Are squirrels geniuses? And why is that horse scared of men in black hats? For that matter, why does my dog consistently sleep on my clothes instead of her own rug? (For those thinking that perhaps I should not leave my clothes on the floor for her to sleep on, well, that would just be cruel, wouldn’t it?)

Many times in our lives, we come across animals that do strange things – some cute, some not so cute, some downright embarrassing. In Animals in Translation Temple Grandin, associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University, presents a revolutionary view of animals’ thought processes.

Early in her life, Grandin, who has ASD (autism spectrum disorder), developed the uncanny knack of pinpointing the cause of aberrant animal behaviour, baffling farmers and breeders alike.

Grandin, for her part, found the farmers’ inability to spot these difficulties confusing. Eventually, she came to the conclusion that she and animals see the world differently from the way “normal people” do. Those without ASD neatly fit experiences into the range of their language and concepts and, in so doing, can miss any amount of visual data that doesn’t fit.

Animals in Translation is a practical guide to animal behaviour from a fascinating point of view, and includes actual cases and a great deal of useful information. Also, the rear of the book contains a Behaviour Troubleshooting Guide.

Whether you are an animal-handler, a pet-owner or, if you know someone with ASD, this book is a treasure.

In this collection of 12 short stories, Matthew Kneale offers a sometimes harrowing, sometimes funny, but always thought-provoking, view of the moral ambiguities facing society today. Each story examines and meditates on the relationship between the haves and have-nots of the world.

The first story, Stone, follows the members of a well-meaning English family travelling in China. They find themselves unwittingly complicit in violence when a local is accused of theft.

Then there is oil-worker Benny Gregg. In Central Asia, he meets Mina and, within days, marries her and then takes her home to Texas. But Mina finds that in her rush to escape the hopelessness of her homeland, she may have committed herself to an even worse drudgery.

Further on, we find the tale of a London lawyer, offered a choice between “the right thing” and the chance to obtain all he has ever wanted.

A contemplative tone suffuses each story, as the author takes us on a journey around the world, capturing the lives of real people as they struggle to get through life AND do the right thing.

You know, when I had to explain to the editor why the book reviews were late this month, I probably should have thought of a better reason than: “I’ve been doing puzzles.” But what else could I say when two books of puzzles came in just begging to be reviewed?

In Boredom Busters 1 & 2, Merle Bennett provides a panacea for boredom and, more important, the perfect answer to that age-old cry from young children: “I’m bored.” Containing over 100 pages of puzzles each, these books have quizzes, crosswords, puzzles and riddles enough to enthral for hours.

Suitable for children (and children at heart) aged eight and up, Boredom Busters is the ideal accompaniment to a wet weekend or long drive ahead. You will minimize the chances of hearing the words: “Are we there yet?” – well, for a while, at least.

They were found, buried, 100 yards from the beach at Black Jack Point. They were Judge Whit Mosley’s friends. The Texan judge opens an inquest into their murders and gets a lot more than he bargained for. Whit suddenly finds himself in a world of betrayal and greed, and the prize is a fortune in emeralds and gold, the treasure of pirate Jean Lafitte, lost since 1820.

In his search for the truth surrounding his friends’ deaths, Whit is aided by police detective Claudia Salazar, but when she is kidnapped and held hostage at sea, Whit finds that he must deal with treasure hunters, loan sharks, treacherous tycoons and, most important, he must keep one step ahead of a brutal and desperate murderer.

Award-winning novelist Jeff Abbott, a fifth-generation Texan, uses his extensive knowledge of the area and its history, to weave a spellbinding thriller that will have your pulse racing.

This exquisite hardcover book is the companion to the 10-part BBC television series of the same name. It is Dan Cruickshank’s journal as he traversed the globe to find 80 man-made treasures of the world. We are taken on a journey that covers six continents and includes 40 countries.

The journey begins in Peru – the Incan city of Machu Picchu – goes through the USA, Australia (via the Sydney Opera House), Asia, Egypt and Europe, before it comes to an end in France.

The treasures include churches, temples, weapons and artefacts, both ancient and modern. Each is beautifully photographed and presented, and the history, construction and importance of each, to the civilization that created it, are comprehensively explained.

More than this, however, Around the World in 80 Treasures is a diary of the author’s day-to-day travel, the people he met, the expectations and the problems of life on the road.

Altogether, this is a charming book and a very pleasant way to travel the world without the air fares and lost luggage.

Yes, I’ve been to see the movie. Twice. Yes, I have the books already. Several copies. Yes, I carry a towel with me. Everywhere. Are you seriously telling me that you don’t?

With the recent release of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy movie, Picador presents this tie-in edition of the cult classic. For those who have yet to taste the fun and biting wit of a Douglas Adams novel, may I suggest you start here?

Meet much-put-upon Arthur Dent, native of Earth just before it was destroyed to make way for an interstellar bypass. Meet Ford Prefect, hitchhiker extraordinaire and his distant relative Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed president of the galaxy. And your life will certainly be richer for having made the acquaintance of a babel fish.

A combination of farce, satire and wonderful humour, this is a book to enjoy. The tie-in edition includes substantial extra material. The executive producer of the movie, Robbie Stamps, provides us with stories from the set, photographs, exclusive cast interviews and more.

Remember – losing your planet isn’t the end of the world…

For anyone who likes wine (or for anyone who wants to look as if he or she knows something about wine), Ibis Publishing presents these two books by Robert Francis.

Savour: A Wine Dictionary begins the education. Arranged alphabetically, aspects of wine and wine-tasting are clearly explained from Acidity to Vouvray. Everything’s provided but the wine itself.

Following on from this, there is Swirl: Wine Basics in which Robert Francis has provided a practical guide on navigating the wine aisle (I admit that I am one of those people who has no sense of direction where wine is concerned). Topics include:• How to tell if a wine is faulty.
• Combining the right wine with the right food.
• The best Australian wine regions.

Coming soon from the same author is a third instalment – Source: Wine Regions of Australia and New Zealand.

He could smell something strong, like aftershave, so musky and rich it made him feel nauseated. A man was staring at him. Greg was certain he knew him but when he tried to recall his name, his brain refused to work. His head was throbbing too painfully to think. Greg expected the man to kill him.

An item from a 1999 Canberra newspaper was the inspiration for this debut novel by John Misto.

Anna Brennan disappeared from Midnight Mass when she was just three years old. Frank Raine, a detective, spent many years investigating the kidnapping to no avail. Now, 21 years later, Frank’s son, Greg, also a detective, is called to investigate the vandalism of the convent next to the church from which the little girl vanished. In doing so Greg finds evidence suggesting that Anna is not dead and begins to re-investigate the case which dominated both his and his father’s lives.

Using his own life experience, as well as research, John Misto, brings us an unpredictable tale of nuns, psychics, secret police and churches, as Greg Raine follows the trail of Anna Brennan to its stunning and revelatory end.

In her latest novel revolving around families and relationships, Jodi Picoult explores the power of memory and the dramatic effect caused when long past events are brought into the present.

Delia Hopkins lives in rural New Hampshire where she was raised by her widowed father, Andrew. She has a search-and-rescue bloodhound which she uses to find missing persons. She has a four-year-old daughter and is planning her wedding to her fiancé when she starts to have disturbing dreams and flashbacks of a life she cannot recall.

Picoult introduces an aura of spirituality via one of the novel’s minor characters, a Hopi Indian woman.

Told through the eyes of the four main characters of the novel, the story moves across America to its startling conclusion, and all four people are forced to re-evaluate their lives and feelings for each other.