Books with author Stephanie Spinner

This book introduces young readers to the exotic shorthair cat, the feline that looks like a teddy bear. Engaging, easy-to-read text invites students to examine this breed's history, personality, behavior, and development. Coat characteristics, common colors, size, and care instructions are also highlighted. Beautiful, full-color photos feature the exotic shorthair in a variety of situations. An index and glossary are also included. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

In 1977, graduate student Irene Pepperberg walked into a pet store and bought a year-old African grey parrot. Because she was going to study him, she decided to call him Alex--short for Avian Learning EXperiment. At that time, most scientists thought that the bigger the brain, the smarter the creature; they studied great apes and dolphins. African greys, with their walnut-sized "birdbrains," were pretty much ignored--until Alex. His intelligence surprised everyone, including Irene. He learned to count, add, and subtract; to recognize shapes, sizes, and colors; and to speak, and understand, hundreds of words. These were things no other animal could do. Alex wasn't supposed to have the brainpower to do them, either. But he did them anyway.Accompanied by Meilo So's stunning illustrations, Alex and Irene's story is one of groundbreaking discoveries about animal intelligence, hard work, and the loving bonds of a unique friendship.

With a wag and a "woof," this book invites readers to meet the Old English sheepdog. Readers will examine the history, physical attributes, development, and behavior of the Old English sheepdog breed. Coat, color, size, and care instructions are also discussed. Full-color photos allow readers to see these focused herding dogs in a variety of situations. An index and glossary are also included. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Follow the amazing journey of Pope Francis, whose warmth and humility have made him beloved around the world. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, aka Pope Francis, from Argentina, is the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere. Since being elected pope he has shown a humbler, less formal approach to his office than his predecessors: a warm style that has been referred to as ""no frills."" His common touch and accessibility, as well as his insistence that the church be more open and welcoming, has quickly endeared him not only to Roman Catholics but to millions of others around the world.

Of the many admiring reviews Bram Stoker's Dracula received when it first appeared in 1897, the most astute praise came from the author's mother, who wrote her son: "It is splendid. No book since Mrs. Shelley's Frankenstein or indeed any other at all has come near yours in originality, or terror."A popular bestseller in Victorian England, Stoker's hypnotic tale of the bloodthirsty Count Dracula, whose nocturnal atrocities are symbolic of an evil ages old yet forever new, endures as the quintessential story of suspense and horror. The unbridled lusts and desires, the diabolical cravings that Stoker dramatized with such mythical force, render Dracula resonant and unsettling a century later.From the Hardcover edition.

Paddywack is a petite nine hands high, and every pony inch is packed full of spunk. It hasn’t been easy, but he now has his rider, Jane, well trained. He’ll trot. He’ll canter. He’ll jump the jumps. He’s a perfect pony . . . when she gives him treats. But on the day of the big horse show, Jane is so nervous she forgets his treats. Will Paddywack dig in his hooves? Or can he rise to the occasion?This sweet story is sure to capture young horse-lovers’ hearts.From the Trade Paperback edition.

With a wag and a "woof," this book invites readers to meet the beagle. Readers will examine the history, physical attributes, development, and behavior of the beagle breed. Coat, color, size, and care instructions are also discussed. Full-color photos allow readers to see these independent hunting dogs in a variety of situations. An index and glossary are also included. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

With a wag and a "woof," this book invites readers to meet the dachshund. Readers will examine the history, physical attributes, development, and behavior of the dachshund breed. Coat, color, size, and care instructions are also discussed. Full-color photos allow readers to see these skilled hunting dogs in a variety of situations. An index and glossary are also included. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This book introduces young readers to the Balinese cat, the feline known for its long coat. Engaging, easy-to-read text invites students to examine this breed's history, personality, behavior, and development. Coat characteristics, common colors, size, and care instructions are also highlighted. Beautiful, full-color photos feature the Balinese cat in a variety of situations. An index and glossary are also included. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.