JUVENILE NONFICTION / Science & Nature / Environmental Science & Ecosystems
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Orangutan Hats and Other Tools Animals Use
Series: Animals Do What!?
Pub Date: October 14, 2025
Format: Paperback
“Readers will devour this dynamic and informative explanation of the inventiveness to be found within the animal world.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Move over, humans! We’re not the only creatures who can invent and use tools to keep ourselves fed, warm, safe, healthy, comfortable—even entertained. Thanks to the careful observations of biologists working in the field, we now know that elephants use sunscreen, long-tailed macaques floss their teeth, assassin bugs use bait to lure their prey, orangutans make pillows, and crows will go sledding just for fun. Who’s the clever one now, eh? Join writer Richard Haynes and illustrator Stephanie Laberis for a walk on the wild side and get ready to be astonished, delighted, and amused by this jam-packed exploration. Interested readers will find a map, an introduction, a glossary, an index, and a bibliography for further investigation.
Elephant Bowling and Other Animal Play
Series: Animals Do What!?
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: August 12, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Take a walk on the wild side and prepare to be entertained by the shenanigans of critters around the globe.
Step into the fascinating world of animal playtime to find penguins surfing for the joy of it, primates playing peekaboo, and sneaky keas—the pranksters of the bird world—yanking one another’s legs just for kicks. Creatures of all stripes like to play! Some play builds strength and teaches survival skills: a game of tug-of-war prepares wolf cubs for hunting and taking down prey, while games of hide-and-seek give mongooses practice at quick escapes, handy for outmaneuvering predators. Some games appear to be played simply for enjoyment: Polar bears love to slide down snowy hills, then climb back up and do it again. Gorilla parents swing, hug, and give bouncy rides to their children. And elephants have been known to lie in wait for a companion to come strolling along, then—BAROOM!—roll downhill to bowl them over like a friendly ball. Join Richard Haynes and Stephanie Laberis, creators of Orangutan Hats and Other Tools Animals Use, for another illuminating walk on the wild side. Scientific observations from the natural world, a glossary, and a bibliography combine with colorful and vivacious illustrations to make this guide an extra fun look at—fun!
Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants
Price: $19.99
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
Format: Hardcover
From deadly nightshade to the flying duck orchid, discover how some of the biggest, baddest, smelliest, and strangest plants around the globe earn their reputation as masters of survival.
Ready to meet some far-out flora? Leaf through this book and you’ll unearth some of the amazing adaptations that help plants thrive: Seeds that explode. Leaves that look like stones. Berries so deadly that swallowing just a few will stop your heart. A plant that eats meat, and another that pretends to be meat—rotten meat, with a smell so rank you’ll want to plug your nose. Dig in to the science of plant survival in a botanical book blooming with lush illustrations and filled with engagingly narrated, fascinating facts about how plants flourish, even in the most extreme environments on earth. A glossary, source notes, index, and select bibliography round out the back matter for readers eager to know more.
Insectarium
Welcome to the Museum
Series: Welcome to the Museum
Price: $37.99
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Explore the fascinating world of insects in Insectarium, the next installment in the Welcome to the Museum series.
This gorgeous new offering from the Welcome to the Museum series introduces readers to some of the most essential creatures in the natural world: insects. Making up over 80 percent of living species on Earth, at least one million insect species dwell and thrive in a world right below our feet. In the galleries of Insectarium, readers will meet creatures such as the beautiful demoiselle and the gigantic goliath beetle, learning why and how these small creatures have such a huge impact on the world around us.
The Girl Who Tested the Waters: Ellen Swallow, Environmental Scientist
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: February 4, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Discover the eye-opening story of the first woman student at MIT—a pioneering environmental chemist sure to inspire the next generation of female trailblazers in science.
