Listed in The Top 100 Psychics in America, Kinkade is sought after by veterinarians and animal lovers around the world for her skill in locating lost pets, divining why an animal has lost its appetite or if it's close to death. She has communed with horses, dogs, cats, birds and even such zoo animals as elephants and jaguars. Peppered with heartwarming anecdotes about some of her cases, her book is primarily a guide to becoming an animal communicator—something she believes is possible for any animal lover. The exercises she prescribes involve deep breathing, centering, asking many questions and keeping a "Paws and Listen" notebook. A true friend to animals, Kinkade also has strong opinions about animals' health and diet: "Aside from complaints about vaccinations, cats and dogs tell me the biggest culprit in destroying their health and happiness is commercial pet food." She encourages finding a holistic veterinarian and is adamant that we need to listen to animals more closely and to treat them with more tenderness overall. The last chapter, in which Kinkade reprints Albert Schweitzer's "Man and Creature," underscores her point. An excellent appendix lists, among other resources, companies that do no testing on animals. Agent, Jo Fagan, Jane Dystel Literary Management. (On-sale: June 12)
Forecast:A first-rate guide for those who wish to talk to animals, this book may not satisfy readers who primarily enjoy stories of human-animal communion. On her nine-city author tour, Kinkade is bound to attract both the committed and the curious.
