Böcker av Carol Creager

Tengo mucha agilidad porque tengo una cola tan larga, más larga que el cuerpo. Muchas veces la cola es difícil manejar. I am very agile because I have such a long tail, much longer than my body. My tail is often difficult to manage.

Most humans think Costa Rica has no army or other armed forces because Costa Rica has no human armed forces. The country has an active security force. I, General Loth, am in charge of the forces. Sloths, birds, animals, frogs, etc. observe the forest. Caimans and crocodiles watch the river entrances. Birds patrol the coasts as well as scanning the skies and the rivers. Since our forces are so numerous, there are always sufficient numbers on alert to be ready for anything. La mayoría de los seres humanos cree que Costa Rica no tiene ningún ejército ni otra fuerza militar porque no tiene fuerzas humanas. El país tiene fuerzas activas de seguridad. Yo, General Loth, estoy encargado de las fuerzas. Los perezosos, las aves, los animales, las ranas, etc. observamos el interior. Los cocodrilos y caimanes observan los ríos. Las aves patrullan las costas además de observar el cielo y los ríos. Como nuestras fuerzas son tan numerosas, siempre hay suficientes para estar listos para cualquier cosa. - General Loth

How can I cross the entrance to the parking lot to the beach in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica? Why do I want to risk it? What reward do I get for crossing it so carefully? Do monkeys and people interact too much?¿Cómo puedo cruzar la entrada al parqueo a la playa de Manuel Antonio en Costa Rica? ¿Por qué quiero hacerlo? ¿Qué premio gano por cruzarla tan cuidadosamente? ¿Qué más me preocupa? Se acercan demasiado los monos y la gente?. Cappy, the Capuchin/el capuchino

What difference does a name make? We are least grebes. Would you like to be least men or least women or least Costa Ricans or least Americans? It is so derogatory and demeaning. We want to be black grebes or tiny grebes. Do you think those names would be just as bad? We think those merely describe our appearance, whereas least means less worthy than .... What matters to us is our character. That is what should matter to everyone. CHARACTER! Without good character we are nothing. We care for our families, feed our babies, teach them responsibility and how to live on their own. We do no harm to other creatures above water level. THE LEAST GREBES

WHITE-THROATED CRAKE'S 2 SURPISES A bird that lives hidden in tall grasses makes an appearance out in the open, just for Carol's camera. What is the second surprise?2 sorpresas de una polluela carrasqueadora: Un pájaro que se esconde todo el tiempo aparece para la cámara de Carol. ¿y la otra sorpresa? Una cámara guarda memorias del pasado para el futuro y, a veces, captura algo especial que la persona que saca las fotos no vio porque los ojos se enfocan en ciertas cosas, no en todo lo que hay.A camera stores memories of the past for the future and, at times, captures something special that the photographer did not see because of focusing on something specific, not everything in view.

How do we baby howler monkeys travel while very young? We want to tell you our adventures as we are growing. ¿Cómo podemos los monos aulladores bebés viajar mientras estamos muy jóvenes?Queremos decirles nuestras aventuras como crecemos.

We have a number of secrets about our lives, but one is extremely colorful. If you visit the Sarapiqui River or La Mina (Near Rancho Naturalista) in Costa Rica, you will have a good chance to see at least one of us and some of our habits. If you are very lucky, you will fly me fly or display, revealing my secret. ~ The Sunbitterns It is important that everyone help wildlife to survive and that as many as possible enjoy seeing, while not disturbing, wild creatures.What do I know about wildlife? I have watched and photographed it since I was a small child. I have visited most Spanish-speaking countries during my vacations from teaching Spanish. My first trip to Costa Rica was in 1970. My goals in life are to entertain as well as to educate others and to promote conservation. I want everyone to be able to see and to appreciate nature and wildlife; therefore, I write photographic books. Most books describe animals and birds. I want you to see what I see while I travel so that you can understand as much as possible how creatures live, what they eat, how they move, and what they do where they are visible. I tired of studying books talking about ecology and wildlife; I want you to see what each creature looks like and how they act.I chose Spanish-speaking countries for two reasons. First, I speak the language and have photographed everything I could for many years for my students to see as they learned the language. To communicate successfully with people of other countries, you need to understand their customs and culture as well as their language. Second, people are familiar with huge African and Asian animals. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the wealth of Latin American wildlife; I am trying to do my bit to help remedy the lack. While most of my books are written primarily for children, I hope adults too will enjoy the photographs and humor as well as learn more about the wildlife. ~ Carol Creager

