Books with author Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson

The author introduces his fascinating book about grasshoppers and their relations by pointing out the error of Aesop's fable which compares the grasshopper unfavorably to the ant. 'Actually,' he says, 'the grasshopper is no more a ner'er-do-well than the ant; it simply does the things it has to for a happy and successful life.' He then shows how grasshoppers and the other related insects-crickets, katydids, etc.-are equipped for life and how they act from birth to death. Particularly interesting are in the incidents and examples that were drawn from the author's observation of his own collection of grasshoppers, crickets and katydids that he kept in cages. As in Sunstone's other books by Wilfrid Bronson, the text in this book for young readers is in large, clear type, and there are many illustrations on each page.

In many surprising ways ants are like people: both are the only animals who have nations, governments, working people and armies. Reading about the habits and customs of ants is like following the adventures of an explorer in a new and fascinating land. In this book the author, who is well known for his interesting stories of science, takes us into this wonder world of ants and describes the different kinds of ants from the familiar kinds which can be found in any field to the devastating army ants of Africa. There are the hunter ants that grow their own vegetables, the thief ants and the slave-making ants who kidnap the children of other tribes. As in Sunstone's other books by Wilfrid Bronson, the text in this book for young readers is in large, clear type, and there are many illustrations on each page.

Wild cats, tame cats, alley cats, barn cats--all kinds of cats fill the pages of this science picture book for younger readers. It grew out of years spent by the author in studying cats and keeping them as pets. The physical characteristics of cats, their instincts and habits are described and explained. There is an interesting section on how to play with a kitten or cat, what kind of den to construct and directions for making it. There are rules for raising healthy, happy cats--how to feed them, keep their quarters clean, and train them. In the last part of the book, the author takes up the whole cat family--lions, tigers, cheetahs, and their cousins--and he ends with a brief history of our pets as we know them today. The amusing and informative pictures on every page not only illustrate the text, but provide a wealth of additional information. Younger children will find endless entertainment in the pictures, and there is no age limit to those who will enjoy the informal, authentic text.

A coyote is a very smart kind of wild dog. A coyote does not want to live the way a tame dog does, with someone to feed him and give him a home. He wants to dig his own den, hunt his own supper, staying wild and very free. Young and older people alike, whether they have seen coyotes or not, will be delighted with this animal who can sing bass and tenor at the same time, who builds his house with a chimney for ventilation, and who 'cooks' food for his very young babies. In this natural science picture book, Wilfrid Bronson writes of the almost human habits of this freedom-loving American animal with the same simplicity and authenticity which mark all his work. Fully illustrated with accurate and humorous drawings, this book is part of the Wilfrid Swancourt Bronson Legacy Series from Sunstone Press.

Here, in a comprehensive, practical, and extremely readable volume, an author-artist whose many nature books are favorites with children gives an absorbing account of goats--the countries from which they came originally, the merits and characteristics of the major breeds, the reasons why they are especially valuable to us, and the methods of raising them for pets or for profit. He describes the most scientific way to house, feed, and care for either a herd of goats or for a single goat. In addition to practical information on raising goats, Mr. Bronson gives fascinating background material about them and their place in history. The reader discovers, for instance, that traces of some of the early legends and superstitions about goats are still to be found in our language today. From Pan, the half-goat god of the ancient Greeks who had the mischievous habit of startling travelers in lonely places, comes our word ''panic.'' Then we learn that in pagan times communities would confess their sins annually to a goat, which was later allowed to escape to the wilderness, supposedly taking the sins with it; hence our word ''scapegoat.'' In his simple, inimitable style, known to many readers through such books as Cats, Starlings, Coyotes, The Wonder World of Ants, The Grasshopper Book, Horns and Antlers, The Chisel-Tooth Tribe, and Turtles, Mr. Bronson provides a humorous and informative text, enhanced by detailed drawings on nearly every page.

Pinto Goodluck, a little Indian boy, lived with his mother, his grandfather and his burro, Ambrosio. His grandfather made beautiful jewelry from silver and turquoise. He traded it with other Indians for corn and bread and vegetables. Sometimes he sold it to the tourists in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and bought sugar and salt and coffee. Then the Great War came and all the young men went away and the turquoise mines were closed. Grandfather knew of a secret mine but it was a long way off and the journey was full of danger. Grandfather was too old to go. There were steep mountains to climb and wild arroyos to cross. There were all sorts of fierce animals, mountain lion and bears and buzzards. Pinto was afraid of all these things, but he was a very brave little boy. He decided he would try to find the secret mine himself. One night when his mother and grandfather and everyone in the village was asleep, he took some piñon nuts, three cold biscuits, a blanket and his bow and arrow and he and Ambrosio set out on the dangerous journey. How Pinto found the secret mine and brought home the turquoise is an absorbing adventure story for young readers. Wilfred S. Bronson wrote his first book at the age of eight. Called "Animal People," it started like this: "This book is for children who are interested in animals and birds. It has verey good pictures in it and children can understand it verey easily." He later learned to spell and wrote and illustrated many books for children with "verey good pictures" that they could understand. "Pinto's Journey," originally published in 1948, was written while he and his wife were living in New Mexico where he came to know his Indian neighbors and especially the small hero of this book.

In the year 1541, two Indian boys lived on the remote island of Tiburon off the west coast of Mexico. They were Seris, a warlike and primitive tribe quite different from the peaceful Indians of the mainland who had been easily conquered and reduced to slavery by Hernan Cortez and his invading Spanish armies. The two boys, Stooping Hawk and Stranded Whale, were sent to spy on the conquerors and were caught and imprisoned. The story of their capture and escape is a thrilling one, but the account of their wild, free life on Tiburon is equally fascinating. This, the author says, is ''a tale missed by the history books. And surely every generation of this fine, high-spirited people has had its counterparts of Stooping Hawk and Stranded Whale, true sons of liberty.''

Hardcover, beautiful full-color illustrated endpapers, appendix, 40 color illustrations arranged in pairs, with sea creatures on the left and their land-based namesakes on the right. *** Written for ages 9 to 12 but suitable for children of all ages. This book tells about fish and other sea creatures, focusing on those named after land animals or objects, including: angel fish, angler fish, barber fish, basket fish, bottle fish, catfish, elephant fish, goatfish, hatchet fish, hogfish, horseshoe crab, jellyfish, miner fish, needle fish, parrot fish, pipe fish, sailfish, sawfish, sea arrow, sea cow, sea cucumber, seahorse, sea rabbit, hammerhead shark, much more.

What do turtles eat? How are their babies hatched? Why can a turtle pull his head inside his shell? What kinds of turtles make the best pets? How should pet turtles be fed and where should they be kept? All these and many other questions are answered in this natural science picture book for young readers. As in Pinto's Journey, Starlings and Coyotes, also by Wilfrid Bronson and published by Sunstone Press, the text is in large, clear type, and there are many illustrations on each page.