At 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 24, 2014, author Dr. John Becker will visit the Bluffton Public Library.

Dr. Becker will talk about his experiences with wildlife around the world and the twenty-six books he has written for children, read from his books, share video of his field research adventures, and sign copies of his books. Dr. Becker will also tell stories about the interesting animals he has encountered during his travels. He will focus on his beautifully illustrated picture book Mugambi’s Journey, which relates the tale of a cheetah family struggling to survive on the Serengeti plains of East Africa, and he will tell the amazing story behind his book Frenemies for Life. Dr. Becker will also answer questions about his books.

Dr. Becker is a graduate of The Ohio State University, a former elementary school teacher, college professor at the University of Florida, and administrator at the Columbus Zoo. He has also worked for many years in the field of wildlife conservation, so it is of no surprise that wild animals are the central theme of his books. Dr. Becker is a full-time author living in Delaware, Ohio. The fifteen books in the Returning Wildlife series, written for second through sixth graders, include North American River Otters, The North American Beaver, Bats, The Bald Eagle, Wild Turkeys, The North American Bison, Manatees, Florida Panthers, Grizzly Bears, Gray Wolves, American Alligators, Green Sea Turtles, California Condors, Gray Whales and Northern Elephant Seals. His Seedling books include Cheetahs, Hawks, Kangaroos, Owls, Giraffes, Scarlet Macaws, Camels and Snow Leopards. Dr. Becker also teaches writing at the Thurber Writing Academy in Columbus, Ohio. Further information about Dr. Becker, and his books, may be obtained from his website: www.johnbeckerauthor.com.