Books with author Tracy Read

There's no greater thrill than spotting one of these tiny birds in the garden, and young readers will be fascinated by how this avian machine works. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world, but they exploit every advantage that comes with their modest size. Exploring the World of Hummingbirds is a fully illustrated introduction to the hummingbird's high-performance lifestyle. Built for efficiency and fueled with high-energy nectar, this bird runs at a high temperature during the daytime, its heart beating 650 beats a minute, and its dense feathers keep it warm at night as it rests. Most impressive, however, are its skills as an aerial acrobat. Like a helicopter, it can move forward, backward and sideways. When feeding from a blossom, it can hover in midair and then turn and whir away at full speed -- all in two-tenths of a second. Readers will find out how hummingbirds and flowers have evolved for their mutual success. They'll also discover intriguing facts about hummingbird biology, flight, mating and nesting behaviors, family life, migration, and just how a hummingbird achieves and maintains its dazzling, shimmering colors. The Exploring the World of... nature series was created for young readers who are eager to learn more about the wild creatures of the world. Each title contains beautiful photographs of the animals in their natural habitats and the highly readable text explores their daily lives and physical characteristics, how they make their homes, how they raise their young and what they eat. "This series has a different approach than typical animal books and goes beyond a basic introduction. The books provide the reader with another perspective and focus on different forms of survival tactics. Diagrams of the animals are presented describing different body parts and their functions. Another chapter discusses the natural talents of the animal... An extensive index is included. Recommended." --Library Media Connection, of the previous books in the series

Powerful, sleek and designed to hunt and kill other animals, the cougar is a cat, right down to its remarkable sense of balance, retractable claws and single-minded approach to independent living. Wherever this solitary hunter lives, it is a superior predator, using its stealth, timing and strength to ambush and overwhelm its prey, whether it's a tiny mouse or a 500-pound elk. Readers will learn about the cougar's special skills as a hunter and why it has the largest range of any wild land animal in North America. Illustrated with beautiful four-color photography, Exploring the World of Cougars is a lively, fact-filled introduction to this controversial cat.

With sturdy, streamlined bodies, outfitted with insulating blubber, flippers, tail flukes and fins, whales -- all known as cetaceans -- are built for life in the water. In Exploring the World of Whales, we meet the baleen whales and the largest members of the toothed whales, including the killer whale, the biggest of the dolphins. These marine mammals range in size from the 108-foot-long (33 m) blue whale to the barely 9-foot-long (2.7 m) dwarf sperm whale while boasting a range of distinctive physical traits, including the sperm whale's gigantic head, the humpback's barnacle-covered body and outsized flippers, and the narwhal's eight-foot-long tusk. Young readers will learn the difference between the baleen and toothed whales and how these differences affect habitat, diet and behaviors. They'll discover how whales communicate with one another across vast stretches of ocean, how some cooperate to raise families and hunt their prey, and how some are capable of remarkable feats of migration and deep diving. A lively, fully illustrated introduction to some of the planet's most intelligent species, this book also addresses the ongoing risks to whale populations. The Exploring the World of... nature series was created for young readers who are eager to learn more about the wild creatures of the world. Each title contains beautiful photographs of the animals in their natural habitats and the highly readable text explores their daily lives and physical characteristics, how they make their homes, how they raise their young and what they eat. "This series has a different approach than typical animal books and goes beyond a basic introduction. The books provide the reader with another perspective and focus on different forms of survival tactics. Diagrams of the animals are presented describing different body parts and their functions. Another chapter discusses the natural talents of the animal... An extensive index is included. Recommended." --Library Media Connection, of the previous books in the series

The ancestors of the elephant once roamed across much of the planet, but today, only two species survive: the African elephant and the Asian elephant. In this colorful introduction, young readers learn about the physical attributes and life history of the largest land mammal on Earth. With a massive body and huge ears that serve as built-in air-conditioning, a six-foot-long trunk with "fingers" that help it forage for food and water, tough, protective skin and outsized tusks used as tools and weapons, the elephant is a force to be reckoned with. Just as fascinating is the elephant's complex social structure. While adult males make their own way, the herd's oldest female nurtures and protects her extended family with the assistance of the other females. Guiding family members on lengthy migrations to find food and water, she teaches them life skills, organizes search parties for lost members and defends against hostile approaches. Together, the family forages and plays, welcomes new life, builds and maintains relationships and mourns its dead. In Exploring the World of Elephants, young readers also discover the value of ensuring that these intelligent, engaging mammals don't suffer the fate of their ancestors. The Exploring the World of... nature series was created for young readers who are eager to learn more about the wild creatures of the world. Each title contains beautiful photographs of the animals in their natural habitats and the highly readable text explores their daily lives and physical characteristics, how they make their homes, how they raise their young and what they eat. "This series has a different approach than typical animal books and goes beyond a basic introduction. The books provide the reader with another perspective and focus on different forms of survival tactics. Diagrams of the animals are presented describing different body parts and their functions. Another chapter discusses the natural talents of the animal... An extensive index is included. Recommended." --Library Media Connection, of the previous books in the series