New Titles

 

1) Stubbs, Ed. The Complete Guide to Patch Birding: Making the most of your local area. 2026. Helm. Paperback: 192 pages. Price: $28.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: For birdwatching thrills and excitement, why not look closer to home? You don't need to rely on hours of travel to reach remote locations – choose a local 'patch' that you can visit regularly instead. Cut out the car and become familiar with the resident and visiting birds that can be found in your chosen spot, their habits and behaviour, and the subtle changes that occur there throughout the seasons.

     In The Complete Guide to Patch Birding, you'll find out how to make the most of local birding, including how to identify and pick a patch, the best times of day to try to find different birds, the essential kit, how to record sightings, understanding the impact of weather, and how to find rare birds, as well as information about migrant and breeding species.

     Whether it's spotting a charm of goldfinches lighting up a gloomy January day, a robin gathering leaves and moss for its new nest in March, the uplifting sight of migratory swallows arriving to signify the start of summer, or hearing the call of young little owls on mild October nights, there are many joys to be had in simply watching and enjoying the birds on your doorstep. This practical guide contains all the information you need to get started.

RECOMMENDATION: Although this book is British in origin, North American birders should find it useful.

 

 

 

2) Dunne, Pete. Under Their Wing: How Birds Shape the Human Experience. 2026. Chelsea Green. Hardbound: 200 pages. Price: $27.99 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: From the ancient Egyptian mummified ibises to Yankee Doodle’s famous feathered cap, to the more obscure Arm and Hammer Company bird cards tucked within boxes of baking soda, this book charts our ongoing fascination with birds for thousands of years.

     Pete Dunne—one of the most celebrated and recognized birders in North America—doesn’t shy away from the ugly parts of this history, from the astonishing numbers of avian fatalities as they attempt to migrate through a host of dangerous manmade obstacles twice a year, to the section he’s called the “hall of shame” which covers the species we’ve made extinct in North America, to “Your Bird Neighbors” where he inventories the birds currently declining or facing extinction.

     Throughout, Dunne reminds us that as we are the problem, we can and must be the solution to protecting our avian kin and continuing to celebrate them and partner with them as we have throughout human history. This book is for history lovers, as well as for birders who will enjoy coming across their favorite species in new and surprising places throughout our shared time on this planet.

RECOMMENDATION: If you enjoyed the author's other books, you should enjoy this one.

 

 

3) Callomon, Paul and Gary Rosenberg. Seashells: A Compendium of Five Thousand of the World's Species. 2026. Princeton University Press. Hardbound. 330 pages. Price: $49.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The mollusks are the largest group of animals on the planet after the insects. Throughout history, their shells have inspired scientists, artists, and collectors with their amazing shapes, colors, and patterns. Seashells is a marvelous single-volume reference to some five thousand species, presenting shells found from sandy beaches and coral reefs to polar shores and the ocean depths. The comprehensive introduction gives an overview of the mollusks, a review of collecting and storage techniques, and a guide to classification and naming. Up-to-date names and distribution information accompany more than 5,400 original high-resolution images, arranged in the latest systematic sequence and reviewed for accuracy by an international board of leading specialists. Ideal for beginners and professionals alike, this is the ultimate book of seashells, from collectors’ favorites like the cones and cowries to the bizarre worm snails and the enigmatic nautiluses.

• Covers thousands of seashells from all the world’s oceans, including named variants as well as many species never figured in a general work and many only recently named
• Features a breathtaking array of stunning photos and up-to-date information on all groups
• Uses cutting-edge classification based on the latest published analyses
• Places similar species together for easier comparison
• Includes a comprehensive bibliography with references covering every marine mollusk group and world region
• Written by two of today’s leading malacologists
• An essential addition to any collector’s library

 RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for all seashell collectors! 

New Titles

 

1) Hill, Geoffrey E.. Birds Color by Color: A Visual Guide to the Beauty and Science of Color in the Avian World. 2026. Rizzoli Universe. Hardbound: 256 pages. Price: $37.50 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Cardinals, blue jays, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, green honeycreepers: color is often the very first feature that captures our attention. Yet only recently have ornithologists begun to unravel the mysteries behind birds’ brilliant plumage and biological processes that produce such vivid hues. Although scientists have made remarkable progress, much of this knowledge remains out of reach for general readers. This book bridges that gap by showcasing the dazzling spectrum of bird coloration and explaining, in clear and accessible language, how birds achieve their remarkable colors.

