In early April, as Owen and his sister search the hickories, oaks, and dogwoods for returning birds, a huge group of birds leaves the misty mountain slopes of the Yucatan peninsula for the 600-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico to their summer nesting grounds. One of them is a Cerulean warbler. He will lose more than half his body weight even if the journey goes well. Aloft over the vast ocean, the birds encourage each other with squeaky chirps that say, “We are still alive. We can do this.� Owen’s family watches televised reports of a great storm over the Gulf of Mexico, fearing what it may mean for migrating songbirds. In alternating spreads, we wait and hope with Owen, then struggle through the storm with the warbler.   This moving story with its hopeful ending appeals to us to preserve the things we love. The backmatter includes a North American bird migration map, birding information for kids, and guidance for how native plantings can transform yards into bird and wildlife habitat.

Simple text describes various bird beaks and how birds use them to eat, hunt, and gather food. Includes a quiz.

In 1980, scientists discovered that hundreds of corals on the Great Barrier Reef participate in a mass spawning event. Science author Sneed B. Collard III explains coral reefs, the coral larvae's perilous journey through the sea to their home on the reef, and the animals that depend on this ecosystem for their survival. Intricate cut-paper illustrations capture the eye-catching colors of this underwater world.

Reveals the animal life that lives in the deepest oceans and examines the technology that allows scientists to conduct research in areas characterized by trenches, vents, and seeps.

Fifteen environmental success stories from young people around the world

A lovely educational tale about how animals live in harmony and benefit their ecosystem through commensalism A family of beavers love their pond, which they've worked hard to turn from a bedraggled landscape into a thriving wetland. But when a family of otters move in and start reaping the rewards of the beavers' efforts, the only thing the beavers can do is tolerate their new neighbors as best they can. Despite the fact that the otters can be rather annoying, the two species eventually strike a balance, and in the process benefit the rich new ecosystem around them.