American Animals

Isaac Burns Murphy (1861-1896) was one of the most dynamic jockeys of his era. Still considered one of the finest riders of all time, Murphy was the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby three times, and his 44 percent win record remains unmatched. Despite his success, Murphy was pushed out of thoroughbred racing when African American jockeys were forced off the track, and he died in obscurity. In The Prince of Jockeys: The Life of Isaac Burns Murphy, author Pellom McDaniels III offers the first definitive biography of this celebrated athlete.

Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Secret Footballer: What Goes on Tour by The Secret Footballer. Since his first book was published in 2012, The Secret Footballer has been able to take the listener behind the scenes of footballers' lives like no other player has been or will ever be able to do. Anonymity has been a potent weapon in revealing the real world of football stars, and five years on, he has now penned the work that all his fellow professionals have been urging him to do from the start: The Secret Footballer: What Goes on Tour.

From historian-in-residence at the Presidential Pet Museum, Andrew Hager, comes a fond, fascinating, and often surprising look at the dogs who were the best friends of the presidents, featuring unforgettable photographs.

Margaret Winslow met midlife agita not head-on, but ass-on, fulfilling a childhood curiosity about donkeys by answering a for-sale ad in the American Donkey and Mule Society's magazine, The Brayer. Hilarity ensues, alongside life-threatening injuries and spirit-enriching insight.... As listeners walk with Winslow and Caleb the donkey through training traumas, expert-baffling antics, and humiliating races, they also share in the author's gradual understanding of Caleb's true, undeniable gifts: a willingness to "speak truth to power", to trust, and to forgive.

Each year across the United States, there are mysterious and unexplainable firsthand encounters by average people. These encounters beg the question, do monsters exist? From east to west across the US, professionals are actively researching these encounters to prove once and for all that these creatures do exist. American Cryptids takes you on a journey across the country, visiting each state along the way.

Even though she can only afford to take lessons once a week, Daija's increasing talents are on full display whenever she is riding at North Wind Acres—a prestigious (and expensive) equestrian center in her city. So when her trainer offers her a working student position, she quickly accepts. Now she'll be able to pay for extra weekly lessons and join the show team!

Lila is a young girl attending Jewish summer camp. She doesn't initially connect with the other campers and finds herself alone in the forest, where she encounters Lonny, a beautiful brown horse with white spots on his face. In Lonny, Lila finds a friend who will listen to her problems as she develops the confidence she needs to befriend the other campers.

Nat is a city girl through and through. She loves playing in open fire hydrants, laughing with her friends during block parties, and making trips to her local comic book shop to grab the latest copy of her favorite graphic novel series. So she's heartbroken when her mom says they're moving to a rural town hours away from Philadelphia. Who wants to live in the middle of Nowheresville? But getting used to her new small-town life might not be as bad as Nat thought now that she's met the boy next door and his beautiful horse, Ghost.

The father of the Kentucky Derby called him "the greatest all-around Thoroughbred in American racing history". Sportswriter Grantland Rice simply called him "the greatest racehorse". Now Eliza McGraw tells the story of how a gangling, long-shot Kentucky Derby winner named Exterminator became one of the most beloved racehorses of all time.

We once met a dog that changed the world. His name was Brooklyn. It’s hard to imagine that a spotted dog would become the inspiration for a worldwide fight; that the campaign would be successful, and that after a decade of suffering, he would come home to us. And yet it happened. The life of this one dog signaled not only the end of greyhound racing in the United States, but also the emergence of the first successful movement to outlaw an animal abuse industry that was powerful, culturally resonant, and economically significant.

Isaac Murphy, born enslaved in 1861, still reigns as one of the greatest jockeys in American history. Black jockeys like Murphy were at the top of the most popular sport in America at the end of the nineteenth century. They were internationally famous, the first African American superstar athletes—and with wins in three Kentucky Derbies and countless other prestigious races, Murphy was the greatest of them all.

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Richard Rhodes comes the first major biography of John James Audubon in forty years and the first to illuminate fully the private and family life of the master illustrator of the natural world.

Poppy is a dog with a problem. She has too much energy, and her elderly owner can keep her only if she can be trained. When 12-year-old Hannah moves to the coast of Northern California, she thinks she can help turn this rambunctious puppy into the good dog she knows Poppy is. But Hannah realizes Poppy's reputation as a pit bull means she has to work even harder to prove that Poppy and dogs like her deserve a second chance. Will Hannah train Poppy into the perfect dog before it's too late?

Brave is a dog without a home. After surviving a hurricane in San Antonio, Texas, stray dog Brave is hungry and afraid. When 12-year-old Dylan finds Brave, he's feeling lost himself. Dylan can't help but think they were brought together for a reason. But Dylan knows it'll take hard work and training in order to convince his parents that he can keep this skittish pup. As Dylan and Brave's friendship grows, they learn to rescue each other in more ways than one. Can Dylan give Brave a forever home?

The Compton Cowboys are a group who grew up in the city where Kendrick Lamar and Serena Williams were raised; a city portrayed in the media as ground zero for gang violence. But in 1988, with the creation of the Compton Junior Posse, a youth program set on a horse ranch in the middle of Compton, these men and women found a safe space.

When Smoky, a tiny Yorkie Terrier, is miraculously found in a foxhole in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, she has no way of knowing she will become a World War II hero and Hollywood star. Flying with her new owner, Corporal Bill Wynne, on deadly combat missions, she is soon assisting the war effort, entertaining and bringing comfort to the soldiers with her unique tricks and spirited energy. Based on the true events of the American army’s wartime struggles and Smoky’s outstanding television career, her moving and uplifting tale is sure to entertain and touch the hearts of all who read it.

The American Mini Pig Association's expanded 2nd edition guide for potential, new, and seasoned mini pig owners. This book addresses topics related to adding and keeping a mini pig as a pet. Offering basic information on care, nutrition, health and disease, how to address bad behaviors, training, and more.

On the cusp of turning 65, a man and his beloved rescue dog of similar vintage take a poignant, often bemusing, and keenly observed journey across America and discover a big-hearted, welcoming country filled with memorable characters, a newfound appreciation for the life they temporarily left behind, and a determination to live more fully in the moment as old age looms.

The WellieWishers are raising chickens! The girls are thrilled when their hen, Queen Ruby, begins laying eggs. But when the first egg hatches, Queen Ruby doesn’t seem to know what to do—so Emerson takes charge. Soon the tiny chick, Princess Peep, is following her everywhere. Caring for a chick is a bigger job than Emerson expected!

Laura Hillenbrand beautifully renders this breathtaking saga of one horse's journey from also-ran to national luminary. Seabiscuit: An American Legend is an inspiring tale of unlikely heroes, a classic story of three embattled individuals overcoming the odds in the Great Depression.