Family Tails: My Life With Boys, Dogs, and Other Amazing Critters is a heartwarming, inspirational memoir that will appeal to anyone who appreciates family, all manner of animals, and nature.

Deb and Lou Elliott grew their family over the years on three acres of forested land in the charming town of Helena, Alabama. Their household included a beloved menagerie of domestic and wild creatures, including dogs, a cat, reptiles, aquarium dwellers, and rodents-each one unique and having a distinct personality. In fact, Family Tails may contain the only story in the world about a Jamaican shrimp!

Beautifully illustrated by noted illustrator Ron Adair, Family Tails invites the reader into the lives of the Elliotts as they experience the gifts of daily life and learn how both domestic and wild animals can educate and amaze us, offer us companionship, and bring much laughter and sometimes heartache into our homes.

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"Family Tails is a charming, family-oriented and readable narrative about the pets and wild creatures whose escapades enhanced the lives of the Elliott family. I planned to begin reading the book for about thirty minutes and found myself still reading over two hours later! The author has a gift for descriptive writing, drawing the reader into the scene. Even small, everyday events are valued and enjoyed by the reader. The animal stories, often funny and sometimes sad, will entertain the whole family, while occasional short reflections on life's mysteries are thought provoking. Get ready to laugh with and to love the Elliotts as they interact with their amazing critters. This book is a WINNER!"

-Karen Snowden DVM PhD DACVM,

Professor Emerita Texas A&M University