     Richly illustrated with stunning artwork and photography, the book is divided into two parts. Part One explores the science of color in feathers. Chapters examine how coloration varies within a species and how these variations can signal sex, age, and individual identity. This section also considers how color can function both as camouflage and as a bold display that attracts mates or deters rivals.

      Part Two presents a color-coded gallery of more than 200 species, spanning the spectrum from red to violet—and including brown, black, white, and multicolored birds. Each entry highlights how particular colors arise, explains their biological purpose (whether camouflage, species recognition, or courtship), and features a concise fact file listing common and scientific names, distribution, habitat, size, and coloration.

RECOMMENDATION: A well illustrated overview of bird coloration.

 

2) Williams, David B.. In the Range of Fire and Ice: A Human and Natural History of Washington’s Cascades. 2026. Mountaineers Books. Hardbound: 304 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:  Blending human and natural history into a vivid portrait of one of North America’s most dynamic landscapes, In the Range of Fire and Ice is a lively, groundbreaking exploration of Washington’s Cascade Range. Drawing on conversations with anthropologists, park rangers, ecologists, and climate scientists, as well as firsthand experience, award-winning author David B. Williams brings readers into the mountains to uncover stories etched in the landscape over millennia.

     From traditional Indigenous huckleberry harvesting grounds and ancient footpaths to erupting volcanoes, shifting glaciers, and forgotten mining camps, In the Range of Fire and Ice reveals the Cascades as a place of both deep time and constant change. While past logging, mining, and fires left lasting scars, the Cascades also tell powerful stories of recovery and resilience--returning wolverines and wolves, the remarkable rebirth of Mount St. Helens, and growing stewardship in the face of climate change. Through rich storytelling and careful research, Williams invites readers to see the Cascades not only as mountains, but as a living, evolving realm of fire, ice, and hope.

RECOMMENDATION: If you enjoyed the author's other works, you should enjoy this one! 

 

3) Hammerquist, Natalie. Winter Twigs of the Pacific Northwest: Common Trees and Shrubs. 2026. Skipstone. Paperback: 144 pages. Price: $17.95 U.S. 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:  Winter Twigs of the Pacific Northwest turns the bare, quiet winter months into a season of discovery. When leaves disappear and forests seem still, expert forager Natalie Hammerquist encourages us to take a closer look and uncover the hidden world of color, texture, and detail in dormant trees and shrubs.

     This accessible, visually rich guide shows readers how to distinguish and identify fifty deciduous trees and shrubs found in the Pacific Northwest. From buckthorn to Oregon ash to thimbleberry, learn to identify twigs, bud shapes, bark patterns, branch forms, and any lingering berries, leaves, or cones. Each profile features Hammerquist’s signature macro photography and clear annotations, along with notes to deepen your appreciation for each plant, including edible or medicinal uses, wildlife value, growing at home, and traditional crafts.

     Designed for foragers, hikers, gardeners, and nature lovers of all levels, this pocket-sized book turns cold, leafless walks into engaging adventures, helping readers confidently recognize and appreciate the resilient trees and shrubs that shape the winter landscape.

RECOMMENDATION: A handy sized guide to winter plant identification for the region.

New Titles

 

1) McGhie, Henry A. (Editor). Nineteenth–Century Ornithology (Two Volumes). 2026. Routledge. Hardbound: volume one: 388 pages, volume two: 515 pages. Price: $420.00 U.S. 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: This two-volume set explores some of the main themes in 19th century ornithology, as it was understood at the time. For most of the century, British ornithology was dominated by wealthy middle-class and upper-class men. These ‘amateurs’ (an ahistorical term) interacted in a system of societies, publications and collecting practices. Ornithology held an especially high status among natural history topics, and ornithologists typically held high positions in natural history society and societies. The emphasis of what constituted ornithology was different from later times, dominated by the description of ‘new’ species and establishing their distribution. The endeavour of collecting, preserving, naming and describing was, of course, contemporaneous with colonial and imperial expansion, and the system that brought great numbers of specimens to British private collections and museums mirrored the flow of natural resources for more overtly economic purposes.

     These two volumes cover ‘Ornithology at Home’ and ‘Ornithology Abroad’. The two volumes are not split in a strictly geographic sense, but aim to help the reader explore what ornithology was like in Britain (with its societies, institutions and characters), and what ornithology was like abroad in the sense of exploring what ornithologists were doing beyond Britain. The volumes aim to help the reader gain an insight into the interplay of personal travel, collecting, collectors’ networks, access to specimens and publishing in the lives of 19th century ornithologists. Paying attention to the social and political contexts in which ornithologists operated, and to the birds that were the subject of their passions, provides a rich exploration of what birds meant in the lives of these people, and what it meant to be an ornithologist.

RECOMMENDATION: These volumes are a must-have for those with a very serious interest in ornithological history!  

 

 

 

2) Constantine, Mark, and The Sound Approach. The Sound Approach to Birding (Second Edition). 2026. HarperCollins. Hardbound: 256 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The Sound Approach to Birding is the pioneering book on birdsong by the global leaders in bird sound recording, identification and analysis, Mark Constantine OBE (CEO and co-founder of LUSH) and the Sound Approach team. Readers are invited on a journey through practical field experience, scientific theory and an in-depth understanding of birds and their calls.

     Illustrated with stunning original artwork and photographs of over 200 species, the book is accompanied by a bespoke, free-to-download app that allows the reader to listen to original sound recordings of authentic birdcalls alongside the informative text. The Sound Approach to Birding is for beginners, experienced birdwatchers, ornithologists, nature enthusiasts, families and educators to discover more about birdwatching, a wide variety of species and their songs and all in a beautiful gift package.

     This edition features extensive updates, revised content, a new cover and new chapters and artwork.

RECOMMENDATION: If you have the first edition, you will want this second edition!

New Titles

 

1) Gorman, Gerard. The Pied Woodpeckers: The Natural History of Europe's Black & White Woodpeckers. 2026. Pelagic. Paperback: 195 pages. Price: $36.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A resonant hammering from the canopy, a flicker of black and white with a flash of red: surely the archetypal image of a woodpecker? This book describes the natural history of five European species, the so-called pied woodpeckers: Middle Spotted Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker and White-backed Woodpecker.

     These fascinating birds are important ecosystem engineers, shaping the environment by creating cavities in trees where they can raise their young. This ability makes them keystone species, as their holes often go on to become homes for many other animals. Woodpeckers are also umbrella species, as their conservation invariably confers protection on a plethora of other birds, along with mammals and countless invertebrates. They are indicator species, too, for their presence is indicative of the biodiversity and condition of the woodland habitats they frequent. If you walk in a forest and there are no woodpeckers, this is in all likelihood a sign of ecological degradation.

     Each species is covered in detail, with information on taxonomy, appearance, moult, calls, drumming, distribution, conservation status, habitats, movements, breeding, diet and relationships with other wildlife and with humans. The text is richly illustrated with stunning photographs as well as sound spectrograms. The author is an acknowledged authority on woodpeckers who supplements his vast field experience with an in-depth review of the literature. 

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for those with an interest in European woodpeckers.

 

 

 

2) Iselin, Josie. The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Forest. 2026. Heyday. Hardbound: 119 pages. Price: $26.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:  Offshore and out of sight to most beachgoers on the North Pacific coast is a wondrous habitat: the bull kelp forest. Each year, tiny bull kelp saplings explode into sixty-foot "redwoods," until winter storms tear them loose and fling great tangles of wrack on the shore. While they flourish, these underwater forests harbor abalone, salmon, and rockfish, and they entreat cormorants and murrelets to hunt among their thrumming canopies. Meanwhile, sea otters and sunflower sea stars gorge on spiny urchins who, if left to run rampant, will devour a kelp bed down to barren wasteland. In The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Forest, Josie Iselin profiles thirteen species—with stylish illustrations from Ellen Litwiller—to be our ambassadors to this undersung world. She explores how their interspecies dramas play out in eight coastal regions, from Central California to Alaska, exploring instances of interdependent, compromised, and resilient coastal ecosystems. An array of sea creatures feature in these pages, as well as shorebirds that connect land and sea. Land-dwelling humans are also deeply implicated in this saga—by turns beneficiaries, agents of harm, and stewards of these subtidal sanctuaries.

RECOMMENDATION: The artwork by Ellen Litwiller highlights this book. Anyone with an interest in the marine biology of the West Coast will want to read this book. 

 

New Titles

 

1) Cleere, Nigel. Nightjars of the World. 2026. Helm. Hardbound: 512 pages. Price: $95.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Usually appearing in the fading light of dusk and vanishing again before sunrise, nightjars are a charismatic group of predominantly nocturnal birds. While some species have developed spectacular tails and wing adornments, the majority are fairly uniform in appearance; subtle browns, oranges and greys make them masters of camouflage among the leaf-litter where they generally nest and roost in the daytime, with these colour schemes providing birders with a stern identification challenge in the field.

     The culmination of more than 50 years of study by the world's leading expert on these birds, Nigel Cleere, Nightjars of the World features detailed text covering their taxonomy, physiology, plumage and moult, foraging, migration and breeding biology. The species accounts are accompanied by accurate distribution maps, and a comprehensive photographic selection encompasses as much subspecific, sexual and age-related variation as possible. A series of illustrated plates by Dave Nurney depicts every species in exceptional detail.

     Meticulously researched, this book represents the ultimate resource on nightjars and their relationships, appearance, identification and biology, bringing these beautiful night-birds out of the dark and into the spotlight.

RECOMMENDATION: This book updates Cleere's 1998 Nightjars title by focusing just on the Caprimulgidae (nightjars and their close relatives). This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with a serious interest in the nightjars!

 

2) Brooks, Steve and Steve Cham. Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland: Sixth edition. 2026. Bloomsbury Wildlife. Paperback: 224 pages. Price: $38.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Adult dragonflies are among the largest and most spectacular insects alive today, and their beautiful colours, phenomenal aerobatic skills and preference for flying in warm, sunny weather make them easy to observe.

     Now in its sixth edition, this trusted, practical guide enables you to identify all 58 species across the British Isles, featuring fascinating descriptive accounts and helpful insect-watching tips. It brings together more than 300 exquisitely detailed illustrations by renowned wildlife artist Richard Lewington alongside 168 stunning photographs to showcase the essential identification characteristics. Regional guides, flight-period charts and distribution maps help you to determine when and where to see each species, and an identification key to the larvae of all the resident and migratory dragonfly and damselfly species is also provided.

     Whether you are just beginning to explore the world of dragonflies and damselflies or are a long-time enthusiast, this an indispensable companion for discovering and identifying these remarkable insects.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone interested in the Odonata of Great Britain and Ireland!

 

3) Browne, Janet. Darwin: A Biography. 2026. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 608 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Janet Browne’s award-winning, two-volume biography of Charles Darwin has been described by many reviewers as the definitive biography of the father of evolution. Now, Browne has skillfully distilled and fully revised the work into a concise yet comprehensive one-volume biography that offers significant new interpretations of Darwin and the scientific and political legacy of his discoveries.

     Few men shook the Victorian world like Darwin did, and his story is in many ways that of the nineteenth century. His theory of evolution was born in the age of empire and had its greatest effect in the age of capitalism. It was to change the course of science, culture, and history, and deeply influence literature, art, philosophy, religion, politics, and economics. This magisterial biography follows Darwin from his early life and adventures on HMS Beagle to the tumult of becoming one of the first scientific celebrities with the publication of the Origin of Species. Through personal letters and archives, Browne describes the processes that brought the idea of evolution by natural selection into British society and beyond, especially Darwin’s relationship with Alfred Russel Wallace, who simultaneously proposed the same theory, and with the many people who helped and supported Darwin, including his wife Emma Wedgwood. Combining the best elements of social and intellectual biography, Browne places Darwin in cultural context and integrates his ideas with his private life.

     Vivid, revealing, and compellingly readable, Darwin is the indispensable biography of a gentleman naturalist who would become one of the most important, influential, and controversial scientists of all time.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in Charles Darwin!

 

4) Jepsen, David J.. Unbelonging. 2026. Historium Press. Paperback: 270 pages. Price: $18.99 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Seattle, 1945. The war is ending-but for many, the hardest battles are just beginning.

     In a city transformed by global conflict, four families struggle to find their place amid rising tensions, buried prejudice, and shifting identities. Victory overseas has brought hope, but at home, fear, suspicion, and inequality continue to shape everyday life.

