New Releases by Dawn Cusick

"Meet Ham, Minnie, Enos, Roscoe, Tiger, and Rocky. When the United States was scrambling to catch up to the Soviets after their successful launch of Sputnik, they didn t turn to Mercury Seven astronauts Alan Shepard and John Glenn. Rather, they began bringing chimpanzees to Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for a top-secret program. The goal? To do everything America needed to make space travel safe for humans and beat the Soviets."--

Have you ever wondered why bugs have green blood? Or how vampire bats drink blood for meals? Get The Scoop on Animal Blood gives you all the gory, scientific details on what flows in animals veins. This book is hot blooded! And cold blooded! And green blooded! In fact, when you dive into the world of animals and their blood, things can get pretty gross and weird. But we know you like gross and weird! In this installment of the award-winning Get the Scoop series, you will find out why deep-diving mammals have larger blood cells than other animals and more of them. Have you ever wondered how vampire bats prefer to eat their bloody breakfast? We''ll tell you! How about why stink bugs have green blood, or while horned lizards squirt blood from their eyes? We know that stuff, too! Get the Scoop on Animal Blood comes with more than 250 wild and awesome facts about animal blood, and also has over 200 color photos of animals and, you guessed it, their blood. With this book, you will be neck deep in bloody science fun.

A 2018 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students: K-12 (National Science Teachers Association and the Children''s Book Council) Fungus is more than just mushrooms. It''s a Fungus Among Us shows off big and small fungi that do everything from consume jet fuel to creating actual zombies! In It''s a Fungus Among Us, you''ll meet the wild group of organisms that can turn ants into zombies and eat trillions of pounds of feces every day. They''re not all gross though, these are the same types of organisms that make cheese stretchy, add sour tastes to candy, and make bread rise! We''re talking about fungus! Different kinds of fungi do incredible things; did you know that in future they may even help save the environment because they can eat plastics in landfills, and jet fuel from ocean crash sites. When you read It''s a Fungus Among Us, you''ll learn about outdoor adventures, kitchen experiments, and get an introduction to Humungous Fungus, a 38-acre fungus with an ice cream named after it that holds the record for the world''s largest organism. Feast your eyes on hundreds of full-color photos, check out activities and experiments, and learn all kinds of wild and wacky information from these unique organisms.

Learn amazingly icky facts, see the yucky photos, and gross out everyone you can! Welcome to a world filled with snot otters, puss caterpillars, spitting spiders, slime stars, snotties, and more! In Get the Scoop, you''ll learn that snot, spit, and slime may seem gross, but there''s a lot of amazing science in these icky fluids. Animals use them for communication, defense, to find food, to travel fast, and more. Jellyfish and corals produce "mucus nets" to capture prey. Parrotfish burp out a mucus blanket to sleep under every night, while sea stars and sponges release volumes of mucus to distract and discourage predators. Barracudas use mucus in their scales to increase their swimming speeds and protect them from parasites. Poison dart frogs release toxins with mucus. Hagfish secrete slime if another animal tries to eat them. Clams and mussels make "mucus strings" to bring food to their mouths. Hippopotamuses release "blood slime" that works as sunscreen and an antibiotic. Saliva helps animals in hundreds of ways, too. Anteaters and giraffes use sticky saliva to help them eat, while leeches, vampire bats, and ticks use chemicals in their saliva to help them feed on blood. Many mammals use saliva to help them recognize offspring and others spit saliva at predators and prey. The venom in shrews, snakes, and other reptiles comes from adapted salivary glands. Some animal saliva works like glue, helping swifts, termites, and wasps build nests.

Hey! Look out! Sharp-eyed readers will need to keep their eyes peeled in this engaging look at how animals of all shapes and sizes blend in and survive in their native ecosystems. How do animals deal with danger? From crocodiles standing on their tails to great white sharks with their jaws wide open to well-camouflaged venomous snakes, prospective naturalists and conservationists will have a lot to look out for in this exploration of dynamic ecosystems and the animals that hide and hunt in them. Back matter includes glossary, curated reading list and a scavenger hunt.

