Alvin Breisch in his book released this month, “The Snake and the Salamander: Reptiles and Amphibians from Maine to Virginia,” uses a lifetime of knowledge to make creatures many consider “second-class citizens” vivid and vital — an essential part of the natural world that often go unrecognized.

Kids and their parents at the fair will have a chance to test their fearlessness by holding an eight-foot boa constrictor or petting an 18-pound lizard. It’s all done to show them that they don’t need to fear reptiles, says Adam Bornt of Uncharted Wild.