The band blares “Rocky Top” and the crowd roars as the University of Tennessee football team storms out of the tunnel and onto the field through the giant “T,” their beloved mascot Smokey leading the way. The iconic Bluetick Coonhound has been part of the pageantry and tradition at the University of Tennessee since 1953, delighting fans both young and old. For this entertaining and enlightening book, UT sports historian Thomas J. Mattingly has teamed up with longtime Smokey owner Earl C. Hudson to tell the stories of the nine hounds that have been top dog on campus for more than half a century. It was the Rev. Bill Brooks, Hudson’s brother-in-law, whose prize-winning dog “Brooks’ Blue Smokey,” became the first mascot by winning a student body-led contest at a home football game in 1953. The Coonhound breed was selected because it was native to the state, and several (no one remembers exactly how many) were brought onto the field at halftime to compete. But Smokey stole the show when he threw back his head and howled. The crowd cheered, and Smokey howled again. The raucous applause and barking built to a frenzy. The enthusiastic hound won the hearts of the Volunteer faithful that day, and he and the dogs that followed have remained among the University of Tennessee’s most popular symbols ever since. The authors have interviewed Smokey’s former handlers, university archivists, sports journalists, and local historians as well as legions of longtime fans. Their recollections provide not only the background of the mascot but a history of UT athletics as well. Vol fans will enjoy reading about Smokey’s adventures throughout the years, from his kidnapping in 1955 by mischievous Kentucky students to his confrontation with the Baylor Bear at the 1957 Sugar Bowl to the time he suffered heat exhaustion at the 1991 UCLA game and was listed on the Vols’ injury report until his return later in the season. Filled with photographs and memorabilia, including vintage game programs, football schedules, letters, cartoons, and more, this book brings to life the magic of UT football and the endearing canines that have become such an indispensable part of the experience. THOMAS J. MATTINGLY is the author of Tennessee Football: The Peyton Manning Years, The University of Tennessee Football Vault: The Story of the Tennessee Volunteers, 1891-2006, The University of Tennessee All-Access Football Vault and The University of Tennessee Trivia Book. He writes about Vol history on his Knoxville News Sentinel blog, “The Vol Historian.” EARL C. HUDSON’s family have cared for the Smokeys since 1994.

For the youngest fans of Louisiana State University sports, Mike the Tiger is the main attraction. Boys and girls visiting campus beg to stop by Mike’s brand-new home situated near Tiger Stadium, Alex Box Stadium, and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, hoping to hear the big cat roar and have their photo taken with him. Mike’s veterinarian, David G. Baker, and reading specialist Margaret Taylor Stewart have combined their expertise in this fun, informative guidebook for the most devoted followers of the beloved Bengal mascot. With its question-and-answer format, this delightful book tells about Mike from whiskers to tail. Baker and Stewart offer lively responses to questions such as: Why does LSU have both a live tiger and a costumed mascot? What weighs as much as Mike the Tiger? Does Mike go to the dentist? What does Mike eat? They explore Mike’s daily routine, playtime, health care, travel arrangements, and likes and dislikes. Readers can delve into the history of LSU’s tiger tradition, meeting “up close” each of the five Mikes who have reigned since 1936. In “More about Tigers,” they can learn about Mike’s place in the larger cat family, the various subspecies of tigers, their habitats around the world, and the tiger’s distinct physical traits. Ten hands-on activities—including making a tiger face mask and cooking a delicious fudge-and-pecan treat shaped like Mike’s paw print—will engage kids’ creativity and skills. A special “Notes to Parents and Teachers” section offers suggestions for integrating the book into classroom studies. Lavishly illustrated with more than one hundred photographs capturing the many moods and adventures of Mike, Tales of Mike the Tiger will satisfy even the most inquisitive child on the subject of this favorite feline.

Tall tales and historical stories of Florida's alligators

LSU football, a program steeped in tradition, where the fan really does come from the word “fanatic,” has a rich history, including 11 SEC championships and three national championships, the most recent of which came in 2003 and 2007. Award-winning sportswriter and Baton Rouge television personality Lee Feinswog captures the Louisiana flavor of why they say, “There’s nothing like Saturday night in Tiger Stadium,” with a book filled with stories and anecdotes about football on the Bayou. Feinswog includes tales of legendary coaches Cholly Mac (Charles McClendon), Paul Dietzel, and Nick Saban. Catch up with on-campus mascot Mike the Tiger, a real live Bengal tiger, and relive Gerry DiNardo’s best moments as head coach through these pages. Tales from the LSU Tigers Sidelines offers a unique look at the game they play in one of the largest on-campus stadiums in the country. From the spiciest tailgating to the loudest fans, LSU football is a culture unto itself, and this book is the perfect addition to any LSU fan’s bookshelf.

Tony the Tiger. The Pillsbury Doughboy. The Michelin Man. The Playboy bunny. The list of brand mascots, spokes-characters, totems and logos goes on and on and on. Mascots are one of the most widespread modes of marketing communication and one of the longest established. Yet, despite their ubiquity and utility, brand mascots seem to be held in comparatively low esteem by the corporate cognoscenti. This collection, the first of its kind, raises brand mascots’ standing, both in an academic sense and from a managerial perspective. Featuring case studies and empirical analyses from around the world – here Hello Kitty, there Aleksandr Orlov, beyond that Angry Birds – the book presents the latest thinking on beast-based brands, broadly defined. Entirely qualitative in content, it represents a readable, reliable resource for marketing academics, marketing managers, marketing students and the consumer research community. It should also prove of interest to scholars in adjacent fields, such as cultural studies, media studies, organisation studies, anthropology, sociology, ethology and zoology.

Pandora's Space Tales is a space opera seen through the eyes of a cat. After she is adopted, Pandora becomes part of a crew that ships cargo all over the galaxy along with meeting extraterrestrials, other earth animals, and learning the different cultures of other species. With each adventure, she realizes that she is more than just a ship's mascot, but an actual member of the crew. As Pandora unfolds the ball of yarn that is her tale, what would you do if a creature questioned its existence to you?