Prickly Pear, Needlegrass, Deer Mouse, Roadrunner—where can you find these fascinating plants and animals? In the vast ecosystem of North America's prairies and grasslands! In this guide you will learn about these huge, open areas and unique habitats.

Through ecological and environmental activities, children will be introduced to the way in which animals live and survive in their own habitats while learning about the different habitats in the various regions throughout North America in the process.

Taking nonfiction into the realm of bedtime read-to-me stories, this rich, melodic text paired with detailed color pencil illustrations describes how 13 North American animal species—such as black bear, ermine,  pileated woodpecker, porcupine, river otter, and ruffed grouse—survive harsh winter snows snug inside their dens, nests, burrows, and lodges. Additional information, geared to very young children, includes animal winter survival adaptations, such as the foods they eat, nesting materials, camouflage, and predator survival along with a series of questions that encourage children to look back at the illustrations for clues.

Insects take center stage, as the same dynamic team creates another winning combination of rhyming text that begs to be read (or shouted!) out loud and hilarious illustrations. This unique concept teaches kids the names of insects in an entertaining way. Plus, a four-page glossary gives details about each bug featured.

Learn about Park Rangers as you color and play games! Discover the cool things Park Rangers do as a part of their jobs. Learn about some of our national parks. Have a great time playing games and coloring. Find out how to become a Junior Ranger.

A fun, informative take-along guide that will help children identify 15 birds. Kid will also learn how and where birds build their homes and all about their young. Plus the guide features activities that are fun and easy to do. There's also a seven-page scrapbook for drawings and notes.""Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. Safety tips are provided and interesting activities are suggested. Color illustrations enhance the presentation.

Every title contains: -Where the animal lives, what it eats, when it sleeps, how it raises its young, and much more. -Over 30 vivid, full color photos and illustrations. -Sidebar 'Fun Facts,' an index and a list of useful Internet Sites.

In a Native American buffalo jump, a hunter lures a herd of buffalo to follow him, rouses them to a stampede pace (he's on foot, by the way) and jumps off a cliff: while he drops safely onto a narrow ledge in the cliff wall, the buffalo plummet over his head to their deaths below. Here, a Blackfoot boy named Little Blaze wishes to lead the buffalo jump, an act of bravery that would earn him his adult name. When his older brother is chosen instead, Little Blaze is resentful, but the brother trips and Little Blaze dashes to the rescue

Award-winning activity book educates children about the wonders of the great outdoors. It begins with coloring pages and trivia, progressing to color by numbers, camouflage coloring and how-to-draw. The "CAMP-stories" section stimulates a child's imagination to create their own story and draw part of the adventure. For ages 3 to 12. 48 pages.

Where the animal lives, what it eats, when it sleeps, how it raises its young and much more.-- Over 30 vivid, full color photos and illustration.-- Sidebar "Fun Facts," an index and a list of Internet Sites.

Let's round 'em up and move 'em along! In words and pictures, Gail Gibbons captures all the excitement and adventure of the Wild West. Her colorful watercolors deftly re-create cowboys' clothing, equipment, and lifestyle, and the lively text includes descriptions of famous cowboys and cowgirls, as well as historical facts.

George and the man with the yellow hat are going camping! George tries to be helpful, but after he upsets a neighboring camper, he is chased into the woods and gets lost. Before long, an encounter with a cute forest creature throws George into a chain of outrageous events that allows him to find a way to be helpful after all.

Horner takes kids along on the dig, explaining step by step how fossils are formed, the best places to find them, what it takes to get them out of the ground, and what the fossils tell us about the dinosaurs that roamed the Rocky Mountain states and the Dakotas. We even get to look back in time at what the region looked like during the Mesozoic Era and what dinosaurs ruled in what are now Montana, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

What reptile could run faster than a train? Which meat-eater stood taller than a tree? What critter was tough enough to fight a rhinoceros? Find out all this and more when you enter the world of dinosaurs! In this forty-eight-page book, you'll read about the lives of these incredible creatures, as well as how scientists locate fossils, dig them out, and use the findings to learn what life was like millions of years ago. Best of all, with the materials in your kit, you'll get to dig out your own dinosaur fossil and play a cool dinosaur card game!

