Turn off the Night Lights!

Who Hid the Stars? How Light Pollution Changes Our World  

by Danio Miserocchi & Maciej Michno; illus. by Valentina Gottardi, and translated by Sylvia Notini 

44 pages; ages 8-14

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2026

Back in mid-March, in the middle of the night, we’d stopped to fill up our tank and get some snacks for the drive home. The gas station was brightly lit, at the edge of a small city where lights were few and far between. And there, atop the roof, was a lone robin singing his heart out. Didn’t he know it was time to sleep?

Apparently not. Artificial light does more than illuminate our world. For the plants and animals living in and around our cities, these night lights create problems. Constant light changes behavior as well as their chances to reproduce.

In this well-documented book, the authors examine how light pollution affects birds and bats, reptiles and insects, and even trees and flowers. City birds stay awake longer, sometimes searching for food all night – not healthy for either the birds or the bugs they’re noshing on. Unfortunately, those lights that allow the birds more foraging time can confuse migratory species that depend on the dark skies to navigate.

Night lights confuse nocturnal insects. Those moths you see fluttering around streetlights aren’t flapping round and round because they like the light. They’ve lost their bearings and can’t figure out where they want to go. Bad news for the moths, but not for the bats who’ve discovered the all-night streetlight buffet.

As fireflies, who depend on reading the flashes of bioluminescent light to guide them to potential mates – artificial lights make it nearly impossible to see them, unless they’re lucky enough to have found a dark corner of a park.

But there’s hope – and this is what I like about this book: there are Things We Can Do to minimize light pollution. Some state and national parks have established themselves as Dark Sky Parks. When you visit, you have to turn off your cell phones and put red cellophane over your flashlight to preserve the nocturnal habitat. Some cities are replacing old streetlights with newer ones that shield light from above, focusing it downward. Many places encourage residents and businesses to turn off lights during peak migration. As for us – if we all turned off even just one light or two at night, it would make a difference.

Back matter includes ideas for bringing back the stars (dark skies) and resources. 

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Some animals are Just Plain Rude!

 

So Rude!: Animals Behaving Badly 

by Jessica Fries-Gaither

32 pages; ages 4-9

Millbrook Press, 2025

theme: animal behavior, nonfiction, STEM

You’ve heard grown-ups say it again and again. Mind your manners. 

Be polite. 

Be on your best behavior.

Good advice for humans. Maybe not so much for animals, says Jessica Fries-Gaither. Because for some animals, what we think of as “bad manners” is just a way of life. For example, some animals don’t “tell the truth.” They use deceit to capture prey, disguises to hide from predators, and fake their own death to get out of … mostly getting eaten.

What I like about this book: Jam-packed with bad behavior – cowbirds cheat, crows call out fake news, and vultures poop on their feet – and filled with photos, this book is a fun tour of how animals use rudeness to survive. Or at least what looks like rudeness to us. Each example reminds us to not judge other animals by our standards (or lack thereof). There is back matter, with more information about animal behavior, a glossary, and list of resources for further reading. 

Jessica is one of my critique partners, and I watched this book “grow up” from outline to draft to revision to … yay! It’s a book! And in all that time I never asked her this One Question:

Me: What made you want to write this book? Were you inspired by behaviors you saw in the school lunchroom? Or, was this something you wanted to write for your students for any particular reason?

 

photo by Kollmer Photography

Jessica: I can't point to a specific incident that made me want to write this book! But we spend a good amount of time in my elementary science classes talking about animal behaviors and how we can't necessarily interpret them through the lens of human behaviors and norms. At some point I thought it could be a fun and funny window for kids into learning about animal behavior.

Beyond the Books:

Watch for backyard bullies at your bird feeder this winter! Which birds take over the feeder and scare off other birds? And how do they intimidate other birds? With calls? With wing displays? At our feeders it’s the jays who act badly!

What animal thieves hang out in your yard or neighborhood? Squirrels steal our bird seed and suit from the bird feeders! And a meadow vole took bites out of eight (8!) squash this summer. Crows often take shiny things, and even cats will pick up small toys and carry them off. Who's making mischief in your yard?

Jessica is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, www.jessicafriesgaither.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Crows Come Together

 

I Am We: How Crows Come Together to Survive 

by Leslie Barnard Booth; illus. by Alexandra Finkeldey 

44 pages; ages 5-8

Chronicle Books, 2025 

theme: birds, behavior, community, winter

I spill across the sky like ink—

fill the night with jagged cries.

I have one thousand eyes.

With the opening of the book we are invited into a winter flock of crows – a flock where one crow is part of the many because, as Leslie writes, “one set of eyes isn’t nearly enough.” With lyrical language she shows how the flock works together for survival. 

What I like about this book: The lovely, poetic language pulled me right in to the crow’s reality of winter survival. I love how Leslie explains that “we” is stronger than “I” – even if it is just for a night’s roost. There is a wonderful nod to the witches in Macbeth, and the recurring theme that night casts the spell that binds the birds together. The illustrations are perfect: dark, but not dreary! And there is Back Matter where curious readers can learn more about crow families, bird intelligence, social learning, and winter survival.

Every time I read a book by Leslie, I feel like she’s found a new way to tell a story. So I had to ask her One Question.

Me: How did you come to this way of telling a story about crows? And did you explore other ways of telling the story?

