Most Popular Books by Marta Magellan

Vultures are voracious! They eat a lot of yucky stuff--and that's good because it keeps things tidy. Here are 20 questions and answers about these clean-up birds so you'll know all about them. You'll learn why vultures' heads are bald, why vultures vomit, why vultures don't get sick when they eat rotten meat, why they circle in the sky, what baby vultures look like (cute fuzzballs), and whether turkey vultures gobble (no!). Make a turkey vulture mobile, a vulture collage, and connect the dots to reveal a Eurasian vulture. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series

2022 Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction - Finalist 2022 Foreword INDIES Finalist - Juvenile Nonfiction 2023 Green Earth Book Award Long List for Picture Book Primatologist Mireya Mayor is living proof that courage and determination can make the impossible possible. For Mireya Mayor, even as a young child whose house was filed with cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, a chicken, and a snapping turtle, nothing was quite wild enough. Older, she traded her pom-poms as a cheerleader for the National Football League for the swamps of the South American jungle. The first woman wildlife TV reporter for National Geographic, she traveled the world, but things still weren't quite wild enough. It was only when Mireya went to Madagascar that things FINALLY got wild enough. This biography of the woman who convinced the prime minister of Madagascar to make the mouse lemur's rain forest a protected national park is an inspiring—and wild story.

Presents an illustrated look at a variety of lizards, including physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycle. Includes activities.

Describes the physical characteristics, diet, and behaviors of lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars.

It is time for Little Vulture to start finding his own meals. But when he ventures out on his own, he discovers that none of the meals the other vultures are sharing with him are tasty. On his journey, he discovers that not all vultures are carnivores - which seems just a little bit nutty to him, too! A scrumptious book introducing the amazing world of vultures to kids! Marta Magellan and Mauro Magellan are a brother and sister team. They worked on The Nutty Little Vulture to show that all creatures, even the ones nobody likes, have their purpose.

Green anoles are in trouble. An invasion of anoles from other countries is coming into their territory. Green anoles are natives from the southeastern United States. They are important to gardens and forests because they live in bushes and trees and help pollination. Green anoles belong here, but the invading anoles are more aggressive.

Hummingbirds exist only in the Americas. When explorers from Spain saw them for the first time, they were amazed at their iridescent plumage and called them joyas voladoras, flying jewels. Follow one of these glittering gems, a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, as it makes its way south for a long journey to its winter home. Learn some amazing things as it travels to Mexico, encounters dangers, gets lost, and ends up in an unexpected garden in Florida. Marta Magellan and Mauro Magellan are a brother and sister team. They worked on The Nutty Little Vulture to show that all creatures, even the ones nobody likes, have their purpose. As a nature lover and avid admirer of wildlife, Marta has made educating children through books one of her favorite endeavors. She has written nonfiction books for children, readers for the educational market, and magazine articles for both children and adults. Her previous children's books have been published by Pineapple Press and Heinemann. Marta is an English and Creative Writing teacher at Miami Dade College, where she is a full professor. www.martamagellan.com

"The Green Anole is in trouble. It is the only native anole in the United States, but it has been displaced by the Brown Anole and others. Our little lizard is good for gardens and forests, but it is facing more invasions every day. Bigger and faster lizards continue to escape into its territory, creating threats. The Green Anole continues to fight for its survival. Will it succeed?" - back cover.

Dragonflies might be one of the most ancient of all insects--their ancestors were here before the dinosaurs. But what do we know about them? Why are they called dragonflies? What's up with those funny-looking eyes? Can they really fly backwards? What does it mean to be a bioindicator? The answers are inside, with photos of these beautiful insects and friendly cartoons. Marta Magellan and Mauro Magellan are an author/illustrator team who started to work together after having published separately for many years. Marta Magellan's interest in wildlife and nature has led her to write many nonfiction books on animals for children. You can learn more about her at: www.martamagellan.com

Invasive Pythons have become a serious issue in Florida in recent years, and as told through the eyes of a clever wood stork and curious marsh rabbit in this illustrated volume for children, the plight of native species and their habitats comes alive for younger readers. An easy-to-read, colorful, and entertaining natural history, Python Catchers offers detailed information on the various python species, the risks they pose to other animals, and a lively story to inspire young conservationists. Information on what readers can do to prevent the introduction of invasive species, the laws about exotic pets, a comprehensive glossary, and a list of resources are also included.

You wouldn't want to live in a world without bats. They pollinate plants, help forests grow, eat millions of bugs, and more. Yet, bats are so misunderstood. When people think of bats, they often think of Halloween or vampires. Look inside to read the truth about bats and see some close-up photos of this truly amazing animal. San Francisco Book Review: "As an author of a variety of pieces of non-fiction literature for children, Marta Magellan sets out to debunk the historic myths and clear misconceptions about the creatures we call bats. Despite their usefulness in cutting down the world's supply of pesky bugs and their extraordinary ability to pollinate plants and help in the efforts of regrowing depleted forestry, many perceive bats to be disease-striken, blood-sucking, eerie creatures who hang out in dark and dreary places waiting to attack. Magellan supplies an ample amount of unique and fascinating facts about Chiropteras with hopes of changing the viewpoints of those most skeptical. She informs her readers that bats are, in fact, the world's best pollinators over long distances and that some of these creatures can eat as many as 1,000 bugs in an hour. The world would certainly be more bug-infested without them. She also notes that one of the most feared among bats, the vampire bat, may be of significant help in treating blood clots, a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs in humans. Their saliva is a hundred times more potent than the current medications used to treat this ailment. It successfully destroys the clot without adversely effecting anything else in the blood. While some bats do carry diseases, foxes, dogs, and raccoons are more likely to pass rabies on to humans than are bats. They become paralyzed when infected with this devastating disease, thus rendering them much less a risk to humans. Magellan concludes with urging her readers to help protect the habitats of these incredible creatures, so they can continue to be of great benefit to the human population. This extraordinary work of non-fiction captures the essence of what these small, but remarkable creatures can do. Amazing, Misunderstood Bats contains a plethora of interesting and original knowledge about bats. It's effectively convincing and a far cry from being dry and encyclopedia-like. Graphic, vibrant pictures accentuate the text, and an array of boxes filled with fun facts are included that help break up the flow of the words throughout the book. Additionally, a glossary and index are provided to aid in clarifying unfamiliar vocabulary, as well as to offer guidance in finding specific topics. The striking photographs throughout will likely capture the attention of children as young as five or six and as old as nine or ten. While the younger audience may enjoy learning some of the fun facts; the older ones are more likely to bask in the details and overall content of the text. Elementary school science teachers may find this book a useful resource for their classrooms, and it's ideal for libraries in both public and private elementary schools to shelve or display. The overall quality is great, and the content is truly exceptional." Jennifer Padgett

Monarch butterflies are the celebrities of the insect world. You probably know about their famous transformation from caterpillar to butterfly. But what else do you know about them? Are monarchs endangered? Why are there imposters out there imitating them? How do they manage their incredible two-way flights? And what's up with those Florida monarchs? Why don't they behave like the others? The answers may surprise you. By award-winning science author, Marta Magellan. Other books by Marta Magellan and illustrated by Mauro Magellan include: Anole Invasion • The Nutty Little Vulture • Flying Jewels: A Hummingbird Story • Dragonflies: Brilliant Bioindicators • Amazing, Misunderstood Bats • Bee Catastrophe: We'll Miss Them When They're Gone.