Directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today's children to some disturbing childhood trends, such as rises in obesity, Attention Deficit Disorder, and depression, arguing that children's obsession with the latest technology have led them to underappreciate nature.

This nonfiction illustrated book for middle grade readers explores our right to a healthy environment and introduces the stories of people fighting for change.-- Everyone depends on clean air to breathe, safe water to drink and healthy soil for growing food. But what if your drinking water is dangerous, your air is polluted and your soil is toxic? What can you do about that? Do you have the right to demand change? Fresh Air, Clean Water: Defending...

Watch the vulture bask in the morning sun, the roadrunner kicks up a cloud of dust, the javelina wallow, and the bobcat give her cub a licking with a rough tongue in Desert Baths. As the sun and moon travel across the sky, learn how twelve different desert animals face the difficulties of staying clean in a dry and parched land. Explore the desert habitat through its animals and their habits of hygiene. Told in lyrical prose, this story is a celebration...

Written to be read aloud by two voices-sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous--here is a collection of irresistible poems that celebrate the insect world, from the short life of the mayfly to the love song of the book louse. Funny, sad, loud, and quiet, each of these poems resounds with a booming, boisterous, joyful noise. In this remarkable volume of poetry for two voices, Paul Fleischman verbally re-creates the "Booming/boisterious/joyful...

Former enemies Esquire Fox and Mr. Pepper the rooster form an animal rescue organization, where they race against time to save a polar bear cub on their first mission.

A big city garbage truck makes its rounds, consuming everything from apple cores and banana peels to leftover ziti with zucchini.

Eleven-year-old Aurora Petrequin's best friend has never spoken a word to her. In fact, Frenchie Livernois doesn't talk. Aurora is bouncy, loud and impulsive. Making friends has never come easily. When Frenchie, who is autistic, silently chose Aurora as his person back in third grade, she chose him back. They make a good team, sharing their love of the natural world in coastal Maine. In the woods, Aurora and Frenchie encounter a piebald deer, a rare...

Oona and her best friend Otto love to search for treasure and often find trouble instead. Messy trouble. Tricky trouble. Even shark-related trouble. That's never stopped them before, though! After all, no proper treasure hunt is without some adventure. But when the grandest treasure yet is stuck in a deep, dark rift, Oona's not sure if she can dive right in. What might be waiting for her in those unknown waters?

"It's official: Scout is now a K-9 in the National Guard. But being a certified hero means Scout has his job cut out for him. He needs to work even harder to protect his country and his human best friend, Matt. When Matt's classmates get trapped in a raging wildfire, Matt knows that only Scout can track them down and bring them back safely. But when Matt's dad, a First Sergeant home on leave, gets wind of their plan, he insists on joining the rescue...