Photo by Kristal Passy Photography

Leslie: This story began with the concept of crows as social creatures that cooperate and collaborate to survive. I was particularly struck by the fact that crows benefit from the vigilance of other crows--by moving and resting as a flock, they can in a sense "see" with a thousand eyes. I had also been thinking, at the time I wrote this piece, about the power of cooperation more generally. We humans are inextricably bound to one another--our happiness, health, and survival depend on the actions of families, communities, and nations. Because the collective is the focus of this story, when I wrote the first draft I chose first-person plural point of view. While other aspects changed from draft to draft (I worked to add tension and create more of a narrative arc), the point of view remained consistent.

Beyond the Books:

Check out the video and activities at Leslie’s page for educators. There’s a lot to do there!

Get to know a crow. The best way is to find a place to watch them in your neighborhood, or at a park. If you want to know how to identify a crow, check out this page from Cornell’s All About Birds

Fold a paper crow. Instructions here.

Leslie is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, lesliebarnardbooth.com

https://www.lesliebarnardbooth.com/

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Noisy Animals!

 I’ve been enjoying Darrin Lunde’s books for a while – and this summer he had two new books hit the shelves. What I really appreciate is that Darrin writes from his experience of being a biologist – he’s the collection manager in the Division of Mammals at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

Themes: nonfiction, animals, animal behavior

Who's Making All That NOISE?! 

by Darrin Lunde; illus. by Erica J. Chen 

32 pages; ages 3-7

Charlesbridge, 2025

Rap tap tap! Rap tap tap tap!

Who’s making all that noise?!

Owl and squirrel and a bunch of other animals want to know because it is sure a LOUD hammering on a tree! Before we turn the page, though, can you guess who it might be?

If you said woodpecker, you would be right! Woodpeckers hammer on trees to find ants and other insects. They hammer on trees to communicate with other woodpeckers. And when they hammer on the side of my house, I’m pretty sure they’re doing it just to bug me!

From creaky clicks in the sea to grunts, roars, and quacks, readers meet seven animals who make their own kinds of noises.

What I like about this book: I like the format of paired spreads. The first presents the sound and asks “Who’s making all that noise?” There’s a brief description of the sound: it’s a loud blast of air, or it sounds like rumbling thunder. This makes for a fun read-aloud because you can pause … and wait … and let kids guess … before turning the page to reveal the Noisy Animal! Also, it’s fun to read the sounds. I also like that there’s back matter: a spread filled with facts about the noises animals make.

Some of Darrin’s books are being published in board book format – here’s one

Whose Egg Is That? (Whose Is THAT?) Board book 

by Darrin Lunde; illus. by Kelsey Oseid 

22 pages; ages 0-3

Charlesbridge, 2025

As with the book above, Whose Egg Is That? Is a nonfiction guessing game exploring the connections between an animal, its eggs, and its habitat. With fewer pages come fewer animals, in this case: emperor penguin, sea turtle, ostrich, robin, and dinosaur. The final spread shares fun facts about the featured critters – and their eggs.

Beyond the Books:

Listen to animals! Where? I sit on my porch in the morning and listen to birds. I go to the zoo where I can hear penguins and lions. And when the weather allows, I leave my windows open at night so I can hear frogs calling, owls hooting, and foxes screaming.

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Animal Homes

Home is where you feel safe – and we all need a safe place to sleep, eat, and keep warm (or cool). My home probably doesn’t look like your home, and it definitely doesn’t look like a polar bear’s home. Reading these books is like doing armchair open-houses! Today's themes are: animals, home, family

Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live 

by Mike Unwin; illus. by Jenni Desmond 

48 pages; ages 7-9

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025 

If you could have any home that you wanted, what would you choose?

Once upon a time I dreamed of living in a castle. And then I had an opportunity to spend a summer in a small dome, with a sleeping loft and just enough room. So I’m always intrigued to see what sorts of housing choices other folks make. Mike Unwin shows the different sorts of homes animals make, from aardvarks to wasps and everything in between.

Readers visit a polar bear snow den, a puffin burrow, and the mobile home of a hermit crab. There are condos for the social beings – termites, wasps, weaver birds – and more solitary accommodations for the loners. There are tree houses, earthen houses, stick houses and houses built of straw.

What I like about this book: the section titles are lots of fun. “Hanging around” for the three-toed sloth who … hangs in the treetops of tropical forests. Or “All sewn up” for the tailorbirds that use plant fibers and spider silk to stitch leaves together for their nest. Main text – and there’s a page full for each species – explains how the animals build their home, raise families, and live in their environment. Supplemental text provides fun facts. 

A Home Like This (Board book )

by Laura Purdie Salas; illus. by Miriam Nerlove 

7 spreads

Creative Editions, 2025

The text and artwork show a diversity of animal homes. Some are open to the sky, some are more sheltered. Some are temporary, some are permanent. 

What I like about this book: read altogether, the pages are a poem. For each spread, illustrations show the animal and its home. The last spread includes some human dwellings amongst the wild, and emphasizes that home is where the heart is. As I was reading this book, I kept feeling as though I’d met this illustrator before. And indeed, I reviewed two of Miriam Nerlove’s board books a few years ago here on this very blog!

Beyond the Books:

Make a drawing or model of your home. If you had to explain to a rabbit or an anteater about where you live, what would you tell them?

Animals use what’s in their habitat to build their homes. Check out this video to see some of the shelters they construct. 

Walk around your yard and take stock of the natural materials you could use to build a home. It could be snow or mud, dried grass or twigs. Then collect a few of those materials and build a model nest or shelter. 

