Tell Me More! Science

It's thick and sticky, splishy and splashy-mud! Dive into the wonderful world of mud and discover what it's made of and how essential it is to the lives of many animals. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

They are colorful. Some are bigger than your head. They go through an amazing metamorphosis. They even pollinate plants. And they are every bit as beautiful as butterflies! It's time for moths to take center stage and get the attention they deserve. Explore the world of these fascinating furry insects and learn about their lives, their life cycles and why they fly into your porch light at night! After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Zoom into the tiny but incredibly busy world of a colony of leafcutter ants. Stunning macro photography will allow young readers to get up close to these fascinating and industrious insects as they get to work cutting leaves and carrying them back to their nest to feed to the fungi that they grow in their underground fungus farm. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

They are colorful. They form amazing shapes. They feed on our food. And some are even deadly poisonous. Fungi! Explore the lives and life cycles of nature's clean-up champions that help keep our world free from dead leaves and other rotting material. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

It's a snorkel. It's a highly-sensitive tool for finding food underground. It can even show the neighbors who's boss. The nose! Get up close to some of the weirdest but most hard-working noses in the animal kingdom and discover just how physical adaptations – no matter how funny-looking – can help animals survive in their natural habitats. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

They float in icy oceans and can be as small as a car or as big as a small country-icebergs! With nicknames including "bergy bits" and "growlers," these floating chunks of ice can be dangerous to ships, help scientists understand climate change, and create underwater ecosystems that are home to many species of ocean animals. This fun topic supports the teaching of structure and the properties of matter by exploring solids, liquids, heating, and cooling in a fascinating, real world setting. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Some look like dog vomit. Others pretend to be mushrooms. There's even one that grows in the shape of a pretzel. They are creepy, crawly, colorful slime molds and they are living in a backyard, park, or forest near you! These unusual living things ooze over dead leaves and old wood feeding on these substances and acting as one of nature's clean-up crews. And even though a blob of slime mold has no brain, it spreads out tendrils that work as a team telling each other when they find some food. Kids will love discovering all about the lives and life cycles of these real-life, living blobs of slime! After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Everyone knows that birds have feathers, but why so many different colors and shapes? From feathers for flying, to feathers for swimming, feathers for camouflage, to feathers for attracting a mate, this book will give readers a fascinating insight into the lives of birds and their physical adaptations. Topics include how a chick's feathers change from fluffy down to its adult flight feathers, how the bright red and yellow feathers of a macaw can actually help it stay hidden among green rain forest trees, and how feathers help keep penguins warm in the coldest place on Earth. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Is it a twig? Is it a dead leaf? Is it a bird poop? No! It's an animal. Discover how animals use mimicry to look like something else and stay safe from predators. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.

Swoop, snatch, slurp, suck-welcome to the world of bats. Join the natural world's only flying mammals on their night-time flights as they use echolocation to hunt for insects, feed on fruit or nectar, and even suck blood from other living animals. The exceptional photography in this book will allow young readers to examine these beautiful creatures up close, learn about their physical characteristics and see how they are adapted to obtain food and live in their varied habitats. Bat life cycles will also feature with stunning imagery of moms and pups. The book supports learning across all areas of life sciences curriculum. After reading, put your knowledge to the test with a simple science project.