Wasik and Murphy’s previous book, Rabid, tackled the history of rabies, and Our Kindred Creatures, too, spends time on that dread disease. Rabies, a common and deadly scourge in the 19th century ...

I went book shopping in the U.K. … online. Sure, using the internet to buy things is not exactly cutting-edge, but there is still a kind of thrill finding books you can’t obtain here.

The first book in a series, “Impossible Creatures” marks a departure for Rundell. Her previous novels have their fanciful elements, but this is her first work of fantasy.

Each tribute is also a plea, and the book as a whole is a solicitation: It’s past time for us to truly see these beings, recognize their majesty, and step up, finally, to protect them.

With its beguiling octopus narrator, Shelby Van Pelt’s “Remarkably Bright Creatures” has notable staying power and is back on the best-seller list — a year and a half after its release.

"Remarkably Bright Creatures" is available in hardcover and audio at local libraries and bookstores. Copies of the hardcover book are available from the Literacy Coalition for a $20 donation.

Two cicada broods are emerging in historic numbers in the U.S. after a very long nap. We'll learn about other creatures that go dormant as part of their normal life cycle.