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

What's for Dinner?

Next week is Thanksgiving, and that’s got me thinking about food! Turns out I’m not the only one thinking about food …and it also turns out that I am omnivorous! Here’s a pair of books that explore animals and their eating habits. 

themes: animals, food chains, nonfiction

This is Not My Lunchbox 

by Jennifer Dupuis; illus. by Carol Schwartz 

32 pages; ages 4-8

Tilbury House Publishers, 2024

The book opens with a child camping in the forest. The tent is up, and he’s searching in his backpack for something.

Time to eat. Here is my red lunch box. What have you packed for me today?

Carpenter ants? Beetles? Spiders? Not MY lunch! But it’s the perfect lunch for a downy woodpecker. In each spread, the boy opens a lunchbox to discover all kinds of things that he Absolutely, Positively Would NOT eat! But the animals in the forest – from mouse to mantid to moose – would, because that’s what they normally eat. Finally, FINALLY!, he opens a lunchbox with yummy people food.

What I like about this book: I love the way this book introduces animals and their diets. I love that each lunchbox is a different color. And I really love that a diversity of animals are invited to the table, from bugs to birds, foxes and frogs. Back matter challenges kids to match pictures of the animals with their eating habits: herbivore, carnivore, omnivore. 

Menus for Meerkats and Other Hungry Animals 

by Ben Hoare; illus by Hui Skipp 

48 pages; ages 6-10

‎Kane Miller, 2024

Every animal has to eat … But what is food, exactly?

The first page introduces readers to the importance of food: animals need to eat to keep their bodies working, to grow, to look after their young. There’s a quick explanation of what herbivores are, and carnivores, and omnivores – and even a brief mention that some animals are Very Fussy eaters! And then an invitation to see what’s on the menu for a ten wild creatures.

What I like about this book: I like how the book is structured, introducing each animal with a menu page. Each menu comes with a note; for meerkats it includes a warning that some of their food fights back. The menu is arranged with Main Course on the left page (insects, grubs, scorpions, spiders) and Sides and Drinks on the right. There’s also a map showing where the animal lives. The spread following the menu tells more about the animal and its place in the food web: what it eats – and what eats them! In addition to meerkats, there are macaws, grizzly bears, white sharks, koalas, dung beetles, orangutans, Indian cobras, blue whales, and lions. A table of contents, glossary, and index help make this a useful reference book. 

Beyond the Books:

What’s your favorite animal? It could be a bird, mammal, insect, amphibian, reptile, or fish. Make a list of all the things it eats. Draw a menu or a lunchbox for that animal and put in its favorite foods.

How does your favorite animal fit into the food web? Do any animals eat it? Make a chart or drawing to show what you learn.

What's in YOUR lunchbox? If you’re like me, you might be thinking about Thanksgiving right now… draw a menu for your feast. Or, draw a lunchbox showing what you usually eat for lunch.

Ask an adult to help you make something that you like to eat. Maybe it’s a cheese and pickle sandwich, or maybe it’s pancakes.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Getting to Know Crows

This is the time of year when I see crows – lots of crows – gleaning grains from the cornfields and gathering in trees. I hear their caws in the morning, sometimes a single bird and sometimes a ruckus of noise. Crows are brilliant and brainy and worth getting to know. Here are two recently published books to help get your crow study started.

theme: birds, animal behavior, nonfiction

Crick, Crack, Crow!

by Janet Lord; illus. by Julie Paschkis 

32 pages; ages 4-8

Margaret Quinlin Books/Peachtree, 2024

Crow lives with his noisy family high in a treetop.

He is curious and loves to have fun … but mostly Crow likes to stir up trouble! He gets into some thieving trouble, some tricky trouble, and some trapped-in-the-dark trouble. With his ability to use tools and solve problems, Crow can usually get out of trouble. Until he finds trouble too big for one bird…

What I like about this book: I love the couplets of “Crick, crack, crow! Ready to go!” The words change throughout the book, depending on the situation, and kids will love anticipating the repetition. I appreciate the accuracy of how the author and illustrator depict crow behavior on the page. And I love the back matter, “Crick, Crack, Crow! So much to know!” Lots of great crow facts and resources for expanding the story and learning more about these brainy birds.

How to Know a Crow: The Biography of a Brainy Bird 

by Candace Savage; illus by Rachel Hudson 

120 pages; ages 9-12

Greystone Kids, 2024

This book takes you into the world of the American crow, starting in a crow’s nest … where, with a tap-tap crunch, one tiny bird breaks free from the egg. Readers will get an inside look at the family life of crows. It’s not just mama and papa bird, but brothers and sisters from previous years help take care of the babies. Good thing, too, because there are SO many jobs to do! There’s feeding, and nest maintenance, and taking out the trash, and protecting the nest. Plus, there’s an up-close look at the life of a teen-aged crow!

What I like about this book: So Many Things! There’s the pie chart showing the kinds of things crows eat, and the relative quantities thereof. There are “Crow Lab” sidebars with activities, such as a check list to determine whether your bird is crow or not-crow, and an experiment involving a nut and a string. There are mini-features, which focus on a particular aspect of crow life. For example, “Cawing 101” is all about how to understand crow language. There’s a list of ways you can help crows (and other birds) stay healthy. There’s a great book turn so you get a vertical page showing “high rise living” crow style. And throughout, the author raises intriguing questions, like: do crows have “culture?” Oh yeah, there’s an entire chapter devoted to “bird braininess.” Organizational features include a table of contents, a glossary, resources for curious kids (and adults), and an index. I give this book 5 feathers!