Ellen Swallow found a friend in nature and a lifelong love of science as a child exploring the woods around her family’s home. She was a voracious learner with an interest in chemistry, and continuing her education at the newly established Massachusetts Institute of Technology seemed a good fit. But in 1871, many believed that women belonged in the home, not in schools dedicated to the study of science. Ellen thought, why not both? She believed science could help solve the problems of everyday life, including the pollution she observed in Boston, so when offered the chance to study the city’s water systems, she seized it. What she found would change the way we think about clean water. In her lifetime, Ellen pioneered science education for women, advocated for a healthier environment, and helped develop the field of ecology. The Girl Who Tested the Waters, with engaging text and soft, inviting illustrations, portrays a woman ahead of her time and her tireless efforts to bring about change for good. Curious readers can find more in the back matter, including a time line, an author’s note, source notes, and a bibliography.
One Tiny Treefrog: A Countdown to Survival
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: September 17, 2024
Format: Paperback
“An honest look at the odds of becoming a red-eyed treefrog. . . . It’s easy to jump for this one. A winning combination of information and entertainment.” —Kirkus Reviews
Deep in the tropical forest of Costa Rica, ten sticky frog eggs cling to a leaf. Only nine eggs hatch. Only eight tadpoles wind up in the water below. What will it take to survive the countdown to adulthood and begin the cycle again? This beautifully designed, color-drenched introduction to frog metamorphosis peeks at this animal’s habitats and predators as it illustrates competition and natural selection. Cocreators Mackenzie Joy and Tony Piedra have crafted a dazzling spin on the life of one of nature’s darlings, the red-eyed treefrog. Back matter invites budding naturalists to discover even more treefrog facts, revisit the pages to spot other Costa Rican species, and check out a bibliography.
Una ranita arbórea: Contando hasta sobrevivir
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: September 17, 2024
Format: Paperback
La estrella de este estimulante y deslumbrante libro es la rana arbórea de ojos rojos del bosque tropical costarricense. Con su conteo regresivo, este libro cautivador es ideal para leer en voz alta o como fuente de referencia. .
En lo más profundo del bosque tropical de Costa Rica, diez pegajosos huevos de rana se aferran a una hoja. Solo nueve eclosionan. Solo ocho renacuajos acaban en el agua que está debajo. ¿Qué tendrán que hacer para sobrevivir, llegar a ser adultos y comenzar el ciclo de nuevo? Esta colorida introducción a la metamorfosis de la rana, bellamente diseñada, se asoma al hábitat de este animal y de sus depredadores con ilustraciones que muestran el proceso de competencia y selección natural. Los co-creadores Tony Piedra y Mackenzie Joy han elaborado un deslumbrante recorrido de la vida de uno de los tesoros de la naturaleza, la rana arbórea de ojos rojos. El apéndice invita a los naturalistas principiantes a aprender cosas asombrosas sobre la rana arbórea, repasar las páginas para descubrir otras especies costarricenses y explorar la bibliografía.
How the Weather Works
Series: Explore the Earth
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: August 13, 2024
Format: Paperback
Journey through rain and snow, sunshine and sleet, and even hurricanes and tornadoes in this beautifully illustrated picture book paperback about the weather
Tackling both normal and extreme scenarios, this is an entertaining and enlightening exploration of the world’s weather. With bright, friendly illustrations, this book stimulates learning and encourages readers to think about how humans can influence Earth’s climate. Now available in paperback.
How the World Works
Series: Explore the Earth
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: August 13, 2024
Format: Paperback
Journey through the story of our magnificent home planet and its spectacular features in this beautifully illustrated picture book paperback about planet Earth.
Answering a multitude of questions about how our world works, this fun, engaging book introduces Earth’s important cycles and offers an exciting way to learn geography and science. Packed with facts, this book encourages readers to think about the impact of human actions on our environment while engendering respect for the natural world. Now available in paperback.
Paper World: Ocean
Series: Paper World
Price: $24.99
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Format: Hardcover
Paper World: Ocean uses ingenious paper-cut artwork to reveal the wonders of our planet’s oceans, from the microcosm of a tide pool to the strange creatures living in the very deepest waters. With detailed art by paper-cut artist Gail Armstrong, a fact-filled text, and flaps and die-cuts on every spread, this unique novelty book will appeal to readers of all ages.

