Books with author Valerie Bodden

From flightless, long-legged ostriches to winged rays, and from elusive, long-tailed snow leopards to wily foxes, the world of animals is wonderfully diverse. This popular and newly expanded series continues traveling the planet to study these and other fascinating mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. Beautiful photos are paired with STEM-appropriate text to examine the featured creatures appearance, habitat, behaviors, and life cycle. Each book also presents a folk story that people have used to help explain the animals appearance or behavior. A basic exploration of the appearance, behavior, and habitat of peacocks, the rainforest birds whose males have showy feathers. Also included is a story from folklore explaining why peacocks are so colorful.

Some of our world's most intriguing animals are among its creepiest. This new series spotlights six mini-beasts that scurry, crawl, wriggle, or hop. Each book matches clear text with up-close (and often startling) photos to give young readers an easy-to-follow introduction to the featured creature's body, growth process, behavior, food sources, and common habitats. Each title concludes with an activity that emphasizes a defining physical characteristic.

Some of our world's most intriguing animals are among its creepiest. This new series spotlights six mini-beasts that scurry, crawl, wriggle, or hop. Each book matches clear text with up-close (and often startling) photos to give young readers an easy-to-follow introduction to the featured creature's body, growth process, behavior, food sources, and common habitats. Each title concludes with an activity that emphasizes a defining physical characteristic.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, numerous native peoples thrived across North America. Providing an overview of daily life and culture, this new series introduces six First Peoples. Approachable text examines each group's community structure, significant ceremonies, and traditions, as well as their relationship with European settlers and forced relocation onto reservations. With a focus on the tribe's way of life, each title also includes a traditional story and tells how the people work to keep the traditions of their ancestors alive today. An introduction to the Iroquois lifestyle and history, including their forced relocation and how they keep traditions alive today. An Iroquois story recounts how the world began.

The conventions of poetry may seem imposing, but a good poem can be enjoyed at any age. This new series, geared toward the early elementary learner who may be encountering literary forms and terms for the first time, teaches by example, showing how poets use language in playful and effective ways to create meaning. The friendly illustrations add another layer of approachability, and each book invites the reader to Write Me a Poem based on a key idea outlined earlier. An elementary exploration of rhyme and rhythm in poetry, introducing syllables, rhyme schemes, and sonnets as well as poets such as Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Includes a writing exercise.

Grow with Me peers into a beehive, a cocoon, garden soil, and elsewhere to explore the lives and growth of an assortment of creatures and plants. These books for ages eight and up offer elementary but fascinating studies of the life stages that bugs, animals, and vegetation experience as they mature. Magnified photos, easy-to-follow text explaining life stages, and a life-cycle recap all contribute to an educational experience focused on an up-close look at how the featured creature or plant changes and grows throughout its life span. In this title explore the life cycle and life span of snakes, using up-close photographs and step-by-step text to follow a snake's growth process from egg to baby to mature snake.