Beyond the Books:

Play a game of “I Spy a Crow” – keep track of where you see crows, and how many different kinds of behaviors you see them doing. You might see a group of them chasing a hawk, or a single crow on a telephone pole acting as lookout. Or, as in our neighborhood, a flock walking across harvested fields looking for leftovers.

Fold an origami crow. All you need is some black paper. It's not too hard - you can follow the video here.

Think about your neighborhood – or your yard – from a crow’s point of view. Draw a map showing large trees that might provide nesting spots, lawn or gardens for foraging, and snacking opportunities (pet food, compost bin). Here’s more info about crows from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Learn how to speak in Crow. Check out these recordings from CLO and see if you can make crow sounds.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers. And on Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Books celebrating Ants and Doves!

Upon returning from my end-of-summer break, I discovered a bunch of summer releases I’d neglected to share. Taking care of that forthwith! Today’s books celebrate animals, behavior, and human interactions.

Rosemary Mosco writes and illustrates a variety of things, from her Bird and Moon comics to chapter books. Her most recent picture book was released in July. It’s about ants – and I love it! 

There Are No Ants in This Book 
by Rosemary Mosco; illustrated by Anna Pirolli 
40 pages; ages 4-8
Tundra Books, 2024  

  
What a nice-looking book this is! It’s the perfect place for… a picnic.

The reason? There are no ants… it even says so on the cover. Except, as we turn the page we discover that there’s one ant. That might be okay, but then two more ants show up, then more until there are Ten Ants! And that turns out to be fine with the character, because she’s discovering just how cool ants are.

What I like love about this book: I love that each ant is a different species, from a tiny acorn ant to a huge dinosaur ant. The back matter provides a brief bio for each of the ten ants, with their scientific name, where they live, and a cool fact. I’d write more, but I want to go check the acorns in the yard for … ants!

Over the past decade or so I’ve enjoyed reading books written by Sara Levine. Whether it’s animal bones or flower talk or math, she combines fun with STEM. Her newest picture book is all about… well, the title says it all.

A Terrible Place for a Nest 
by Sara Levine; illustrated by Erika Meza 
40 pages; ages 4-8
Roaring Brook Press, 2024 

  
When Juno and his mom lost their home, they had to move to a new place.

Juno doesn’t like his new room. The local grocer doesn’t carry his favorite cereal. Making new friends is hard, and mourning doves are building a nest on the fence right next to the gate. “This is a terrible place!” Juno yells. 

What I like about this book: I like how Juno helps the doves when their nest falls to the ground, and how he decides to take them under his wing (so to speak). As the dove family grows, we see Juno’s circle of friends grow, and the ways they come up with to protect the nest, despite its suboptimal location. I also like how Sara’s story focused on a bird that is distributed across the continental US, Mexico, and southern Canada. So any kid reading or listening to this story can see mourning doves – or their rock dove “pigeon” cousins – around their neighborhood.

Beyond the Books:

Make a picnic for the ants in your yard or at a park. What sort of food will you provide? Remember, some ants like sweets, others like meat, and some will eat anything. Make sure you put your ant picnic on a sheet of paper so the ants can reach their favorite food.

Once you’ve made your ant picnic, observe the ants that visit. What ants arrive first? Do they stick around and eat or do they scurry away, only to return with a friend or two or ten? How many kinds of ants did you see?

Maybe you’d rather make a picnic for mourning doves. They like to eat sunflower seeds, millet, oats, unshelled peanuts, and cracked corn. You can learn more about attracting mourning doves at exploring birds.

This summer a robin tried building a nest over a door. It was a terrible place for a nest! Are there any birds nesting in “terrible places” around your house? What kind of bird, and where did they try to build their nest?

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

The Ants are Marching...

 Today’s books are all about ants – because I have an abiding fondness for these truly marvelous tiny critters. I once spent an entire month trading barley seeds with harvester ants.

Theme: ants, animal behavior, ecology

City of Leafcutter Ants: A Sustainable Society of Millions 

by Amy Hevron 

40 pages; ages 4-8

Neal Porter Books/ Holiday House, 2024   

Below the towering trees of the dense rainforest canopy of Central America, a population the size of New York City bustles.

It is a city of leafcutter ants, and each one of them has a job to help their city thrive. There are ants that manage the city’s trash, ants that care for the youngsters, and ants that build and tunnel and dig. There are ants that gather food from the forest, ants that grow food in the city, and ants that make medicines to keep everyone healthy.

What I like about this book: I like the way this book takes readers right inside the ant city. I like the bright, bold illustrations. And I like that there’s back matter in which Amy Hevron tells more about Leafcutter ants and the important jobs ants hold in their city. 

The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants 

by Philip Bunting 

32 pages; ages 4-8

‎Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024

Hey! This is an ant. And this is an ant. And this is an ant…

In fact, there is an entire page introducing ants, about ten quadrillion of them (though not all of them individually). In this book you’ll discover things ants love and things they don’t love (such as big feet coming down on top of them!). There’s an introduction to a generic ant colony and the different jobs ants do, how they talk to each other, and a lot about what ants (and people) can do to make the world a better place.

What I like about this book: I like the stylized illustrations of ants and the humor that results from the combined text and illustrations. And the scene where ants discover sprinkles – who doesn’t love sprinkles!

