“Educational without being didactic, this picture book is an engaging introduction to the concept of a keystone species—an animal on which many other species depend. Rothmans’s eye-catching, full-bleed acrylic paintings depict a wide variety of creatures utilizing the gopher tortoise’s burrow. Almost every spread features a beautifully illustrated example of yet another animal, bird, or insect—from skunks to owls to scorpions—that relies on the gopher tortoise’s burrow for shelter, nesting, and protection from predators. Dunphy’s clear text adds additional interesting details (“The loose soil created by the tortoise’s digging is perfect for growing plants”). With a map showing the tortoise’s range of habitat in the southeastern United States and an end not relating that the animal is a threatened species, this attractive book effectively demonstrates the interdependent nature of the animal world.” —Booklist Reviews