His novel The Wall-to-Wall Trap was published under his own name in 1957. He then began using the pen name John Godey — borrowed from the name of a 19th-century women's magazine — to differentiate his crime novels from his more serious writing. Africa is home to several hundred snake species, and The Dangerous Snakes of Africa by Stephen Spawls covers all of them. We get to know the snake through its own POV - through its behaviour and biology. And it’s place in history (presented as research by one of our intrepid reporters). The villagers of Shengmei, her birthplace, followed every day of her trial in the news; some volunteered to do jail time on her behalf Tensions escalate once the city electorate gets involved. In the sweltering heat, our snake becomes a political football and Gotham's favorite new villain.

This book includes information on over 100 species, including rare and endangered snakes. It contains an introduction to snake biology, evolution, and anatomy and dispels myths and misconceptions with scientific facts (no, that snake probably can’t eat you). Plus, it’s organized by region, making it easy to find the snake you’re seeking. It also features stunning photography, and when you combine it with O’Shea’s personal experiences with some of the world’s biggest snakes, you get more than just an encyclopedia of snakes: it’s an adventure. Pros and Cons of Boas and Pythons of the World by Mark O’Shea ProsThis book is dripping with facts, natural history, gorgeous photography, and artwork and includes information on over 3,000 species of snakes, with 60 in-depth snake profiles. One of the main advantages of this book is that it’s kid-friendly. Your six year old may not be able to read all of the text. However, he or she may spend hours looking at the photos generously placed throughout the book. In this novel, the horror and chaos don't really come from the snake. They come from partisan squabbles, from political posturing. From a mayor who's so image-conscious that he's willing to round up 500 cops from all five boroughs and have the lot of them comb Central Park, inch by inch, on a 100-degree day. All so they *might* catch one stray reptile who probably wouldn’t survive the winter anyway. What I liked: John Godey is actually the pen name of Morton Freedgood. He passed away in 2006, but as Godey had a long career of writing and releasing mystery and thriller books. His most famous or well known release is perhaps ‘The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,’ which was made into a movie in 1974 and remade in 2009, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. His chosen genre of mystery/thriller is on full display here with ‘The Snake.’ I also wasn’t a fan of the Church that was involved. I understood why, what with the evil symbolism of the snake and how the Church worked to get people amped up, but overall, until the ending it was a distraction. Everybody's got an opinion. Protesters want the park shut down; counterprotesters think they're nuts. Pranksters have a field day scaring the hell out of bystanders with rubber snakes on strings. One well-to-do socialite organizes the city's dog owners and has them sweep the park with all their poochies in tow--on the theory that man's best friend is also man's best snake-wrangler

Our favorite thing in this book had to be the information on the Titanoboa, a 50-foot-long prehistoric snake. Children will want to refer to this book often because it is filled with amazing illustrations, entertaining activities and quizzes, and startling information about anatomy, diet, and personality. The writing is paired with signature oil portraits by Ransome. They have warm deep brown, golden, and orange tones that convey emotion. This book is a great option for kiddos ages two to four. Pros and Cons of The Girl Who Wore Snakes by Angela Johnson (Author) and James Ransome (Illustrator) Pros Godey is different because if anything, his story is pro-snake. And refreshingly so. As a lifelong herpetology enthusiast, I really appreciate that positive outlook on some of the animals I love the most. Snakes terrify many people. Children seem to find them more entertaining and are less scared of these critters than most adults. But as you get to know them, you’ll discover that snakes are solitary, quiet individuals who only desire a cool, shaded area to live in.

It’s all about the biology. However, writing and illustrations were not sacrificed to accommodate the technical details. The conclusion is what you’d expect to happen, but even when we get there, you’ll see how well Godey has wiggled in unexpected results. I gotta stay spoiler free but I was smiling at the end.