Beyond the Books:

Back in April I interviewed Amy for the Fourth Annual Arthropod Roundtable over on the GROG blog. You can read it here.

Follow some ants. Where are they going? Where are they coming from? Are they carrying anything, such as dead insects or seeds? These are some of the questions that inspired Amy Hevron to write City of Leafcutter Ants!

Create art inspired by ant-watching. Perhaps your questions will inspire a poem or story. Or you might paint a picture of the ants in your neighborhood. Or perhaps you’ll map out where the ants live and work…

You can find more ant activities in one of my earlier blog posts here.

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. City of Leafcutter Ants provided by the publisher; Wonderful Wisdom of Ants provided by Blue Slip Media.

Wildfire!

 

Fire Escape: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires (Books for a Better Earth) 

by Jessica Stremer; illus. by Michael Garland  

128 pages; ages 8-12

Holiday House, 2024

Wildfires have been in the news lately – mostly because they are becoming more frequent and bigger and cause disaster when they burn through towns and cities. But what happens to the plants and animals in a wildfire’s path? That’s what Jessica Stremer discusses in her newest book, Fire Escape.

Chapter by chapter she addresses such issues as how farmers evacuate livestock,  how zoos shelter their residents, and how rescued wild animals are cared for. While most animals try to flee fire, some see fire as an opportunity. Raptors hunt ahead of the flames, preying on animals fleeing the flames.

Let’s not forget the plants; they’re “wildlife” too. Some pine trees have adapted to wildfires, and require flames to melt the resin sealing their cones shut. Only then can the seeds be released to sprout into new seedlings. And when a fire reduces a forest to ash, that’s when succession takes over. Certain flowers, grasses, and fungi are adapted to colonize the burnt landscape. As they grow and die, new plants move in, eventually growing back into a forest. 

Jessica discusses megafires and the role global warming plays in wildfire season (indeed, in some places there is no “wildfire season” anymore. Fires burn year-round.) She takes a look at how people have used fire as a tool to maintain habitat, and how goats are used to fight fires. And she includes a great chapter about the advantages of having beavers move into a landscape. At the end of the book she mentions the scientists who help fight fire and the many kinds of fire-fighting jobs there are.

I wanted to know more about what inspired Jessica to write this book, and she graciouslyanswered my questions.

Me: In your author’s note, you mention seeing ash flakes fall from a fire in 2017. Can you tell us more?

Jessica: I was fist altered to the Lilac Fire, as it would later be named, when I walked out of a store to discover ash falling from the sky. I actually wasn’t sure what it was at first, but as I drove home, and towards the direction of the fire, I realized what was going on.

This wasn’t the first time we’d had a fire burning nearby. We lived just south of the Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton, and fires would sometimes start as a result of artillery drops during training sessions. We could see smoke from the fires, but they were always too far away to be of any concern. In fact, of the twelve years that we lived in California, the Lilac Fire was the only one that ever caused us to worry.

That afternoon, the fire was still a few miles away and most of my neighbors were confident that we didn’t need to worry. I didn’t want to overreact by evacuating that night (although a few of our friends did), but I also didn’t want to ignore what could become a very deadly situation. So when the kids got home from school, we packed suitcases for ourselves and supplies for our dogs just in case we needed to evacuate.

My daughters took horseback riding lessons at a stable a few miles east of us. After checking the news to learn exactly where the fire was burning and which direction it was headed, I texted their riding instructor to see if she or anyone there needed help. She said they were monitoring the fire and had plans in place to evacuate. In my research for this book, I spoke to a few people who run volunteer evacuation groups for horses and other livestock for situations just like this. It’s amazing to see people come together in times of need.

My husband and I then took turns waking up in the middle of the night to check the status of the fire. The next morning, we learned that between the firefighters working hard to contain the flames, and the wind changing direction – sending the flames back towards the direction they had come from where there was nothing left to burn – the fire was fortunately no longer a threat for us or our home.

We did have friends that had to evacuate. They lived near the riding stables, and while she and her daughters fled, her husband stayed to help their neighbor with their horses. >From his neighbor’s yard he saw a crew of hotshots rappel out of a helicopter into his back yard. Their fence burned down, but luckily their home was ok. Unfortunately, a nearby horse training facility, San Luis Rey Downs, wasn’t so lucky. Dozens of horses perished, unable to escape the deadly blaze. There was an immense feeling of sadness among the entire community.

Me: You mentioned that you went to the area years later. What did you notice about the landscape?

 Jessica: There are various areas in southern California that have experienced wildfires and are now thriving. Driving to our friend’s house, the ones who had to evacuate, is where I regularly witnessed an ongoing change in the post-fire landscape. At first the entire area was blackened and charred. But it didn’t take long for life to return to the area. Initially there were a lot of smaller plants which had sprouted up through the ashes. Then taller trees and shrubs began to fill in the gaps. One day a few years later, I remember driving past that area and thinking how lush and green everything looked. Almost like you wouldn’t know a fire had happened if you weren’t around to experience it.

The same thing happened while driving through Camp Pendleton. I didn’t take that road often, but I can distinctly remember one drive shortly after a fire where the entire landscape was charred, and then another drive years later where again plants had regrown. From the car, you would never know a fire had ever occurred in that area.

