Synopses & Reviews
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) has made news across the United States. These beetles came to America from China, living in wood turned into shipping material. At first the beetles invaded urban areas, where hardwood trees were in limited supplyand#8212;Chicago was able to declare itself ALB-free in 2006. But right now there is bad news in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Torontoand#8212;infestations have erupted in the areaand#8217;s hardwood forests, and these beetles, while bad at flying, are very good at killing trees.
Clint McFarlandand#8217;s job? Stop the ALB at any cost. How do you balance the needs of residents, the impact to the environment, and an invasive species primed to wipe out entire forests? It takes the help of everyday people, such as children playing baseball at a playground, teams of beetle-sniffing dogs, and science-minded people (bug scientists and tree doctors) to eradicate this invasive pest.
Review
* andquot;A splendid example of science controversy in everyday life.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus, starred reviewand#160;
Review
* andquot;A splendid example of science controversy in everyday life.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus, starred review
andquot;Burns delivers a fascinating look at the origins of an invasive species and efforts to combat the damage it causes.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
* andquot;This fascinating, timely book might just change the way readers look at insects and trees for good.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist, starred review
andquot;The subject and the youth of many of the participants give this title an immediacy unusual even in this excellent series, bridging the gap between scientist and reader in a way that invites kids into the process.andquot;
andmdash;Bulletin
andquot;Clear photographs, charts, diagrams, and a straightforward text with appropriate scientific vocabulary outline the problem, from the beetleandrsquo;s invasion and difficult discovery to the treesandrsquo; destruction and replanting.andquot;
andmdash;Horn Book Magazine
* andquot;Abundant, close-up, color photos of the insect (from egg to pupa to mature adult), damaged trees, onsite workers, and informative labeled diagrams and maps help tell this disquieting story...A timely, well-told story and a call to action.andquot;
andmdash;School Library Journal, starred review
Review
"Profiles of scientists and ranchers, discussions of other animals of the Pantanal, Bishop's typically electric photography, and a few tense moments in the wild combine to create a full, fascinating picture of tapirs and one place they call home, as well as the work being done to protect them."
and#8212;Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Chapters about the team's day-by-day experiences, written in a lively, first-person voice, include memorable detail. . . A splendid addition to an exemplary series."
and#8212;Kirkus, starred review
"This contribution to the Scientists in the Field series seamlessly blends eloquent text and vivid images to spotlight the gentle tapir and those field scientists whose lives are committed to conserve animal species for the sake of our environment and our humanity."
and#8212;Booklist, starred review
"Bishop's captivating photographs, paired with Montgomery's narrative, not only call attention to a lesser-known endangered species, but also expose readers to the working conditions, obstacles, and emotions experienced by passionate scientists in the field."
and#8212;School Library Journal, starred review
"[The book] offers a clear-eyed picture of the challenges and the joys of pioneering fieldwork."
and#8212;Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Montgomery's dramatic account of tracking the elusive animals is interspersed with scientific information about the various tapir species, samples of Medici's data on tapir movements, explanations of the technologies used in the research, and discussions of Brazilian ranching culture."
and#8212;The Horn Book Magazine
Review
"High-stakes science, portrayed in one of the scarier entries in this bar-setting series."
and#8212;Kirkus, starred review
"This book gives tragic and terrifying volcanoes a sense of story that other books lack by talking about real-life crises and how individuals came together to keep millions of people safe. . . . A great addition for all collections."
and#8212;School Library Journal, starred review
"Images of the destruction may initially draw the casual browser, but far more impressive is the balance of vivid photographs that bring the international scientists into the limelight."
and#8212;Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"[A] terrific addition to the Scientists in the Field series . . . The portrayal of scientific investigation is exceptional."
and#8212;The Horn Book Magazine, starred review
Review
"Move over, Spider-Man. . . . Abundant photographs and a lively narrative make the topic accessible and almost lighthearted, and Heos lays groundwork for readers with a basic introduction to DNA and gene theory."
and#8212;Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A complex, controversial topic, positively presented."
and#8212;School Library Journal
"Clear focus, careful explanztions with occasional repetition of denser information, and a wealth of color photographs make this title inviting and accessible. . . and the kissin'-cute goats should entice quite a few readers to explore this project further."
and#8212;Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Synopsis
A fascinating nonfiction photo essay about the tree-killing Asian long-horned beetle in our very own backyards. Read aboutand#160;how the help of everyday people, their neighborhoods, teams of beetle-sniffing dogs, and a nationwide effort from bug scientists to tree doctors are working to eradicate thisand#160;incredibly invasiveand#160;pest.
