Animals That Make Me Say Wow! (National Wildlife Federation)

Cusick explores how gravity-defying flight, coiled and tubelike tongues, bite-proof armor and other surprising adaptations in animal bodies and behavior provide a competitive edge.
This presentation of amazing animal facts is loosely organized into three sections: defense, foraging and anatomy. There’s a short introduction for each section followed by a series of boxed explanations interspersed among a gallery of close-up photographs, mostly from the National Wildlife Federation archives. Some images are quite wonderful: a family of cygnets riding a swan’s back, a porcupine chewing on a branch, an unidentified moth with a coiled tongue. Others are really too small to see details well. Some images are clearly labeled with the creature’s name; others can be guessed from the nearby text, but some will be mysteries (perhaps better than the “great egret” caption for the snowy egret picture). Readers are asked some thought-provoking questions as well as offered cool facts. Scavenger-hunt challenges in the concluding section call for both inside and outside research. A companion volume, Animals That Make Me Say OUCH!, follows the same format, but its third section deals with adaptations for hostile environments. Both titles feature lively, colorful design. Best for browsers who like their facts fast.
-Kirkus Reviews

For Animals That Make Me Say OUCH! and Animals That Make Me Say WOW!
These two animal-focused nature books will make kids sit up and take notice. The attractive photos from the National Wildlife Federation show bald eagles performing acrobatics in mid-air; zebras delivering a swift kick, leaving lion predators in their dust; shape-shifting spiders; and a South American male frigate bird with a bright red “bubble chin.” The upbeat, accessible text is factual and entertaining, including funny headers and the occasional joke (“What’s worse than a jaw of sharp, curved teeth? Two jaws, that’s what!”). Each installment contains practicable “Scavenger Hunt” ideas to cultivate scientific observation skills. While younger students will love the vivid photos, older ones will appreciate the informative material. Solid wildlife overviews.
-School Library Journal

The National Wildlife Federation is AmericaP#39;s conservation organization protecting wildlife for our childrenP#39;s future. At NWF, they envision a world where people work together to protect wildlife and are able to pass on abundant wildlife and wild places to our children. Dawn Cusick writes award-winning childrenP#39;s nature nonfiction books. Get the Scoop on Animal Poop! was selected to the National Science Teachers AssociationP#39;s 2013 list of Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, Bankstreet College of EducationP#39;s 2013 Best ChildrenP#39;s Books of the Year list, and was named a finalist in the ChildrenP#39;s Book CouncilP#39;s 2013 ChildrenP#39;s Choice Book Award and the Animal Behavior SocietyP#39;s 2013 Outstanding ChildrenP#39;s Book Award. Her first two childrenP#8217;s books, Bug Butts and Animal Eggs, also won many awards. Ms. Cusick holds a BachelorP#8217;s degree from the University of Florida, a certificate of post-Baccalaureate Major in Biology from the University of North Carolina-Asheville, and a Masters of Science in Biology from Western Carolina University. Her research work involves speciesP#39; recognition and speciation in cryptic katydids. She teaches general biology and zoology courses at Haywood Community College.

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