Despite the volume of research published and pedagogy practiced in conservation biology, there is little assessment of the effectiveness of pedagogical techniques for improving undergraduate conservation literacy and student engagement. We evaluated student responses (2009-2011) to reading "Tigerland and Other Unintended Destinations" by Eric Dinerstein (2005) and found that the book effectively reinforced applied and theoretical concepts learned in class, improved vocabulary, and clarified student perceptions of the field and their potential careers. Our study suggests that reading of nonfiction scientific literature is a valuable option for engaging students in a more meaningful way than can be solely gained from reading required primary literature or textbooks.