A COLLABORATION: This book was written by Jim Vanas and his grandson Gus Hester. They share a love of wildlife and have spent many hours as volunteer citizen scientists in the desert southwest exploring and tracking transmitted Gila monsters and desert tortoises.

SIX CHAPTERS AND BONUS PAGES: Each of the six orders of reptiles and amphibians has a dedicated chapter. Gus wrote and illustrated a page in every chapter. The ten bonus pages discuss interesting topics, such as Reptiles as Pets, Venom vs. Poison, Reptiles and Amphibians That We Eat, Sexual Dimorphism Explained, and more.

POEMS: There are poems written by the senior author in each chapter. They are intended to be humorous yet informative.

PHOTOGRAPHS: The book uses over 130 color photographs, over 50 of which author Jim contributed from years of exploration of the wilds in North and Central America.

FOR ALL AGES: The original idea was to write the book for middle and high school students. Early reviews from friends and family indicated that adults, too, enjoyed the content and learned a lot.

INSPIRATION AND CONSERVATION: The book's idea is to Inspire young students to become interested in science. It is not intended to drive them only toward the field of herpetology but toward any scientific endeavor. Conservation is also a major concern today, and by knowing more about any animal group, we can better understand their needs.