When Loran’s homework assignment is to create an animal’s adaptations and demonstrate how the adaptations help it survive in its environment, he knows just what he wants to do. Loran creates a multipurpose, super species by using all kinds of cool, one-of-a-kind adaptations taken from a variety of some of his favorite animals—like a monkey’s prehensile tail and a sloth’s claws or even curling up like an armadillo. Once he created what he thinks is the ultimate adaptation mashup of any animal ever, he is surprised to discover that his “imaginary creature” really exists—it’s a pangolin! Yes, these charming and unique creatures really do exist, and they are the most endangered animals you’ve possibly never heard of.
Yes, some of the 18 species of penguins live in cold, polar regions, but most penguins live in warm climates. One species even lives near the equator! These birds “fly” through the water with flippers instead of the air with wings. Most are black and white, but one species is blue and white. Some have red eyes, and some have yellow eyes. Some even have colorful bursts of feathers atop their heads. What do they all have in common and how are they different? Explore and learn about these lovable birds in this latest installment of the Compare and Contrast Book series.
Dog detectives? Thanks to superior sniffers, some pups learn to help scientists investigate and track endangered animals. The snoopers’ clue? Poop. Dogs that are part of wildlife detective teams are trained to catch the scent of wild animal poop (scat) so that scientists can learn about these animals without luring or trapping them. Like many pooper snoopers, Sampson, the dog in this book, was once a shelter dog, too hyper and ball crazy for families. That energy and ball drive is what makes him such a good dog detective. He is trained on many species, from salamanders to bears, but his goal is always the same. Find the scat and get the ball!
Everything around us is made from the Earth. Some things are easily replaced, while others are not. Think about the food you have eaten or the energy it took to zoom to school on the bus. What natural resources have you used today, and are they easy to replace? Step through the latest book in the Compare and Contrast series to learn about the world’s resources, how long they take to reproduce, and how technology and ingenuity are helping to relieve the strain on some of our most precious reserves.
Big brothers are amazing! Did you know that big brothers are important in animal families, too? Animal big brothers do many of the same things as kid big brothers. They play with their younger siblings, teach them new things, and help with their care. Sometimes animal big brothers even babysit when their parents leave to hunt for food. Are you a big brother or do you have a big brother?
¿Cómo sería vivir como un dinosaurio? Los jóvenes lectores descubrirán que las vidas de los dinosaurios tenían muchas similitudes con las de los animales en la actualidad: nacían en huevos, corrían, cazaban, se escondían de los depredadores y crecían hasta la adultez. Sin embargo, el mundo en el que vivieron estas criaturas es muy diferente al actual; un gran ejemplo es que cosas sencillas como el pasto todavía no existían. Las palabras fáciles y repetitivas hacen que esta historia sea genial tanto para los lectores principiantes como para los entusiastas de los dinosaurios.
¿Te gustan las búsquedas del tesoro? ¿Cómo sabes si el agua de un arroyo está limpia y saludable? Acompaña a Lucas y a su hermana mientras hacen de científicos en búsqueda de ciertos tipos de insectos de arroyo (macroinvertebrados acuáticos) que necesitan agua limpia y libre de contaminación para sobrevivir. ¿Qué encontrarán al voltear piedras, levantar hojas y buscar entre el lodo? Sigue leyendo para saber si su arroyo recibe una calificación de aprobación.
La mayoría de las personas saben que las secuoyas rojas son árboles muy altos. De hecho, son los árboles más altos del mundo. Lo que muchas personas no saben y nunca podrán ver es que hay otro gran bosque que crece en las alturas de las cubiertas frondosas de las secuoyas rojas. Esta adaptación de La casa construida por Jack explora esta cubierta secreta y oculta que está llena de plantas y animales que la llaman su hogar.
El pelaje, las plumas y las escamas son cubiertas de protección o pieles que tienen los animales. Los animales utilizan su piel para mantenerse secos y calientes, protegerse, esconderse o incluso para advertir a otros animales que deben mantenerse alejados. Después de Las narices de los animales, Las orejas de los animales; Las colas de los animales; Los ojos de los animales; Las bocas de los animales (NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Science Award) y Las patas de los animales, Mary Holland continúa con su serie fotográfica de adaptaciones y anatomía de los animales, examinando muchas formas en las que los estos utilizan y dependen de las adaptaciones de sus pieles para sobrevivir en sus hábitats.
Weather changes daily. Sometimes it can even change from one moment to another—like a sudden storm. Weather affects our daily lives from what we wear to what outdoor activities (or lack thereof) we can do. Learning about weather and how to dress and prepare for it is an important skill to learn. Maybe even more important is the skill of observation. By asking simple questions, children become engaged and can start to observe and make correlations about the weather around them so they will understand how the weather impacts their lives.
When a young river otter sneaks into a zoo, she wonders if she should be more like some of the other animals she meets. She wants a trunk like the elephant or to be loud like the gorilla… By imitating and comparing herself to these other animals she learns to appreciate herself. Educational components are woven throughout this fun, read-aloud story to extend the learning, making it a perfect book for a wide variety of ages.
Just like humans, animals use their homes for shelter and to raise their young. Animal homes might be easy to see, or they may be hidden (camouflaged) for protection. Some animals are great builders and other animals borrow homes that other animals have made. Different animals might just use natural places like caves or holes in trees to make a home. And some animals might even carry their home on their back! Sticks, mud, leaves, cotton, and grass are all things that animals might use to build a home. Whether by digging, spinning, building or borrowing, animal homes are as varied as the animals themselves. This is a perfect addition to Mary Holland’s Animal Anatomy and Adaptations series.