Why do I howl? It is important to keep in contact with my troop as we travel through the rainforest. We also have to keep other groups of monkeys away from us. I have a prove that I am the leader of the group by the strength of my howl and by my daring. I travel on open bridges and along slender branches where it is very hard to keep my balance, too scary for others in my troop to travel. - Mantled Howler Monkey LeaderIt is important that everyone help wildlife to survive and that as many as possible enjoy seeing, while not disturbing, wild creatures.What do I know about wildlife? I have watched and photographed it since I was a small child. I have visited most Spanish-speaking countries during my vacations from teaching Spanish. My first trip to Costa Rica was in 1970. My goals in life are to entertain as well as to educate others and to promote conservation. I want everyone to be able to see and to appreciate nature and wildlife; therefore, I write photographic books. Most books describe animals and birds. I want you to see what I see while I travel so that you can understand as much as possible how creatures live, what they eat, how they move, and what they do where they are visible. I tired of studying books talking about ecology and wildlife; I want you to see what each creature looks like and how they act.I chose Spanish-speaking countries for two reasons. First, I speak the language and have photographed everything I could for many years for my students to see as they learned the language. To communicate successfully with people of other countries, you need to understand their customs and culture as well as their language. Second, people are familiar with huge African and Asian animals. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the wealth of Latin American wildlife; I am trying to do my bit to help remedy the lack. While most of my books are written primarily for children, I hope adults too will enjoy the photographs and humor

I am afraid of getter bigger and being on my own. I don''t know if I can catch or find my own food or protect myself from the perils of the world. I want my parents to keep taking care of me.Why am a called a mockingbird? Would you want to be able to sing just one song? Baby MockingbirdIt is important that everyone help wildlife to survive and that as many as possible enjoy seeing, while not disturbing, wild creatures.What do I know about wildlife? I have watched and photographed it since I was a small child. I have visited most Spanish-speaking countries during my vacations from teaching Spanish. My first trip to Costa Rica was in 1970. My goals in life are to entertain as well as to educate others and to promote conservation. I want everyone to be able to see and to appreciate nature and wildlife; therefore, I write photographic books. Most books describe animals and birds. I want you to see what I see while I travel so that you can understand as much as possible how creatures live, what they eat, how they move, and what they do where they are visible. I tired of studying books talking about ecology and wildlife; I want you to see what each creature looks like and how they act.I chose Spanish-speaking countries for two reasons. First, I speak the language and have photographed everything I could for many years for my students to see as they learned the language. To communicate successfully with people of other countries, you need to understand their customs and culture as well as their language. Second, people are familiar with huge African and Asian animals. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the wealth of Latin American wildlife; I am trying to do my bit to help remedy the lack. While most of my books are written primarily for children, I hope adults too will enjoy the photographs and humor as well as learn more about the wildlife. ~ Carol Creager

Why? Birds cannot fly unless they keep their feathers clean by frequent bathing and careful grooming. Even ground birds such as these have to be able to fly in an emergency, to escape danger, or to find another swamp with more food. It is important that everyone help wildlife to survive and that as many as possible enjoy seeing, while not disturbing, wild creatures. What do I know about wildlife? I have watched and photographed it since I was a small child. I have visited most Spanish-speaking countries during my vacations from teaching Spanish. My first trip to Costa Rica was in 1970. My goals in life are to entertain as well as to educate others and to promote conservation. I want everyone to be able to see and to appreciate nature and wildlife; therefore, I write photographic books. Most books describe animals and birds. I want you to see what I see while I travel so that you can understand as much as possible how creatures live, what they eat, how they move, and what they do where they are visible. I tired of studying books talking about ecology and wildlife; I want you to see what each creature looks like and how they act. I chose Spanish-speaking countries for two reasons. First, I speak the language and have photographed everything I could for many years for my students to see as they learned the language. To communicate successfully with people of other countries, you need to understand their customs and culture as well as their language. Second, people are familiar with huge African and Asian animals. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the wealth of Latin American wildlife; I am trying to do my bit to help remedy the lack. While most of my books are written primarily for children, I hope adults too will enjoy the photographs and humor as well as learn more about the wildlife. Carol Creager

