Books in Science Slam: Animal Diaries: Life Cycles series

A young child joins his scientist parents as they observe the behavior a wolf pack over the course of one year. The narrator decides to keep a diary and records how the pack's alpha pair digs a den and then raises a litter of cubs. From watching the cubs emerge from the den for the first time, to seeing the cubs grow into adults and find their places in the hierarchy of the pack, the reader will follow the daily life of the close-knit wolf family. Colorful photos, diagrams, and clear, age-appropriate text will engage young readers as they explore the life cycle, natural habitat, physical characteristics, diet, and behavior of these intelligent and fascinating animals. The diary format models scientific observation and critical thinking--and encourages children to keep notebooks recording their own investigations into the natural world. A Wolf's Lifeis part of Bearport's Animal Diaries: Life Cycles series.

A child watches a female cardinal building a nest in his backyard and decides to record what happens to the cardinal family in her diary. Readers will follow along as the young narrator observes the birds' behavior up close, including the mother bird brooding her eggs, the chicks peeking from the nest for the first time, and the parent birds feeding and fledging their young. All the details of the birds' lives are explored up to the time when the juvenile birds are ready to leave home. Large photos, diagrams, and clear, age-appropriate text will engage young readers as they explore the life cycle, natural habitat, physical characteristics, diet, and behavior of these colorful birds. The diary format models scientific observation and critical thinking—and encourages children to keep notebooks recording their own investigations into the natural world. A Bird's Life is part of Bearport's Animal Diaries: Life Cycles series.

A young child living on the island of Madagascar spots a pair of panther chameleons in a tree near her home. She keeps watch on the chameleons and decides to record what she sees in a diary. Readers will follow along as the narrator observes the male's mating dance, the female digging a burrow for her eggs, and the emergence of the baby chameleons from the burrow. As the independent young chameleons hunt, feed, and grow into adults, every moment is detailed in the diary. Colorful photos, diagrams, and clear, age-appropriate text will engage young readers as they explore the life cycle, natural habitat, physical characteristics, diet, and behavior of these colorful reptiles. The diary format models scientific observation and critical thinking—and encourages children to keep notebooks recording their own investigations into the natural world. A Chameleon's Life is part of Bearport's Animal Diaries: Life Cycles series.

One summer night, a young child witnesses a huge green sea turtle laying her eggs on a Florida beach. As he watches, he decides to record what happens in a diary. Readers will follow along as the narrator observes baby turtles hatching from the eggs, climbing out of their sandy nest, and then making a treacherous run to the ocean. As the tiny hatchlings begin their new lives at sea, the young diarist researches how turtles grow, the dangers they face, and how female turtles eventually return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs. Colorful photos and clear, age-appropriate text will engage young readers as they explore the life cycle, natural habitat, physical characteristics, diet, and behavior of these endangered animals. The diary format models scientific observation and critical thinking—and encourages children to keep notebooks recording their own investigations into the natural world.

Want to see real-life science in action? Look no further than your own backyard! There, animals are growing and changing right before your eyes, as you'll see in this exciting new series. Get up close to frogs, butterflies, spiders, and other creatures to see their amazing physical transformations and behavior. These fun introductions to life cycles are written from the perspective of a child who observes wild animals and records his or her observations in a diary. This fresh approach provides a firsthand perspective on the development of animals that includes the entire life cycle as well as the animals' natural habitat, diet, and behavior. Bright photos and diagrams and clear, age-appropriate text will engage young readers, while the diary format models scientific observation and critical thinking--and encourages children to keep notebooks recording their own investigations into the natural world.