Over the past thirty years, as Wesley J. Smith details in his latest book, the concept of animal rights has been seeping into the very bone marrow of Western culture. One reason for this development is that the term “animal rights” is so often used very loosely, to mean simply being nicer to animals. But although animal rights groups do sometimes focus their activism on promoting animal welfare, the larger movement they represent is actually advancing a radical belief system. For some activists, the animal rights ideology amounts to a quasi religion, one whose central doctrine declares a moral equivalency between the value of animal lives and the value of human lives. Animal rights ideologues embrace their beliefs with a fervor that is remarkably intense and sustained, to the point that many dedicate their entire lives to “speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves.” Some believe their cause to be so righteous that it entitles them to cross the line from legitimate advocacy to vandalism and harassment, or even terrorism against medical researchers, the fur and food industries, and others they accuse of abusing animals. All people who love animals and recognize their intrinsic worth can agree with Wesley J. Smith that human beings owe animals respect, kindness, and humane care. But Smith argues eloquently that our obligation to humanity matters more, and that granting “rights” to animals would inevitably diminish human dignity. In making this case with reason and passion, A Rat Is a Pig Is a Dog Is a Boy strikes a major blow against a radically antihuman dogma.

"An important and groundbreaking contribution to the struggle for the welfare of animals." --Yuval Harari, New York Times best-selling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind The book offers an absorbing look at why and how humans can so wholeheartedly devote ourselves to certain animals and then allow others to suffer needlessly, especially those slaughtered for our consumption. Social psychologist Melanie Joy explores the many ways we numb ourselves and disconnect from our natural empathy for farmed animals. She coins the term "carnism" to describe the belief system that has conditioned us to eat certain animals and not others. In Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, Joy investigates factory farming, exposing how cruelly the animals are treated, the hazards that meatpacking workers face, and the environmental impact of raising 10 billion animals for food each year. Controversial and challenging, this book will change the way you think about food forever. "An absorbing examination of why humans feel affection and compassion for certain animals but are callous to the suffering of others." --Publishers Weekly "I think Gandhi would have loved Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows. For this is a book that can change the way you think and change the way you live. It will lead you from denial to awareness, from passivity to action, and from resignation to hope." --John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution

From the beloved #1 New York Times best-selling author of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Max is a determined puppy with a lot to learn on his adventure of becoming a life-changing friend and helper. Dogs are trained to do lots of things, like open doors, turn on lights and even help take off someone’s shoes. Max’s puppy raiser, Sam, takes him everywhere; on the bus, to puppy kindergarten, and even to restaurants. But it’s tough staying underneath the table when the french fries smell so good! Discover the fun and important ways Max earns his special yellow vest as he gets ready to help someone in need of a true hero. "A good message excellently illustrated." (Picture book. 4-8) - Kirkus Reviews

Don’t miss one of America’s top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS’s The Great American Read. This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." Illustrations in this ebook appear in vibrant full color on a full-color device and in rich black-and-white on all other devices. Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter. E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. It contains illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books. Whether enjoyed in the classroom or for homeschooling or independent reading, Charlotte's Web is a proven favorite.

Mink are famous worldwide for their luxurious coat of fur, and yet most people know very little about them beyond their use as clothing. Even trappers, naturalists, and fur farmers, those who should know mink best, typically know only one side of the mink... their bad side. Those who do "know mink" will tell you how extremely aggressive and blood thirsty the mink is, and truth be told, they aren't that far off. But there is a different side to mink that very few have seen. This book not only tells how the art of Minkenry began, but more importantly, it is a step by step guide to those wanting to train a hunting mink. In this book I share how to tame, train, and properly care for this very intense little predator, the North American mink. Though still in its infancy, the sport of minkenry has been spreading thanks to the information sharing power of the Internet. First started in the western state of Utah, there are now minkeners springing up across the United States, and even as far away as the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries! As there is a growing need for a "how to" manual on the art of minkenry, this book was written specifically to fill that need. Minkenry is a very challenging sport, and is definitely not for everyone! Though highly intelligent, and surprisingly affectionate, mink are also very high-strung and stubborn creatures. They typically use their intelligence to work against you, far more than they do to work with you. Though not an adventure for the faint of heart; falconers, hunters, trappers, and other sportsmen worldwide, are being drawn to the art of minkenry with a pioneer's spirit. They have the desire to become part of something that has never been done before! If you yearn to experience the challenge of hunting with an aggressive, high strung, truly wild animal; then join us and become one of the pioneers in the new sport of minkenry!

" Scare headlines about the first human clones appear in our newspapers. Biotech companies brag about manufacturing human embryos as "products" for use in medical treatments. Events are moving so fast—and biotechnology seems so complicated—that many of us worry we can’t keep up. But now, Wesley J. Smith provides us with a guide to the brave new world that is no longer a figment of our imagination, but a reality just around the corner of our lives. Smith unravels the mystery of stem cells and shows what’s at stake in the controversy over using them for research. He describes the emerging science of human cloning—the most radical technology in history—and shows how it moves forward inexorably against the moral consensus of the world. But at the core of this highly readable and carefully researched book is a report on the gargantuan "Big Biotech" industry and its supporters in the universities and the science and bioethics establishments. Smith reveals how the lure of huge riches, mixed with the ideology of "scientism," threatens to impose on society a "new eugenics" that would dismantle ethical norms and call into question the uniqueness and importance of all human life. "At stake," he warns, "is whether science will continue to serve society, or instead dominate it." In Consumer’s Guide to a Brave New World, Smith presents a clear-eyed vision of two potential futures. In one, we will use biotechnology as a powerful tool to treat disease and improve the quality of our lives. But in another, darker scenario, we will be steered onto the antihuman path that Aldous Huxley and other prophetic writers warned against half a century ago. "

"After escaping from a truck, Sprig the pig's exploration of the world leads him to Rory and her mom and then, to a home of his dreams" --