Collard, Sneed B., III 1959–

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Collard, Sneed B., III 1959–

PERSONAL:

Born November 7, 1959, in Phoenix, AZ; son of Sneed B. Collard, Jr. (a professor of biology) and Patricia Anne Case (a high school biology teacher). Education: Attended University of California—Davis, 1978-79, and University of Washington, Friday Harbor Marine Laboratories, 1982; University of California—Berkeley, B.A. (with honors), 1983; University of California—Santa Barbara, M.S., 1986. Politics: "Progressive." Hobbies and other interests: Swimming, bicycling, hiking, traveling, SCUBA diving, reading, going to movies, and planting oak trees.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Missoula, MT. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Freelance writer, 1984—. University of California—Berkeley, zoology department research assistant and research diving program assistant instructor, 1982-83; California Department of Fish and Game, wild trout program seasonal aide, 1983; Woodward-Clyde Consultants, environmental consultant, 1984; University of California—Santa Barbara, Neuroscience Research Institute, director of computer laboratory, 1986-92. California Department of Agriculture, Dutch elm disease project, agricultural aide, 1980; University of California—Santa Barbara, lab assistant, 1981.

MEMBER:

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Planned Parenthood, and "about fifteen environmental groups."

AWARDS, HONORS:

First prize, Area, District, and Division Tall-Tales contests, Toastmasters International, 1991; Competent Toastmaster Award, Toastmasters International, 1992; first prize, Area Evaluation Contest, Toastmasters International, 1993; Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selection, American Library Association, 1993, for Sea Snakes; Twenty Best Children's Books about the Earth selection, 1994 Information Please Environmental Almanac, for Do They Scare You? Creepy Creatures; Best Book for the Teen Age designation, New York Public Library, 1997, 1998, for Alien Invaders, 1998, for Monteverde, 2001, for Acting for Nature and Lizard Island; Merit Award for Nonfiction, Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrators, 1997, 1998, for magazine articles; Outstanding Trade Science Book for Children designation, Children's Book Council/National Science Teachers Association (CBC/NSTA), 1998, for Our Wet World, 2002, for Butterfly Count, 2005, for A Platypus, Probably; Top-Ten Science Books for Children selection, Booklist,, and Outstanding Trade Science Book for Children, CBC/NSTA, all 2000, and ASPCA Henry Bergh Award finalist, 2001, all for The Forest in the Clouds; Teacher's Choice selection, International Reading Association, for Beaks; ASPCA Henry Bergh Children's Book Award for illustration, 2003, for Animals Asleep, illustrated by Anik McGrory; CBC/NSTA Outstanding Trade Science Book for Children designation, and ASPCA Henry Bergh Children's Book Award, both 2005, both for The Prairie Builders named Washington Post/Children's Book Guild (CBG) Children's Nonfiction Writer of the Year, 2006; Western Spur Award for storytelling finalist, 2006, for Shep; Green Earth Book Award, and Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year designation, both 2006, both for Flash Point; John Burroughs Award for nature writing, and CBC/NSTA Outstanding Trade Science Book for Children designation, both 2007, both for One Night in the Coral Sea; Flicker Tale Award, 2007, for Dog Sense; Booklist Editor's Choice, 2007, for Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION; FOR CHILDREN

Sea Snakes, illustrated by John Rice, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, NY), 1993.

Do They Scare You? Creepy Creatures, illustrated by Kristin Kest, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 1993, revised as Creepy Creatures, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 1997.

Where Do We Live?, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 996.

Where Do They Live?, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 1996.

Alien Invaders: The Ongoing Problem of Exotic Species Invasions, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1996.

Animal Dads, illustrated by Steve Jenkins, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1997.

(And photographer) Monteverde: Science and Scientists in a Costa Rican Cloud Forest, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1997.

Our Wet World: Discovering Earth's Aquatic Ecosystems, illustrated by James M. Needham, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 1998.

Animal Dazzlers: The Role of Brilliant Colors in Nature, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1998.

Birds of Prey: A Look at Daytime Raptors, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 1999.

One Thousand Years Ago on Planet Earth, illustrated by Jonathan Hun, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1999.

Acting for Nature: What Young People around the World Have Done to Protect the Environment, illustrated by Carl Dennis Buell, HeyDay Books (Berkeley, CA), 2000.

Making Animal Babies, illustrated by Steven Jenkins, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2000.

Forest in the Clouds, illustrated by Michael Rothman, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2000.

(With Anthony D. Fredericks) Amazing Animals: Nature's Most Incredible Creatures, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 2000.

A Whale Biologist at Work, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 2000.

Lizard Island: Science and Scientists on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 2000.

A Firefly Biologist at Work, Franklin Watts (New York, NY), 2001.

Beaks!, illustrated by Robin Brickman, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2002.

Leaving Home, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2002.

The Deep-Sea Floor, illustrated by Gregory Wenzel, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2003.

B Is for Big Sky Country: A Montana Alphabet, illustrated by Joanna Yardley, Sleeping Bear Press (Grand Haven, MI), 2003.

Animals Asleep, illustrated by Anik McGrory, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2004.

A Platypus, Probably, illustrated by Andrew Plant, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2005.

One Night in the Coral Sea, illustrated by Robin Brickman, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2005.

Shep: Our Most Loyal Dog, illustrated by Joanna Yardley, Sleeping Bear Press (Chelsea, MI), 2006.

(And photographer) The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2006.

Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials, Darby Creek Publishing, 2007.

Reign of the Sea Dragons, illustrated by Andrew Plant, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2008.

Teeth!, illustrated by Phyllis Saroff, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2008.

