Tracey Stewart is the editor-in-chief of the website Moomah, which provides parents and kids with fun, easy, and effective ways to contribute to varying kinds of nonprofits. A passionate animal advocate and expert (she’s a former veterinary technician), she lives on a farm in New Jersey with her husband, Jon Stewart; two kids; four dogs; two pigs; one hamster; three rabbits; two guinea pigs; one parrot; and two fish—all rescues except for the kids.

Tracey Stewart is on a mission to change how we interact with animals. From the time she was a little girl, she considered animals her friends and her saviors. In her mid-twenties, she became a veterinary tech and later a passionate advocate for the nonprofit Animal Haven. When the kids came along, she worked with animals to teach her family about responsibility and the deep satisfaction that comes from giving back. And most recently, the entire Stewart clan has decamped to a farm in New Jersey to operate an affiliate of Farm Sanctuary, a place that provides a permanent, happy home to rescued farm animals. And so this book. Through hundreds of charming illustrations, a few homemade projects, and with a quirky, knowledgeable voice, Stewart provides insight into the secret lives of animals, information about the kindest ways to live with them, and what we can do for them in return. At home, she shows how to speak "dog-ese¿ and ¿cat-ease,¿ why mutts are the most worthwhile companions, and how to "virtually adopt¿ an animal. In the backyard, we learn about building a bee house, dealing nicely with pesky moles, and finding creative ways to bird watch. And at the farm, Stewart teaches us everything from the specific (all about a pig's superpowers) to the general (what we can do to help all farm animals lead a better life). Part practical guide, part memoir of her life with animals, and part testament to the power of giving back, A Friendly Guide to the Animals Around Us is a gift for those who know that the better our interactions with animals are, the better our own lives will be.