How to Hold Animals

How to Hold Animals is full of photographs of interesting animals. Some are cute pets. Others are dangerous, and should only be handled by people who are experts. This book comes from Japan. It’s interesting, because some pets that are common in Japan are unusual here in the United States, like chipmunks or prairie dogs. The author encourages children and their parents to learn about animals – even wild animals – and how to hold them safely. Holding an animal can be dangerous for the animal, but sometimes it is dangerous for the person trying to hold the animal, too! Animals can be hurt if you drop them or squeeze them too hard. On the other hand, some animals can bite or scratch! Some have venom, like monitor lizards or scorpions’ stings. Sometimes I disagree with the author’s advice, like when he suggests holding butterflies or dragonflies with their wings held flat between your second and third fingers. I have to admit that I haven’t tried to hold butterflies that way! Every page has suggestions for holding an animal, and every page has photographs showing how people can hold that animal. The author is a photographer who specializes in animals, but he also gets a veterinarian and a reptile dealer to show their methods of handling animals.