Wings, illustrated by Robin Brickman, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2008.

Science Warriors ("Scientists in the Field" series), Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2008.

"WORLD OF DISCOVERY" SERIES

Green Giants—Twelve of the Earth's Tallest Trees, illustrated by Doug Talalla, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 1994.

Tough Terminators—Twelve of the Earth's Most Fascinating Predators, illustrated by Doug Talalla, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 1994.

Smart Survivors—Twelve of the Earth's Most Remarkable Living Things, illustrated by Doug Talalla, NorthWord Press (Minnetonka, MN), 1994.

"SCIENCE ADVENTURES" SERIES; NONFICTION

In the Deep Sea, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2006.

On the Coral Reefs, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2006.

In the Wild, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2006.

In the Rain Forest Canopy, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2006.

"AMERICAN HEROES" SERIES; BIOGRAPHIES

Benjamin Franklin: The Man Who Could Do Just about Anything, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2007.

John Adams: Our Second President, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2007.

Rosa Parks: The Courage to Make a Difference, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2007.

Sacagawea: Brave Shoshone Girl, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2007.

David Crockett: Fearless Frontiersman, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2007.

Abraham Lincoln: A Courageous Leader, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2007.

Thomas Jefferson, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2008.

Eleanor Roosevelt, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2008.

John Glenn, Marshall Cavendish (New York, NY), 2008.

FICTION

California Fire, McGraw-Hill (New York, NY), 1999.

Butterfly Count (picture book), illustrated by Paul Kratter, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2002.

Dog Sense (middle-grade novel), Peachtree (Atlanta, GA), 2005.

Flash Point (middle-grade novel), Peachtree (Atlanta, GA), 2006.

OTHER

Contributor of articles and stories to periodicals, including Highlights for Children, Cricket, Christian Science Monitor, Images—Health Literacy '95, Pennywhistle Press, Clubhouse, Children's Digest, Misha, Outdoor California, Western Outdoors, Islands, Earth Steward Journal, Environmental Action, and The Humanist.

SIDELIGHTS:

Sneed B. Collard III gained his love of nature as a child, and he shares that love through his work as an award-winning children's author. Winner of numerous honors for his nonfiction picture books such as One Night in the Coral Sea, The Forest in the Clouds, A Firefly Biologist at Work, A Platypus, Probably, and Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials, as well as for the novels Dog Sense and Flash Point, Collard was named Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Children's Nonfiction Writer of the Year in 2006. "I write about creepy creatures and other things because I want people to learn about things they don't know about," Collard once commented, "To me, getting to learn something new is the greatest gift in life. I also hope that when people read my books, they will care more about the plants and animals I care about, and make better decisions about how to live on Earth."

Because both Collard's parents were biologists, the future writer traveled a great deal while growing up. As Collard once commented: "The way things turned out in my young life, I got to travel a lot. My parents were divorced when I was about eight and this made me very sad. The good thing about it, though, was that my dad moved to Florida and I got to go see him twice a year. I also traveled a lot with my mom and stepfather. With all of these experiences, I felt a growing need to share with other people the things I had seen, heard, tasted, and smelled (even if they didn't smell too good!)."

After graduating from high school, Collard took a break before beginning college. "I got a summer job working as a cook at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota," he explained. "With the money I earned, I flew to Israel and spent four and a half months living with a family and working on a kibbutz. From Israel I took a ferry to Europe and hitchhiked through Greece." In retrospect, he added, "taking a year off from school was one of the best decisions I ever made." In addition to preparing him for the rigors of academic study, his travels helped Collard broaden his understanding of the earth's ecosystems.

Collard majored in biology at the University of California—Berkeley, and then got a job counting trout in mountain streams for the California Department of Fish and Game. "I don't understand why everyone does not study biology," he later remarked. "If you know about biology, your life will never be dull. Every animal and plant that you see will be an entire world waiting to be explored." While working outdoors and living in a van, Collard also contemplated his future. "I was lying in my sleeping bag, thinking about my life—and trout, of course—and I suddenly said to myself, ‘Sneed, if you are going to do something with your life, now is the time.’ Right then, I decided to become a writer."

Embarking upon his chosen profession by writing articles for magazines such as Outdoor California and Children's Digest, Collard found discovered that writing could be a difficult way to make a living. As a result, he returned to graduate school at the University of California—Santa Barbara and learned to design instruments using computers. He worked at the university for several years following graduation, managing a computer laboratory by day while devoting his off hours and weekends to writing. His break came in 1990, when children's book publisher Boyds Mills Press asked if he would be interested in submitting a book about reptiles. After consulting with his father to select an appropriate subject, Collard began researching his first book, Sea Snakes.

"I rushed off to the library to read everything I could find on sea snakes," Collard recalled. "This was easy, because almost nothing had been published on these unusual marine reptiles. I devoured what little information I could find, but I still didn't know enough, so I tracked down all of the sea snake scientists (say that real fast five times!) listed in the books I'd read and called them up one by one. Most of the scientists were very helpful. Once I had all of the information together, I sat down and wrote the first draft of the book in a single day. Of course, the first draft is not the hardest part of writing a book. The ten other drafts are what really take time! After a month, however, I was ready to submit the manuscript."

Published in 1993, Sea Snakes, which a Kirkus Reviews critic called "an intriguing first look at an unusual reptile," describes the appearance and behavior of the snakes that are found in tropical seas around the world. The book is intended to help children understand the complex adaptations snakes make to their environment, and it includes numerous photographs and drawings. As Karey Wehner wrote in School Library Journal, