BROADWAY BOOKS

A Lion Called Christian (Mar., $22.95) by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall narrates the story of a lion cub that was purchased in Harrod's, raised in London and set free in the African wild.

DK/AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Birds of North America (Mar., $50), edited by Francois Vuilleumier. This encyclopedic guide to every species includes an audio CD of bird songs and calls.

GREYSTONE BOOKS

(dist. by PGW)

Smiling Bears: A Zookeeper Explores the Behavior and Emotional Life of Bears (May, $25.95) by Else Poulsen covers all things ursine.

ISLAND PRESS

Unquenchable (Apr., $25.95) by Robert Glennon offers controversial solutions to America's water crisis.

Don't Be Such a Scientist (May, $19.95) by Randy Olson explores broadening the impact of scientists in battles over environmental issues.

LOUISIANA STATE UNIV. PRESS

Wildflowers of the Coastal Plain: A Field Guide (Apr., $34.95) by Ray Neyland details 535 species in one of the great floristic regions of the U.S.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOKS

National Geographic Complete Birds of the World (Apr., $35) by National Geographic editors covers common to exotic birds.

Tornado Hunter: Getting Inside the Most Violent Storms on Earth (May, $24) by Tim Samaras. The first person to survive taking photos inside a twister gives a blow-by-blow account of his experiences.

PRINCETON UNIV. PRESS

Birdscapes: Birds in Our Imagination and Experience (Mar., $29.95) by Jeremy Mynott examines human responses to birds.

TEMPLE UNIV. PRESS

Filling the Ark: Animal Welfare in Disasters (May, $27.50) by Leslie Irvine argues that most of the disasters animals face are caused by humans.

TRANSACTION PUBLISHERS

The Secret Life of Insects (Mar., $34.95) by Peter Milward. The author's observations of insects shed light on human experience.

UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA PRESS

Elephant Reflections (May, $39.95) by Dale Peterson, photos by Karl Ammann, addresses important conservation issues.

UNIV. OF CHICAGO PRESS

Paradise Found: Nature in America at the Time of Discovery (May, $30) by Steve Nicholls describes how North America looked to its first European explorers.

UNIV. OF GEORGIA PRESS

Spirits of the Air: Birds and American Indians in the South (Mar., $44.95) by Shepard Krech III addresses the complex influence of birds on Native Americans' daily life.

UNIV. OF MISSOURI PRESS

The Galápagos: Exploring Darwin's Tapestry (Apr., $49.95) by John Hess allows armchair explorers to sense the islands' unique flora and fauna.

UNIV. PRESS OF KENTUCKY

Something's Rising: Appalachians Fighting Mountaintop Removal (Apr., $27.95) by Silas House and Jason Howard cites the value of preserving a culture's history via the stories of its people.

VOYAGEUR PRESS

Capturing the Stars: Astrophotography by the Masters (June, $30) by Robert Gendler profiles the work of 30 of the world's most accomplished practitioners.

WALKER & COMPANY

Heart of Dryness: A True Story About the End of Water (June, $26) by James G. Workman. This cautionary tale of the Bushmen of the Kalahari suggests unexpected solutions for the coming Dry Age.

WESTHOLME PUBLISHING

How Trees Die: What the Oldest Living Things Tell Us About Life and Our Environment (May, $24.95) by Jeff Gillman. A scientist explains what can be learned from almost immortal trees.