All Creatures Great and Small,
By James Herriot

Joe Klopfenstein

Selections are read by Joe Klopfenstein, a Vergennes, Vermont, veterinarian who deals with everything from alpacas to zebras. Our photo shows Joe with an elk (tokum) who’s getting his spring vaccination.
A cow story, a pig story, a dog story. The Yorkshire country veterinarian James Herriot indeed cared for “all creatures great and small.” Camel’s Hump Radio brings you the funny, the weird and the sad in these 3 short stories. There are some tough moments, but then Herriot is an honest guy. And once you get to know characters like James and Tricki the Peke and his owner, Mrs. Pumphrey, it’s hard to stop reading.

THINGS TO DO ONLINE

See what the real James Herriot looked like
James Herriot has many fans. Maybe you’ve seen the television show starring Christopher Timothy and think he’s the real Herriot. Nope. Here’s what “James Herriot”--real name James Alfred Wight, or “Alf”--and his sidekicks “Tristan” and “Siegfried” , really Brian and Donald Sinclair, looked like.

So you want to be a vet?
First pick a pet. Now learn from the Scott Center what you need to know to take good care of him or her.

But, of course, you have questions about what it takes to be a vet, like ‘What if I’m allergic? Can I still take care of animals?’ Get the answer here along with lots of other FAQ’s about becoming a vet (that’s Frequently Asked Questions). For more details on the life of a vet, click here.

Visit an elk farm
Reading makes you want to go places and do things. Then the Internet takes you there…virtually. Here’s a virtual trip to an elk farm in North Dakota. You can ask the Carlson family questions about raising elk.

The whole idea is to have fun
Missing Words, Cat ‘n’ Mouse, Animal Crossword—these are just some of the games at the Scott Center site for kids.

Raise a virtual pig
You’ll need your parents’ permission, and maybe their help, but why not join the weekly competition to raise the biggest and best porker online at SwineOnline.

Time to dish up something for you and the pig
Check out Camel’s Hump Cooks. Even a kid can enjoy “A Salad for Nudist’

Note: The "Things to do" sections can often use an adult's help or encouragement.



FROM THE CHR LIBRARIAN

Short bio and books of James “Herriot”
James Herriot (“Alf” to his friends and family, since his real name was James Alfred Wight) made collections of dog and cat stories and found illustrators to do charming picture books as well as the books that tell stories for adults and children. His first book was If Only They Could Talk. He’s profiled at a site that also gives the full list of his books for adults and children.

Vicarious travel
Yorkshire is one of the most beautiful parts of England. Maybe that’s why the Herriot book that outsold all others was James Herriot’s Yorkshire. For a sense of the lay of the land, there’s also a video. It’s Yorkshire dales and its moors, its ancient abbeys and churches that define this countryside, including an active community life around Thirsk, the real Darrowby of Herriot’s books. Thirsk is still an active market town around the Wheatsheaf Inn. In fact, events are still being chronicled there, and post-Herriot, news is available on the World Wide Web.

Raise a virtual pig
See Things To Do above for a thrilling week competing to bring home the bacon, or at any rate the prize that comes with raising the best bacon.