What would it be like to live as a dinosaur? Young readers will discover that dinosaur lives had many similarities to present-day animals: they hatched, ran, hunted, hid from predators, and grew to adulthood. However, these creatures from the far past inhabited a world that was very different from today; a great example is that a simple thing like grass didn't yet exist. Repetitive sight words make this a great story for beginning readers and dinosaur enthusiasts alike.
Do you like scavenger hunts? How do you tell if creek water is clean and healthy? Join Lucas and his sister as they act like scientists looking for certain kinds of stream bugs (aquatic macroinvertebrates) that need clean, unpolluted water to survive. What will they find as they turn over rocks, pick up leaves and sort through the mud? Read along to find out if their creek gets a passing grade.
Animals are all around us. While we may not often see them, we can see signs that they’ve been there. Some signs might be simple footprints in snow or mud (tracks) and other signs include chewed or scratched bark, homes or even poop and pee (traces). Children will become animal detectives after learning how to “read” the animal signs left all around. Smart detectives can even figure out what the animals were doing! This is a perfect sequel to Mary Holland’s Animal Anatomy and Adaptations series.
When oil spills, workers hurry to clean the land and water. But oil spills can also affect every animal that lives in the area. Who helps these wild animals? On the East Coast, a team from Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research rushes to the scene to save as many as possible. Follow along to learn how these experts capture oiled animals and treat them quickly and safely so that they may be returned to the wild. This illustrated nonfiction is based on the extensive experience of the Oiled Wildlife Response Team at Tri-State.
Colo the cougar and her friend Ruff jump and play together, but they find that Ruff can’t jump nearly as far as Colo. Ruff doesn’t have a long, swishy tail like Colo does, to provide balance on long leaps. Ruff is a bobcat and his tail is much shorter. He is sure that something is wrong with him. The sympathetic Colo suggests that they go find a tail that Ruff would like better, so off they go. As the two kittens explore the variety of tails worn by other animals, they make the best discovery of all.
Mummies can’t talk; but with modern scientific tools, we can still discover what a mummy has to tell us. Read the stories of mummified Egyptian pharaohs and priestesses, baby elephants, pampered pets, and even a prehistoric bison. Uncover clues to centuries-old murder mysteries and human sacrifices, and even find out what a person or animal had for their last meal! Information from real scientists explains how we know what we know about each mummy. So what do these mummies have to say? Lots, it turns out!
Noses come in all kinds of shapes and sizes that are just right for its particular animal host. Not only do most animals use their noses to breathe but for many animals, the sense of smell helps them find food, a mate, or even to know when danger is near! Following Animal Tails, Animal Eyes, Animal Mouths (NSTA/CBC Outstanding Trade Science Award), and Animal Legs, Mary Holland continues her photographic Animal Anatomy and Adaptations series by exploring many different animal noses and how those noses help the animals survive in their habitats.
Quick, name the world’s fastest animal! Did you say cheetah? If so, you’re right – sort of. Sure, the cheetah can reach speeds over 70 miles per hour (mph); but did you know that there is a species of bird that can fly faster than a race car? Did you know that that’s not even the fastest animal there is? This “dashing dozen” of nature’s speediest species examines the fastest on land, air, and sea. This story will resonate with children taking standardized tests…one size does not fit all!
Come along on a journey through the aquatic habitat of a forested wetland. Meet birds and bobcats, along with the beavers and beetles that call the soggy forest home. Kevin Kurtz continues his award-winning “A Day In” series, and once again delights readers with a rhythmic, nonfiction look into a typical day for the animals that live in this wet habitat.
Cheetahs are the most rapidly vanishing cat in Africa. Share the dreams of a bright future for cheetahs while engaging sidebars provide a wealth of natural history information. From cleat-like feet to tear-marked faces, these majestic cats are well adapted to life on the African plains. The fierce predators sprint after their prey at high-speed, an exhausting dash that leaves them ready for a nap! This rhythmic text will lull readers into cheetah dreams of their own.
One winter day, Braden and Finley hike into the woods with their wildlife scientist dad and his team to tag a mamma bear who just had cubs. The tag makes it easy to find the mamma bear in the summer when the team gets a call about an orphaned bear cub that needs a new family. But will the mama bear adoptt this new cub as one of her own? The story is based on orphaned black bear cub rescue efforts by Michigan DNR.
Yodel and his siblings have woken from their long winter’s nap and are ready to learn and grow. Nature photographer Mary Holland captures precious moments of this black bear family’s springtime adventures. Just like human children, the yearlings play, explore their surroundings, and then snuggle up with mom for milk. They even stay with a special “babysitter” while mom is away. Someday soon, the yearlings will be grown and go off on their own, but for now they can catch a nap under their mama bear’s watchful eye.
Elephants are social animals. Maggie and Annabelle used to live together at the Alaska Zoo. But after Annabelle died, Maggie was all alone. For years, zookeepers tried to keep her happy (and warm). But ultimately they sent Maggie to live at a sanctuary (PAWS). Now she is happy and at home with her new herd of other elephants. This is a heartwarming story of how zoos ensure the best for the animals in their care—even if the best is not at their zoo.
