Synopses & Reviews
The people of northern Namibia in the African desert refer to Caitlin O'Connell as "the mother of all elephants." In this book, O'Connell juggles several roles while she studies elephant behavior in Namibias Etosha National Park: field scientist, mediator, ecologist, conservationalist and environmentalist. In decoding the patterns of elephant communication, she has aided tremendously in the fight against killing and poaching elephants--in some cases, those which are endangered, like the Asian elephant. Her scientific observations and procedures have also acted to mediate between the farmers of the region and the elephants who eat their yet-to-be harvested crops.
Donna M. Jackson, author of Extreme Scientists and ER Vets captures the most intriguing pieces of Caitlin O'Connell's scientific observations of elephant communication through seismic signals--vibrations they transmit with their feet. Interestingly enough, Caitlin found herself hypothesizing and discovering how elephants "listen with their limbs" through her early observations of how insects communicate through vibrations they cause in the leaves of plants. The text teems with other intriguing facts about these pachyderms (which means "thick skin"). Elephants are nature's largest mammal weighing in at 14,000 pounds. There are 40,000 muscles in an elephant's trunk, which is a multifaceted tool used for many more purposes than just smelling daisies. A hundred year ago, 10 million African elephants roamed the earth; now only 500,000 remain.
Review
In the sprawling African scrub desert of Etosha National Park, they call her and#8220;the mother of all elephants.and#8221; Holding binoculars closely to her eyes, American scientist Caitlin Oand#8217;Connell could not believe what she was seeing from these African elephants: as the mighty matriarch scanned the horizon, the other elephants followed suit, stopped midstride, and stood as still as statues. This observation would guide the scientist to a groundbreaking discovery about elephant communication: elephants actually listen with their limbs. and#160; Praise for the
Scientists in the Field Series "A first rate [series]." and#8211;and#8211;
Horn Book, starred review "Consistently excellent" and#8211;and#8211;
Booklist, starred review, a Top 10 Continuing Series selection: This universally acclaimed series, which follows actual scientists in their daily work from the field to the lab, not only conveys science concepts with precision through engaging narratives and dazzling photographs but also displays the contagious enthusiasm of those who love their work." "Exemplary." and#8211;and#8211;
Kirkus Review, starred review
Extreme Scientists
"While the clearly written text includes vivid passages about the dangers these scientists face, it goes on to discuss what drives them to pursue their subjects and what they have discovered along the way. Each of the three sections concludes with an interview. The many excellent, color photos portray these adventurers as scientists intently focused on their work, though sometimes in unusual or unusually beautiful surroundings . . . Fascinating."--Booklist,starred review
ER Vets
An Orbis Pictus Honor Book
An ASPCA Henry Bergh Children's Book Award Honor Winner
"Well-researched and well-written,ER Vetsis an engaging book on a hot topic." -School Library Journal, starred review
Bug Scientists
Winner, Parent's Guide to Children's Media Award
NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children
"The much maligned world of insects becomes fascinating in this latest entry in the excellent Scientists in the Field Series."Booklist, starred review
The Wildlife Detectives: How Forensic Scientists Fight Crimes Against Natureand#160;
"[T]his is an enjoyable, informative volume with well-placed, clear photos that add interest. Offer it to fans of the author's The Bone Detectives (Little, Brown, 1996) and nature enthusiasts, who will appreciate this foray into an intriguing and little-known area of wildlife conservation work." --School Library Journal
"A book that will be welcomed by mystery fans and anyone who cares about animals." --Booklist
Review
"With clearly written text, detailed and well-produced photographs and helpful maps and charts...should be welcome in high-school as well as middle-school libraries." Kirkus, Starred 9/15/07 Kirkus Reviews, Starred
"Carson provides fascinating detail...color photographs featuring Roth at work are upstaged only by those of the rhinos themselves..." The Horn Book, Nov/Dec 2007 Horn Book
The text is ful of important details, and the photographs are unfailingly crisp, bright, and full of variety." SLJ November 2007 School Library Journal
"Pair this with other animal titles...and make sure kids get a chance to view Emi real-time on the zoo's webcam." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"This latest in the Scientists in the Field series has all the elements of top-notch nonfiction." Booklist 12/1/07 Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
"An engaging new volume." The Washington Post 12/08/07 The Washington Post
Wilde Award Winner - Best Nonfiction
News and Observer, December 16, 2007 News and Observer
Review
"[The] latest title in the consistently interesting Scientists in the Field series . . . A science title with wide potential appeal."
and#8212;Kirkus
"Well researched, clearly written, and quite informative, this handsome book offers close-up views of scientists at work and why their work matters."
