Search results for ""Author Anita Sanchez""

You can feel it coming on - that terrible, tortuous ITCH. As irritating as an itch is, it is also your body’s way of sending you a message you can’t miss, like you’ve brushed up against poison ivy or lice have taken up residence in your hair. None of which you’d know without that telltale itch! And there are so many things that make us itch - from fungus to fleas, mosquitoes to nettles, poison ivy to tarantulas! Combining history, anatomy, laugh-out-loud illustrations, and even tips to avoid - and soothe - the itch, Anita Sanchez and Gilbert Ford take readers on an intriguing (and sometimes disgusting) look into what makes you scratch.

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Revealing little-known facts about the fight to teach evolution in schools, this riveting account of the dramatic 1925 Scopes Trial (aka “the Monkey Trial”) speaks directly to today’s fights over what students learn, the tension between science and religion, the influence of the media on public debate, and the power of one individual to change history. Arrested For teaching John Scopes’s crime riveted the world, and crowds flocked to the trial of the man who dared to tell students about a forbidden topic—evolution.The year was 1925, and discussing Darwin’s theory of evolution was illegal in Tennessee classrooms. Lawyers wanted to challenge the law, and businessmen smelled opportunity. But no one imagined the firestorm the Scopes Trial would ignite—or the media circus that would follow.As reporters, souvenir-hawking vendors, angry protestors, and even real monkeys mobbed the courthouse, a breathless public followed the action live on national radio broadcasts. All were fascinated by the bitter duel between science and religion, an argument that boiled down to the question of who controls what students can learn—an issue that resonates to this day.Through contemporary visuals and evocative prose, Anita Sanchez vividly captures the passion, personalities, and pageantry of the infamous “Monkey Trial,” highlighting the quiet dignity of the teacher who stood up for his students’ right to learn.

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Deadly. Powerful. Beautiful. The much-hated plant called poison ivy is all of these—and more. Poison ivy has long irritated humans, but the astounding paradox is that poison ivy is a plant of immense ecological value. In Praise of Poison Ivy explores the vices and virtues of a plant with a dramatic history and a rosy future. Once planted in gardens from Versailles to Monticello, poison ivy now has a crucial role in the American landscape. The detested plant is a lens through which to observe the changes and challenges that face our planet. For centuries, poison ivy has bedeviled, inconvenienced, and downright tortured the human race. This book covers the unique history of the plant, starting with the brash and adventurous explorer Captain John Smith, who “discovered” poison ivy the hard way in 1607. Despite its irritating qualities, the magnificent scarlet-and-gold autumn foliage lured Virginia entrepreneurs to export the vine to Europe, making it one of the earliest documented New World plants to cross the Atlantic, and its meteoric rise to fame as–of all unlikely things—a garden plant. Showcased in the pleasure grounds of emperors and kings, poison ivy was displayed like a captive tiger, admired by Thomas Jefferson, Marie Antoinette, and Josephine Bonaparte. Today, poison ivy is valued by environmentalists and native plant enthusiasts who name it one of our most important plants for wildlife as well as for soil conservation. In Praise of Poison Ivy will reveal why, in its native American habitat, poison ivy is a plant of astonishing ecological value. Poison ivy leaves are an important wildlife food, and the berries are a crucial source of winter nutrition for beloved bird species like robins, bluebirds and cardinals. On a national listing of hundreds of native plants that are of value to wildlife, poison ivy ranks seventh in importance. In Praise of Poison Ivy also explores the question of why this plant is apparently on a mission to give us humans grief, from itchy ankles to life-threatening medical emergencies. The book will examine why poison ivy targets humans, but no other species, and explain the mystery of why a privileged few are immune to its itchy consequences. Since the time of John Smith and Pocahontas, the American landscape has changed in countless ways—many obvious, some subtle. This book will reveal why there is far more poison ivy on the planet now than there was in 1607, with lots more on its way. It examines the ecological reasons for poison ivy’s rosy future, note the effects of climate change on native plants, and investigate the valuable role that poison ivy could play in our changing world.

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What’s that terrible smell? It’s the revolting scent of rot. But being rotten isn’t necessarily bad. If nothing ever rotted, nothing new could live. Decomposition may seem like the last stop on the food chain, but it’s just the beginning. When dead plants and animals decay, they give life to a host of other creatures, and each one helps ecosystems thrive. Decomposition happens in the forest, the ocean - even in your stomach and between your teeth! From vultures and sharks to bacteria, maggots, mushrooms, and more, discover the dirty rotten truth about one of nature’s most fascinating processes.

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Did you know that whale sharks are sometimes called domino fish because of the spots on their backs? How about that the smallest recorded whale shark was only fifteen inches long? Or that whale sharks have teeth on their eyes? Perfect for all animal lovers - and whale shark fans in particular - this book is filled with information that young readers will love to learn. From where whale shark habitats are found to what it's like to be a whale shark to why whale sharks are endangered and who has been working hard to save them, this book gives readers all the facts they know to become whale shark experts. Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun whale shark facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save whale sharks from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

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Koalas have climbed and munched their ways into kids' hearts. With this book, readers can become koala experts and learn how to save the animals they love. Featuring an introduction from Chelsea Clinton!Did you know that koalas spend most of their lives up in the treetops, only coming down if they run out of leaves to munch on? How about that koalas eat almost every minute that they're awake? Or that these cute and cuddly looking animals can give off earsplitting roars that can be heard half a mile away?Perfect for all animal lovers—and koala fans in particular—this book is filled with all the facts you need to know to become a koala expert! Where are koalas found? What's it like to be a koala? Why are koalas endangered, and who has been working hard to save them? Read this book and find out how you can help save the koalas!Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun koala facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save koalas from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

