares anecdotes , wisdom and humor in “If You Ask Me: And of Course You Didn’t.”


I’ll bet you’re wondering how the lizard story turned out, aren’t you? Let’s just say that in one fell swoop, we “threw the book” at the little creature and he no longer has to worry about where he is going to live.