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Animal Allies: 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research
These 15 women work with animals on land, air, and sea.
Corina Newsome is saving seaside sparrows while Michelle LaRue uses satellites to study Antarctic birds. Lizzy Lowe takes on what many fear in researching spiders, and Erin Ashe lives out the dream of many studying dolphins and whales. Kristen Hecht chases the elusive hellbender amphibian while Enikö Kubinyi uses robots to get information on wolf pups.
These women are working on issues that intersect with biodiversity, species conservation, biology, and more. They stand out for their work in their fields and are also dedicated to science communication to share their knowledge with others. They challenge the assumptions of who a scientist is and what a scientist looks like.
These diverse, modern women are pushing the boundaries of their scientific fields while empowering others to pursue their dreams.
Corina Newsome is saving seaside sparrows while Michelle LaRue uses satellites to study Antarctic birds. Lizzy Lowe takes on what many fear in researching spiders, and Erin Ashe lives out the dream of many studying dolphins and whales. Kristen Hecht chases the elusive hellbender amphibian while Enikö Kubinyi uses robots to get information on wolf pups.
These women are working on issues that intersect with biodiversity, species conservation, biology, and more. They stand out for their work in their fields and are also dedicated to science communication to share their knowledge with others. They challenge the assumptions of who a scientist is and what a scientist looks like.
These diverse, modern women are pushing the boundaries of their scientific fields while empowering others to pursue their dreams.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2022
2 people are currently reading
2294 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan
19 books26 followersElizabeth Pagel-Hogan was a science educator on stage and a historical re-enactor at museums. Now she is an author and educator. She's the author of Animal Allies: 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research, The Science and Technology of Leonardo da Vinci and more. Look for her stories and crafts in the magazine Highlights for Children. Elizabeth lives with her family and pet schnoodle in Pittsburgh, PA. She loves board games, birding, and baking. She’s a lifelong runner, avid community scientist, and can usually deliver the punchline.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 17, 2022
This book fills a very important place, I think, in recognizing and encouraging the work of women in wildlife research. For young girls already interested in animals it will provide wonderful encouragement; for and young girl it will show that there are paths leading to their goals whatever they may be. For anybody interested in nature, this book is a window into the real work that is done to answer questions never before asked, and to ask the right questions for conserving the species before it is too late. I hope that the author comes out with volumes 2, 3, 4, ...!
October 3, 2022
Here's the deal with this book. It has well-written, easy to read narratives about women who do what they love, career-wise, despite all kinds of obstacles. In that sense, it's very informative and encouraging. BUT. There is a social agenda underpinning every story. Every woman who made it into this book had to say something about racism or gender bias in the workplace. Because of that, I initially gave this book 1 star, had no intention of finishing it or putting it in my school library. I already owned a copy, so it would have been wasted dollars to toss it. If I was going to waste money, I had to be sure, so I had to finish the book. After doing so, I upped my rating to 3 stars and will put it in my library.
I'm putting it in my library because these women are in careers that are off the beaten path, careers that most kids don't even know exist. They're pretty cool. But they don't pay well. The author is honest in pointing this out, but also explains that these women love what they do. She doesn't give the full story though. She says that many of these jobs are university or grant funded, but doesn't explain what that means. She doesn't say that these jobs get paid from tax dollars which a gazillion and one other organizations are fighting the government for. It's not the same as working for a company that is going to profit off your work and therefore will be able to pay you from that profit. It's all economics, but she makes it sound like people don't value their work.
There's a lot of good to the book. I love that she gives the whole backstory of these women. Their childhood fascination with bugs or birds, the exact educational path they took and the different jobs they had along the way. Some of the women were poor, but still made it happen. I also like that she addresses the social implications of rescuing wildlife. Sometimes poachers kill because it's the only way to make a living in third world countries. Doesn't make it right, but she feels for these people and suggests we look for solutions to those problems as well.