Yo soy un mono araña, y vivo en Costa Rica. Cuando vi a Carol Creager con Luis Barrantes, yo hice mis mañas para ganar su atención. ¿Qué mejor manera? Los seguí. De esta manera obtuve la atención de Carol para convencerle que me haga héroe de uno de sus libros porque soy tan ágil. Así llegué a mi meta de llamar la atención de todos a los monos arañas.I am a spider monkey, and I live in Costa Rica. When I saw Carol Creager with Luis Barrantes, I performed my tricks to gain their attention. What better way? I followed them. In this way I gained the attention of Carol to convince her to make me the hero of one of her books. That is how I reached my goal of calling the attention of everyone to spider monkeys. - Simon, the spider monkey

I am an anhinga or snakebird, because I swim like a submarine, with my body underwater and my skinny head and neck upright, like a snake standing on its tail. My skinny throat expands so that I can swallow a fish, which is somewhat round.  Do I ever try to swallow a fish that is too big?  Read my book to find out. ~ Andy AnhingaIt is important that everyone help wildlife to survive and that as many as possible enjoy seeing, while not disturbing, wild creatures.What do I know about wildlife?  I have watched and photographed it since I was a small child.    I have visited most Spanish-speaking countries during my vacations from teaching Spanish.  My first trip to Costa Rica was in 1970. My goals in life are to entertain as well as to educate others and to promote conservation.  I want everyone to be able to see and to appreciate nature and wildlife; therefore, I write photographic books.  Most books describe animals and birds.  I want you to see what I see while I travel so that you can understand as much as possible how creatures live, what they eat, how they move, and what they do where they are visible.  I tired of studying books talking about ecology and wildlife; I want you to see what each creature looks like and how they act.I chose Spanish-speaking countries for two reasons.  First, I speak the language and have photographed everything I could for many years for my students to see as they learned the language.  To communicate successfully with people of other countries, you need to understand their customs and culture as well as their language.  Second, people are familiar with huge African and Asian animals.  Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the wealth of Latin American wildlife; I am trying to do my bit to help remedy the lack.  While most of my books are written primarily for children, I hope adults too will enjoy the photographs and humor as well as learn more about the wildlife. ~ Carol Creager

We are variegated squirrels, of different colors despite being the same species, just as humans have diverse colors, living in Costa Rica.  We have adapted to modern live, using barbed wire fences as our highways, which avoids accidents.  Too bad that you humans cannot do it.  ~ Del and Ardy, las Ardillas  (Squirrels)Why are humans less wise than animals?  So many of us have difficulty accepting that surface colors are interesting but irrelevant.  What we are in our minds, hearts and morals are what matters, not surface coloration.  How we behave is who we are.It is important that everyone help wildlife to survive and that as many as possible enjoy seeing, while not disturbing, wild creatures.What do I know about wildlife?  I have watched and photographed it since I was a small child.    I have visited most Spanish-speaking countries during my vacations from teaching Spanish.  My first trip to Costa Rica was in 1970. My goals in life are to entertain as well as to educate others and to promote conservation.  I want everyone to be able to see and to appreciate nature and wildlife; therefore, I write photographic books.  Most books describe animals and birds.  I want you to see what I see while I travel so that you can understand as much as possible how creatures live, what they eat, how they move, and what they do where they are visible.  I tired of studying books talking about ecology and wildlife; I want you to see what each creature looks like and how they act.I chose Spanish-speaking countries for two reasons.  First, I speak the language and have photographed everything I could for many years for my students to see as they learned the language.  To communicate successfully with people of other countries, you need to understand their customs and culture as well as their language.  Second, people are familiar with huge African and Asian animals.  Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the wealth of Latin American wildlife; I am trying to do my bit to help remedy the lack.  While most of my books are written primarily for children, I hope adults too will enjoy the photographs and humor as well as learn more about the wildlife.  ~ Carol Creager

I reach for the stars. A worthy goal or dream is essential in life. I climb every flower, leaf, and stick, hoping one will take me high enough. Ronnie Rana, red-eyed tree frogFrogs need clean air and water to survive. Las ranas necesitan aire y agua limpios para vivir. Carol

