Books published by publisher Muddy Boots

There is a mystery afoot at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. A hole appears here, a tiny bite there. Someone has been eating the art! Join Riley the Museum Dog, who is specially trained to sniff out pests, as he attempts to catch the mischievous culprit. Children will enjoy the antics, as the hunt leads them past and introduces them to some of the world's great art. Featuring works by John Singleton Copley, Frida Kahlo, Claude Monet, Kehinde Wiley, and more.Co-produced by The Boston Globe and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Adventures of Riley the Museum Dog is authored by Devra First, with hand-drawn illustrations by Ryan Huddle.

From the “crown jewels” such as Yellowstone, Sequoia, and the Grand Canyon, to the many lesser-known – but still stunning – areas dotting the country, the National Parks have provided generations with enjoyment and wonder. Now, Ranger Rick: National Parks! takes readers on a tour of America’s most beautiful protected landscapes. Join Ranger Rick as he leads this cross-country adventure and provides his favorite facts, animals, and plants along the way. Page after page of beautiful photography and fascinating information bring the most unique features of the National Parks to life. Inside you’ll also find Ranger Rick’s favorite things to do in each park, like sledding down the mighty sand dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park or exploring the bat-filled caves of Carlsbad Caverns. With Ranger Rick as your trusted guide, there is no better way to experience the National Parks – other than being there!Expertly researched, chock full of fun facts, and filled with gorgeous, full-color photography, Ranger Rick: National Parks! is sure to delight and inspire any young explorer!

Owen, who lives in Colorado, is visiting his cousin Neko at her home in coastal California. He is eager to explore the beach with his cousin and aunt, and they find a large amount of kelp washed ashore after a large storm the previous evening. His curiosity about the kelp leads to an afternoon snorkeling adventure in a kelp forest with his cousin and aunt, and they point out the many creatures that inhabit the underwater “golden forest.” Back on the beach, his marine biologist aunt explains how important the washed-up kelp is to the beach ecosystem, and the children learn how valuable kelp is to the environment both in the water and on the coastal beaches.

Lively writing, colorful photos, and bright borders make this craft book particularly inviting. The real fun begins with Linda Kranz offering step-by-step, well-illustrated directions for decorating small, flat stones with flowers, animals, heart shapes, sports motifs, foods, places, holiday designs, and more. The finished items are perfect gifts, which young children, perennially in search of inexpensive presents, will appreciate. By providing hours of creative entertainment at little cost, this offering is sure to be popular with crafty children and their teachers and caregivers.

With adorable full-color photographs throughout and simple activities to be enjoyed with Mom or Dad’s guidance, Ranger Rick Jr. books are perfect for young children starting to learn about the world around them. These small books are a great way to start your child’s first library! Animal Homes will explore the many habitats of North American animals! Through full color photographs and illustrations, and educational, entertaining text, this book shows that. just like us, all sorts of animals have their own ways of building homes!

This is a coloring and planning book that the entire family can enjoy: relaxing together while also getting inspired to perhaps design and build their own tree house in the future. There will be a few pages at the end with beautiful trees that have a space for readers to draw their own tree house designs, and a large pencil-wielding hand directing them to the empty space. A source page at the end of the book lists other tree house coloring books as well as simple directions on mixing watercolors and choosing brushes.

It’s night. It’s dark. It’s time to go indoors—or is it? The outdoors at night can be a scary place, but this book will help young readers investigate the mysterious nature of night. To explore the night, it would be great to have eyes like an owl, the sensitive nose of a deer, and feet that can move as silently as a fox. Humans aren’t quite as good as nocturnal animals at navigating the darkness, but we can come surprisingly close. Our senses are much sharper than we realize, if we learn how to use them. Some scientists are even researching the sensory abilities of human hair!Each chapter of the book spotlights a different nocturnal creature. And while learning about animals’ adaptations for navigating the world of night, young readers discover their own surprising abilities. Years of teaching children in the outdoors has given the author, renowned environmental educator Anita Sanchez, firsthand experience in introducing students to the terrors and joys of nature at night. She has led kids on night walks in a variety of habitats, including urban settings. Based on these experiences, the book describes night-time landscapes and the nocturnal animals that inhabit them, from desert coyotes to the frog chorus in a backyard pond—and a corner of the bathroom at midnight where a spider lurks.Readers will encounter:--The great horned owl, who can spot the twitch of a mouse’s tail in almost total darkness. --The Gila monster, who prowls the desert night using its tongue to locate prey.--The super-sensitive ears of a bullfrog (yes, frogs have ears!) --The delicate sense of touch of a spider, capturing its prey by feeling the slightest vibrations of its web. Sidebars called “You Can Do It!” offer fun and active ways for kids to explore their own senses—learning more about their own eyes, ears, nose, and senses of touch and taste. --While using crayons at night, can your eyes tell red from green? --Can you hold completely still for an entire minute, like a fox stalking its prey? --Could you follow the scent trail of an onion across the back yard?--Can you find sounds in the dark? Learn to use the “big ears” technique to locate sounds with accuracy.