We sometimes went hiking on Palomar Mountain about an hour away from our home. It was during one of those hikes that I noticed many of the trees were scarred from a fire that had burned long ago, yet the forest was alive and thriving. I knew fires were good for the landscape, and following that hike the seeds of curiosity were planted. I wanted to know more about what happened during wildfires. What did animals do to survive? And how does a forest regrow? I never want to downplay the loss people experience during wildfires, but I do want to help people understand the ways in which fire can be beneficial.

photo by John McColgan, Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service

Me: The biggest threat now seems to be mega fires. What one thing can we do to prevent them? To help mitigate climate change or reverse it?

 Jessica: Oye, that’s a loaded question! So much of it depends on where you live. When it comes to wildfires, it’s important to maintaining boundaries around your home. Firefighters call this a “defensible area” which can be obtained by not planting trees and shrubs too close to structures.

If you live in a wooded area, talk to your local forestry management organization about the best way to manage the landscape. Can you help eradicate invasive species and plant those that are native to your area? Is it possible to have firefighters perform a controlled burn? Teaching our kids how to respect and care for the land is also really important.

Most wildfires are caused by people, so if you do have a fire, make sure the conditions are right. For example, never start a fire when it’s extremely dry and windy. Also, never start a fire in an uncontained area, such as outside a firepit, and never leave a fire unattended.

In regards to mitigating climate change, a lot of the problems stem from big corporations, the way they operate and the waste they produce. However, there are lot of little things we can do to try and help. Reduce the consumption of unnecessary goods and think of innovative ways to reuse products you already have. Buy local whenever possible. Participate in trash clean-ups. Plant native vegetation. I could go on and on!

Thank you so much, Jessica! Jessica is a member of #STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Meet some Super Animal Dads

Superdads! Animal Heroes 

By Heather Lang & Jamie Harper 

32 pages; ages 3-7

‎Candlewick, 2024

theme: animal families, STEM

Bringing up babies in the wild is a mighty big job. Animal moms usually get the credit since they’re the ones who do most of the parenting. But some dads take the lead…

Who are these unsung dad heroes? And what do they do? Some, like the brown kiwi, incubate eggs and keep them safe until they hatch. In fact, there’s lots of dads who care for eggs: water bugs, seahorses, and frogs. Some dads hide their young by building a shelter or hiding them under his wings. Dads feed their young and some play with them and teach them life skills, such as hunting or singing.

What I like about this book:

Last year I reviewed Supermoms! so I was really looking forward to a book about dads. Heather and Jamie did not disappoint.

I like the way this author/illustrator duo presents the caretaking tasks dads do as superpowers, from child care and feeding to defending and teaching. And I like that the featured dads come from a diverse list of animals that include fish, amphibians, insects, birds, and mammals.  The cartoon illustrations are fun – like when the wolf pups play tug-of-war with dad – and the animal dialog gives readers an opportunity to stretch their role-playing skills.

And, there is Back Matter! One spread gives each superdad a chance to share a fun fact about his superpower. There’s also a list of books and online resources for curious kids to explore.

Reproduced by permission of the publisher* (full permission at bottom)

I had so much fun reading this book that I just had to ask Heather and Jamie a couple of questions:

Me: Hi Heather. I want to know how you found so many cool examples of Superdads. Can you talk about how you explored your research?

Heather: We knew from our Supermoms! research that moms do most of the parenting in the wild, so finding superdads would be more challenging. But luckily Jamie and I both love a good treasure hunt!

We began with a small list of remarkable dads that we’d discovered while working on Supermoms! Some of those came from a field trip we took to see the Museum of Science’s Nature’s Superheroes exhibit in Boston. Next, we searched the web, books, science articles, blogs, even social media. We watched webcams, YouTube videos made by nature enthusiasts, and many documentaries, including PBS Nature episodes. 

Along the way we reached out to experts for ideas, to confirm facts, and to clarify details. Sometimes this resulted in us cutting an animal. For example, contrary to what you might read, there is no real evidence that male bats nurse their young! I think reaching out to experts to fact check and ask questions is always one of our favorite research steps. Often our scientists share rich details we can add to the text or use in our back matter, and their enthusiasm is always contagious.

With a small pool of dads to choose from we worked to develop categories of parenting behavior. We landed on five: incubation, making a home, feeding, protection, and play. Then we played around with different combinations of animals in each category. We asked ourselves whether the facts were sufficiently different? Did they show a variety of parenting strategies and ecosystems? Which could lead to the funniest images and speech bubbles? What would look the best? It was a complex puzzle, but perhaps made easier by the fact that there were fewer dads to choose from. 

Me: This one’s for Jamie. What goes into deciding how to present illustrations on the page? In Superdads, pages are divided into panels, like a comic book. 

Jamie: Using a comic-book style was a new experiment for me, and a fun one because it gave me the opportunity to show an action happening over a period of time and not just in a single moment. In a way, moving from one panel to the next provides a pause, in the same way turning the page does. Those pauses allow for so much play like creating a surprise, exaggerating an emotion, extending the story, or simply allowing the reader to take a breath. It’s tricky, that’s for sure, but it gives you lots of extra tools when illustrating a book. I got to practice using multiple panels in Supermoms!, which let me loose to challenge myself further when making Superdads. I do wonder… will it be tough to return to illustrating a book, that doesn’t have this “comic book” format?!?

Me: Enquiring minds want to know - Is there a Superkids book in the works? 

