When I was a kid, growing up in farm country, I had two strong interests: reading, and having adventures in nature. I loved to explore outdoors, roaming woods and fields, investigating ponds. I never dreamed that a person could have a career that called for lots of reading, and learning about wild animals. I’ve been lucky, working hard but also having fun, creating a career writing children’s nonfiction books. In 2022 my 123rd and 124th books were published.
Each book has helped me learn a lot about research and writing. That’s why I love visiting schools. As a visiting author my motto is: “celebrating nature, inspiring good writing.” Both my school programs and my many animal and nature books cover a wide range of grades. My excitement about nature, science, biography, and history–and the writing process–shines through in a variety of school programs.
As a reader, I’ve always been curious about the lives of writers. How do they work? Why did they choose to write about a certain subject? On this website you can learn “the story behind” many of my books. Click on a book title and discover where ideas come from, my personal adventures, research, and working with artists and science experts.
Books by order of publication: –
Octopus Hug – 1993
An Extraordinary Life: The Story of a Monarch Butterfly – 1996
Bats!: Strange and Wonderful – 2000
A Dragon in the Sky – 2001
Sharks! Strange and Wonderful – 2001
Dog of Discovery: A Newfoundland’s Adventures with Lewis and Clark – 2002
Come to the Ocean’s Edge – 2003
Bear Hug – 2003
American Slave, American Hero: York of the Lewis and Clark Expedition – 2006
Penguins! Strange and Wonderful – 2007
Imagine a Dragon – 2008
Snakes! Strange and Wonderful – 2009
Alligators and Crocodiles!: Strange and Wonderful – 2009
Cicadas! Strange and Wonderful – 2010
Billions of Years, Amazing Changes: The Story of Evolution – 2011
Frogs!: Strange and Wonderful – 2012
ICE!: The Amazing History of the Ice Business – 2012
Scorpions!: Strange and Wonderful – 2013
The Secret Life of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar – 2014
Octopuses!: Strange and Wonderful – 2015
Owls! Strange and Wonderful – 2016
The Secret Life of the Red Fox – 2017
Spiders!: Strange and Wonderful – 2017
The Secret Life of the Little Brown Bat – 2018
The Secret Life of the Skunk – 2019
Dolphins! – 2019
THE SECRET LIFE OF THE SLOTH – 2021
ELEPHANTS! STRANGE AND WONDERFUL – 2021
The Secret Life of the Sea Otter – 2022
Wolves! Strange and Wonderful – 2022
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