Unlikely Friendships

In her inspiring New York Times bestseller Unlikely Friendships, Jennifer Holland introduced us to the heartwarming relationships that exist between animals of different species. Her stories struck a chord with thousands of readers, including Temple Grandin, who described the book as "amazing." Now Holland explores animal attachments that, in human terms, can only be called love. Packed with beautiful, breathtaking full-color photographs, Unlikely Loves is a celebration of love between species. Here are stories of parental love, like the Dalmatian who mothers a newborn lamb-a lamb that just happens to be white with black spots! Stories of playful love, including the fox and the hound who become inseparable. And stories of orphaned animals who have found family-like ties in unexpected combinations, like the elephant who's bonded with sea lions, goats, and other animals in her walks around the Oregon Zoo. Ms. Holland has interviewed scientists, zoologists, and animal caretakers from around the world, tracking down firsthand sources and eyewitnesses. The stories are written with journalistic integrity and detail-and always filled with the author's deep affection for her subjects. Jennifer S. Holland is a contributing writer for National Geographic. She has also written for, among others, The Discovery Channel, NPR, and The New York Times, specializing in science and natural history.

A new book from the New York Times bestselling series. Enhanced with beautiful full-color photographs, these true stories of camaraderie, affection, and remarkable bravery are from the author of the New York Times bestsellers Unlikely Friendships, Unlikely Loves, and Unlikely Heroes, as well as other books and calendars, with nearly two million copies in print. Meet Rex, a German shepherd who learned to love and trust again through the improbable friendship of a goose. The pit bull named Dolly, whose antics with her best friend, Sheldon the tortoise, include games of tag. For the millions of dog lovers, this heartwarming and inspirational book celebrates 37 stories of unusual canine companionship.   Twenty-eight new stories of canine companionship and courage, plus nine classic dog stories from the New York Times bestselling Unlikely Friendships series. From the pit bull who plays with a tortoise to the mastiff who rescued 17 horses, these inspiring true stories are enhanced with full-color photographs and will warm the heart of any dog lover. Jennifer S. Holland is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Unlikely Friendships, Unlikely Loves, and Unlikely Heroes. She has written for, among others, National Geographic, The Discovery Channel, NPR, and The Washington Post, specializing in science and natural history. She lives with her husband, three dogs, and dozens of snakes and geckos, and divides her time between Silver Spring, Maryland, and a cabin in the woods near Charlottesville, Virginia. "This sweet, beautifully photographed title… will elicit broad smiles from dog lovers and photography fans." -Library Journal "The awh- and awe-inspiring stories and photographs in Unlikely Friendships: Dogs feature my favorite combinations: canines with all critters furred, feathered, and scaled, dogs with people, and, of course-dogs with dogs. I was amused, moved-and at times astonished. I shouldn't have been: Dogs rule and these unlikely friendships delight." -Cat Warren, author of the New York Times bestseller What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World "This wonderful book shows the enormous capacity of dogs for love and friendship. The stories here are fabulous, uplifting, and a joy to read, letting us know how much we still have to learn about the dogs we live with." -Con Slobodchikoff, Ph.D., author of Chasing Doctor Dolittle: Learning the Language of Animals "Dogs win our hearts because they are all heart, and Holland's new book is packed with stories of canine big-heartedness. Her well-told tales-from a rescued Chihuahua who pals around with a chicken to a Bernese mountain dog who's a lifeguard-will remind you of all we love about dogs and why we cannot live without them. Certain to be a big hit with dog lovers everywhere." -Virginia Morell, author of the New York Times bestseller Animal Wise: How We Know Animals Think and Feel

It is exactly like Isaiah 11:6: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid . . . " Written by National Geographic magazine writer Jennifer Holland, Unlikely Friendships documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways. A cat and a bird. A mare and a fawn. An elephant and a sheep. A snake and a hamster. The well-documented stories of Koko the gorilla and All Ball the kitten; and the hippo Owen and the tortoise Mzee. And almost inexplicable stories of predators befriending prey-an Indian leopard slips into a village every night to sleep with a calf. A lionness mothers a baby oryx. Ms. Holland narrates the details and arc of each story, and also offers insights into why-how the young leopard, probably motherless, sought maternal comfort with the calf, and how a baby oryx inspired the same mothering instinct in the lionness. Or, in the story of Kizzy, a nervous retired Greyhound, and Murphy, a red tabby, how cats and dogs actually understand each other's body language. With Murphy's friendship and support, Kizzy recovered from life as a racing dog and became a confident, loyal family pet. These are the most amazing friendships between species, collected from around the world and documented in a selection of full-color candid photographs. The most amazing friendships between species, collected from around the world, documented with full-color photographs, and narrated by New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Holland. The cat and the bird. The elephant and the sheep. The snake and the hamster. In all, 47 heartwarming and inspiring true tales of animal bonds. Jennifer S. Holland is a contributing writer for National Geographic. She has also written for, among others, The Discovery Channel, NPR, and The New York Times, specializing in science and natural history.   "Jennifer S. Holland's irresistible volume features heartwarming stories of interspecies love and adorable photographs that are heart-stopping in more than one sense." - New York Times Book Review   "The feel-good book of the summer-maybe the year-may very well be Unlikely Friendships." - USA Today   "Jennifer Holland documents one heartwarming tale after another of animals who, with nothing else in common, bond in the most unexpected ways." - Reader's Digest   "With aww-inducing photographs, the book highlights the most improbable animal connections." - National Geographic

In her heartwarming New York Times bestsellers Unlikely Friendships and last year's Unlikely Loves, Jennifer Holland revealed the surprising emotional bonds that exist between animals of different species. Her books spent dozens of weeks on bestseller lists and caught the attention of major media from CBS This Morning to USA Today. Why? Because she opened our eyes to the rich inner lives of animals, showing us that the power of love and friendship is not for humans only. In Unlikely Heroes, Ms. Holland uncovers and celebrates yet another side of animals that we often think belongs primarily to people-heroism, that indefinable quality of going above and beyond, often for altruistic reasons, often at great personal risk. These 37 inspiring true tales show animals whose quick acts have saved lives, like the pod of dolphins who protected swimmers in New Zealand from a great white shark by forming a screen around them. There are stories of animals who simply and unselfishly give, like Rojo the llama, who shines his very special light of lovingkindness on the elderly patients in an Oregon rehab center. And there are compelling stories of heroic resilience: like Naki'o, the abandoned puppy who lost all four paws to frostbite but found the grit not only to overcome that terrible hardship but to reclaim the joy of life-that's him, smiling on the cover of the book. Jennifer S. Holland is a contributing writer for National Geographic. She has also written for, among others, The Discovery Channel, NPR, and The New York Times, specializing in science and natural history.