We three baby swallows wait and hope our parents will bring us juicy insects to eat so that we will grow up fast. Then we will have to feed ourselves. We are old enough to fly, but we cannot fly well enough to catch flying insects. Carol watched and photographed us from a boat in the river.Las tres golondrinas esperamos que nuestros padres nos lleven insectos que podemos comer para crecer rápidamente. Entonces tendremos que obtener nuestra comida. Podemos volar, pero no podemos volar bastante bien para coger insectos. Carol nos miró y sacó fotos del barquito en el río.

I am a tamandua or lesser anteater. I search trees for termites and ants, which I catch with my long, sticky tongue. That benefits YOU! I greet my friends when they visit Observatory Lodge in Costa Rica. - Tammy TamanduaSoy una tamandúa. Busco termitas y hormigas, que cojo con la lengua larga y viscosa, que te ayuda. Saludo a mis amigos cuando visitan Observatory Lodge en Costa Rica. - Tammy Tamandúa

I am both rare and endangered. I live in a small area of Costa Rica. When Carol, a superb photographer and writer, offered to tell you about me, I was delighted. I am happy to share my life with you. I hope that you help to respect and protect my species and my habitat. Soy raro y en peligro. Vivo en un área pequeña de Costa Rica. Cuando Carol ofreció decirte de mí, me deleité. Me alegro compartir mi vida contigo. Espero que ayudes a respetar y proteger mi especie y mi medio ambiente. - Jumper, the squirrel monkey

We persuaded Carol to take us to Ireland to see our favorite singer, Paul Byrom, such a delightful person, on two tours with Travel Concepts. This book includes some of our favorite experiences from both tours, I and IV. Our highlight was watching a prize-winning sheepdog working the sheep at his master's commands. We got to experience riding very unusual horses and protecting a castle. Paul shook hands with us and held us several times. We saw northern Ireland, toured the Belleck and Waterford factories among others, traveled the Wild Atlantic Way, where we really needed Carol to protect us from the wind. How many sloths get to visit Ireland? Mischief and McGuffeyBecause I cannot take animals from the wild to travel with me, I decided to take my plush sloth friends with me to see Costa Rica and Panama. McGuffey had been reading about all the exciting places and wanted to see them for herself. Mischief likes to have adventures. Mischief and McGuffey are always ready to share their adventures with children, so I take photographs of them on their travels. I write their stories because I have traveled through many countries since childhood. I have taken four trips around Ireland, one of my favorite countries because the people are so friendly and helpful and the scenery is so beautiful. My extensive experience in photographing since childhood inspires me to share their stories with my readers. Whether or not you can travel, you will enjoy sharing their adventures through our books. Everyone should travel, even if only through books and television. Perhaps later you can visit Ireland as well. I hope you will help to conserve the wild areas and their wild creatures because all of us need the benefits, both practical and aesthetic, we gain through communing with nature. That applies to every country, including your own.Walking across the Peace Bridge and seeing the statue of two reaching out their hands in hopes of real peace between the two Irelands was very emotional. Watching the careful work done in the Waterford Crystal factories made me appreciate the delicacy of the processes.I even shared my own highlights, the sheepdog herding sheep, holding a barn owl on my wrist, walking through the pastures of famous horses, and watching the dog relaxing on the back of a donkey. Only in Ireland! I even managed to hold the barn owl so steady that it did not flutter to keep its balance. Nature in Ireland outdoes itself along the Wild Atlantic Way. Carol Creager

Every day is an adventure.Live and enjoy it.I love my life with my best friend, the most wonderful person, Nick. SeeleyCarol Creager has spent more than fifty years communicating with her dogs, so she found it easy to understand Seeley's connections with his master Nick and what they do to enjoy their lives together.

