The word raccoon is drawn from the Native American Algonquian language. Their term arakun roughly translates to “he who scratches with his hands.” Anyone who has found a raccoon rummaging around in a once securely closed trash container can attest to how skillful raccoons are with their front paws. In fact, they have four times as many sensory receptors in their forepaw skin as they do in their hindpaws, a ratio similar to that of human hands and feet. Samuel Zeveloff explores this trait and much more in his accessible natural history of raccoons. Written with the general reader in mind, Raccoons presents detailed information on raccoon evolution, physical characteristics, social behavior, habitats, food habits, reproduction, and conservation, as well as their relationship with humans and many other topics. The section on distribution and subspecies focuses on the raccoon’s current range expansion, and the material on their cultural significance demonstrates this mammal’s unique status in different North American cultures.

Photographs and text introduce the physical characteristics and habits of the raccoon.

Masked bandits of the night, raiders of farm crops and rubbish bins, raccoons are notorious for their indifference to human property and propriety. Yet they are also admired for their intelligence, dexterity, and determination. Raccoons have thoroughly adapted to human-dominated environments—they are thriving in numbers greater than at any point of their evolutionary history, including in new habitats. Raccoon surveys the natural and cultural history of this opportunistic omnivore, tracing its biological evolution, social significance, and image in a range of media and political contexts. From intergalactic misanthropes and despoilers of ancient temples to coveted hunting quarry, unpredictable pet, and symbols of wilderness and racist stereotype alike, Raccoon offers a lively consideration of this misunderstood outlaw species.

Simple text and photographs introduce the physical characteristics, behavior, and habitat of the raccoon.

"Developed by literacy experts for students in kindergarten through grade three, this book introduces baby raccoons to young readers through leveled text and related photos"--

In The Totally Ninja Raccoons meet Bigfoot, our protagonists discover they are not meant to be ordinary bandits, but rather carry the potential to be something extraordinary, ninjas. In this origin story, the Ninja Raccoons begin their ninja training, and meet their first potential employer--Gypsy the Cat. Gypsy sends the Raccoons on their first mission, to capture the elusive Bigfoot. Things aren't what they seem to be. Bigfoot isn't the monstrous beast, as he's been portrayed. Gypsy isn't the benign employer. Cats want to take over the world. The Totally Ninja Raccoons learn that sometimes you have to choose your own path if you want to choose your destination.