"Human beings are a very different kind of animal. We have evolved to become the most dominant species on Earth. We have a larger geographical range and process more energy than any other creature alive. This astonishing transformation is usually explained in terms of cognitive ability--people are just smarter than all the rest. But in this compelling book, Robert Boyd argues that culture--our ability to learn from each other--has been the essential ingredient of our remarkable success. A Different Kind of Animal demonstrates that while people are smart, we are not nearly smart enough to have solved the vast array of problems that confronted our species as it spread across the globe. Over the past two million years, culture has evolved to enable human populations to accumulate superb local adaptations that no individual could ever have invented on their own. It has also made possible the evolution of social norms that allow humans to make common cause with large groups of unrelated individuals, a kind of society not seen anywhere else in nature. This unique combination of cultural adaptation and large-scale cooperation has transformed our species and assured our survival--making us the different kind of animal we are today. Based on the Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University, A Different Kind of Animal features challenging responses by biologist H. Allen Orr, philosopher Kim Sterelny, economist Paul Seabright, and evolutionary anthropologist Ruth Mace, as well as an introduction by Stephen Macedo."--

Presents a children's study of mammals such as horses, lions, gorillas, whales, and others, and discusses they habitats, what they look like and how they move, how whales breathe, how they care for their young, and how they protect themselves.

A description of different types of birds and their habits.

Suspected of attacking a boy from town and determined to protect her secrets and her twin sister, Jo flees into the woods, where she discovers the truth behind her mother's disappearance fifteen years ago.

This informative book introduces young readers to the defining characteristics of the various groups of animals that make up the animal kingdom. The bodies of many animals, including several types of mammals, fish, reptiles, birds, and arthropods, are described in concise and easy-to-understand text. Full-color illustrations and amazing photographs help children begin to realize the vastness of the animal kingdom.

This beautiful book looks at different animal species, describing how they are similar and different, and why certain animals belong to specific groups. Using descriptive as well as compare-and-contrast text, this interesting book answers young readers' questions about different animals.

What Kind of Animal is it? is a series designed by Bobbie Kalman to introduce young readers to the world of animals. The simple text, clear illustrations, and colorful pictures teach children about the major characteristics, such as backbones and cold blood, of each type of animal. The series features information boxes that provide extra details for eager and curious readers.