Lily Pond: Four Years with a Family of Beavers

by Hope Ryden

Award-winning nature writer Hope Ryden brings readers not only a scientific look at animal behaviors but also a warm and engaging story of the adventures and family life of the beaver.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Nature, Natural History, Science Nature

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

About the author

Author-Naturalist Hope Ryden has spent years in the field, studying and photographing North American wildlife. Her behavioral findings have been published in National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Audubon magazine, and her books have been translated into German, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and Russian. To date she has twenty-three books to her credit, all of which are illustrated with her own photography. Her most recent titles can be ordered through Barnes and Noble.com or Amazon.com. Some of her earlier books can be ordered directly from her or from iUniverse.com. Hope is available for school programs, and she also lectures for adult audiences. Her wildlife photographs are handled by the National Geographic's Image Collection or can be ordered directly from her.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that my daughter had on her Goodreads want list last year. After purchasing for her and her high recommendation, I purchased a used copy for myself. I was not disappointed. A fabulous cast of characters that I truly fell in love with. Full of insight and education that will change your view of this amazing species of wildlife, this is a must read! I really loved the scene when the Inspector General discovered the dam branches that the author had gathered for him after the dam incident and needed repair.
" I hesitate to say this, but that animal sounds like he's rejoicing, " John whispered. I could hardly suppress my glee. "Maybe 'marveling' would be a better word to describe what we're hearing." ... he swirled about through the raft of branches like an excited dog who has discovered a "delicious" smell to roll in, and he never stopped "talking"about his find... Then I gave in to a desire I usually try to suppress and spoke to the wild animal. Immediately the beaver faced me, and seeming to take in my words, responded with a few "uh-uh-uhs" of his own. And so we carried on a dialogue lasting perhaps a full minute, he in his tongue and I in mine. Afterwards I believe we both felt better for having made that attempt to communicate across the species barrier. 💕

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book more than once while I was pregnant with my second child. I lived in the city, cared for six children under the age of three all day, and working evenings wrangling Sociology 101 into the heads of college football players. The opposite of tranquil life in a woodland pond. Just about the only downtime I got was in the bathtub, and so all the fond memories of that pregnancy involve me reading Lily Pond late at night in the tub.

Ryden tells the story of four years in the life of a single beaver family. She is a natural storyteller, and while she may lose points with naturalists for her involvement when she believes the beavers to be in danger, readers won't fault her for taking action to help the beaver family, because readers have been drawn into caring about the beavers just as much.

I own it in hardcover and it's in the "never part with" category. Recommended for anyone fond of nature writing, wildlife, or giant rodents.

[Sarah Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to learn about Beavers and this was the book I was directed to make a start. I was expecting it to be dry and too scientific, but it was just the opposite. Ok so the author becomes emotionally involved with her subjects, but that's part of the charm of this book. I was thoroughly engaged and felt I learned a lot. Loved the story of the Lily Pond and its Beavers and Hope Ryden's charming writing style.

[Art]

read about author in NYTimeså

[Coco · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'5✨

Es un libro que trata de ser expositivo e informativo (y en verdad explica y da muchos datos sobre los castores) pero se mezcla con la subjetividad de la autora y de seguir a la misma familia de castores durante cuatro años. Debido a ello, vives su historia, sus inviernos fríos, sus crías, coges cariño a las particulares de cada miembro y sufres con ellos. Me esperaba algo más de tecnicismos o de contraste bibliográfico (que hay) pero hay más "narración" de los acontecimientos desde un punto de vista más cercano.

Me ha gustado aprender sobre esta especie (en concreto la americana, no la europea) e involucrarme emocionalmente con la familia del Estanque de Lily.

[Rio Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the last two months I’ve become acquainted with a beaver pair inhabiting a pond near my brother’s home, where I am quarantining. A friend lent me this book and I have so thoroughly enjoyed it. I wish I knew my beavers as intimately as Ryden knows hers! It’s been an excellent field guide to recognize my pair’s behavior as they operate an enormous beaverworks and emerge from their winter confinement.

I loved following the life of Lily Pond and appreciate these unique animals so much more now. Ryden’s writing is entertaining and easy to understand- it is an excellent book for non-biologists, and it’s abundantly clear that Ryden herself is no scientist.

Also, she should stop feeding wild animals! She most certainly does not learn her lesson.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Library Journal review saddled this book with a “not recommended” review, because the author writes unscientifically (making assumptions) and because she sometimes interferes with as well as observes the natural world. I disagree. I was surprised to find myself totally engaged in the life of this beaver family, since I had had no real interest in beavers before. I think it is one of the best pieces of natural history writing I have ever read.

[Antonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope Ryden's writing style is so engaging -- she perseveres through bad weather and cold water to study, observe and protect her family of beavers at Lilly Pond. I felt I was right with her, observing these wonderful animals. I want to read her other books, especially "God's Dog", about the much maligned coyote.

[Leslie Patten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Ryden. Ryden really gets to know beavers by observing close-up a beaver family over four years. I learned more about beavers by reading her prose than by studying scientific books on beavers. Ryden makes her beaver experience into a story and stories we all remember well.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily Pond was one of my first reads outside of the ethology classroom and I was fascinated by it. Great observations, excellent storytelling and a true example of Nature being nature, not something Disney came up with. "Charlie the Lonesome Cougar" this is not.

[Cws]

5993Ryd

[Carol Barnier · Rating 5 out of 5]

My lifelong fascination with beavers began with this book. I had no idea what amazing little architects these guys were.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it was written well and it was a great book! I did cry when she died, that part was sad.

[Gilda Felt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you fall in love with a beaver family? Most definitely, yes. The author did, and so did I. Ryden has a lively writing style, so it would be hard not to be drawn into the lives of these amazing animals.

The beavers all come to life in this engaging and heartwarming book. There’s the Inspector General, the largest of the beavers, and father to all the kits that follow. And Lily, sweet Lily, mother to the five sets of kits born during Ryden’s four years studying the beavers on Lily Pond.

It turns out that there’s so much more to beavers than just automatons who build dams. They’re master builders, who learn to build, and, more amazingly, to repair under all different situations, whether it’s repairing a dam or expanding their lodge. And depending on their situation, to eat a wide variety of plants.

But being about animals, there’s also the tragedy of death. It came at the end, the passing affecting all the other beavers, changing Lily Pond forever. It affected me, too. And stays with me still.

[Tamsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly never spent much thought on beavers before, but I was engrossed by Ryden's observational accounts, the research and studies she shares, and the scientific and historical information provided on all things beaver. I especially enjoyed reading and learning about the beaver's place in Native American life and folklore. Disaster strikes our beavers at Lily Pond several times, most of it at the hand of man... again, I find myself ashamed to be a part of such a greedy, awful species. I wouldn't mind coming back in my next life as a beaver.

[El podcast de Zuzú · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atrapante, interesante, me ha encogido el corazón, haciéndolo luego más grande. Mi nuevo animal salvaje favorito es el castor, que es como el hombre, pero mejor.
Un aplauso para Hope por su paciencia e insistencia, por estar durante cuatro años muy cerquita de estas fascinantes criaturas, para poder escribir sobre ellas.
(como que me quedó con rima este review)

[Lizzy OLoughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one surprised me! Hope did a tremendous job of immersing you into the life of the beaver family. Following them along for 4 years was a joyful experience! I have new admiration for the species. Highly recommend, especially to nature lovers!

[Joan54 · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Beaverland I wanted to read more about beavers and I picked this one up on MEL. This story about beavers on Lily Pond was very interesting.