Non-fiction for Middle School: Animals

From Africa to Asia Pacific, from Europe to the United States of America, acclaimed authors/illustrators Ted and Betsy Lewin have roamed the earth taking on snakes, tracking mountain gorillas, and generally trying to avoid being eaten by various jungle creatures. Packed with pencil drawings, full-color illustrations, and captivating photographs, there is not a single dull moment as Ted and Betsy take the reader through their dramatic, funny, and often poignant stories...all true! A Neal Porter Book"--
"A first person account of two acclaimed author's and illustrator's travels throughout the world, Grade 4-7 (Lexile: 920L) (136 p.)

Provides an account of an expedition mounted by the Snow Leopard Trust to the mountains of Mongolia in an effort to learn more about the elusive snow leopard and find ways to keep it from extinction. Grade 5-8 (74 p.)

A studying of the cheetah's ecological, genetic, and behavioral patterns in order to chase down the fastest animal on land and save the species--before it is too late. Grade 6-8 (Lexile: 1000) (80 p.)

A study of the tapirs in the world's largest wetland, the Pantanal Wetlands of Brazil. Grade 5-10 (Lexile: 970) (80 p.)

Examines the most significant factors that resulted in the near extinction of the buffalo, from the introduction of the horse by the Plains Indians to train travel, and the steps taken to ensure the buffalo's survival since that time. Grade 5-7 (128 p.)

A fascinating study of one of nature's most bizarre (and ugliest) creatures. The authors have done an excellent job of explaining why the naked mole-rat is such an anomaly among mammals. These animals live in colonies with a queen, their body temperature changes with the temperature of their environment, and they live their lives entirely underground. Grade 4-9 (109 p.)

Looks at the Asian long horned beetle, the threat the invasive insect poses to North American hardwood forests, and the dedicated efforts being made to destroy the beetles before they can damage vulnerable trees. (64 p.)

Bees pollinate 75 percent of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts grown in the United States. Around the world, bees pollinate $24 billion worth of crops each year. Without bees, humans would face a drastically reduced diet. We need bees to grow the foods that keep us healthy.

But numbers of bees are falling, and that has scientists alarmed. What's causing the decline? Diseases, pesticides, climate change, and loss of habitat are all threatening bee populations. Some bee species teeter on the brink of extinction. Learn about the many bee species on Earth - their nests, their colonies, their life cycles, and their vital connection to flowering plants. Most importantly, find out how you can help these important pollinators.
If we had to try and do what bees do on a daily basis, if we had to come out here and hand pollinate all of our native plants and our agricultural plants, there is physically no way we could do it. . . . Our best bet is to conserve our native bees. Grade 5-7 (Lexile: 1060)

A true and close-up appreciation of over 100 bird species, such as its size, shape, color, and markings, as well as its habitat, call, and behavior. Grade 2-5 (80 p.)

Following a team of researchers, examines what is causing a decline in the population of little brown bats. Gr 5-8 (Lexile: 1030) (48 p.)

Provides thirty activities that encourage bird watching and observation in parks, zoos, farms, and backyards, and includes discussions on migration, nesting, food, territories, and wildlife preservation. Grade 4-6 (Lexile: 1070) (108 p.)

A highly visual introduction to birds covers a wide range of species as well as their evolution, habitats, characteristics and behaviors and is designed to provide for both in-depth and fast-fact research needs. (79 p,)