Cat among the Pigeons by David Muirhead

Cat among the Pigeons by David Muirhead is the quirky, fun kind of book that I'd happily gift to my dad to read. Muirhead's collection of short, humorous musings about assorted species such as killer whale, caracal, elephant, gorilla, gemsbok, and rain frog, among many, offers readers a dip into a veritable bestiary of African beasties.

While this book isn't going to have the kind of meat to its bones that will satisfy a serious armchair conservationist, it's still the kind of read that combines facts with myth, and serves up a dish that is both entertaining and informative.

Muirhead's writing is light, fun and easy to get into – and as he suggests, it's the kind of reading you can do before you go to bed, or even if you don't have a huge amount of time and are looking for a short piece to while away a minute or three. Also, illustrator Patricia de Villiers's art provided a quirky counterpoint to the text.