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Did you know that an adult giraffe can eat a hundred pounds of leaves a day? How about that male giraffes fight each other by swinging their long necks around and using their heads as battering rams against their opponents? Or that one well-placed giraffe kick can kill a hyena or a lion? Perfect for all animal lovers - and giraffe fans in particular - this book is filled with information that young readers will love to learn. From where giraffes habitats are found to what it's like to be a giraffe to why giraffes are endangered and who has been working hard to save them, this book gives readers all the facts they need to know to become giraffe experts. Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun giraffe facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save giraffes from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

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Did you know that gorillas and humans share 98 percent of our DNA? How about that an adult gorilla will eat forty pounds of plants in a day? Or that gorillas only live in one place in the world: the rain forests of the Congo River basin? Perfect for all animal lovers--and gorilla fans in particular--this book is filled with information that young readers will love to learn. From where gorillas habitats are found to what it's like to be a gorilla to why gorillas are endangered and who has been working hard to save them, this book gives readers all the facts they need to know to become gorilla experts. Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun gorilla facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save gorillas from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

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Koalas have climbed and munched their ways into kids' hearts. With this book, readers can become koala experts and learn how to save the animals they love. Featuring an introduction from Chelsea Clinton!Did you know that koalas spend most of their lives up in the treetops, only coming down if they run out of leaves to munch on? How about that koalas eat almost every minute that they're awake? Or that these cute and cuddly looking animals can give off earsplitting roars that can be heard half a mile away?Perfect for all animal lovers—and koala fans in particular—this book is filled with all the facts you need to know to become a koala expert! Where are koalas found? What's it like to be a koala? Why are koalas endangered, and who has been working hard to save them? Read this book and find out how you can help save the koalas!Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun koala facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save koalas from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

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Gorillas have knuckle-walked their ways into kids' hearts. With this book, readers can become gorilla experts and learn how to save the animals they love. Featuring an introduction from Chelsea Clinton!Did you know that gorillas’ massive arms are strong enough to tear down trees and bend iron bars? How about that, even so, gorillas can be tender friends and gentle, loving parents? Or that gorillas are ticklish?Perfect for all animal lovers—and gorilla fans in particular—this book is filled with all the facts you need to know to become a gorilla expert! What's it like to be a gorilla? Why are gorillas endangered, and who has been working hard to save them? Read this book and find out how you can help save the gorillas!Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun gorilla facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save gorillas from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

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A funny and fact-filled look at decomposition in all of its slimy glory, illustrated with dazzling full-color art by Gilbert Ford. Vultures, fungi, dung beetles, and more aid in this fascinating and sometimes smelly aspect of the life cycle that’s right under our noses.What’s that terrible smell? It’s the revolting scent of rot. But being rotten isn’t necessarily bad. If nothing ever rotted, nothing new could live.Decomposition may seem like the last stop on the food chain, but it’s just the beginning. When dead plants and animals decay, they give life to a host of other creatures, and each one helps ecosystems thrive.Decomposition happens in the forest, the ocean—even in your stomach and between your teeth! From vultures and sharks to bacteria, maggots, mushrooms, and more, discover the dirty rotten truth about one of nature’s most fascinating processes.

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Everybody gets itchy, and every kid will love this title that scratches the itch to know more and about the history, anatomy, botany, biology behind it. Perfect for fans of Grossology books looking for something more substantive and dynamic. You can feel it coming on—that terrible, tortuous ITCH. As irritating as an itch is, it is also your body’s way of sending you a message you can’t miss, like you’ve brushed up against poison ivy or lice have taken up residence in your hair. None of which you’d know without that telltale itch!And there are so many things that make us itch—from fungus to fleas, mosquitoes to nettles, poison ivy to tarantulas! Combining history, anatomy, laugh-out-loud illustrations, and even tips to avoid—and soothe—the itch, Anita Sanchez and Gilbert Ford take readers on an intriguing (and sometimes disgusting) look into what makes you scratch.

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A nonfiction picture book exploring a deceptively simple but unexpectedly crucial resource for wildlife: puddles! This lyrical, gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book is perfect for young science learners and nature lovers.Hello, puddle! Who's here?A normal everyday puddle may not seem very special. But for a mother turtle, it might be the perfect place to lay her eggs. For a squirrel, it might be the only spot to cool off and get a drink when the sun is shining down in July. And for any child, it can be a window into the elegant, complex natural world right outside their window.With lush, playful illustrations and fun facts about the animals featured, Hello, Puddle! is a joyful celebration of the remarkable in the ordinary, and the importance of even the most humble places in fostering life.

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Meet the glaciers—before they disappear. Meltdown: Discover Earth's Irreplaceable Glaciers and Learn What You Can Do to Save Them is a kids’ guide to the glorious but endangered world of glaciers. Glaciers may not be as well-known as rain forests or coral reefs, but they are just as vital to the health of the planet, and just as threatened by climate change. Packed with information, grounded in the latest science, with lively writing and illustrations throughout (including graphs, charts, infographics, photographs, and full-page art), Meltdown gives readers an eye-opening overview of glaciers and how important they are: There are over 100,000 glaciers covering 10% of earth’s landmass, that hold almost three-quarters of the planet's fresh water, and act as protective shields to cool the atmosphere and combat climate change. We learn how glaciers were formed (some over two million years ago), how they move and carve the planet's landscape, and how scientists study them (the bluer the ice, the older it is). We learn the secrets of earth’s climate history hidden deep in a glacier’s core—and discover how climate change is causing glaciers to melt at unprecedented rates, putting the health of the planet in jeopardy. But we are not left without hope. The final chapter offers positive steps readers can take to become climate activists, reduce their carbon footprint, and save the glaciers.

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