Build Your Own Bird

Build Your Own Bird

Birds have beaks, wings, feathers, and interesting feet. Each of these features helps a bird to survive in its habitat.
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Write a Fabulous Fish Book

Write a Fabulous Fish Book

From Antifreeze, Leaf Costumes, and Other Fabulous Fish Adaptations

Fish have many different fabulous adaptations that help them survive in environments all around the Earth. Write about them!

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Amphibians Near You

Amphibians Near You

From Sunscreen, Frogsicles, and Other Amazing Amphibian Adaptations

Amphibians are found all around the world, except Antarctica. That means there are amphibians living near you! And every amphibian has many adaptations that help it survive. They must be able to find food, take shelter, and stay safe.

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Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

Pipe-Cleaner Reptiles

From Water-Walking, Sidewinding, and Other Remarkable Reptile Adaptations

Reptiles include snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and tortoises. They live everywhere on Earth except in the coldest environments.

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How Are Humans Adapted?

How Are Humans Adapted?

From Stink Fights, Earwax, and Other Marvelous Mammal Adaptations

Humans are mammals, too. And we live in many different ecosystems on earth: deserts, tropical rain forests, Arctic regions, mountains, and grasslands.

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Reviews

Booklist Series Nonfiction Showcase
“Through layered, mischievous illustrations and detailed back matter, the Picture Book Science series plies young readers with a ton of useful facts about how all sorts of animals have evolved to survive in their environments. Antifreeze includes fish that use suction cups to climb rocks (the Hawaiian goby) and fish that can breathe air (the lungfish, of course!). In Spit Nests, readers will observe the complex mating rituals of bowerbirds and blue-footed boobies and learn the gross-but-useful reason for a vulture’s bald head (and their even grosser defense mechanism). Stink Fights delves into the weird, wide world of mammal adaptations, which includes whale earwax plugs, star-nosed mole sniffer sensitivity, and everything in between. Sunscreen showcases primarily frogs, which are capable of some of the most bizarre things of all in the name of self-defense—some cover themselves in slime and others can even use their own poisonous bones as weapons after pushing them out through their skin. Each book contains a hands-on activity that will get kids involved; the mammal volume even points out that human beings are mammals, too, and encourages students to consider their own place in their ecosystems. Classroom-friendly and fun, too.”

Archimedes Notebook Blog
Fun New Series on Animal Adaptations

Let’s face it: animals are cool! And most kids I know love to read about animals. What’s even better than a book about animals is a whole series of books about strange and wonderful animal adaptations.

Laura Perdew has written a whole bunch of books – well, at least five – about animals and their unique adaptations. They are fun and breezy, and a perfect way to introduce young children to the different classes of vertebrate animals: reptiles, birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish.

Did you know that some fish have antifreeze and that archerfish shoot their prey? That water-holding frogs can stay buried for two years? Perdew introduces readers to unsung heroes of the animal world: star-nose moles, blue-footed boobies, and thorny devil lizards. She sings the praises of salamander slime and whale earwax. Click here to read the complete  review online.

School Library Journal- June 2020
K-Gr 3–Perdew captures readers’ interest right away, starting with the title. Throughout the text, fascinating bird adaptations are highlighted, including special body features, unique mating rituals, and other seemingly bizarre behaviors. The bird world favorites are covered (owls, penguins, hummingbirds), but some unusual species make appearances as well. The book’s layout includes beautiful illustrations of the birds in action and at rest. The artwork portrays other animals that could be found in some of the birds’ habitats. An activity page in the back, a glossary, and a connection page that mentions other facts are included. On these appendix pages, readers can see photographs of the birds spotlighted in the book. VERDICT A cool science title for younger readers to learn about bird adaptation. Educators can use this text in the classroom; many STEAM lessons could be inspired by these funky adaptations.

CLEAR Reviews
"Science teachers will discover much to share in their classrooms, while students in grades 1-4 will find these texts entertaining enough for independent reading."

Praise for other books in the Picture Book Science series

Forces - Booklist Starred Review March 15, 2018
Forces, despite its down-to-earth scientific grounding, manages to do the nearly impossible. Diehn brings gravity, magnetism, push-pull forces, and friction to life in everyday contexts, without a hint of schoolroom jargon. Children, parents, and teachers alike can enjoy learning the charming, often funny, relatable, and accessible science within this Picture Book Science series (4 titles) offering.”

Detailed Book Description

Not all birds build nests with sticks and have good manners.  Some construct nests with their own saliva, while others use vomit as a defense!

Sound strange? In Spit Nests, Puke Power, and Other Brilliant Bird Adaptations, curious kids ages 5 to 9 discover many of the unique adaptations of birds. Stories of these brilliant adaptations cultivate deeper discussions about the crucial environmental science topic of adaptations in general. Using an easy narrative tone and vivid illustrations, this book is perfect as a read aloud or an early reader. Layered text and back matter provide further information and encourage readers to dive deeper into the world of unique bird adaptations.

Available In:
Hardcover, $19.95
9781619309494
Paperback, $9.95
9781619309524
Includes: Glossary
Specs: 9.5 x 9.5 size | 4-color interior | 32 pages
Subject: Science
Content Focus: Life Science

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