From tongue-in-cheek sonnets to lyrical free verse, this collection of poems explores the many kinds of home animals make for themselves. Readers will meet better-known animal dwellings like the spiderweb and the bird's nest as well as the more unusual: a fawn's thicket bed, a hare's bowl-shaped ground nest, and a sea anemone's ever-changing tide pool home. Readers experience different habitats—desert, grasslands, shoreline, wetland, and woodland—and the animals that build their dwellings there. Jamie Hogan's expressive line art complements this clever anthology. Back matter provides more information on the highlighted habitats, poetic forms, and the writing process.
FROM BOOMTOWN TO GHOST TOWN When the Gunsmith passes through West Bend, he senses there's something afoot. And he's right: voices seem to be coming from underground. Something must have torn through town, killing the luckier souls. The rest were also put six feet under—but still alive... It seems that Clint's life-long enemy, Morgan, changed his name and appointed himself Mayor Mason. His first move as mayor was to "clean up" his town—and Mason's enemies began to disappear into thin air. Add to his hit list some all-around no-gooders, and there's nary a sign of life in the whole town. One pretty double agent wants in on Mason's plan—but she also wants to see if the fabled Gunsmith is as much of a man as they say. Clint can't let himself get distracted. To avenge his long-standing enemy—to save a townful of innocent people, Clint has to get to the bottom of this. And to do that, he'll have to start digging...
See the intimate lives of birds as never before! Laura Erikson and Marie Read document the family lives of more than 50 common North American birds through breathtaking close-up photography. Stunning images of hummingbirds, owls, tanagers, and more showcase different stages of avian development and capture the loving bond that exists within each bird family. Bird enthusiasts of all feathers will cherish these beautiful images of courting, nest construction, eggs, nestlings, feeding time, and much more.
The nests and eggs of all the common birds found west of the Mississippi are covered in detail - 520 species in all. More than 400 photographs show the nests and eggs in their typical habitats. Descriptive text includes color, shape, and number of eggs for each species, plus information on nesting materials, construction, and dimensions.
The authors of It's a Chick Thing return, this time taking an in-depth look at what it means to have a personal style in the home, with tips on decorating, food preparation, and throwing the best possible parties. Original.
A lively, illustrated exploration of the 500-million-year history of bone, a touchstone for understanding vertebrate life and human culture. Human bone is versatile and entirely unique: it repairs itself without scarring, it’s lightweight but responds to stresses, and it’s durable enough to survive for millennia. In Bones, orthopedic surgeon Roy A. Meals explores and extols this amazing material that both supports and records vertebrate life. Inside the body, bone proves itself the world’s best building material. Meals examines the biological makeup of bones; demystifies how they grow, break, and heal; and compares the particulars of human bone to variations throughout the animal kingdom. In engaging and clear prose, he debunks familiar myths—humans don’t have exactly 206 bones—and illustrates common bone diseases, like osteoporosis and arthritis, and their treatments. Along the way, he highlights the medical innovations—from the first X-rays to advanced operative techniques—that enhance our lives and introduces the giants of orthopedic surgery who developed them. After it has supported vertebrate life, bone reveals itself in surprising ways—sometimes hundreds of millions of years later. With enthusiasm and humor, Meals investigates the diverse roles bone has played in human culture throughout history. He highlights allusions to bone in religion and literature, from Adam’s rib to Hamlet’s skull, and uncovers its enduring presence as fossils, technological tools, and musical instruments ranging from the Tibetan thighbone kangling horn to everyday drumsticks. From the dawn of civilization through to the present day, humankind has repurposed bone to serve and protect, and even to teach, amuse, and inspire. Approachable and entertaining, Bones richly illuminates our bodies’ essential framework.
Eleven year-old sternman Josy wants red and gray sawtooth mittens like his lobster boat skipper, but the village knitter, Aunt Ester, makes him old-fashioned compass mittens. When their boat gets lost in a thick fog, however, the old-time mittens hold the key to getting home safe-there might be some magic knitted into them.
Inspired by her book Motherprayer: Lessons in Loving, Barbara Mahany presents The Blessings of Motherprayer a lovely gift book featuring wisps of inspirational writings to carry you through the day, the hour, and whatever comes your way. The book is a patchwork quilt of inspiration and prayer, with a smidge of recipes. These meditative notes on mothering magnify the wonders and wisdoms of loving with a wide-open heart. They reveal that no matter which way you look at the motherhood role and parenthood, it is essential that every stitch along this broadcloth of hope, faith, and unwavering trust be knotted with and held firm by prayer. The devotional is rich in reminders to slow time, and savor the blessing of each and every hour of each and every season of mothering, be it the rare quietude of time alone, or amid the cacophony of the daily bustle. Discover powerful quotes, heart-scripted prayer, and stories that invite you to pay attention, cradle your loved ones in prayer, and see the sacred lessons in loving. Be inspired to view life through a magnifying lens in search of God, to probe the nooks and crannies of our everyday, and find opportunities to infuse and focus on the holy in our extraordinary ordinary day-to-day.