Synopsis
The Tapir Scientist introduces young readers to one of the weirdest and most fascinating animals on the planet and recounts the extraordinary work of the dedicated scientists trying toand#160;save them.
Synopsis
If youand#8217;ve never seen a lowland tapir, youand#8217;re not alone. Most of the people who live near tapir habitat in Braziland#8217;s vast Pantanal (and#8220;the Everglades on steroidsand#8221;) havenand#8217;t seen the elusive snorkel-snouted mammal, either. In this arresting nonfiction picture book, Sibert winners Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop join a tapir-finding expedition led by the Brazilian field scientist Pati Medici. Aspiring scientists will love the immediate, often humorous and#8220;you are thereand#8221; descriptions of fieldwork, and gadget lovers will revel in the high-tech science at play, from microchips to the camera traps that capture the and#8220;soap operaand#8221; of tapir life.
Synopsis
A stunning account of volcanologists Andy Lockhart, John Pallister,and#160;andand#160;their group of scientists who risk their lives, investigating deadly volcanoesand#160;that remain constant threats to people around the world.
Synopsis
and#8220;At 11:35 p.m., as Radio Armero played cheerful music, a towering wave of mud and rocks bulldozed through the village, roaring like a squadron of fighter jets.and#8221; Twenty-three thousand people died in the 1985 eruption of Colombiaand#8217;s Nevado del Ruiz. Today, more than one billion people worldwide live in volcanic danger zones. In this riveting nonfiction bookand#8212;filled with spectacular photographs and sidebarsand#8212;Rusch reveals the perilous, adrenaline-fueled, life-saving work of an international volcano crisis team (VDAP) and the sleeping giants they study, from Colombia to the Philippines, from Chile to Indonesia.
Synopsis
An introduction to the field of genetics through the story of Randy Lewis and his work with golden orb weaver spiders andand#160;his subsequent creation of artificial spider silk that can be used to save and improve lives.
Synopsis
In
Stronger Than Steel, readers enter Randy Lewis' lab where they come face to face with golden orb weaver spiders, and transgenic alfalfa, silkworm silk, and goats, whose milk contains the proteins to spin spider silk--and to weave a nearly indestructible fiber. Learn how this amazing material might someday be used to repair or replace human ligaments and bones, improve body armor, strengthen parachute rope, and even tether an airplane to an aircraft carrier! Readers explore rapid advancements in the application of genetic medicine and their potential to save and improve lives while considering the crucial ethical concerns of genetic research. A timely addition to the acclaimed Scientists in the Field series.
About the Author
Elizabeth Ruschand#8217;s obsession with volcanoes began at age 13, when she watched the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens on television. Now she lives in Portland, Oregon, surrounded by Cascade volcanoes. She learned about the incredible work of the volcanologists in this book while researching Will it Blow?: Become a Volcano Detective at Mount St. Helen, which was a Washington Reads pick and a Natural History magazine best book for young readers. Lizand#8217;s other award-winning nonfiction titles for children include The Mighty Mars Rovers, a Junior Library Guild selection, and The Planet Hunter: The story behind what happened to Pluto. She has also published more than a hundred articles in magazines such as Smithsonian, Backpacker, and American Girl. Liz is the authorand#160;ofand#160;Mighty Mars Rovers,and#160;aand#160;Scientists in the Field book. Tom Uhlman has been a freelance photographer for 25 years. He photographs lots of news and sporting events, but enjoys shooting pictures of wildlife and the natural world most of all. Visiting some of the most famous volcanos in the world and meeting the people who study them was a special treat. Tom's photographs can also be seen inand#160;upcoming Scientists in the Field book Park Scientists, and previously in Emi and the Rhino Scientist and The Bat Scientists.