Most Popular Books by Melissa Stewart

Q: How do you catch an electric eel? A: With a lightning rod. Readers will discover interesting science facts about electricity and magnetism with author Melissa Stewart, and then learn some incredibly silly science jokes.

A teacher's guide to using fiction and nonfiction picture books to teach life sciences.

Bet you can't name nine purple animals. Well, young readers will after they finish reading this book. This volume allows emerging readers to read simple text that corresponds to the photograph on the facing page.

Award-winning nonfiction author and science specialist Melissa Stewart offers young readers a mega-exploration of little-known prehistoric predators that rival even the mightiest of dinosaurs! It is time for T. rex and his dinosaur cousins to step aside and let other mega-predators like the terror bird and the giant ripper lizard take the spotlight! Travel back to prehistoric times and meet some of the most impressive creatures to ever roam the Earth. You'll be amazed at the size and the fierceness of these lesser-known predators, many of them ancient ancestors of animals that we still see today. Stewart's cheeky, humorous voice—along with a comical version of the familiar "comparison man"—put these creatures in perspective. Artist and former zoologist Howard Gray brings these predators (back) to life with dynamic, humorous, and scientifically accurate illustrations. Sidebars and extensive back matter material provide more detailed information and context.

Discusses facts and myths about the ocean and ocean life, including whether the world's oceans contain ten million tons of gold, whether blue whales are the loudest animals on Earth, and whether it is easier to float in the ocean than in a lake.

Ants are everywhere. They creep, they crawl, they climb, and they fall. But they get up and they keep on working. Ants come in all different shapes, different sizes, and different colors. And they do a lot of different jobs. These hard-working little creatures thrive wherever they go, making whatever adaptations necessary in their ever-changing world. National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

This colorful book allows emerging readers to read simple text that corresponds to the photograph on the facing page. This helps them practice their reading skills while they enjoy stunning color photographs of many animal species.

"Information and pictures of predatory animals for young children"--

Describes the life cycles of a variety of insects.

Introduces the parts of a plant, life cycles, and how they grow.

Hands-on lessons can be fun and compelling, but when it comes to life science, they aren't always possible, practical, effective, or safe. Children can't follow wolves as they hunt elk, visit a prehistoric swamp, or shrink down to the size of a molecule and observe photosynthesis firsthand. But they can explore a whole world of animals, plants, and ecosystems through the pages of beautifully illustrated, science-themed picture books. Perfect Pairs, which marries fiction and nonfiction picture books focused on life science, helps educators think about and teach life science in a whole new way. Each of the twenty lessons in this book is built around a pair of books that introduces a critical life science concept and guides students through an inquiry-based investigative process to explore that idea-;from life cycles and animal-environment interactions to the inheritance of traits and the critical role of energy in our world. Each lesson starts with a Wonder Statement and comprises three stages. Engaging Students features a hands-on activity that captures student interest, uncovers current thinking, and generates vocabulary. The heart of the investigative process, Exploring with Students, spotlights the paired books as the teacher reads aloud and helps students find and organize information into data tables. Encouraging Students to Draw Conclusions shows students how to review and analyze the information they have collected. Bringing high-quality science-themed picture books into the classroom engages a broad range of students, addresses the Performance Expectations outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards, and supports the goals of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Even if you are science shy, Perfect Pairs can help you become a more confident teacher whose classroom buzzes with curious students eager to explore their natural world.

Read and find out about how hurricanes form, how scientists track the storms, and what you can do to keep yourself safe if one strikes in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book. Winds whip. Waves crash. Rain pours down. A superstorm moves across the ocean and gets closer and closer to land. Hurricane watch! Perfect for budding meteorologists, and recognized as an Outstanding Science Trade Book by the National Science Teachers Association, Hurricane Watch is bursting with fascinating facts paired with engaging visuals and diagrams. This picture book also includes a Find Out More section with an activity on air pressure, web research prompts, and a glossary of storm and weather vocabulary. Both text and artwork were vetted by Dr. William J. Brennan of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for accuracy. This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It's a Level 2 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades. The 100+ titles in this leading nonfiction series are: hands-on and visual acclaimed and trusted great for classrooms Top 10 reasons to love LRFOs: Entertain and educate at the same time Have appealing, child-centered topics Developmentally appropriate for emerging readers Focused; answering questions instead of using survey approach Employ engaging picture book quality illustrations Use simple charts and graphics to improve visual literacy skills Feature hands-on activities to engage young scientists Meet national science education standards Written/illustrated by award-winning authors/illustrators & vetted by an expert in the field Over 130 titles in print, meeting a wide range of kids' scientific interests Books in this series support the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let's-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.