and#8212;Booklist, starred review
"The informationand#8212;a combination of lab and field science details and personal observationand#8212;is accessible and engaging."
and#8212;Horn Book
"As with other titles in this series, the photography is outstanding, and the images of horses going about their daily business in all kinds of conditions put them front and center. . . . A worth complement to most collections."
and#8212;School Library Journal, starred review
Review
andquot;An encouraging example of earth scientists working to understand and deal with climate change in new and amazing ways.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus
Synopsis
Terri Roth trudges through the thick, dark Sumatran jungle. Sheand#8217;s looking for a rhinoceros thatand#8217;s been seen in the area. Itand#8217;s a rare Sumatran rhino, the worldand#8217;s smallest rhino and one of the most endangered mammals on the planet.Suddenly she spots a young female rhino through the tangle of ferns and trees. The stocky animal is covered in reddish hair, and her snout sports two stubby horns. The rhino walks right up to Terri. The scientist slowly reaches out her hand and touches the rhinoand#8217;s big nose. The wild rhinoand#8217;s curiosity and friendliness remind Terri of Emi, the female Sumatran rhino that lives at the Cincinnati Zoo where Terri works. Terri is working with Emi to help save Sumatran rhinos from extinctionand#151;one calf at a time.
Synopsis
'\' In the sprawling African scrub desert of Etosha National Park, they call her “the mother of all elephants.” Holding binoculars closely to her eyes, American scientist Caitlin OConnell could not believe what she was seeing from these African elephants: as the mighty matriarch scanned the horizon, the other elephants followed suit, stopped midstride, and stood as still as statues. This observation would guide the scientist to a groundbreaking discovery about elephant communication: elephants actually listen with their limbs. \''
Synopsis
SITFand#160;sheds light on wild horse population control, a largely ignored area of equine animal science.
Synopsis
Dr. Ron Keiper and Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick have both, in their own unique way, made the wild horses of Assateague Island, Maryland their livesand#8217; work. Experience Dr. Keiper's handwritten notesand#8212;taken over countless watchful hours in the fieldand#8212;which are both a diary and a scientific log that chart the lives of his equine subjects, some of nature's greatest survivors. And follow Dr. Kirkpatrick from the lab to the field as he works tirelessly to find a way to manage the horse population with a birth control vaccine, and helps keep the precarious balance of Assateagueand#8217;s ecosystem intact. Descriptive prose meets solid science as author Kay Frydenborg offers a rare glimpse into the wild herds of Assateague, sharing beautiful photos of the Assateague herds in their island home and of both of the scientists at workand#8212;some of them never seen before.
Synopsis
Inside Biosphere 2: Earth Science Under Glassand#160;is an incredible look inside a giant, three-acre laboratory greenhouse in the vast Arizona desert that is home to an artificial ocean, rainforest, marshland, and rock structures, where scientists do large-scale studies and experiments to better understand our Biosphere 1 (Earth)!and#160;The latest addition to the ever-popular Scientists in the Field series.
Synopsis
In the Arizona desert, scientists conduct studies and experiments aimed to help us better understand our environment and what sort of things are happening to it due to climate change. The location is Biosphere 2, an immense structure that contains a replica ocean, savannah, and rainforest, among other Earth biomes. Itandrsquo;s a unique take on the Scientists in the Field mission statement andmdash; in this case, the lab is a replica that allows the scientists to conduct large-scale experiments that would otherwise be impossible.
About the Author
Donna M. Jackson is an award-winning author of many science books for young readers. Her works include the critically acclaimedBone Detectives, Bug Scientists,andWildlife Detectivesand#8212;all honored by the NSTA/CBCand#8217;s Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children award;ER Vets, an Orbis Pictus and ASPCA Henry Bergh honor book; andExtreme Scientists, named a Smithsonian Notable Book for Children, 2009. Donna was inspired to write this book on Caitlinand#8217;s work after reading about the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunamis and how elephants may be able to sense shockwaves before such catastrophes. Donna lives in Colorado with her husband, Charlie, and their family.
The photographers Caitlin Oand#8217;Connell, Ph.D., and Timothy Rodwell, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., are scientists and professional photographers that have blended art and science to help make science more accessible and engaging. Their photography has appeared inNational Geographic,National Wildlife Magazine,Discover,Science News,Africa Geographic, and many other international magazines, scientific journals, and newspapers. More of their elephant photography will appear in their forthcoming photography bookAn Elephant's Life,which will feature every aspect of an elephant's life in rich detail. Caitlin is on the faculty in the Stanford School of Medicine and Timothy is an assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.