Bison are North America's largest land animals.

Some 170,000 wood bison once roamed northern regions, while at least 30 million plains bison trekked across the rest of the continent. Almost driven to extinction in the 1800s by decades of slaughter and hunting, this ecological and cultural keystone species supports biodiversity and strengthens the ecosystems around it. Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers celebrates the traditions and teachings of Indigenous Peoples and looks at how bison lovers of all backgrounds came together to save these iconic animals. Learn about the places where bison are regaining a hoof-hold and meet some of the young people who are welcoming bison back home.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Praise for Frances Backhouse:

★An important book for helping kids see past the sterotypes of terrifying grizzly bears and join the call for conservation.--School Library Journal, starred review for Grizzly Bears

The impressively comprehensive text is chatty and entertaining...This illuminating avian introduction is sure to make an owl out of anyone.--Booklist, review for Owls

An engaging book that will leave readers spouting facts about beavers. Students will have a new appreciation for these innovative builders and their significant impact on the landscape and ecosystems of North America.--School Library Journal, review for Beavers

Owls are incredible creatures.

They can see in the dimmest light, hear the faintest of sounds, fly silently and rotate their heads to look straight backward. Most owls are nocturnal, more often heard than seen. Even those that are active during the day stay largely out of sight.

Owls: Who Gives a Hoot? reveals the secrets of these mysterious birds and the important role they play in our lives and their ecosystems. Learn about the 19 species that live in Canada and the United States--from the tiny elf owl to the hefty great horned owl. And meet the scientists, activists and young people who are working to keep these iconic birds in flight and turning heads for years to come.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

★An important book for helping kids see past the stereotypes of terrifying grizzly bears and join the call for conservation.--School Library Journal, starred review

Grizzlies are one of North America's most iconic wildlife species.

They once roamed across half the continent, but today the grizzly population has declined at an alarming rate and it is incredibly difficult to rebuild those numbers, especially in places with a lot of people. Yet grizzlies are key members of their ecological communities and a powerful symbol of wilderness. Filled with facts and richly illustrated with photos, Grizzly Bears: Guardians of the Wilderness explores the biology of grizzlies and the vital ecological role these bears play, and it asks readers to consider what it takes to share the land with them. Learn from conservationists, scientists, Indigenous Peoples and young people who are working to ensure that grizzlies will be with us forever.

Finalist for the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize

Unexpectedly delightful reading -- there is much to learn from the buck-toothed rodents of yore. -- National Post

Fascinating and smartly written. -- Globe and Mail

Beavers, those icons of industriousness, have been gnawing down trees, building dams, shaping the land, and creating critical habitat in North America for at least a million years. Once one of the continent's most ubiquitous mammals, they ranged from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Rio Grande to the edge of the northern tundra. Wherever there was wood and water, there were beavers -- sixty million, or more -- and wherever there were beavers, there were intricate natural communities that depended on their activities. Then the European fur traders arrived.

Once They Were Hats examines humanity's fifteen-thousand-year relationship with Castor canadensis, and the beaver's even older relationship with North American landscapes and ecosystems. From the waterlogged environs of the Beaver Capital of Canada to the wilderness cabin that controversial conservationist Grey Owl shared with pet beavers; from a bustling workshop where craftsmen make beaver-felt cowboy hats using century-old tools to a tidal marsh where an almost-lost link between beavers and salmon was recently found, it's a journey of discovery to find out what happened after we nearly wiped this essential animal off the map, and how we can learn to live with beavers now that they're returning.

By cutting trees and building dams, beavers shape landscapes and provide valuable wetland homes for many plants and animals.

These radical rodents were once almost hunted to extinction for their prized fur, but today we are building a new relationship with them, and our appreciation of the benefits they offer as habitat creators and water stewards is growing. Packed with facts and personal stories, this book looks at the beaver's biology and behavior and illuminates its vital role as a keystone species. The beaver's comeback is one of North America's greatest conservation success stories and Beavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers introduces readers to the conservationists, scientists and young people who are working to build a better future for our furry friends.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Superb photographs and drawings. -- Choice

Highly recommended. -- Library Journal

The distinctive pok pok pok sound of a woodpecker makes them easy to hear and identify, and watching one at work is fascinating. While all species share certain anatomical features, including a long, straight bill designed for drilling wood, woodpeckers' biology, behavior and habitats can vary widely.

Woodpeckers of North America is a comprehensive, profusely illustrated natural history reference to all 28 species of woodpecker found in the United States, Canada and northern Mexico. The book describes in detail the lives and attributes of each species, examining anatomy, communication, feeding and nesting habits, reproduction, mortality and their relationship with other woodpecker species and with humans.

Identifying traits are covered in 28 profiles that describe:

• Behavior
• Habitat
• Voice
• Drumming and tapping
• Feeding
• Breeding
• Migration and conservation
• Range, including a color map.

The book features 100 close-up color photographs that capture these intriguing birds in their natural environments. Detailed line drawings highlight interesting aspects of anatomy and behavior.

Birders, naturalists and general readers will find this book is an authoritative reference that is a pleasure to read.