Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide (The Animal Answer Guides: by Susan Lumpkin, John Seidensticker cover

Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide (The Animal Answer Guides:

by Susan Lumpkin, John Seidensticker

$26.50 on AmazonRead our full review

At a glance

First published2011
AudienceAdult
ISBN0801897890

About the Author

Susan Lumpkin, John Seidensticker

1 book reviewed

LuvemBooks Verdict

Best for

Curious general readers, naturalists, and engaged pet owners who want a scientifically grounded, wide-ranging introduction to lagomorph natural history — covering rabbits, hares, and pikas — rather than a pet-care manual or regional field guide.

Worth it if

You want an authoritative, accessible survey of more than 90 lagomorph species — including conservation concerns and counterintuitive natural history facts — organized in a clear Q&A format written by genuine wildlife conservationists.

Skip if

You need specialist depth on a single species or topic, primary research-level treatment of lagomorph biology, or a practical pet-care guide or regional field identification resource.

What readers & critics say

Science News recommended the book, noting it teaches "little-known facts about the familiar animals, whose 90 species include several of the world's most endangered." Retailer and library sources consistently highlight the authors' wildlife conservationist credentials and the book's range of surprising natural history findings, from once-daily nursing in baby rabbits to the historical use of rabbit pellets in medicinal tea.

Sources: Science News, ThriftBooks

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Was this helpful?

Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide is a wide-ranging natural history reference from Johns Hopkins University Press that covers more than 90 species of rabbits, hares, and pikas through an accessible Q&A format, grounded in the genuine field expertise of wildlife conservationists Susan Lumpkin and John Seidensticker. Recommended by Science News for its counterintuitive, little-known facts, it is the ideal resource for curious general readers and naturalists who want serious scientific depth on a deceptively familiar group of animals. Readers seeking a pet-care manual, a regional field guide, or primary academic research will find the book's broad, survey-style scope less suited to those specific needs.
Is it worth reading?
For the curious general reader or naturalist, Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide is a well-earned recommendation. Science News endorsed it specifically for teaching "little-known facts about the familiar animals" — a signal that the content holds up to scrutiny beyond casual nature writing. The Q&A format channels genuine scientific knowledge into direct, memorable form, and the breadth of 90-plus species coverage far exceeds most popular treatments of the subject. The key caveat is that readers seeking specialist depth, primary research, a pet-care manual, or a regional field guide will find the survey-style format less suited to those specific needs.
Similar books
Readers who enjoy the scientific curiosity and accessible depth of Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide will find much to appreciate in Ed Yong's An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us, which brings rigorous science to the hidden perceptual lives of animals. Jonathan Balcombe's What a Fish Knows: The Inner Lives of Our Underwater Cousins applies a similarly counterintuitive lens to a familiar animal group, upending assumptions the way Lumpkin and Seidensticker do with lagomorphs. Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate offers the same blend of accessible wonder and genuine scientific grounding, just for the plant kingdom. For readers drawn to the intersection of animal behavior and human relationships, Rupert Sheldrake's Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home explores the surprising inner world of a domesticated species.
Who should read this?
Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide is squarely aimed at curious general readers, naturalists, and engaged pet owners who want scientific depth rather than husbandry tips. Its Q&A structure and accessible chapter organization make it approachable for anyone with genuine curiosity about lagomorph biology, behavior, ecology, and conservation. Readers already working at an advanced academic level in lagomorph biology may find the format less suited to their needs than primary literature, and those seeking a practical pet-care manual or a regional field identification guide will find the broad, species-spanning scope a poor fit for those purposes.
Does it cover conservation?
Conservation is a meaningful thread throughout Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide, reflecting the professional backgrounds of both authors as wildlife conservationists. Several of the 90-plus species covered rank among the world's most endangered, and the book extends its natural history coverage to include conservation concerns alongside biology and behavior. This breadth distinguishes it from purely descriptive natural history treatments and gives the book relevance for readers interested in wildlife conservation as well as zoology.
Is the Q&A format effective?
According to the review, the Q&A format is not merely a popular-press device — it channels genuine scientific knowledge into direct, answerable form and is well suited to delivering counterintuitive, memorable information. The structure organizes content accessibly across distinct chapters covering behavior, ecology, reproduction, human relationships, and more, making the book useful as both a browsable read and a reference to return to. The trade-off, as the review acknowledges, is that the format prioritizes accessibility and range over exhaustive treatment of any single topic, which sets clear limits for specialist readers.
Summarize this book

Summarize this book

Published in 2011 by Johns Hopkins University Press as part of its Animal Answer Guides: Q&A for the Curious Naturalist series, Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide organizes natural history content around questions general readers and naturalists are most likely to ask. Chapters move through form and function, coloration, behavior, ecology, reproduction, foods and feeding, and the complex relationship between rabbits and humans, before addressing "rabbit problems" — challenges these animals pose or face. Authors Susan Lumpkin and John Seidensticker cover more than 90 species of rabbits, hares, and pikas — including several of the world's most endangered — and note that new species are still being formally discovered, underscoring the living, dynamic state of lagomorph research. The book also includes a plate section of photographs, bibliographical references, and an index, making it useful as both a browsable read and a reference to return to.

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Age & Reading Level

Recommended age

Adult

Reading level

Adult

Skip if you're looking for a practical pet-care manual or a regional field identification guide rather than a broad natural history reference.

Editorial Review

Published by Johns Hopkins University Press in 2011, *Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide* is a question-and-answer natural history reference by wildlife conservationists Susan Lumpkin and John Seidensticker. Covering more than 90 species of rabbits, hares, and pikas — including several of the world's most endangered — the book ranges from the biology and behavior of lagomorphs to their complex relationship with humans, offering both accessible facts and genuinely surprising revelations for curious readers.

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Rabbits: The Animal Answer Guide (The Animal Answer Guides: by Susan Lumpkin, John Seidensticker | LuvemBooks