As a slow-moving, slow-thinking, slow-acting sloth, I have to decide what is worth my limited energy.  Once I have decided what I plan to do, I do it.  When I am determined, I act.  Neither Carol nor anyone else can stop me.  Carol could not stop me from trying to cross a busy highway.  Why was I so stubborn?   How did I survive?  This is my story. - Stubby SlothWhy are sloths so stubborn?  How do you think they have survived so long?  A real adult sloth could not be stopped from repeatedly climbing down the bank to cross a major highway across the mountains of Costa Rica.  He saw a female, and nothing can stop a male sloth from crossing a highway or a river to reach a female.  Sloths actually swim very well, although they seldom do so.  This male even tumbled on his head while trying to hang on to the steep cement roadside. I lifted him back up.  All he did was crawl along to another spot to climb down.  After we repeated this scenario five times, I finally carried him hastily across the road.I photographed the entire story, except when I was lifting and carrying him.  Unfortunately, after pointing him out to me, my guide took a trail too steep for me, so no one was there to photograph us together.  The sloth did not react to my lifts, but he dug a claw into my back for security when we crossed the highway.  As always, with my books, I let the sloth tell the story from his point of view of my interference in saving his life.Why do I write children’s wildlife books?  I have always been a teacher endeavoring to interest students in how to think and how to create.  I have been promoting conservation in a variety of ways.  My high school students and I created stories that we used to interact with those in kindergarten and first grade.  Those students greeted me warmly when they reached high school and began initiating projects of their own.Why sloths?  Sloths are very appealing as well as unusual from the human point of view.  It is an opportunity to see creatures that are quite distinct from us.  I have been photographing birds, sloths, and other wildlife since 1992, when I took the Rainforest Workshop for Teachers, led by the famous guide and biologist Charlie Gomez.  After that I took many birding Borderland Tours with Charlie Gomez and Rick Taylor.  When I decided to see other parts of Costa Rica, I found Luis Barrantes of LUBARO.  Luis is a fantastic driver, guide, and photographer, who has taken me on several trips each year, finding a number of little-known spots for wildlife, and having varied experiences with different wildlife during distinct seasons.  I have taken thousands of photographs of any wildlife we encounter.  I had to use my wildlife photographs and teaching experience to introduce children to species found in Costa Rica, educating them about the importance of wildlife conservation.

I am so pleased that my Serafina is the heroine of this book about how my daughter became more independent as she was growing up.  She worked to develop her ability to make her way along a tree branch to prepare for her future.  “Mama “ SlothWhat is special about MAMA & ME?  Mama and Serafina (ME) are real sloths living in the wilderness of Costa Rica.  It is an opportunity to see how baby sloths live and travel by riding on their mothers’ tummies.  As they grow larger, Mama takes a break from her duties by parking her baby in a safe fork high in the branches of a tree.  While Mama is nearby eating, her baby Serafina is nibbling on her own and then traveling along a fairly small tree branch, practicing and developing her skills for the time when she is an adult.  Sloths spend much of their time upside down, to the human way of thinking, but comfortable for a sloth.  This means that it is easy for the baby to travel on its mother’s tummy.I photographed the entire story, so that the young reader sees what the two sloths are doing on every page of this true story, supposedly narrated by the youngster.Why do I write children’s wildlife books?  I have always been a teacher endeavoring to interest students in how to think and how to create.  I have been promoting conservation in a variety of ways.  My high school students and I created stories that we used to interact with those in kindergarten and first grade.  Those students greeted me warmly when they reached high school and began initiating projects of their own.Why sloths?  Sloths are very appealing as well as unusual from the human point of view.  It is an opportunity to see creatures that are quite distinct from us.  I have been photographing birds, sloths, and other wildlife since 1992, when I took the Rainforest Workshop for Teachers, led by the famous guide and biologist Charlie Gomez.  After that I took many birding Borderland Tours with Charlie Gomez and Rick Taylor.  When I decided to see other parts of Costa Rica, I found Luis Barrantes of LUBARO.  Luis is a fantastic driver, guide, and photographer, who has taken me on several trips each year, finding a number of little-known spots for wildlife, and having varied experiences with different wildlife during distinct seasons.  I have taken thousands of photographs of any wildlife we encounter.I had to use my wildlife photographs and teaching experience to introduce children to species found in Costa Rica, educating them about the importance of wildlife conservation.

TRUE STORY OF A BABY SLOTH RESCUED FROM THE GROUND. He was being cared for until he was old enough to live in the wild.CAROL CREAGER is an experienced wildlife photographer, author, and Spanish teacher, who travels extensively in Costa Rica.