So here's what I didn't like about the book. The author goes too far in making her point about workplace bias. There are some statements which are polarizing, unsubstantiated, based on opinion, unnecessary, and therefore reduces the credibility of the work. Here's two of them.
Corina Newsome studying birds in marshes: "Have I felt like my safety is compromised out in the middle of nowhere? In a place full of Trump signs and Blue Lives Matter? Yes, that context feels threatening."
Asia Murphy studying predatory mammals: "I've gotten interested in how you avoid being killed. Prey creatures usually take in presence cues, smells, sound, sight. I relate that to being a Black woman. I do the same thing. What do I see? A Confederate flag, MAGA hat, hearing the n-word."
So what is the problem here? She is trying to pass off opinion as fact. Are black women (I do not capitalize white and black in reference to a person's skin color as this author does) discriminated against? Yes. Fact. It can be proven. Good point to bring up. Does having a Trump sign or supporting the police mean you are racist? No. Opinion. Can't be proven. So this author risked the integrity of her entire book over a few political statements which add no value and may actually takeaway from the more important points she makes. Women, but especially black women, have a harder road into certain fields. Stick to the facts. Keep opinions out. From an intellectual perspective, it's not impressive.
Final analysis: the value of the book outweighs the pettiness. So I'm keeping it.
I'm putting it in my library because these women are in careers that are off the beaten path, careers that most kids don't even know exist. They're pretty cool. But they don't pay well. The author is honest in pointing this out, but also explains that these women love what they do. She doesn't give the full story though. She says that many of these jobs are university or grant funded, but doesn't explain what that means. She doesn't say that these jobs get paid from tax dollars which a gazillion and one other organizations are fighting the government for. It's not the same as working for a company that is going to profit off your work and therefore will be able to pay you from that profit. It's all economics, but she makes it sound like people don't value their work.
There's a lot of good to the book. I love that she gives the whole backstory of these women. Their childhood fascination with bugs or birds, the exact educational path they took and the different jobs they had along the way. Some of the women were poor, but still made it happen. I also like that she addresses the social implications of rescuing wildlife. Sometimes poachers kill because it's the only way to make a living in third world countries. Doesn't make it right, but she feels for these people and suggests we look for solutions to those problems as well.
So here's what I didn't like about the book. The author goes too far in making her point about workplace bias. There are some statements which are polarizing, unsubstantiated, based on opinion, unnecessary, and therefore reduces the credibility of the work. Here's two of them.
Corina Newsome studying birds in marshes: "Have I felt like my safety is compromised out in the middle of nowhere? In a place full of Trump signs and Blue Lives Matter? Yes, that context feels threatening."
Asia Murphy studying predatory mammals: "I've gotten interested in how you avoid being killed. Prey creatures usually take in presence cues, smells, sound, sight. I relate that to being a Black woman. I do the same thing. What do I see? A Confederate flag, MAGA hat, hearing the n-word."
So what is the problem here? She is trying to pass off opinion as fact. Are black women (I do not capitalize white and black in reference to a person's skin color as this author does) discriminated against? Yes. Fact. It can be proven. Good point to bring up. Does having a Trump sign or supporting the police mean you are racist? No. Opinion. Can't be proven. So this author risked the integrity of her entire book over a few political statements which add no value and may actually takeaway from the more important points she makes. Women, but especially black women, have a harder road into certain fields. Stick to the facts. Keep opinions out. From an intellectual perspective, it's not impressive.
Final analysis: the value of the book outweighs the pettiness. So I'm keeping it.
October 25, 2022
A book I would have loved to have read when I was a youngster interested in wildlife--and didn't know of any women that were wildlife researchers! In addition to exploring the fascinating research these fifteen women conduct, the book tells of their personal and scientific journeys, including the obstacles they face and the inspiring contributions they are making.
October 17, 2022
This was a really engaging and informative nonfiction book for young readers about fascinating animals and the women working to research and help protect them.