Orangutan Hats and Other Tools Animals Use
Series: Animals Do What!?
Pub Date: October 14, 2025
Format: Paperback
“Readers will devour this dynamic and informative explanation of the inventiveness to be found within the animal world.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Move over, humans! We’re not the only creatures who can invent and use tools to keep ourselves fed, warm, safe, healthy, comfortable—even entertained. Thanks to the careful observations of biologists working in the field, we now know that elephants use sunscreen, long-tailed macaques floss their teeth, assassin bugs use bait to lure their prey, orangutans make pillows, and crows will go sledding just for fun. Who’s the clever one now, eh? Join writer Richard Haynes and illustrator Stephanie Laberis for a walk on the wild side and get ready to be astonished, delighted, and amused by this jam-packed exploration. Interested readers will find a map, an introduction, a glossary, an index, and a bibliography for further investigation.
Elephant Bowling and Other Animal Play
Series: Animals Do What!?
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: August 12, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Take a walk on the wild side and prepare to be entertained by the shenanigans of critters around the globe.
Step into the fascinating world of animal playtime to find penguins surfing for the joy of it, primates playing peekaboo, and sneaky keas—the pranksters of the bird world—yanking one another’s legs just for kicks. Creatures of all stripes like to play! Some play builds strength and teaches survival skills: a game of tug-of-war prepares wolf cubs for hunting and taking down prey, while games of hide-and-seek give mongooses practice at quick escapes, handy for outmaneuvering predators. Some games appear to be played simply for enjoyment: Polar bears love to slide down snowy hills, then climb back up and do it again. Gorilla parents swing, hug, and give bouncy rides to their children. And elephants have been known to lie in wait for a companion to come strolling along, then—BAROOM!—roll downhill to bowl them over like a friendly ball. Join Richard Haynes and Stephanie Laberis, creators of Orangutan Hats and Other Tools Animals Use, for another illuminating walk on the wild side. Scientific observations from the natural world, a glossary, and a bibliography combine with colorful and vivacious illustrations to make this guide an extra fun look at—fun!
Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants
Price: $19.99
Pub Date: May 20, 2025
Format: Hardcover
From deadly nightshade to the flying duck orchid, discover how some of the biggest, baddest, smelliest, and strangest plants around the globe earn their reputation as masters of survival.
Ready to meet some far-out flora? Leaf through this book and you’ll unearth some of the amazing adaptations that help plants thrive: Seeds that explode. Leaves that look like stones. Berries so deadly that swallowing just a few will stop your heart. A plant that eats meat, and another that pretends to be meat—rotten meat, with a smell so rank you’ll want to plug your nose. Dig in to the science of plant survival in a botanical book blooming with lush illustrations and filled with engagingly narrated, fascinating facts about how plants flourish, even in the most extreme environments on earth. A glossary, source notes, index, and select bibliography round out the back matter for readers eager to know more.
Insectarium
Welcome to the Museum
Series: Welcome to the Museum
Price: $37.99
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Explore the fascinating world of insects in Insectarium, the next installment in the Welcome to the Museum series.
This gorgeous new offering from the Welcome to the Museum series introduces readers to some of the most essential creatures in the natural world: insects. Making up over 80 percent of living species on Earth, at least one million insect species dwell and thrive in a world right below our feet. In the galleries of Insectarium, readers will meet creatures such as the beautiful demoiselle and the gigantic goliath beetle, learning why and how these small creatures have such a huge impact on the world around us.
The Girl Who Tested the Waters: Ellen Swallow, Environmental Scientist
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: February 4, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Discover the eye-opening story of the first woman student at MIT—a pioneering environmental chemist sure to inspire the next generation of female trailblazers in science.
