In fourteen funny, fact-filled honeybee poems and paintings, Douglas Florian explores the natural history of these often-unappreciated critters, revealing them to be a totally cool—and totally important—part of our ecosystem. Indeed, these buzzy bugs have been in the spotlight lately as wild bee populations are dwindling, honey prices are rising, and beekeeping has become a popular hobby.

    PBS’s successful animated show Wild Kratts follows the adventures of zoologists Chris and Martin Kratt as they travel to animal habitats around the globe. Along the way, they encounter incredible creatures while combining science education with fun. Boys and girls ages 4 to 6 can join the Kratt brothers as they activate their Creature Power Suits to creep, crawl, and slither with amazing reptiles!Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help.

    But it’s not always easy to catch sight of these six-legged creatures: you have to know where to look. Guided by this book, readers will happily become insect detectives and find out just what those bugs are up to.

    JoAnn Deak offers a fun and engaging introduction to the anatomy and functions of the brain that will empower each young reader to S-T-R-E-T-C-H and grow their fantastic, elastic brain!Looking for award-winning picture books for curious kids? Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is the perfect fit. Dr. Deak shares information in ways that are accessible for parents, teachers, and children alike. Delightful illustrations with accurate details foster motivation to learn and grow in new ways. This book is an excellent companion to Beautiful Oops, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes, I Can't Do That YET, The Most Magnificent Thing, and Bubble Gum Brain.Awards for Your Fantastic Elastic Brain:The Mom's Choice Gold AwardThe Moonbeam Gold Award for Non-Fiction Picture BookThe Pewter Gold Ink Award for Distinguished PrintingThe Parent's Choice Silver Award for Interior Design, Children's/Young AdultThe Nautilus Silver Award for Children's Non-FictionThe IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Winner for Interior Design, Children's/Young AdultNext Generation Indie Award Finalist for Children's/Juvenile NonfictionPraise for Your Fantastic Elastic Brain:"Dr. Deak has done a masterful job of creating a book for children, parents, and teachers to learn about the human brain together. The information is accessible and understandable, with illustrations that are engaging, fun, and alive! This is great reading material for everyone and will elicit many expressions of 'Now I get it!' from the adults!"—Fretta Reitzes, Director, Goldman Center, 92nd Street Y"Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is a wonderful, engaging book for parents and teachers to read with young children. It presents accurate information about the brain and how it relates to our lives…fostering motivation to learn and grow, consistent with our programs and research led by Carol Dweck, PhD."—Eduardo Briceño, Co-Founder & CEO, Mindset Works"Dr. Deak writes in a clear and interesting way about the complexity of the human brain, enhancing the knowledge of teachers and students. This book is a real contribution to the field of education in the twenty-first century."—Joyce S. Pickering, Hum.D., Executive Director Emerita, Shelton School & Evaluation Center

    Flies are so much cooler! They flap their wings 200 times a second, compared to a butterfly's measly five to twelve times. Their babies—maggots—are much cuter than caterpillars (obviously). And when they eat solid food, they even throw up on it to turn it into a liquid. Who wouldn't want to study an insect like that?In an unforgettably fun, fact-filled presentation, this lovable (and highly partisan) narrator promotes his species to a sometimes engrossed, sometimes grossed-out, class of kids.

    Mantis, one of 150 brothers and sisters born on a garden bush. P. Mantis is an amazing insect: she can make herself look like a stick to hide from predators, she can swivel her head all the way around, and when she's grown up, she'll even be able to fly! Told in dated entries, P. Mantis describes the entirety of her life, sharing the fun and beauty of her world as well its little ups and downs. ( "I ate one of my brothers. Okay, maybe two." ) My Awesome Summer by P. Mantis introduces young children to the life cycle of a familiar insect.

