"The Tail of the Raccoon: Secrets of Addiction" is a scientific short story set in the Eastern Woodlands of North America. The story follows the adventures of a raccoon, called Sign Tracker, and other inhabitants of the Great Forest. What is unique about the story is that the adventures of the raccoon are based on scientific studies of the hidden and overlooked causes of drug addiction. As noted in the Educational and Scientific Commentaries that are included with the story, sign-tracking is a well-established scientific phenomenon which speaks to the remarkable power of reward cues to control and direct behavior. This story is designed to appeal to all ages. Children are charmed by the antics of the raccoon, while, at the same time, they learn that actions can become disconnected from intention. For college students and adults, reading the story is nostalgic of a more innocent time, and yet, the storyline clearly delivers a message about the underlying causes of drug addiction.

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.

As a baby, Pumpkin the Raccoon was abandoned by her parents after falling out of a tree and breaking her leg. Taken in by a family with two rescue dogs, Toffee and Oreo, Pumpkin gained a new set of "parents" and a life of luxury in the Bahamas. Pumpkin: The Raccoon Who Thought She Was a Dog is a sweet, unique look at an adorable household pet, captured in gorgeous, never-before-seen photographs in luxurious settings. Pumpkin’s message is that friendship and love can be found in the most unlikely of companions. With a lot of personality, and a little bit of mischief, Pumpkin will capture hearts all around the world.

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.

Check out the rascally raccoon! As part of the Backyard Animals series, this book introduces the unique features of this wild animal. The text covers this mammal's habitat, life cycle, physical characteristics, diet, and defenses. Also included are a range map and a body diagram. In the sky or on the ground, backyard animals are all around! Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.