In Beastly Brains, Castaldo delves into the minds of animals and explores animal empathy, communication, tool use, and social societies through interviews and historical anecdotes. Researchers from Charles Darwin to Jane Goodall have spent years analyzing the minds of animals, and today's science is revolutionizing old theories and uncovering surprising similarities to our own minds. Humans are not alone in our ability to think about ourselves, make plans, help each other, or even participate in deception. You'll think differently about the animals on this planet--maybe it's their world and we're just living in it

Nancy Castaldo is the award winning author of many nonfiction titles and the regional advisor for SCBWI- Eastern NY. She is also a photographer and environmental educator. Castaldo lives in New York State’s Hudson Valley with her family, including a fluffy cat and a newly rescued Bichon named Boo Radley.