Books in Kaufman Field Guides series

The only field guide to bring along to identify the birds, mammals, trees, wildflowers, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish, spiders, mushrooms, ferns, rocks, and sky of the MidwestEven if we focus on certain things in the outdoors, most of us are curious about everything else that might turn up. Serious birders, botanists, and entomologists all have their specialized guides, but this book is the guide to “everything else"—the one guide to take when you go out for a walk. Wow, that’s a cool-looking mushroom. Wonder what it is. Hey, look at that weird insect.Birds, mammals, trees, wildflowers, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fish, spiders, mushrooms, ferns, grasses, even constellations overhead and rocks underfoot—it’s all here. With authoritative yet broad coverage, nontechnical language, and more than two thousand color photographs, this book is an essential reference for nature lovers living in or visiting Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

The Amazon rain forest is one of the world's most captivating environments — particularly for children. In this colorful book, budding zoologists use the 51 included pieces to assemble eight exotic animals, from the silent jaguar to the leaping monkey to the rare and beautiful pink river dolphin. A detailed removable diorama serves as a backdrop for exciting adventures that young readers share with their new friends. In the process, they learn all about these fascinating animals and their habitat while crafting a museum-ready display.

In 2000 Houghton Mifflin first published the Kaufman Focus Guide to the Birds of North America. Critically acclaimed for its innovative design, the Kaufman guide began introducing a new generation to birding. In 2005, this new Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is now the most up-to-date field guide, including dozens of changes by the American Ornithologists’ Union in official names of birds; the addition of new species to reflect the latest scientific discoveries; and dozens of updated range maps. Additional information helps beginning birdwatchers get started, all in the same compact format that has made this guide the easiest to use for fast identification in the field.

Join the adventure of a lifetime as you explore the Amazon Rain Forest! Follow the trail of the jungle's most magnificent creatures, including silent jaguars, leaping monkeys, and pink river dolphins in The Field Guide to Rain Forest Animals. Learn the difference between New World and Old World monkeys, how to detect the presence of a Dwarf Caiman crocodile, and why Vampire Bats can walk and run. This unique interactive journal is filled with photographs, maps, and detailed illustrations of eight interesting jungle animals. At the end of this book kids can continue the adventure by assembling their animals amidst a colorful diorama for their own museum-ready display!

“The Petrified Forest of Arizona seemed like the perfect place to start to search for fossils,” writes our hero in his 1929 journal. Thus begins the exciting hunt for dinosaurs and their prehistoric secrets in The Field Guide to Dinosaurs. Through a series of journal entries, kids will uncover the mysteries of the dinosaur kingdom—from the speedy and agile Coelophysis to the existence of Pangaea, the landmass of the earth some 227 million years ago when all of the continents were one. Junior paleontologists can experience the excitement of a dig as they rifle through maps, illustrations, and build eight dinosaur models and a museum-ready diorama. Dino-crazy kids ages 8 and up will dig this lively adventure!

Young explorers embark on the safari adventure of a lifetime with this fabulous faux-journal, “written” in 1924 by fictional naturalist Rebecca Mayhew. Through her journal entries, youngsters accompany Mayhew as she explores mysterious Africa, from tracking lions in Nairobi to watching white rhinos in Pretoria to marveling at the birth of a baby giraffe in Botswana. Each info-packed page is filled with stunning photographs, colorful maps and illustrations, and fascinating facts about African animals and their environment. At the journey’s end, children can assemble the eight animals from 59 included die-cut pieces and then display them on a gorgeous, removable 3-D diorama.

With this interactive book, young readers embark on an underwater adventure exploring the Great Barrier Reef! Follow the trail of the ocean's most magnificent creatures, including the powerful gray reef shark, the graceful-yet-deadly man-of-war, and the paralyzing blue-ringed octopus. Join marine biologist Warren Wilmott on his expedition and learn why the sea wasp is one of the deadliest creatures swimming in our oceans today and why red lionfish sometimes swims upside down. Filled with incredible animal photographs, maps, interesting information, and detailed illustrations, The Field Guide to Ocean Animals transports budding biologists to another world! The adventure continues as readers assemble seven different animals stored inside the pockets of each page and set up the included diorama for a stunning display.

"This evening at dusk we went on a beetle hunt . . . there were jewel scarabs, gems of the cloud forest. Some shone like polished gold, silver and bronze," writes fictional scientist Randall Barnes in his 1926 field journal. Barnes takes kids on an amazing adventure through Central America, as he studies some of the most beautiful and fascinating insects on the planet, including stunning blue morpho butterflies, battling Hercules beetles, and bizarre walking sticks. The sixth title in a phenomenally successful series, The Field Guide to Insects is designed to look like an authentic antique journal, filled with interesting maps, sketches, and engaging field notes. Kids will especially enjoy the book's interactive elements, which include eight exotic insects to assemble and a punch-out diorama. Extreme fun for future explorers, ages eight and up.

Of the world's 4,000 to 4,500 mammal species, about 1,100 occur in Africa. In this updated and revised edition of Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Africa, authors Chris and Tilde Stuart concentrate on the more visible and easily distinguished larger mammal species, plus some of the more frequently seen smaller mammals. In all, over 400 color photographs, combined with concise, pertinent information highlighting the diagnostic features of each species, provide a comprehensive source of information on each mammal. The latest information has been incorporated and the distribution maps have been revised to reflect the most up-to-date habitat and distribution patterns for each species. A new feature is the inclusion of the mammals' skulls, grouped together at the back of the book. To aid the reader, color-coding and symbols indicating the habitat and activity period serve as a quick reference to the various mammal groups.