Sneed B. Collard III

How can a toucan fly with such a large, cumbersome beak? A toucan's beak is actually light as a feather due to its honeycomb construction. And not only is it beautiful, but it's an extremely useful tool in foraging for food. Find out more fascinating facts in this remarkably illustrated study of bird beaks. Learn about several different birds, their habitats, and how their beaks are uniquely styled to help them survive. Outstanding 3-D cut-paper illustrations...

The sky in Montana somehow seems bigger, bluer, and more spectacular than in any other state.' Author Sneed B. Collard, III writes, 'it's simply because our sky stretches over such an abundance of beauty.' In B is for Big Sky Country readers will find out where the Going-to-the-Sun Road really takes you and what city the copper capitol dome calls home.

While dinosaurs dominated Earth during the Mesozoic era, an astonishing collection of reptiles, often referred to as sea dragons, filled the oceans. But where did these sea dragons come from? Where did they go? Award-winning science writer Sneed B. Collard III delivers a dramatic account of our growing understanding of the evolution, survival, and finally, the extinction of these extraordinary animals.

Before 1935, there were no cane toads in Australia. Today, they are a huge presence in the country. In fact, scientists estimate that there are 83 toads for every person there! The big amphibians--which can weigh close to three pounds--show up on highways, in watering holes meant for cattle, and in people's yards in town. Because they ooze a powerful poison when attacked, they kill many wild animals as well as pets each year. In Australia's Cane Toads:...

What has a bill like a duck's and the body of a beaver? A platypus, probably. Engaging text follows a female platypus through her life, while sidebars offer in-depth information about this unique monotreme and her environment. Vivid, accurate illustrations capture the wonder of this amazing creature.

In many parts of the world, within a few hundred miles of the equator, there exists a mysterious environment called the rain forest. High up in the mountains of these areas lies an even more mysterious environment--the tropical cloud forest. The Forest in the Clouds explores the enchanting world of the Monte Verde cloud forest in Costa Rica. Discover the splendor and fragile beauty of a precarious ecosystem that receives up to 10 feet of rain and...

Take flight! Simple text explains the versatility of bird, insect, and mammal wings. Detailed paragraphs spotlight particular animals and discuss how the animals' wings help them to survive. Intricate, cut-paper illustrations capture the delicate beauty of each type of wing. Includes a glossary and additional resources.

Reliability, devotion and faithfulness: endearing qualities shared between people and their canine companions. Shep is the true story of a dog that became an inspiration to people around the world. Following the death of his owner in 1936, Shep watched as his body was placed on a train and shipped east. For more than five years, through rain and snow, Shep met every incoming train with hopes that he would see the man who had cared for him. Even today,...

If anyone ever looked at a lake, stream, or any body of water that makes up 70% of our earth and wondered what lives in there, this is the book with the answers. Every page explores the story of life underwater. Readers learn about unusual animals, like the crafty mudskipper that can live in water and on land so that it can escape from hungry saltwater crocodiles. The fact-filled text also explains the mutual dependency of plant and animal in these...

I bet you've seen a furry gray animal scurrying across the highway late at night-you know, the one with the pink snout and long tail? That's an opossum, and it is a marsupial. Did you know that it is related to all sorts of different animals, including the kangaroo and the Tasmanian devil? Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of marsupials, a group of mammals found around the globe, though mostly in Australia and Southern Asia. They share many traits...