The octopus spies a nice, tasty mantis shrimp. It swims over for a closer look at the small creature. Then--WHAM!--the mantis shrimp strikes a nasty blow with its hammer-like forelimb. The octopus shrinks back, defeated. That wasn't such an easy meal after all . . .

In nature, good defenses can mean the difference between surviving a predator's attack and becoming its lunch. Some animals rely on sharp teeth and claws or camouflage. But that's only the beginning. Meet creatures with some of the strangest defenses known to science. How strange? Hagfish that can instantaneously produce oodles of gooey, slippery slime; frogs that poke their own toe bones through their skin to create claws; young birds that shoot streams of stinking poop; and more.

Take a walk in the desert. It's hot and dry―and full of life. An elf owl peers out at you from its home, a hole in a saguaro cactus. Nearby, a desert tortoise stretches its neck to nibble on a wildflower. From the thick green stems of cacti to fluffy jackrabbits, the desert is teeming with life. Narrative text and you-are-there photos put the reader in the middle of this misunderstood biome and critical habitat.

The interdependence of plant and animal species comes alive in these immersive looks at North American biomes. Descriptive text engages the senses as it takes readers through each habitat. Scientifically accurate illustrations and striking photos add to the you-are-there approach.

Take a walk in the deciduous forest. Sunlight filters through new green leaves. It's early summer, and squirrels are chattering in the treetops. A warbler calls out. She's building a nest in an oak tree. A fox crouches behind a stump. Will he find a fat mouse for his next meal? Or will he go searching for berries? Discover this critical forest habitat through narrative text, striking photos, and illustations.

The digestive system is made up of the tongue, the esophagus, the stomach, the intestines, and other parts. But what does the digestive system do? And how do its parts work together to keep your body healthy? Explore the digestive system in this engaging and informative book.

Ninja were skilled warriors in medieval Japan. And now you can find ninja in comics, movies, and TV shows. But what about in nature? Real animals aren't anything like ninja . . . are they?

A stealthy lizard that can climb walls and hang upside down by its toes? Yes! A sea creature that defends itself with weapons that look a whole lot like throwing stars? Definitely! An insect that blends in so well with its enemies that they never even know it's there? Yes again!

Encounter geckos, sea urchins, rove beetles, and many other living things that have more in common with ninja than you might expect. And hear from the scientists who are working to understand just how these animals are able to do what they do.

Science meets martial arts in this fun and fast-paced look at some truly incredible animals.

The octopus spies a nice, tasty mantis shrimp. It swims over for a closer look at the small creature. Then--WHAM!--the mantis shrimp strikes a nasty blow with its hammer-like forelimb. The octopus shrinks back, defeated. That wasn't such an easy meal after all . . .

In nature, good defenses can mean the difference between surviving a predator's attack and becoming its lunch. Some animals rely on sharp teeth and claws or camouflage. But that's only the beginning. Meet creatures with some of the strangest defenses known to science. How strange? Hagfish that can instantaneously produce oodles of gooey, slippery slime; frogs that poke their own toe bones through their skin to create claws; young birds that shoot streams of stinking poop; and more.

Are zombies real? As far as we know, dead people do not come back to life and start walking around, looking for trouble. But there are things that can take over the bodies and brains of innocent creatures, turning them into senseless slaves. Meet nature's zombie makers--including a fly-enslaving fungus, a suicide worm, and a cockroach-taming wasp--and their victims.

Take a walk in the rain forest. It's hot and humid and humming with life. Look up into the dense canopy of leaves above you. Tangled vines lead to the treetops, where parrots squawk and monkeys swing from branch to branch. A poison dart frog clings to a slippery leaf. A sloth creeps through the canopy. The dense rain forest overflows with life. Discover the plants and animals that depend on each other in this unique biome through narrative text, entrancing photos, and illustrations.

Take a walk in the boreal forest. Sunlight filters through tall spruce and pine trees. It's cool and damp, even late in the summer. As you walk silently across the carpet of needles, you can hear the chatter of squirrels and the hammering of a woodpecker in the trees above you. Two snowshoe hares speed past you. Could a lynx be near? Discover this North American habitat and the plants and animals that call it home. Narrative text, striking images, and illustrations explore this critical biome.

Take a walk in the tundra. In this cold, harsh biome at the top of the world, summer is short. Carpets of wildflowers and grasses bloom in the bright sunlight. An arctic fox pup catches sight of a lemming. The fox pup pounces . . . . The closer you look, the more life you see. Mosses, grasses, and wildflowers grow in the thin soil. Animals from bees to bears depend on the life growing in this chilly habitat Learn about this windy landscape though narrative text, crisp photos, and illustrations.

In the animal kingdom, survival is the name of the game--and not everything is as it seems. A number of animals rely on particularly clever tricks to fool predators or prey. A baby bird mimics a poisonous caterpillar. A moth escapes bats by making sounds that interfere with the bats' echolocation. A tiny rain forest spider builds a big spider puppet out of bits of dead leaves, insect parts, and other items. Find out more about some of nature's most bizarre and bloodthirsty con artists and meet the scientists who are working to figure out just how they pull off their amazing tricks.

Take a walk through the prairie. This biome of tall grass and open sky is teeming with life. How do the plants and animals of the prairie survive? As you travel through the prairie, watch closely to understand how each living creature is part of a circle of life.

After the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear explosion in Ukraine, scientists believed radiation had created a vast and barren wasteland in which life could never resurface. But the Dead Zone, as the contaminated area is known, doesn't look dead at all. In fact, wildlife seems to be thriving there. The Zone is home to beetles, swallows, catfish, mice, voles, otters, beavers, wild boar, foxes, lynx, deer, moose--even brown bears and wolves. Yet the animals in the Zone are not quite what you'd expect. Every single one of them is radioactive.

In Chernobyl's Wild Kingdom, you'll meet the international scientists investigating the Zone's wildlife and trying to answer difficult questions: Have some animals adapted to living with radiation? Or is the radioactive environment harming them in ways we can't see or that will only show up in future generations? Learn more about the fascinating ongoing research--and the debates that surround the findings--in one of the most dangerous places on Earth.

In the 1880s, science witnessed a major shift: Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution. People dug up the first dinosaur fossils. And the field of paleontology--the study of ancient plants and animals--emerged.

Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope became enthralled with these new ideas, discoveries, and developments. Both were determined to become world-famous paleontologists. When they met in 1863, they started off as friends. But within a few years, competition drove the men apart. Each fought bitterly to discover more fossils, name more species, and publish more papers than the other. In their haste to outdo each other, they both produced some shoddy work. The resulting confusion took many years to discover and correct, and their toxic relationship crippled the field of paleontology for decades afterward.

However, the competition also produced a wealth of fossils. These laid a firm foundation for the field of paleontology and supported Darwin's theory of evolution. Marsh's and Cope's discoveries generated keen public interest in prehistoric life and rich data for future generations of paleontologists. This book explores the great rivalry between Marsh and Cope, showing how it brought out the best and the worst in them--while bringing humankind a brand-new view of life on Earth.

In the animal kingdom, survival is the name of the game--and not everything is as it seems. A number of animals rely on particularly clever tricks to fool predators or prey. A baby bird mimics a poisonous caterpillar. A moth escapes bats by making sounds that interfere with the bats' echolocation. A tiny rain forest spider builds a big spider puppet out of bits of dead leaves, insect parts, and other items. Find out more about some of nature's most bizarre and bloodthirsty con artists and meet the scientists who are working to figure out just how they pull off their amazing tricks.

Take a walk in the tundra. In this cold, harsh biome at the top of the world, summer is short. Carpets of wildflowers and grasses bloom in the bright sunlight. An arctic fox pup catches sight of a lemming. The fox pup pounces . . . . The closer you look, the more life you see. Mosses, grasses, and wildflowers grow in the thin soil. Animals from bees to bears depend on the life growing in this chilly habitat Learn about this windy landscape though narrative text, crisp photos, and illustrations.

Take a walk in the rain forest. It's hot and humid and humming with life. Look up into the dense canopy of leaves above you. Tangled vines lead to the treetops, where parrots squawk and monkeys swing from branch to branch. A poison dart frog clings to a slippery leaf. A sloth creeps through the canopy. The dense rain forest overflows with life. Discover the plants and animals that depend on each other in this unique biome through narrative text, entrancing photos, and illustrations.

Take a walk in the desert. It's hot and dry―and full of life. An elf owl peers out at you from its home, a hole in a saguaro cactus. Nearby, a desert tortoise stretches its neck to nibble on a wildflower. From the thick green stems of cacti to fluffy jackrabbits, the desert is teeming with life. Narrative text and you-are-there photos put the reader in the middle of this misunderstood biome and critical habitat.

The interdependence of plant and animal species comes alive in these immersive looks at North American biomes. Descriptive text engages the senses as it takes readers through each habitat. Scientifically accurate illustrations and striking photos add to the you-are-there approach.

Take a walk in the deciduous forest. Sunlight filters through new green leaves. It's early summer, and squirrels are chattering in the treetops. A warbler calls out. She's building a nest in an oak tree. A fox crouches behind a stump. Will he find a fat mouse for his next meal? Or will he go searching for berries? Discover this critical forest habitat through narrative text, striking photos, and illustations.

Take a walk in the boreal forest. Sunlight filters through tall spruce and pine trees. It's cool and damp, even late in the summer. As you walk silently across the carpet of needles, you can hear the chatter of squirrels and the hammering of a woodpecker in the trees above you. Two snowshoe hares speed past you. Could a lynx be near? Discover this North American habitat and the plants and animals that call it home. Narrative text, striking images, and illustrations explore this critical biome.