"From award-winning author Melissa Stewart comes the grossest journey through the animal world you'll ever take. From ants to zorillas, get ready to discover some seriously strange animal behaviors. Slurp up soupy insides with houseflies, spit sticky saliva to build nests with birds, and fend off predators with poop-flinging caterpillars and farting snakes. And that's just the tip of the dung pile! These yucky habits may seem surprising to us, but they're totally normal for these animals. In fact, their survival depends on them."--

The latest updated edition of this fact-filled, colorful look at the amazing world of birds includes two brand new illustrations and a call to action to protect these beautiful creatures. In simple yet informative language, A Place for Birds introduces young readers to the ways human action or inaction can affect bird populations and opens kids’ minds to a wide range of environmental issues. Describing various examples, the text provides an intriguing look at birds, at the ecosystems that support their survival, and at the efforts of some people to save them. At the end of the book, the author offers readers a list of things they can do to help protect these special creatures in their own communities.

Do your readers know that one sea star has hundreds of feet? Or that a camel has only two toes? Readers learn all about how animals use their feet to run, dig, and stay safe through this fun book.

Read and find out about tyrannosaurs beyond T. Rex in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book. Everyone knows that Tyrannosaurus rex is the huge dinosaur with sharp claws and tiny arms. But in this appealing level 2 picture book from acclaimed science writer Melissa Stewart, you’ll learn that T. rex is not the only tyrannosaur that existed in prehistoric times. This book is the perfect overview of the exciting new discoveries in the land of tyrannosaurs. Read and find out how tyrannosaurs evolved—from the tiny Dilong to the enormous T. rex. The book also includes an infographic, activity, and glossary, as well as “Dr. Steve Says” sidebars that give readers insight into what it felt like for Dr. Steve to be involved with the discovery of P. Rex! In the last fifteen years, scientists have found many tyrannosaurs, including one with a really long pointy nose. The New York Times bestselling coauthor of this book, Dr. Steve Brusatte, went to China in order to help ID the dinosaur that he would give the nickname Pinocchio Rex. This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It's a Level 2 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades. The 100+ titles in this leading nonfiction series are: hands-on and visual acclaimed and trusted great for classrooms Top 10 reasons to love LRFOs: Entertain and educate at the same time Have appealing, child-centered topics Developmentally appropriate for emerging readers Focused; answering questions instead of using survey approach Employ engaging picture book quality illustrations Use simple charts and graphics to improve visual literacy skills Feature hands-on activities to engage young scientists Meet national science education standards Written/illustrated by award-winning authors/illustrators & vetted by an expert in the field Over 130 titles in print, meeting a wide range of kids' scientific interests Books in this series support the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let's-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.

"In Manâu National Park in Peru, an amazing fourteen different species of monkeys live together. That's more than in any other rainforest in the world! How can they coexist so well? Find out in this lyrical, rhyming picture book that explores each monkey's habits, diet, and home, illustrating how this delicate ecosystem and its creatures live together in harmony"--

Blast off on a trip to discover the fascinating world of meteors. In this image-packed book, kids will learn all about these objects hurtling through space—and into our atmosphere. This level 3 reader is written in an easy-to-grasp style to encourage the scientists and explorers of tomorrow!

Follow a carbon atom on its incredible adventure over billions of years. It’s been part of many things—from early volcanic gases, to plants that dinosaurs devoured, to your breakfast burp! By award-winning children’s author Melissa Stewart, this epic nonfiction picture book for 5-8-year-olds is a perfect blend of science and history that STEM-seekers will eat up! Long ago, the young Earth crashed into a smaller body called Theia. Matter blasted through space, and the carbon atom was trapped deep inside Earth until a volcano erupted, thrusting tons of ash and gases—including the carbon atom—high into the sky. Over millions of years, the carbon atom has been part of all kinds of things, including plants and dinosaurs, eggshells and seashells, a lump of coal, and even a sheet of toilet paper! Not long ago, it became part of a towering maple tree and then a drop of maple syrup. Just imagine that the syrup ended up on YOUR pancakes and then inside your body. And when you let out a deep breath, the carbon left your lungs, met up with a blast of gas from your stomach, and . . . BURP! You never know where a carbon atom will go next. . . . Get ready to take off on a wild ride, From BAM! to BURP!