The science about dragonflies is perfectly integrated into a story in which the remarkable metamorphosis of a dragonfly from a mucky nymph (Eeeewww, says Eliza) to a beautiful winged creature (Magnificent! says Aunt Doris) is a metaphor for the magic of how Eliza, too, grows up. Teachers will find it useful primarily in an elementary science unit on insects, life cycles and habitats, but also in for language arts lessons in theme, symbolism, and metaphor.

The question and answer format packed with photos and kid-appealing layout has made this series stand out from the pack. In addition to providing basic information like habitat, diet, life cycle and history, these books delve into the more unusual questions like Why are vultures so ugly? Perfect for the budding birdwatcher or simply curious kids, this book includes 29 questions from kids with answers including information on more than 60 different types of birds. Includes information on how to get more birds to your yard, but also cautions against interfering with birds in the wild.

Kids will learn why it is hard to swat a fly, the difference between moths and butterflies, and why we would not have chocolate if bugs disappeared. Glossy photos pack the pages and the one-page answers are clear and to the point. Bug watchers will make this a favorite and will want to check out the appended resources, which are book formats and web sites

Why do coyotes howl? What is the difference between a coyote and a dog? Learn the answers to these questions and many others in this easy-to-follow book. Concise text and colorful photos and illustrations help you learn about this iconic predator.

The bright red ladybug highlighted in this nonfiction for young readers is the perfect introduction to insects. The large, simple pictures are complemented by transparent overlay pages and draw the reader from page to page. Those colorful images work well with the simple text, which walks the reader through almost anything children would want to know about ladybugs: their insect characteristics, their unique wing structure, their favorite food, and their life cycle.

Readers are taken on a beautiful photographic journey deep into the autumn woods as the animals of the forest get ready for the year’s first winter storm. They hear the cries from the great gray owl who came down from the far north carrying the warning, “Winter is coming early this year! Prepare.” From the very first page, readers will be fascinated by the exquisite photographs of wildlife amid a background of vibrant autumn reds and golds. Will the animals be ready for the cold, hard winter to come?

An action-packed coming-of-age story, Gift Horse is a wonderfully evocative introduction to 19th-century Native American life on the Great Plains.Bold, colorful artwork inspired by the style of the early Plains Indians illustrates the day-to-day life of the Lakota and tells the story of a boy accepting the challenges of manhood. An author's note gives a brief history of the Lakota and explains the traditions discussed in the story.

If there is a pre-teen or adolescent in your life, especially a girl, take a look at this empowering, inspiring chapter book. It portrays the youths and careers of six remarkable women whose curiosity about nature fueled a passion to steadfastly overcome obstacles to careers in traditionally men-only occupations. The six--Maria Merian (b.1647), Anna Comstock (b.1854), Frances Hamerstrom (b.1907), Rachel Carson (b.1907), Miriam Rothschild (b.1908), and Jane Goodall (b.1934)--all became renowned scientists, artists and writers. A wonderful resource for young researchers and biographers, these stories can be a starting point for issues of gender, science, and the environment.

Build-it activities connect readers to the people who built their homes and communities on the frontier, enhancing this firsthand look at the history of the American West and pioneers. Readers will discover their own mapmaking skills while learning how and why people traveled west and will replicate the tough chore of building a house when creating a log cabin out of edible materials. Other projects that help kids better understand the hardships of life on the frontier include typesetting newspapers with alphabet pasta, making models of covered wagons and prairie bonnets, and making the quilts and candles that would have turned a house in the wilderness into a home.

Heading West traces the vivid saga of Native American and pioneer men, women, and children from the colonial beginnings of the westward expansion to the last of the homesteaders in late 20th century Alaska. In many respects, life in the backwoods and on the prairie was similar to modern life—children attended school and had daily chores, parents worked hard to provide for their families, and communities gathered for church and social events. But unlike today, pioneers lived against a backdrop of isolation, harsh weather, disease, and even plagues of locust. And for Native Americans, the westward expansion of settlers posed the most direct threat to their centuries old cultures.

