Behavioral ecologist Crump (Headless Males Make Great Lovers: And Other Unusual Natural Histories, 2005) turns in another successful blend of charm and nature. It is doubtful that anyone else could so agilely leap from Longfellow’s Paul Revere to the social defenses of ants and termites. Crump maintains a cheeky sense of humor as she dispels all sorts of myths about the animal kingdom and reveals a wealth of biological information. She does not skimp on details, nor neglect the work of others, discussing research from biologists working on emperor penguins, Florida scrub jays, and hundreds of other animals. Although the facts are certainly interesting, it’s her presentation that makes Crump’s work sing. M. F. K. Fisher is quoted on sharing food, Kahlil Gibran leads off a discussion of animals welcoming guests, and the author’s dachshund puts in appearances. With Alan Crump’s drawings on every page, Marty Crump’s discussions on animal and human connections are more friendly chat than lecture; as pleasant a sojourn into so many different worlds as any reader could want.