Heather & Jamie: What a terrific idea! Actually, we do have some superkids in our next book in the series . . . Supersquads! (coming in 2025). Making these books together has been one giant collaboration, so writing a book about animals that team up in the wild seemed like the perfect choice!

Beyond the Books:

Observe some animal superdads. Some of the easiest to watch are birds. You might see them collecting nesting material or defending their territory by singing and chasing other birds. Do they help keep eggs warm? And can you catch them bringing home take-out meals for the chicks?

Do you have a parent, grandparent, or close relative with “superpowers?” What are they?

Think about the kinds of superpowers you have. You might have super-friendship abilities, a super-imagination, or you’re super-creative. (I once thought I could fly if I practiced. It didn’t work…)

Heather and Jamie are members of #STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about Heather at her website, www.heatherlangbooks.com Learn more about Jamie at her website, www.jamieharper.com. They both are active on Instagram, Twitter, and on Facebook.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

* SUPERDADS! ANIMAL HEROES. Text copyright © 2024 by Heather Lang and Jamie Harper. Illustrations copyright © 2024 by Jamie Harper. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

Meet the In-betweeners

Nature's Rule Breakers: Creatures That Don't Fit In
by Jessica Fries-Gaither
32 pages; ages 5-9
Millbrook Press  (October 3, 2023)

theme: animal behavior, nature, STEM

People try to organize nature into categories. But nature doesn’t always cooperate. Sometimes it breaks the rules.

This is a book about in-betweeners. Animals that don’t fit precisely into one box or the other, or could easily fit into both. Take, for example, owls. They’re night flyers, right? But not the Eurasian Eagle-owl. It flies at dawn and dusk. What about something more … definite. Like fish – they’re either salt water or fresh water, right? Nope.

What I like about this book: Nature is messy, and sometimes defies our attempts to make sense of it. Even something as basic as whether an animal is male or female… some are both! And some change gender depending upon environmental conditions! This is great for nature, and animal populations that want to weather evolutionary changes. Not so great for scientists trying to pin down exactly how these animals live, what they eat, and how they fit into the ecosystem. Back matter discusses why we have in-betweeners, and provides a few more examples. A glossary and resources round out the back matter.

I wanted to know more about how Jessica came up with such an intriguing idea for this book, so I asked her a couple questions. All at once. Without even a breath in-between.

Me: So how did this book come about? Did you start collecting interesting facts and then decide to write a book? And what got you interested in "in-betweeners" anyway?

Jess: In early March 2021, I was scrolling through my Twitter feed when I came across a tweet that simply read "Biology isn't binary." I liked the tweet, shared it with a couple of friends, and went on my merry way...but the words stuck. I started thinking about all the ways in which we (myself included) present biology concepts to kids as binary even though they really aren't. And I wondered, how could a picture book help address this issue and introduce a little grey into kids' thinking?

I started brainstorming binary categories (male/female, warm-blooded/cold-blooded) as well as examples of things that didn't fit neatly into one category (a platypus, for example) and then reached out to a friend and fellow science teacher (at my school, actually) to help expand my list. We talked about everything from bilateral gynandromorphism* to flowers with male and female parts vs plants that are male or female to many human traits that exist on a continuum rather than discrete categories (height, skin color, eye color). Her enthusiasm propelled me forward, and I started researching and writing. I shared my first draft with her just a few weeks later.

Her scientific feedback, along with the comments from my critique partners, helped me think critically about which animals and plants to focus on, and how to explain concepts to a lay audience. I also thought carefully about the order in which I presented the categories and exceptions. After much trial and error, I landed on beginning with more familiar categories (nocturnal/diurnal) and then moving to less familiar ones and ones that would be more compelling (male/female, dead/alive).

My next big milestone in the book's journey was June 2021, when I participated in SCBWI Ohio North's Triple Scoop Picture Book Revision ReTREAT (a three-week virtual workshop dedicated to revising a single manuscript). We were placed in small breakout groups with an author or agent as a coach; I was lucky enough to be placed in a science-focused nonfiction group with author Sara C. Levine. Each Saturday we had a virtual critique session and then worked to revise our manuscripts over the following week before our next session. Carol Hinz, Associate Publisher of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books (imprints of Lerner Publishing Group) joined our final session and gave us feedback on our work. She seemed interested in my manuscript, so I submitted it to her. She asked me to revise and resubmit and so I did, and a few months later, she took the manuscript to acquisitions.

*here’s a great article that helps explain gynandromorphism

Beyond the Books:

Visit an in-betweener! Some plants break the rules by eating bugs instead of getting all their nutrition from sunlight. You might find Venus flytraps and pitcher plants in a zoo or plant conservatory nearby.

Tardigrades break all the rules! They can appear dead for years, and then under the right conditions, re-activate. Find out more about tardigrades – and how they can survive in space – here.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/tardigrades-space-travel-survival-humans

Jessica is a member of #STEAMTeam2023. You can find out more about her at her website. Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

So Many Bugs!

 I love bugs. So if there’s a bug book coming out, there’s a good chance I’ll try to read it. Today I’ve got three to share with you. the themes this week are: insects, nature, STEM

Funny Bugs: Nature's Most Hilarious Adaptations

by Paul Mason; illus. by Tony De Saulles 

32 pages; ages 6-10

Kane Miller Books,  2023 

What is a bug? In this book, bugs are insects and arachnids. There are zillions* of them out there. Bugs make up over half the species on our planet. 

