"He came into the world in the middle of the thicket, in one of those little, hidden forest glades which seem to be entirely open but are really screened in on all sides." So begins one of the most beloved nature stories. Felix Salten wrote Bambi: A Life in the Woods in 1923. It was translated into English in 1928, becoming a Book-of-the-Month Club hit. Though not originally written for children, the film rights were sold to the Walt Disney studios and the animated movie was released in 1942. Taken directly from the first chapter of Salten's original tale, Bambi's First Day depicts the early moments of the fawn's life in the safety of a forest glen and the shelter of his mother's embrace. Lush oil paintings by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen showcase the beauty of the natural world and tenderly bring to life the heartfelt devotion and love of a mother for her child.Felix Salten is the pen name for Austrian writer Siegmund Salzmann who wrote short stories, plays, novels, and essay collections. Artist Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen has illustrated more than 20 books with Sleeping Bear Press, including the bestselling The Legend of Sleeping Bear; Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot; Friend on Freedom River; and his popular Hazel Ridge Farm stories. Gijsbert lives in Bath, Michigan, with his wife, Robbyn. They both travel to schools in the Great Lakes area.
While pulling weeds and planting seeds with her dad on Hazel Ridge Farm's prairie, Heather discovers a wood duckling alone in the grass. Worried for the duckling's safety, Heather asks her dad if she can care for him. "You have to keep him safe and warm and fed. You have to teach him how to be a duck--to swim, to hunt for bugs, and how to fly." Aptly named Mr. Peet for his chirping sound, the ducking accompanies Heather as she feeds the chickens, rabbits, and horses. They spend the summer swimming together in the pond, and Mr. Peet eventually masters how to fly. Heather becomes concerned when she hasn't seen Mr. Peet in 10 days. Her dad reassures her that the wood duck may have found his own place in nature. Heather is proud of her work and she knows Mr. Peet will be ok, because she loved him just enough.
When Finn and her dog Skeeter set out on a hike to cure their restless feet, they literally take a step into nature. A big gooey step...right into scat (also known as poop). And just like the animal it comes from, scat comes in all shapes and sizes. Scat, along with foot or paw tracks, can tell a lot about the creature who produced it. As Finn's hike takes her further into the woods, she happens along some scat and tracks from a variety of woodland creatures. Pairing punchy rhyme with science writing, Lisa Morlock has created the perfect nature guide, providing detailed descriptions of the prints, diets, and behaviors of the animals that Finn and Skeeter encounter along their hike. Watch your step!
A squirrel buries an acorn. A dolphin pushes a coconut into an ocean current. A camel chewing a date spits out the seed. What do they all have in common? Each one, in its own way, has helped to plant a tree. In myriad ways and diverse environments, Mother Nature is given a hand in dispersing seeds that eventually grow into trees. From the apple seeds falling off the sticky fur of a black bear to the pine seed carried by an army of ants marching to their anthill, creatures great and creatures small participate in nature's cyclical dance in the planting of a tree.
Why do onions make us cry? What popular nut really isn't a nut at all? And what makes a forest a rainforest? The answers to these questions and many other fascinating facts can be found in V is for Venus Flytrap: A Plant Alphabet. Mankind's dependence upon the plant kingdom goes far beyond the food on our table and the air that we breathe. Plants have also provided shelter and led to important advances in medicine and science. Using the alphabet, horticulturalist Eugene Gagliano covers a wide range of topics including exotic species and their locations; plants' role in a healthy lifestyle; food crops and the world economy; and the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship in our world today. After reading V is for Venus Flytrap, young readers will be eager to get their hands dirty and their thumbs green!
Did you know Americans generate nearly 250 million tons of trash each year? Or that it takes hundreds of years for a polystyrene cup to decompose? Mankind's negative impact on Mother Earth is tremendous and daily bad news can make it feel overwhelming. But all is not lost! S is for Save the Planet: A How-to-Be-Green Alphabet details the many environmental issues we face and then suggests easy-to-take actions that anyone can do. From the particulars of vermicomposting and xeriscaping, to the three R's of responsible waste management, young readers learn how they can be a force of nature in protecting the earth for generations to come.
How much of Earth's surface is covered by water? How do the northern lights get their colors? Planet Earth has been home to mankind for hundreds of thousands of years and while scientists have learned a lot about it, they're still unraveling many of its mysteries. B is for Blue Planet: An Earth Science Alphabet explains what we do know about our planet and what more we have to learn. Examine Earth's diverse ecosystems (deserts), discover geological wonders (karst caves), learn about weather phenomena (hurricanes), and much more.
From the mythological underwater city of Atlantis to the amount of water that covers Earth's surface, the oceanic world has challenged and intrigued man since recorded time. And it seems that as much as we do know already, there is so much more to learn. In W is for Waves: An Ocean Alphabet water enthusiasts and budding scientists are given an A to Z tour of the ocean's depths and the creatures that inhabit them. Did you know that jellyfish can range in size from one inch to 200 feet long? And what about the mysterious Scandinavian sea monster called the kraken? Was it a myth or did it really exist? Learn about thermohaline currents, dolphin intelligence, and the largest living structure in the world (Australia's Great Barrier Reef). In W is for Waves young readers can explore the mysteries of the deep without getting their feet wet.Marie and Roland Smith grew up in Oregon and live on a small farm south of Portland. Roland is the author of many animal and adventure books for children. They also coauthored B is for Beaver: An Oregon Alphabet and Z is for Zookeeper: A Zoo Alphabet.
At one time rainforests covered about 14% of the earth's surface; now they're reduced to just 6%. As home to some of the most diverse plant and animal species ever known, this decline has grave implications for both man and animal kingdoms. A is for Anaconda: A Rainforest Alphabet explores the world's rainforests as it explains their important role and showcases their wonders.
Illustrator Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen and wife Robbyn team up again for another wildlife tale drawn from their encounters with the animal kingdom. Told in journal form and rendered in beautifully detailed artwork, the van Frankenhuyzens give a "day in the life" view as the fox Samantha begins her journey from injured kit to independent adult living on her own.
D is for Desert: A World Deserts Alphabet uses the alphabet to explore desert regions around the world, explaining the science behind what determines a desert and showcasing fascinating features and desert inhabitants. Budding scientists will traverse the rocky deserts of Mongolia astride the Bactrian camel, spy on the poisonous Gila monster and other lizards in the Sonoran Desert, discover geological wonders in Bryce Canyon National Park, and learn about desert weather phenomena such as dust storms and flash floods, and much more. A glossary of key desert-science terms and concepts is included.
