Book Spotlight: 'Roam' Follows Wild Animals Trying to Cross a Fenced-In World |
Hillary Rosner's 'Roam' won General Nonfiction at the 2026 Colorado Book Awards. Our Book Spotlight covers what reviewers said about its global look at wildlife corridors and crossings. |
This is a Book Spotlight, not a review. No one at Centennial Pulse has read Roam for this piece. What follows draws on the Colorado Book Awards announcement and two published reviews.
If you've ever slowed for a deer-crossing sign on a Front Range road, you've brushed up against the question at the heart of this year's top Colorado nonfiction book. How do wild animals get where they need to go when roads, fences and development keep cutting their world into pieces?
Why it's on our radar
At the 2026 Colorado Book Awards, presented by Colorado Humanities, Roam: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World by Hillary Rosner (Patagonia) won the General Nonfiction category. The other finalists were Reefs of Time by Lisa Gardiner and Sweet Nothings by Sarah Perry. The ceremony took place Sept. 26 at the Tivoli Turnhalle in Denver and honored books published in 2025.
What it's about
According to Foreword Reviews, Roam is a tour of conservation efforts around the world that aim to reconnect fragmented ecosystems. These include bridges and tunnels that carry animals over or under roads, green corridors, and links between protected reserves.
The stops are far-flung. Foreword describes a Costa Rican group working on a corridor for jaguars and planning for bat corridors in Mexico. It also describes women in Kenya who track elephants. The book includes dozens of color photographs, among them pronghorn crossing a Wyoming highway. Foreword calls it a "fascinating, lively nature book." The outlet notes that the publisher supplied its review copy.
What critics flagged
The Washington Independent Review of Books, in an April 10, 2026, review, was more mixed. The reviewer says the book will change how you see fences, which is no small thing for a 352-page work of nonfiction. She also raises three reservations.
The audience. Rosner's likely readers probably already accept climate science, so the book may not reach skeptics.
Next steps. It isn't clear what an individual reader can actually do about the problem.
Nostalgia. At times, the reviewer writes, Rosner "dreamily harks back to an Eden."
Taken together, the two reviews suggest a book that is strong on wonder and reporting. It may be lighter on a practical to-do list.
Who it might suit
Based on those descriptions, Roam looks like a good match for readers who enjoy reported nature writing with a global reach. It should also appeal to anyone who likes a book they can flip through for the photographs. And it fits anyone who has wondered why a highway or a stretch of fence matters so much to an animal's survival.
Readers hoping for a step-by-step guide to helping wildlife in their own backyard may want to go in with expectations adjusted, if the Washington Independent Review's read holds.
Why it fits a Centennial bookshelf
Colorado is marking 150 years of statehood in 2026. A statewide award going to a book about how people and wildlife share crowded landscapes feels well timed. Centennial is a suburb laced with busy roads and backyard fences. The book's central question isn't only about Kenya or Costa Rica. It's a lens for looking at familiar ground.
Finding a copy
Search the Arapahoe Libraries catalog by title to check availability or place a hold. Local booksellers are another good place to ask. If you pick it up this fall, notice the next fence line you pass and think about who might be trying to get across it.
Purchase Roam: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World by Hillary Rosner on Amazon.
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26 Comments
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Never thought about how a fence could totally change an animal’s world. Makes me want to check the book out just for that perspective.
If anyone finds a local place that stocks this book, please share. I’d rather support local than order from Amazon.
It’s kind of true that folks reading nature books are already on board. Still, raising more awareness can’t hurt.
Wow, didn’t know animal corridors were a thing all around the world. Kenya, Costa Rica, Wyoming, that’s pretty wild.
I always drive slower near Cherry Creek because of the deer. A book on why that matters? Count me in.
Our block backs up to a greenbelt and we see coyote pups come through. I’ll be thinking about them now whenever I see a new fence go up.
Looks like a beautiful book, but wish it offered clearer next steps. Still, always cool to see Colorado authors getting recognized.
Anything that makes us notice what’s right outside our backyard is a win. Might grab this for my fall reading.
Glad they mentioned how hard it is for individual folks to make a difference. Still, knowing about big efforts is encouraging.
I live near Southglenn and see foxes and deer getting blocked by fences all the time. Books like this help people understand why it matters.
Just placed a hold. My kids will love the animal pictures and we can talk about the local fences too. Thanks for the tip!
The nostalgia part sounds a little much for me, but the reporting angle looks solid. Congrats on the award anyway.
Thanks for your thoughtful take, while the book may lean into nostalgia at times, critics agree its reporting is substantive and wide-ranging.
As someone who loves nature photography, this sounds up my alley. Do the library copies usually have the photo sections?
Wasn’t sure what a wildlife corridor was until now. Fascinating to know people are building these for bats and jaguars too.
Those overpasses for animals are genius, wish we had more in Colorado. Glad the book spotlights that kind of work.
Congrats to the author. But I’d like to see a book for non-experts with more step-by-step actions for helping wildlife locally.
I’ve always felt bad seeing deer trapped against fences around here. Makes me think twice when driving through town.
Sounds like a great coffee table book with all the animal pictures. I might flip through at the bookstore first.
Thank you for reading, yes, the photographs seem to be a big draw here, making it a natural pick for browsing or the coffee table! Let us know what you think if you check it out in person.
Love seeing a Colorado book award go to something this relevant. Our roads really do chop up wildlife paths. Hoping more folks notice now.
Kind of wish the book had more ideas for what regular people can do. Still, sounds interesting, especially the stories from Kenya and Costa Rica.
We hear you. The reviews did note that practical tips for individuals are limited, but the global stories and on-the-ground efforts may offer plenty of inspiration all the same.
Always wondered what those tunnels under highways were for. Now I want to see the book’s photos too. Congrats to Hillary Rosner on the award!
We’re so glad the piece piqued your curiosity, those wildlife underpasses and overpasses are fascinating, and the book’s award-winning status just adds to the appeal!
Rebecca P.It’s cool how many critters really do use those tunnels. I’ve seen motion cam shots from around Golden and it’s wild! Congrats to the author too.