(*zillions = a lot. REALLY a lot)

Each spread presents some aspect of bugginess, from how they make noises to bugs in disguise. There are bugs that make faces and confusing caterpillars, dancing bugs, and needle-nosed bugs. At the end, kids will have met more than 35 interesting – and sometimes funny – bugs.  

What I like about this book: The comic artwork and dialog make this book fun to read. Plus there are “how to’s” such as how an assassin bug makes lunch. Back matter includes a bug quiz, a glossary (every bit as fun to read as the rest of the book) and a handy index so you can easily find your favorite insects.

Cicada Symphony 

by Sue Fliess; illus. by Gareth Lucas 

32 pages; ages 5-8

Albert Whitman & Company, 2023

There’s a secret you should know:

bugs are lurking down below.

In the earth, nymphs lay in wait

for their turn to … activate!

Written in rhyme, this book introduces children to the life cycle of cicadas – from nymph to adult – and explores how they make their (very loud!) noise.

What I like about this book: The rhyming text is fun to read and will engage a young child’s interest. Secondary text, in conjunction with illustrations, explains more about the life stages of the cicada. For example: how they split the back of their exoskeleton to emerge as an adult, and why they have those bulging, red eyes. If you want to know more about Sue Fliess and her cicadas, check out this year’s arthropod roundtable over at the GROG.

The Secret Life of Bugs 

by Emmanuelle Figueras; illus. by Alexander Vidal 

28 pages; ages 3-5

‎Twirl (imprint of Bayard /group), 2023 

Bzzz … It’s a beautiful spring morning, and worker honeybees are busy collecting nectar and pollen for their hive.

Along with honeybees, readers will discover the secret lives of swallowtail butterflies, a spider, ants, damselflies, and stick insects. A short and quick introduction to familiar insects that most children will see around their homes or neighborhoods. Laser-cut illustrations, on thick paper, emphasize and add texture to the secret parts of bug lives. While they are beautifully done, I notice the thin stencil-like designs begin to fold and tear after a few readings.

Beyond the Books:

Make your own antennae with a paper bag bug headband – just add pipe cleaners and you’re a bug! Directions here. 

Bugs need a place to live. So build a bug hotel and put it where the bugs will find it. Here’s how.

How many ways can you use a fly swatter? Swatting flies, for sure. But what about painting? Here’s how

Crawl like a caterpillar, flap like a butterfly, and buzz like a bee. How many buggy ways can you think of to move or make noise? Write down as many as you can think of, then go do them!

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

A Guide to Wombats (sort of)

Wombats Are Pretty Weird: A (Not So) Serious Guide 

by Abi Cushman 

40 pages; ages 4-8

Greenwillow Books, 2023

theme: animals, nature, STEAM

Meet the wombat. The wombat is a robust, sometimes elusive…

And with that intro we’re tossed into a book filled with fun wombat facts as mom-bat (that’s a mama wombat) goes about her daily – er, nocturnal – life. Fact: a wombat is a marsupial. Fact: they live in Australia. Fact: some wombats have hairy noses.

What I like about this book: I like the dialog balloons where Snake and others add comments and carry on side discussions. For example, Snake decides to throw a party, even though wombats are solitary animals. There are party hats, guests, and balloons, even though balloons don’t do well with sharp wombat claws. I like the informational “how to” on making cube-shaped poop – weird, but, as Abi says, Wombats are Pretty Weird. Plus they are the only animals to make poop in cube shapes. And I like the discussion Snake has about whether they could be a wombat. There is back matter, too: more information about the three species of wombats, a glossary, and an animal search that will have young readers taking a second, closer look at the book.

I reached out to Abi with One Question about her book:

Me: Why Wombat? I admit, the whole cubed poop thing is pretty cool... and why Snake?

Abi: Yes, the cube poop fact is what started my obsession with wombats back in 2001 when I studied abroad in Australia and first learned about wombats. But there’s so much more about wombats.

First of all, they are super cute. The bare-nosed wombats look like little barrel-shaped bears, and the hairy-nosed wombats look like furry pigs. They are adorable! But as I learned more about them, I found out that their cube-poop wasn’t the only unique thing about them. They are marsupials, so they have pouches. But their pouches open up toward their rumps. In other words, they have backward pouches. They’re the only marsupial with teeth that continuously grow (similar to a rabbit or rodent). And they dig! Their burrows can be quite expansive, and in the wildfires that hit Australia in 2019, a lot of animals were able to seek shelter in wombat burrows. So there is a lot about wombats that make them truly special, and I felt like once kids learned about them, they’d love them too.

As for the snake, I wanted an animal that could act as a stand-in for the audience in the book. He could react and make comments that the reader was thinking when learning about these very weird animals. And this animal character had to be something other than a wombat. After all, the wombats wouldn’t consider themselves weird at all. In their world, it’s strange when poop is round. I chose a snake specifically because I wanted an animal that could technically live in the same area as a wombat, but was vastly different from them. And I think with the snake’s expressions, I was able to add even more humor to the illustrations.

Beyond the Books:

Do you have a marsupial living in your area? We’ve got opossums that sometimes visit our backyard. You can find out about them here.

What sort of things would you with your friends if you were a wombat? You can learn more about wombats at the San Diego Zoo.

Explore cubes. A cube has six sides of equal-sized squares. You might have some cubes around your house – for example, sugar cubes or 6-sided dice. You can make your own cubes out of origami paper using these instructions.

Abi is a member of #STEAMTeam2023. You can find out more about her at her website. abicushman.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.