A thoroughly readable version of Born Free, set in Botswana (and just as weepy about the animals). This is the book that got the Owens family thrown out of Botswana, in part because of their opposition to fencing the land (which is good for farmers but, in their opinion, bad for wildlife). While their approach to conservation is controversial, there's no doubt that the Owens are dedicated to the wildlife of southern Africa -- and are very good writers. It's a great tale, one that has inspired several television documentaries, not to mention a sequel.  (SAF13, $16.00)

Botswana
John Burroughs Medal
Conservation