Ellen Swallow found a friend in nature and a lifelong love of science as a child exploring the woods around her family’s home. She was a voracious learner with an interest in chemistry, and continuing her education at the newly established Massachusetts Institute of Technology seemed a good fit. But in 1871, many believed that women belonged in the home, not in schools dedicated to the study of science. Ellen thought, why not both? She believed science could help solve the problems of everyday life, including the pollution she observed in Boston, so when offered the chance to study the city’s water systems, she seized it. What she found would change the way we think about clean water. In her lifetime, Ellen pioneered science education for women, advocated for a healthier environment, and helped develop the field of ecology. The Girl Who Tested the Waters, with engaging text and soft, inviting illustrations, portrays a woman ahead of her time and her tireless efforts to bring about change for good. Curious readers can find more in the back matter, including a time line, an author’s note, source notes, and a bibliography.
One Tiny Treefrog: A Countdown to Survival
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: September 17, 2024
Format: Paperback
“An honest look at the odds of becoming a red-eyed treefrog. . . . It’s easy to jump for this one. A winning combination of information and entertainment.” —Kirkus Reviews
Deep in the tropical forest of Costa Rica, ten sticky frog eggs cling to a leaf. Only nine eggs hatch. Only eight tadpoles wind up in the water below. What will it take to survive the countdown to adulthood and begin the cycle again? This beautifully designed, color-drenched introduction to frog metamorphosis peeks at this animal’s habitats and predators as it illustrates competition and natural selection. Cocreators Mackenzie Joy and Tony Piedra have crafted a dazzling spin on the life of one of nature’s darlings, the red-eyed treefrog. Back matter invites budding naturalists to discover even more treefrog facts, revisit the pages to spot other Costa Rican species, and check out a bibliography.
Una ranita arbórea: Contando hasta sobrevivir
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: September 17, 2024
Format: Paperback
La estrella de este estimulante y deslumbrante libro es la rana arbórea de ojos rojos del bosque tropical costarricense. Con su conteo regresivo, este libro cautivador es ideal para leer en voz alta o como fuente de referencia. .
En lo más profundo del bosque tropical de Costa Rica, diez pegajosos huevos de rana se aferran a una hoja. Solo nueve eclosionan. Solo ocho renacuajos acaban en el agua que está debajo. ¿Qué tendrán que hacer para sobrevivir, llegar a ser adultos y comenzar el ciclo de nuevo? Esta colorida introducción a la metamorfosis de la rana, bellamente diseñada, se asoma al hábitat de este animal y de sus depredadores con ilustraciones que muestran el proceso de competencia y selección natural. Los co-creadores Tony Piedra y Mackenzie Joy han elaborado un deslumbrante recorrido de la vida de uno de los tesoros de la naturaleza, la rana arbórea de ojos rojos. El apéndice invita a los naturalistas principiantes a aprender cosas asombrosas sobre la rana arbórea, repasar las páginas para descubrir otras especies costarricenses y explorar la bibliografía.
How the Weather Works
Series: Explore the Earth
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: August 13, 2024
Format: Paperback
Journey through rain and snow, sunshine and sleet, and even hurricanes and tornadoes in this beautifully illustrated picture book paperback about the weather
Tackling both normal and extreme scenarios, this is an entertaining and enlightening exploration of the world’s weather. With bright, friendly illustrations, this book stimulates learning and encourages readers to think about how humans can influence Earth’s climate. Now available in paperback.
How the World Works
Series: Explore the Earth
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: August 13, 2024
Format: Paperback
Journey through the story of our magnificent home planet and its spectacular features in this beautifully illustrated picture book paperback about planet Earth.
Answering a multitude of questions about how our world works, this fun, engaging book introduces Earth’s important cycles and offers an exciting way to learn geography and science. Packed with facts, this book encourages readers to think about the impact of human actions on our environment while engendering respect for the natural world. Now available in paperback.
Paper World: Ocean
Series: Paper World
Price: $24.99
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Format: Hardcover