     A female defense worker, newly awakened to injustice, risks everything as she steps into the dangerous world of labor activism-threatening not only her future, but the safety of those she loves. A decorated Black war hero returns home expecting honor and opportunity, only to face a different kind of battlefield, where racism and exclusion deny him the freedoms he fought to defend. A Japanese American, released from internment, discovers that the end of war does not mean the end of hatred, and that rebuilding a life in a community that no longer trusts him may be the greatest challenge of all. A hopeful British war bride arrives chasing the promise of a new beginning, only to learn that the American dream is complicated, fragile, and not equally shared.

     As labor strikes ripple through the city, racial tensions simmer, and the first shadows of Cold War hysteria begin to take hold, Seattle reveals itself as a place both beautiful and deeply divided. Old prejudices harden even as new voices rise, demanding change.

     This powerful, emotionally charged novel strips away the myth of an open and enlightened city, exposing the human cost of exclusion and the quiet courage of those who refuse to accept it.

     A sweeping story of resilience, identity, and the search for belonging-welcome to the City on the Sound, where no one is quite sure where they belong.

RECOMMENDATION: Seattle area historical fiction readers will want this book!

 

New Titles

 

1) Brusatte, Steve. The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present. 2026. Mariner Books. Hardbound: 437 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Tens of billions of birds share the planet with us, an astonishingly diverse array of species that are present nearly everywhere humans call home—and many places we do not. With their flamboyant plumage, joyous dawn serenades, extraordinary aerial feats, they have captivated human imagination for millennia. Undeniably delicate creatures with hollow bones and thin skin protected by downy feathers, how did such a seemingly fragile species break the bounds of Earth and begin to fly, how have they survived millennia, and how does their legacy shape our world?

     Hailed as “one of the stars of modern paleontology” (National Geographic), Steve Brusatte now tells the extraordinary story of the dinosaurs' living legacy: birds. He begins by exploring how dinosaurs gradually developed the trademark features of birds one-by-one—feathers, wings, beaks, big brains, keen senses, and warm-blooded metabolisms. He investigates why birds were the only dinosaurs to survive the cataclysmic asteroid impact 66 million years ago and chronicles how these survivors rapidly proliferated to produce the diversity of avian species we know today.

     Along the way, we meet a variety of remarkable – now extinct – species:

• 10-foot-tall terror birds with beaks that sliced flesh
• Elephant birds that lived on Madagascar and laid eggs the size of footballs
• Pelagornithid seabirds with 20-foot wingspans
• A ferocious Jamaican ibis that used its wings as clubs to attack rivals

     Yet, Brusatte also urges us to appreciate the extraordinariness of birds alive today – penguins that literally fly underwater, parrots that can mimic human speech and crows that can make tools and are smarter than most mammals.

     A fascinating scientific history that unearths the origins of birds, The Story of Birds establishes the living legacy of these remarkable species. 

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in bird evolution!

 

 

 

2) Darwin, Charles with annotations by James T. Costa and Elizabeth E. Yale. The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition of Darwin’s Classic Work. 2026. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 767 pages. Price: $54.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: When Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man was published in 1871, the book was an immediate sensation. It presents Darwin's account of how we evolved from primates and expounds his theory of sexual selection, which he believed accounted for human origins and diversity. James Costa and Elizabeth Yale bring Darwin's Descent to new life in this authoritative annotated edition, shedding light on the cultural context in which the legendary naturalist developed his ideas and exploring how subsequent generations of scientists, scholars, and social reformers adapted them.

     Informative and in-depth commentaries accompany the text of The Descent of Man, enabling readers to engage with Darwin's ideas and contextualize them in light of our current understanding of human evolution and sexual selection. Costa and Yale show how Darwin's antislavery commitments and his beliefs in European superiority shaped his account of the evolution of human difference, and examine how Victorian beliefs about gender informed the development of his theory of sexual selection. They explain where Darwin's arguments about the origins of human differences line up with modern science—and where they don't.

     Spanning the boundaries of history and science, this fully annotated edition illuminates the rich cultural and scientific contexts underpinning Darwin's ideas and introduces his landmark book to a new generation of readers.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in Darwin's writings!