Megan Raby Livres

The book explores the historical origins of biodiversity as a crucial concept in international conservation, tracing its roots to early 20th-century tropical fieldwork and the expansion of U.S. empire. Megan Raby highlights how ecologists leveraged U.S. landholdings in the circum-Caribbean to establish permanent research stations, fostering a community of American "tropical biologists." This group played a pivotal role in developing the scientific principles and values that shaped the contemporary understanding of biodiversity.

Piper and her little brother Otto, who is on the autism spectrum, are excited to attend a birthday party for their friend Ruthie. In kid-friendly language, Piper explains the accommodations Otto and Ruthie, who is also autistic, need in order to feel safe and secure in a stimulating new environment, such as wearing headphones to keep distracting noises muffled. The book provides explanations for Otto's differences in easy-to-understand language and highlights that Otto desires fun, comfort, and love--just like his peers