Books with author Dawn Cusick

That’s so gross! Prepare to be grossed out by an engaging and unique look at some of the more disgusting survival techniques from the animal kingdom. From blood-squirting reptiles to blood-sweating mammals to nose-picking primates, learn about some of the most disgusting creatures in the animal kingdom. Author Dawn Cusick and the National Wildlife Federation compile a volume as attractive as its subject is disgusting.

Hey! Look out! Sharp-eyed readers will need to keep their eyes peeled in this engaging look at how animals of all shapes and sizes blend in and survive in their native ecosystems. How do animals deal with danger? From crocodiles standing on their tails to great white sharks with their jaws wide open to well-camouflaged venomous snakes, prospective naturalists and conservationists will have a lot to look out for in this exploration of dynamic ecosystems and the animals that hide and hunt in them. Back matter includes glossary, curated reading list and a scavenger hunt.

Learn amazingly icky facts, see the yucky photos, and gross out everyone you can!Welcome to a world filled with snot otters, puss caterpillars, spitting spiders, slime stars, snotties, and more! In Get the Scoop, you'll learn that snot, spit, and slime may seem gross, but there's a lot of amazing science in these icky fluids. Animals use them for communication, defense, to find food, to travel fast, and more.Jellyfish and corals produce "mucus nets" to capture prey. Parrotfish burp out a mucus blanket to sleep under every night, while sea stars and sponges release volumes of mucus to distract and discourage predators. Barracudas use mucus in their scales to increase their swimming speeds and protect them from parasites. Poison dart frogs release toxins with mucus. Hagfish secrete slime if another animal tries to eat them. Clams and mussels make "mucus strings" to bring food to their mouths. Hippopotamuses release "blood slime" that works as sunscreen and an antibiotic.Saliva helps animals in hundreds of ways, too. Anteaters and giraffes use sticky saliva to help them eat, while leeches, vampire bats, and ticks use chemicals in their saliva to help them feed on blood. Many mammals use saliva to help them recognize offspring and others spit saliva at predators and prey. The venom in shrews, snakes, and other reptiles comes from adapted salivary glands. Some animal saliva works like glue, helping swifts, termites, and wasps build nests.

Tongues in all shapes, sizes and textures!This bright, colorful book explores the wild and wonderful variety of tongues in the world’s animals. Discover long tongues, sticky tongues, trick tongues, tube tongues, black tongues, blue tongues, red tongues, fork tongues, spike tongues, brush tongues, straw tongues, smelling tongues, curly tongues, cooling tongues, heating tongues, cleaning tongues, talking tongues, glow-in-the-dark tongues, and so many more.Snakes and some lizards use their long, flickering tongues to smell predators and prey, while chameleons use the sticky tip of their long, stretchy tongues to catch bugs for dinner. Crocodiles use special glands on their tongues to remove salt from their bodies, while newborn whales and dolphins use small bumps on their tongues to hang on to mom while she swims.This book also includes fun, easy experiments that illustrate the way animal tongues work, and cool tongue facts to gross out family and friends.

Dazzling full-color photographs show more than 250 animals enjoying their favorite foods in this bright and informative introduction to one of the most fundamental animal behaviors. Iguanas eat cactus, turtles chow down on sea anemones, fish snack on crabs, crabs munch coral, snails relish frog eggs, and dozens of surprise meals make their appearances. Think all birds eat the same food? Think again. Birds eat seeds, nectar, fruit, snakes, fish, small mammals, insects, crabs, carrion, and even other birds. Young zoologists will delight in this collection of gorgeous photographs and fascinating facts.

Tongues in all shapes, sizes and textures!This bright, colorful book explores the wild and wonderful variety of tongues in the world’s animals. Discover long tongues, sticky tongues, trick tongues, tube tongues, black tongues, blue tongues, red tongues, fork tongues, spike tongues, brush tongues, straw tongues, smelling tongues, curly tongues, cooling tongues, heating tongues, cleaning tongues, talking tongues, glow-in-the-dark tongues, and so many more.Snakes and some lizards use their long, flickering tongues to smell predators and prey, while chameleons use the sticky tip of their long, stretchy tongues to catch bugs for dinner. Crocodiles use special glands on their tongues to remove salt from their bodies, while newborn whales and dolphins use small bumps on their tongues to hang on to mom while she swims.This book also includes fun, easy experiments that illustrate the way animal tongues work, and cool tongue facts to gross out family and friends.

Brains are awesome, and a little gross, making them a perfect topic for kids!Featuring 251 animal brain facts, Get the Scoop on Animal Brains digs deep and scoops out tons of fun facts about how animals use their brains to eat, find shelter, avoid predators, and survive. Did you know octopuses are multi-taskers? Since two-thirds of their neurons can be found in their arms, these marvelous creatures can crack open shellfish with one arm while doing something completely different with their others!Did you know crows have remarkable memory and can recall the faces of humans that pose a threat to them? Or that bees can communicate with other bees through a series of waggle dances? These are just three of the hundreds of amazing things you will learn about animals and their brains in this fascinating, fully illustrated book.