A Dakota woman, proud of her thorough preparations for winter, turns greedy as she contemplates Heetunka the Bean Mouse's store of rich white beans. Instead of taking what she needs and leaving behind the customary exchange, she scoops up every last bean. The woman behaves ever more selfishly and destructively, until she finally loses her well-appointed tipi in a prairie fire that, pointedly, leaves her neighbors' homes untouched. Stripped of Native American formalities, the story seems bare, inviting readers to doubt the protagonist's sudden descent into moral bankruptcy.

This parable about mercy and empathy asks readers to look at life from an insect's point of view. The text consists of the lyrics of a song performed by the Hooses (Phillip Hoose is the author of It's Our World, Too!; Hannah Hoose is his teenage daughter); the melody is appended. A boy converses with the tiny ant he wants to "squish." Pleading, "You are very much like me," the ant explains he has a family and community dependent upon him. The kid, in turn, argues, "Anyone knows ants can't feel," and he even cites peer pressure: "But all my friends squish ants all day....

Just as baby duck and baby possum bask in the loyal care of a parent, so does baby human. Baby mountain goat is guided up the highest cliffs. Baby beaver will build well. Baby human will soar in her own sky, and delight in nature's wonders. A comforting, sweet-dream book.

Keeping Promises: What is Sovereignty and Other Questions About Indian Country - Whether you call them Native Americans, American Indians, Navajo, Cheyenne, or Cherokee, they are Americans right down to the ground. They managed to retain some of the ground that European expansion took from them over the years, and today they assert the sovereignty of their claims and demand what the U.S. government promised them during more than two hundred years of war and treaties.

A great collection of coloring pages and activities for children to learn more about Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

The historical story of two candy store entrepreneurs who took the tale of President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a cornered bear and turned it into a legend of the toy world.

Describes the expedition led by Lewis and Clark to explore the unknown western regions of America at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

Join Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's Corps of Discovery as they navigate the muddy Missouri River and begin a great adventure set against the background of the vast North American continent. 'Lewis and Clark for Kids' takes children from President Jefferson's vision of an exploratory mission across a continent full of unique plants and animals through their dangerous and challenging journey into the unknown to the expedition's triumphant return to the frontier town of St Louis. Twenty-one activities bring to life the Native American tribes they encountered, the plants and animals they discovered, and the camping and navigating techniques they used. A glossary of terms and listings of Lewis and Clark sites, museums, and related Web sites round out this comprehensive activity book.

You are the main character in this choose-your-path book, and you're on a camping trip with your family. But when your sister and you get caught in a thunderstorm, the relaxing vacation becomes an endless struggle. Your only goal: survive! Do you have what it takes to save your sister and yourself from unknown dangers? Or will your choices lead to a tragic ending? Put yourself in this adventure, and find out!

Newborn fawns spend their first weeks without mom because her scent will attract predators to her babe. She instinctively knows to stay only briefly to nurse and care for her fawn. He will travel with her when he is older and stronger.

This colorful story portrays some of the fun activities waiting for you at the U.S. national parks, monuments, lakeshores, etc.

Nature Smart is a family guide loaded with lots of "gee-whiz" facts, along with accurate technical information presented in a user-friendly format. Includes a question-and-answer format and illustrations of more than 170 species of bugs, mammals, and plants.

Sixteen questions probe the ickier facets of nature in this olio: "Did you know- That bald eagles- eat rotting, dead fish?-hoary marmots-don't poop all winter long?-turkey vultures-poop on their very own legs?" Yup. The authors explore some interesting-if indelicate-facts about several birds and mammals, two invertebrates, one fish, and a reptile. After each question (and its "Eeewww!!" response), they explain why the behavior is not only OK, but beneficial. A section with further facts about the featured creatures and a recipe for "Scat Cookies" (the poop factor strikes again!) are included. Realistic full-color illustrations (and some soft, black-and-white sketches) accompany the whole. Good for browsing, and surefire for the lovers of gross-out factoids.