That’s so gross! Presented in partnership with Ranger Rick and the National Wildlife Federation, prepare to be grossed out by an engaging and unique look at some of the more disgusting survival techniques from the animal kingdom. From blood-squirting reptiles to blood-sweating mammals to nose-picking primates, learn about some of the ickiest creatures in the animal kingdom and the amazing purposes served by their grotty behaviors. From cleanup to dinnertime to self-defense, each off-putting act is actually an aid to survival! Author Dawn Cusick and the National Wildlife Federation have compiled a volume as attractive as its subject is nasty.

For more than forty-five years, the National Wildlife Federation has been dazzling families with amazing images and stories. Get ready for some supersonic fun that will make you say WOW! Discover jet propulsion in squid and dragonflies, camouflage in cuttlefish and katydids, photosynthesis in salamanders and sea slugs, vocal sacs in frogs, balance in giraffes and spider monkeys, and antenna fencing in crickets. Want more? How about spiders that use air bubbles like gills, skunks that eat bees, sea slugs that steal stinging cells from jellyfish, bower birds that build sparkling nests, and jawfish that brood eggs in their mouths! This book celebrates amazing animal surprises from all over the world with one-of-a-kind photographs from the NWF archives.

For more than forty-five years, the National Wildlife Federation has been dazzling families with amazing images and stories. Get ready for some supersonic fun that will make you say OUCH! Discover talon strength in birds of prey, sharp claws in lions and pumas, chewing mouthparts in insects, venom in snakes, and toxins in frogs. More? You want more? How about skunks that eat bees, stinging cells in jellyfish, meerkats that eat scorpions, caterpillars with spines, badgers and bears that bite, and zebras that kick! This book celebrates amazing animal surprises from all over the world with one-of-a-kind photographs from the NWF archives.

Budding scientists and animal behaviorists: get ready to be grossed out! Following in the footsteps of the bestselling Get the Scoop on Animal Poop!, Get the Scoop on Animal Puke offers hours of learning about the natural world. Animal vomit serves many purposes in the natural world: it can scare and distract predators, feed family and neighbors, protect animals from poisoning (they can’t call 911), aid with digestion, and so much more. Fun facts and cool photos will delight young scientists. Maybe puke isn''t so gross after all!

Discusses animal droppings and their uses, importance, and meaning.

Dazzling full-color photographs show more than 250 animals enjoying their favorite foods in this bright and informative introduction to one of the most fundamental animal behaviors. Iguanas eat cactus, turtles chow down on sea anemones, fish snack on crabs, crabs munch coral, snails relish frog eggs, and dozens of surprise meals make their appearances. Think all birds eat the same food? Think again. Birds eat seeds, nectar, fruit, snakes, fish, small mammals, insects, crabs, carrion, and even other birds. Young zoologists will delight in this collection of gorgeous photographs and fascinating facts.

Explores the different types of animal eggs, from insects to reptiles, fish, and birds, and describes how different adult animals care for their eggs and the strange places they place them.

Looks at the varied types of animal tongues and their different uses in adaption to their environment, from the sticky tongue of a chameleon, to the tongue of the lizardfish lined with teeth, to the tongue of the parrot used to make sounds.

Pictures and descriptions of unusual animals that are named after some aspect of another animal.

Learn about the diverse ways insects use their butt ends to survive and thrive.

From Michaels, America''s largest specialty retailer of arts and crafts merchandise and the place to get supplies for painting, floral and home decor, needlework, scrapbooking, and more, comes an extraordinarily big, beautiful, and encyclopedic collection of techniques and 175 projects. Whatever a crafter''s pleasure, it is in here, from beading and woodworking to glass and fabric crafts.

Explains the techniques involved in making bead and wire jewelry, discusses tools and materials, and features illustrated instructions for seventy-five projects, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and pins.

A collection of innovative button handicraft projects.

Directions for making over 80 wreaths with information on wreath bases, materials, making bows, and tips for design and display.