That Castor canadensis 'made America' sounds like hyperbole, but in her book Ms. Philip...finds a shrewd angle that I think justifies her claim.

The world she introduces to the reader is fascinating, both on scientific and historical levels. Biologically speaking, beavers should be fairly dim based on their brain-to-body ratio, but their teamwork and focus, as well as knack for engineering, suggest otherwise.

Philip traces [the] history.

Philip reflects on the beaver’s significance in American history as she meets with memorable people invested in their futures. Philip successfully distills the many complex worlds that beavers inhabit into both a compelling wildlife portrait and ethnography. She interrogates these different worlds with humor and compassion. The book balances storytelling, history, and science in an accessible way that will appeal widely to fans of history and ecology. It is effectively grounded in Indigenous wisdom and infused with curiosity and a personal narrative that will help readers gain a new respect for these dynamic creatures.

An enthralling history.

Most interesting is what Philip learned about beavers’ contribution to environmental restoration.