WILDLIFE RESCUE

Veterinarian Kathleen Ramsay may be found anesthetizing a toad in preparation for surgery to reattach its tongue; mashing egg, insects, and baby food to feed a hummingbird nestling, or rigging an external cast of pink denture material and wire for a Cooper's hawk with a fractured leg. It is all part of a day's work at the Wildlife Center, which Dr. Ramsey established in 1985 to help injured and orphaned animals in New Mexico. An astute nature observer, Dewey (Spiders, Near and Far, 1993, etc.) blends careful observation and lively quotes in this absorbing career study of a dedicated naturalist. Glossy, color photos add tremendously to the appeal of the whole. This is fine science writing attractively presented. (Nonfiction. 10-adult)