The educational component of these books makes them not only cuddle-fun reads, but also a fascinating first introduction to wildlife. Each book features ten different animals: Desert Babies includes coyote, bobcats, and javelinas; Prairie Babies includes bison, prairie dogs, and foxes; Forest Babies includes white-tailed deer, river otters, and raccoons; and Polar Babies includes polar bears, penguins, and seals. NorthWord's trusted name among teachers, librarians, and parents has paved the way for this new line of lush nature books for the very young.

Animals facing threats from human encroachment are featured in these offerings from the Our Wild World series. Prairie Dogs looks at critters considered a "keystone species" by scientists, linked to the survival of about 40 other species. The prose is consistently clear and lively, although Lorbiecki's breathless marveling at prairie dogs' "language" of "chirks," yips, and other vocalizations may lead children to anthropomorphize more than is warranted. Sidebars, chirpily labeled "Fun facts," nicely break up the text, and glossy pages set off crisp photographs that will elicit exclamations of delight from browsers.

This book reveals the deep-rooted feelings of a snake who is afraid of people. His fears prove well-founded when he is captured by a school-aged child and held captive in a jar with little air. The snake manages to escape and goes into hiding, aided by a group of beret-wearing reptiles who are really operating underground.

A grandmother's love is forever In this mystical story of remembrance and tradition, Sister Girl and her brother, Young Wolf, wander far from their village and face great danger, including stampeding animals and a wall of fire. The children barely save themselves, and as night approaches, they find themselves alone in the barren and unforgiving wilderness. How will they find home? As the stars shine brightly, the spirit of their grandmother, Elk Tooth Woman, appears to guide them: “The Star People are always with you. Look up, and you will see me among the stars.” S. D. Nelson's compelling illustrations, inspired by the ledger-book style of the Plains Indians, capture the beauty of humans and nature existing as one.

Kids (and grown ups) will love watching the deer get his favorite treat right on the cover of this collector's edition of Stranger in the Wood. The lenticular design allows the image to move! Warning: It is HIGHLY addictive!

Each day was an adventure for President Theodore Roosevelt. When he was a kid, he kept turtles in the bathtub and frogs under his cap. As an adult, he was a cowboy, a river explorer, and a big game hunter. Sometimes he would go on marches through deep puddles and icy rivers -- just for fun! TIME For Kids® Biographies help make a connection between the lives of past heroes and the events of today. When Teddy became president, Americans were looking ahead with excitement to the twentieth century. Teddy's spirit and dreams helped make the United States one of the greatest countries in the world.

Watch where you step! Sometimes the animals in Yellowstone National Park are hard to find—but you can almost always find their poop! Come along with Michael, Emily, and their family as they find poop (scat) and footprints (tracks) and discover which animal made them!

Fun for the entire family, this book helps children identify animal tracks through everyday encounters with wildlife. In their outdoor play, the children of suburbia may not encounter woodland creatures face to face, but will often come across their tracks. Using friendly and familiar playtime scenarios, this brightly illustrated book details how to identify a variety of paw prints.

Wild Horses Our Wild World
By Julia Vogel
ISBN 9781559718820

Animals facing threats from human encroachment are featured in these offerings from the Our Wild World series.Horse-lovers will gravitate to the doe-eyed bays on the cover of Wild Horses, which introduces readers to the scattered herds of mustangs still roaming the U.S.

You Can Be a Nature Detective
By Peggy Kochanoff
ISBN 9780878425563

Young Rough Rider Theodore Roosevelt
By Edd Winfield Parks
ISBN 9780689713491

Focuses on the childhood of the dynamic president, describing how Teddy worked hard to improve his poor health and developed a lifelong interest in nature and the conservation of natural resources.

You're on Your Way, Teddy Roosevelt
By Judith St. George
ISBN 9780399238888

Discover what Theodore Roosevelt-called "Teedie" then-was like as a young boy! From his childhood adventures with his siblings to his overcoming of asthma, his determination would set the course for a lifetime of remarkable accomplishments.