    They can be big, like a whale, tiny, like a shrimp, and even scary, like a shark.Even though sharks can be scary, we need them to keep the oceans healthy. Unfortunately, due to overfishing, many shark species are in danger of extinction, and that can cause big problems in the oceans and even on land.What would happen if this continued and sharks disappeared completely?Artist Lily Williams explores how the disappearance would affect other animals across the whole planet in this clever book about the importance of keeping sharks, and our oceans, healthy.

    While other girls played with dolls, Joan preferred the company of reptiles. She carried her favorite lizard with her everywhere--she even brought a crocodile to school!When Joan grew older, she became the Curator of Reptiles at the British Museum. She went on to design the Reptile House at the London Zoo, including a home for the rumored-to-be-vicious komodo dragons. There, just like when she was a little girl, Joan hosted children's tea parties--with her komodo dragon as the guest of honor.With a lively text and vibrant illustrations, scientist and writer Patricia Valdez and illustrator Felicita Sala bring to life Joan Procter's inspiring story of passion and determination.

    And despite his father's efforts to turn young Darwin — a poor student — into a doctor or clergyman, the born naturalist jumped instead at the chance to sail around South America, observing and collecting flora and fauna all the way. In a clear, engaging narration, Kathryn Lasky takes readers along on Darwin's journey, from his discovery of seashells on mountaintops that revealed geological changes to his observations of variations in plants and animals, suggesting that all living things are evolving over time. Matthew Trueman's striking mixed-media illustrations include actual objects found in nature, enhancing this compelling look at the man behind the bold theory that would change the way we think about the world — and ourselves.

    Some are awake in the day, and some are awake at night. Some eat almost anything, and some are very picky.You may not be able to visit their watery world, but you can always visit them up close at the aquarium.Simple text and bold illustrations take young explorers on a deep dive through the ocean full of sharks.Don't Miss More from Michael Paul in Roar: A Dinosaur Tour !

     After receiving a stuffed animal chimpanzee for her first birthday, Jane Goodall's love of animals only grew. She saw what humans and animals had in common, not what makes us different, and used that to advocate for animal rights everywhere, becoming famous for her work with chimpanzees.This friendly, fun biography series inspired the PBS Kids TV show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. One great role model at a time, these books encourage kids to dream big. Included in each book are:- A timeline of key events in the hero's history - Photos that bring the story more fully to life - Comic-book-style illustrations that are irresistibly adorable - Childhood moments that influenced the hero - Facts that make great conversation-starters - A character trait that made the person heroic and that readers can aspire toYou'll want to collect each book in this dynamic, informative series!

    The world's worst dog makes a break for it--only to wreak havoc wherever his adventure takes him! The first in a brand-new series about everyone's favorite calamitous canine, Marley's Big Adventure is a sweet and hilarious addition to the I Can Read! library. Young readers will delight in reading about Marley's antics all on their own!

    But he doesn't have a name! Anglerfish is named for his hook like an angler, Mimic Octopus for her ability to change shape and color, and Giant Squid is GIANT! But this little guy doesn't have the same abilities as the other creatures. What could his name be? With Marisa Polansky's sweet text and Joey Chou's dynamic illustrations, Hello, My Name Is... imagines how the cutest creature in the sea got his name. The story includes a note from a scientist about the naming process and more information about Adorabilis.

    But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed? In Njau, Gambia, people simply dropped the bags and went on their way. One plastic bag became two. Then ten. Then a hundred.The bags accumulated in ugly heaps alongside roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. Some bags were burned, leaving behind a terrible smell. Some were buried, but they strangled gardens. They killed livestock that tried to eat them. Something had to change.Isatou Ceesay was that change. She found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. This inspirational true story shows how one person's actions really can make a difference in our world.

    Franklin also designed the lightning rod, suggested the idea of daylight savings time, and invented bifocals-all inspired by his common sense and intelligence. In this informative book, Gene Barretta brings Benjamin Franklin's genius to life, deepening our appreciation for one of the most influential figures in American history.Now & Ben is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.