Books with author Sneed B. Collard III

"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.

Thirteen-year-old Guy tries to make the best of a difficult situation with the help of his beloved dog and a new friend.Montana is a long way from California. Guy and his mother have moved in with his grandfather after his father’s “unannounced departure.” Back home, Guy skateboarded, surfed, and played video games with his friends. Here the kids only seem to talk about cars, fishing, and hunting.Life at Big Sky Middle School is also a disappointment. Guy is bored in math class and over his head in English. He quickly becomes a target for Brad Mullen, class bully. But at least Guy has his beloved Border collie, Streak, and eventually he makes a friend, his classmate Luke Grant. Soon Guy and Luke hatch a plan to train Streak to compete against Brad Mullen and his dog at the town’s Frisbee catching competition. But the rivalry between Guy and Brad escalates until an impulsive wager pits the boys head to head and places Streak in jeopardy.Sneed B. Collard II offers young readers an affecting, realistic portrait of an adolescent boy who must learn to cope with conflicts and challenges in an unfamiliar environment and to accept changes in his life that are beyond his control.

After recovering the governor of Montana�s famous dog, Cat, in The Governor�s Dog is Missing, twelve-year-old sleuths Slate Stephens and Daphne McSweeney head to the infamous Montana ghost town of Bannack. While their geologist dads prospect for a large gold mining company, Slate and Daphne encounter a pair of perplexing puzzles. Under an old classroom desk in Montana�s first schoolhouse, the young detectives discover clues pointing to missing gold treasure amassed by Montana�s vigilantes 150 years earlier. At the same time, a thief has absconded with two priceless Charles Russell paintings on loan to the university art museum in nearby Dillon. In Hangman�s Gold, the second Slate Stephens mystery, clues and curiosity lead our two heroes to begin solving both mysteries�and dig up more dirt than they can handle.

Popular science writer Sneed B. Collard III gets creepy-crawly with many different kinds of insects, detailing their habitats, defense systems, communication techniques, and mating rituals. Colorful, closeup photos are paired with a kid-friendly narrative that boasts humor and accessible explanations about beetles, spider wasps, moths, and more.For kids who love creepy-crawlies — School Library JournalA lighthearted invitation to join the insect-appreciation club: "Righteous exoskeleton, dude!"— Kirkus Reviews

In 1980, scientists discovered that hundreds of corals on the Great Barrier Reef participate in a mass spawning event. Science author Sneed B. Collard III explains coral reefs, the coral larvae's perilous journey through the sea to their home on the reef, and the animals that depend on this ecosystem for their survival. Intricate cut-paper illustrations capture the eye-catching colors of this underwater world.

What do you do when Montana’s biggest mysteries land in your lap? If you’re Slate Stephens and Daphne McSweeney, you get busy solving them. With geologist dads who haul them around the state, the twelve-year-old detectives have a knack for encountering unsolved cases―and landing in heaps of trouble. In The Governor’s Dog is Missing Slate and Daphne find themselves in the Montana capital of Helena. One morning, news erupts across the state―Governor Rickson’s famous dog Cat has disappeared! Suspecting foul play, Slate and Daphne assemble a list of suspects, including the Governor himself. Then, they set out to prove their suspicions. Unfortunately, the truth―and Slate’s and Daphne’s relationship―prove far more complicated than they ever imagined.