This was marketed as Young Adult, but I thought it'd work well for Middle Grade audiences too, especially given the short sentence lengths. The author made all of the profiled people interesting and approachable, particularly through the quotes from interviews.
I wish there had been photos of the women and the wildlife highlighted in each chapter, but I'm assuming the publisher chose to go without photos for the whole series. The author did provide things like social media links which I can use to go learn more about the profiled people, which I appreciate.
This was marketed as Young Adult, but I thought it'd work well for Middle Grade audiences too, especially given the short sentence lengths. The author made all of the profiled people interesting and approachable, particularly through the quotes from interviews.
I wish there had been photos of the women and the wildlife highlighted in each chapter, but I'm assuming the publisher chose to go without photos for the whole series. The author did provide things like social media links which I can use to go learn more about the profiled people, which I appreciate.
September 8, 2022
When Jasmine Graham heads out to do fieldwork, she never forgets her boots.
"When we drag sharks up on the deck, sometimes they get bitey, bitey," she says. "They'll go for feet or the sides of boats. One time a lemon shark bit an engine, and there was steering fluid spraying everywhere."
p. 80
Pagel-Hogan's writing draws our 4th-9th grade readers into fascinating stories about an inclusive group of female scientists who are doing some amazing work. Many of the scientists are people of color and Pagel-Hogan makes room for them to talk about their experiences with racism and sexism. Many of the scientists are engaged not only in their field of research but also in some type of advocacy that opens doors for more people of color and more females to access the field. Not your typical bio writing (e.g., X was born in the year of X in the city of X. Her parents were X and X.)!!!!
Highly recommend BOOK TALKING. Read the first page of the chapter about Jasmin Graham (p. 80) and leave in the classroom library to be grabbed up. Part of the beauty of this series is that each scientist's social media tags are included (at the end of each chapter). BOOK TALK BY PULLING UP SOME OF THEIR SM FEEDS!
I've noted this on my review of other titles in this series and feel like it's worth mentioning again. While the authors of each title in this series have included an inclusive group of women, the editors at Chicago Review Press have not developed an inclusive group of authors for this series. Just something to note and watch for as new titles emerge.
"When we drag sharks up on the deck, sometimes they get bitey, bitey," she says. "They'll go for feet or the sides of boats. One time a lemon shark bit an engine, and there was steering fluid spraying everywhere."
p. 80
Pagel-Hogan's writing draws our 4th-9th grade readers into fascinating stories about an inclusive group of female scientists who are doing some amazing work. Many of the scientists are people of color and Pagel-Hogan makes room for them to talk about their experiences with racism and sexism. Many of the scientists are engaged not only in their field of research but also in some type of advocacy that opens doors for more people of color and more females to access the field. Not your typical bio writing (e.g., X was born in the year of X in the city of X. Her parents were X and X.)!!!!
Highly recommend BOOK TALKING. Read the first page of the chapter about Jasmin Graham (p. 80) and leave in the classroom library to be grabbed up. Part of the beauty of this series is that each scientist's social media tags are included (at the end of each chapter). BOOK TALK BY PULLING UP SOME OF THEIR SM FEEDS!
I've noted this on my review of other titles in this series and feel like it's worth mentioning again. While the authors of each title in this series have included an inclusive group of women, the editors at Chicago Review Press have not developed an inclusive group of authors for this series. Just something to note and watch for as new titles emerge.
August 8, 2022
An inspiration for young women who are considering a career in wildlife conservation
December 13, 2022
Animal Allies is just what the title states: a look at women today working in wildlife research. This is not necessarily a common or normal field for women, so it gives a hopeful look at the choice women make in families and careers to protect and understand animal life. Each short biography was well-written and interesting.
Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
This title feels similar to several others nominated this year in this category, and unfortunately, I feel like Girls Solve Everything and Good Girls Green the World stand out a little more as it relates to level of interesting and appeal of the format.
Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
This title feels similar to several others nominated this year in this category, and unfortunately, I feel like Girls Solve Everything and Good Girls Green the World stand out a little more as it relates to level of interesting and appeal of the format.
June 2, 2023
The book would have been a lot more engaging with pictures because they talk about these fantastic animals and the women in wildlife research and both would have been served to be photographed and added to the book-- especially if one of the major talking points was for the Black scientists discussed to be visible.
The stories weren't as engaging as I thought they would be, and it's more to do with how the stories were folded into the larger chapter because the individual stories (being headbutted by a shark or the kid getting pooped/peed on by a spider in his open mouth) were hysterical and show how the human/animal experience sometimes goes, BUT I was disconnected by the pace of the chapter.
The stories weren't as engaging as I thought they would be, and it's more to do with how the stories were folded into the larger chapter because the individual stories (being headbutted by a shark or the kid getting pooped/peed on by a spider in his open mouth) were hysterical and show how the human/animal experience sometimes goes, BUT I was disconnected by the pace of the chapter.
March 20, 2023
I learned quite a bit from this book about women scientists working in wildlife research. The variety of women as well as the animals they study was well-balanced throughout. I liked that each chapter also talked about the hardships these women faced in becoming the scientists they are today, including sexism, racism, and classism. I hope that future scientists will use this book as a jumping-off point to explore the area of wildlife research that interests them. (There are social media handles for each featured scientist at the end of each chapter to start learning more.)
February 29, 2024
I am reading this book with my children and we absolutely love it. My daughter wants to work with animals as a career when she grows up, and it's very hard to find good books that talk about careers with animals besides traditional veterinary care. This is the perfect book! The scientists interviewed and described in the chapters are so inspiring. Plus to read about so many female scientists is awesome! And all of the extra boxes with additional information and ways to connect with the scientists to learn more are very well written and useful. Highly recommend!
December 7, 2025
Things to know about me : I love animals (more than the majority of people) and I'm a girls girl who will always support women in STEM.
It's a book I would have LOVE to read when I was a teen, dreaming about saving whales while my high school biology teacher told me that zoologist was not a real job.
I loved how they each approached their job and the challenges they faced as women and especially for some of them as women of color.
Honestly on point, if you're looking for some inspirational women in conservation you should read this book.
It's a book I would have LOVE to read when I was a teen, dreaming about saving whales while my high school biology teacher told me that zoologist was not a real job.
I loved how they each approached their job and the challenges they faced as women and especially for some of them as women of color.
Honestly on point, if you're looking for some inspirational women in conservation you should read this book.
January 12, 2023
Interesting short biographies of scientists working with animals, in conservation or study, with attention to the problems face specifically around being women or being a minority (all are women, many are minorities). Animals range from bugs to sharks, and all the women's personalities and voices come through strongly. The author did personal interviews with the women which make up the bulk of the text.
Read
May 16, 2023Booktalked this to 7th graders. Read them a part about spiders the size of a human hand and freaked them out. Tried to balance it out with a cute part about training dogs. I wanted more information about the animals, but I think the book was supposed to be more about the women, and that was fine. I liked the feminist spin on it showing how nearly all the women struggled with being a woman in a science field.
April 9, 2024
The anecdotes and conversation around bias, discrimination and social barriers is pivotal to what make women in these roles so awesome-inspiring and integral to influencing lasting change. I really connected with many of ththe ideas and experiences these women had and have felt the same stigmas and risks.
May 10, 2024
Quick and enjoyable read about various women working in ecology and science.
While being very realistic about the struggles and difficulties, by featuring so many examples -- mainly currently active, but with some historical figures in the sidebars -- it ends up being optimistic.
While being very realistic about the struggles and difficulties, by featuring so many examples -- mainly currently active, but with some historical figures in the sidebars -- it ends up being optimistic.
November 19, 2024
Easy read, good for aspiring scientists!
December 5, 2024
Great read for girls and young women.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews