Ostriches are the biggest birds on Earth. Not only that, they can run distances at about the same speed as a car on a city street! These adaptations are extraordinary, but other birds have even more bizarre adaptations! From gizzards to the many colorful mating displays, bird adaptations are covered in fun, engaging detail throughout this volume. The main content addresses curriculum topics such as animal body systems, life cycles, and more with an emphasis on the most fun information out there about birds and their odd adaptations.
"Ostriches are the biggest birds on Earth. Not only that, they can run distances at about the same speed as a car on a city street. These adaptations are extraordinary, but other birds have even more bizarre adaptations. From gizzards to the many colorful mating displays, bird adaptations are covered in fun, engaging detail throughout this volume. The main content addresses curriculum topics such as animal body systems, life cycles, and more with an emphasis on the most fun information out there about birds and their odd adaptations."
There is more to a bird than simply feathers. And just because birds evolved from a single flying ancestor doesn't mean they are structurally the same. With 385 stunning drawings depicting 200 species, The Unfeathered bird is a richly illustrated book on bird anatomy that offers refreshingly original insights into what goes on beneath the feathered surface.
Explores the societies that have pinned hopes for wealth on the feathers and meat of the ostrich, from South Africa's Karoo Desert to the modern American west, and discusses the passions and politics surrounding the bird.
Set against the unexpected splendor of an ostrich ranch in the California desert, April Dávila’s beautifully written debut conjures an absorbing and compelling heroine in a story of courage, family and forgiveness. When Tallulah Jones was thirteen, her grandmother plucked her from the dank Oakland apartment she shared with her unreliable mom and brought her to the family ostrich ranch in the Mojave Desert. After eleven years caring for the curious, graceful birds, Tallulah accepts a job in Montana and prepares to leave home. But when Grandma Helen dies under strange circumstances, Tallulah inherits everything—just days before the birds inexplicably stop laying eggs. Guarding the secret of the suddenly barren birds, Tallulah endeavors to force through a sale of the ranch, a task that is complicated by the arrival of her extended family. Their designs on the property, and deeply rooted dysfunction, threaten Tallulah’s ambitions and eventually her life. With no options left, Tallulah must pull her head out of the sand and face the fifty-year legacy of a family in turmoil: the reality of her grandmother's death, her mother's alcoholism, her uncle's covetous anger, and the 142 ostriches whose lives are in her hands. “Vivid…uplifting…The fascinating details of operating an ostrich ranch elevate this family tale.” —Publishers Weekly “Tension mounts in every chapter, and when the difficult forces converge in the satisfying climax, Tallulah discovers clarity. This is an enjoyable, winning, interesting novel for readers of many backgrounds.” —Booklist (starred review) “A story told with depth and beauty about the many things we inherit from our families. Dávila’s characters are familiar, yet unforgettable, and I’m waiting patiently for what she writes next.” —Wayétu Moore, author of She Would Be King
As one of today’s most influential business thinkers, Seth Godin helps his army of fans stay focused, stay connected, and stay dissatisfied with the status quo, the ordinary, the boring. His books, blog posts, magazine articles, and speeches have inspired countless entrepreneurs, marketing people, innovators, and managers around the world. Now, for the first time, Godin has collected the most provocative short pieces from his pioneering blog—ranked #70 by Feedster (out of millions published) in worldwide readership. This book also includes his most popular columns from Fast Company magazine, and several of the short e-books he has written in the last few years. A sample: • Bon Jovi And The Pirates • Christmas Card Spam • Clinging To Your Job Title? • How Much Would You Pay to Be on Oprah’s Show? • The Persistence of Really Bad Ideas • The Seduction of “Good Enough” • What Happens When It's All on Tape? • Would You Buy Life Insurance at a Rock Concert? Small is the New Big is a huge bowl of inspiration that you can gobble in one sitting or dip into at any time. As Godin writes in his introduction: “I guarantee that you'll find some ideas that don’t work for you. But I’m certain that you're smart enough to see the stuff you’ve always wanted to do, buried deep inside one of these riffs. And I’m betting that once inspired, you’ll actually make something happen.”
After brain surgery to stop his seizures, a brilliant twelve-year-old boy, enlisting the help of a female classmate, investigates why everyone around him, including his parents and hamster, are acting oddly.
