Melissa Stewart

Everyone knows about animals that hibernate in the winter. But it's time to discover animals that sleep all summer long! All science classrooms discuss animals that hibernate during winter months, but few know about animals that estivate--a prolonged sleep during hot or dry periods. Dual layers of text awaken readers to the reasons estivating animals become dormant--whether it's because warm weather threatens food supply or to avoid increased body temperatures. From the ladybug to the salamander, from the lungfish to the desert hedgehog, twelve estivating animals and their habits--both when sleeping and awake--are explained through clear text and elegant watercolor illustrations that create a scrapbook feel.

Animals That Estivate

Summertime Sleepers

National Geographic Kids

Titanic

National Geographic Kids Readers

Dolphins

Pre-reader Ready to read, Level 1 Starting to read, Reading independently, Level 2 books are perfect for kids who are ready for longer sentences and more complex vocabulary. New words are defined on the page, but occasional adult help might be welcome. Level 3 Fluent reader, Be a National Geographic Super Reader!, Earn Awesome Prizes, Play Brain-Busting Games, Take Crazy Quizzes, Have Totally Outrageous Fun!. Book jacket.

Deadly Predators

Explore 12 species that you hope you'll never come across, from sharks, snakes, jellyfish, bears, tigers and mosquitoes.

Deadliest Animals

Prolific, award-winning nonfiction author Melissa Stewart reveals the surprising ways seashells provide more than shelter to the mollusks that inhabit them. Young naturalists discover thirteen seashells in this elegant introduction to the remarkable versatility of shells. Dual-layered text highlights how shells provide more than a protective home in this expository nonfiction exploration. The informative secondary text underscores characteristics specific to each shell. Elegant watercolor illustrations create a scrapbook feel, depicting children from around the world observing and sketching seashells across shores.

More Than a Home

Seashells

"Explains to young readers how to tell the difference between frogs and toads"--Provided by publisher.

How Do You Know?

Frog or Toad?

Describes how the characteristics of some animals that may appear to be weaknesses are critical for finding food or staying safe, from the size of the Amau frog to the stink of the hoatzin's feathers.

Celebrating Animal Underdogs

Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers

Explains what fossils are, how and where they can form, and where they can be found.

Fossils

Author Melissa Stewart shines a light on a bright insect in this book. Readers will discover a firefly's life cycle, eating habits, wings, and more in this addition to the Zoom In on Insects. series. The 'Zoom Bubbles' allow readers an up close look at important parts on a firefly's body.

Zoom in on Fireflies

This fascinating nonfiction picture book filled with stunning illustrations details the end of life for a whale, also known as a whale fall, when its body sinks to the ocean floor and becomes an energy-rich food source for organisms living in the deep sea. Winner of the AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books • An ALA Notable Children’s Book • A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids When a whale dies, its massive body silently sinks down, down, through the inky darkness, finally coming to rest on the silty seafloor. For the whale, it's the end of a 70-year-long life. But for a little-known community of deep-sea dwellers, it's a new beginning. First come the hungry hagfish, which can smell the whale from miles around. Then the sleeper sharks begin their prowl, feasting on skin and blubber. After about six months, the meat is gone. Year after year, decade after decade, the whale nourishes all kinds of organisms from zombie worms to squat lobsters to deep-sea microbes. This completely fascinating real-life phenomenon is brought to vivid and poetic life by nonfiction master Melissa Stewart and acclaimed illustrator Rob Dunlavey.

Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem

Whale Fall

Did you know that almost a third of the world's 1,300 species of bats are in serious trouble? The latest, updated edition of a teacher and classroom favorite with two brand new illustrations and spotlights on vanishing species and how we can help. Perfect for budding scientists, environmentalists, and nature lovers. Chased from their caves and forests, sickened by cave-dwelling fungi, and swept from the skies by wind turbines, bats have no place to hide. And human actions often contribute to the problems. How can we help ensure that there will be a safe place for bats? In simple yet compelling language, acclaimed science writer Melissa Stewart showcases twelve types of North American bats, from the familiar little brown bat to the Mexican free-tailed bat. Her clear narrative shows the threats these bats face, and updated informative sidebars describe a variety of efforts to save them. In addition, remarkable full-color illustrations vividly and accurately depict bats within the ecosystems that support their survival. Range maps and additional bat facts are also included. This newly updated nonfiction picture book is part of a prize-winning series designed to inform young readers about a wide range of environmental issues and to present ways people can help protect animals and their natural habitats.

A Place for Bats (Third Edition)

Jessica Lanan

Under the glow of a shimmering moon, creatures great and small creep out of their dens, using its light to hunt, fend off predators, build their nests or build families. As the moon changes phases these animals adapt their behavior to match its waxing and waning—while human animals look on in wonder.

As Earth's closest companion in space, the moon has fascinated humankind for generations, and this nonfiction picture book sheds light on the mysterious ways it affects life on Earth. With luminous illustrations by Jessica Lanan and a lyrical text that is part lullaby and part scientific resource, Thank You, Moon is a treasure for all ages to enjoy.

Celebrating Nature's Nightlight

Thank You, Moon

Alligators and crocodiles may look the same to you, but you might be surprised to learn just how different these animals are. Readers get a close up look at the differences between these animals with brilliant color photographs. This appealing new book will show young readers that alligators and crocodiles are not as similar as they appear. A perfect and exciting book for nonfiction reading, too.

Alligator or Crocodile?

This fascinating nonfiction picture book filled with stunning illustrations details the end of life for a whale, also known as a whale fall, when its body sinks to the ocean floor and becomes an energy-rich food source for organisms living in the deep sea. When a whale dies, its massive body silently sinks down, down, through the inky darkness, finally coming to rest on the silty seafloor. For the whale, it's the end of a 70-year-long life. But for a little-known community of deep-sea dwellers, it's a new beginning. First come the hungry hagfish, which can smell the whale from miles around. Then the sleeper sharks begin their prowl, feasting on skin and blubber. After about six months, the meat is gone. Year after year, decade after decade, the whale nourishes all kinds of organisms from zombie worms to squat lobsters to deep-sea microbes. This completely fascinating real-life phenomenon is brought to vivid and poetic life by nonfiction master Melissa Stewart and acclaimed illustrator Rob Dunlavey.

Provides information about the Earth's water, including rivers, lakes, oceans, the water cycle, climate, water pollution, and conservation.

Water

Explores the body's secrets of hands, feet, arms, and legs in a fresh, innovative way.

The Secrets of Hands, Feet, Arms, and Legs

Give Me a Hand

Nancy Chesley

A teacher's guide to using fiction and nonfiction picture books to teach life sciences.

Using Fiction & Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2

Perfect Pairs

Ants are everywhere. They creep, they crawl, they climb, and they fall. But they get up and they keep on working. Ants come in all different shapes, different sizes, and different colors. And they do a lot of different jobs. These hard-working little creatures thrive wherever they go, making whatever adaptations necessary in their ever-changing world. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

National Geographic Readers: Ants

From award-winning author Melissa Stewart and Caldecott honoree Steve Jenkins comes a noisy nonfiction exploration of the many sounds animals make. Can an aardvark bark? No, but it can grunt. Lots of other animals grunt too… Barks, grunts, squeals—animals make all kinds of sounds to communicate and express themselves. With a growling salamander and a whining porcupine, bellowing giraffes and laughing gorillas, this boisterous book is chock-full of fun and interesting facts and is sure to be a favorite of even the youngest animal enthusiasts.

Melissa Stewart

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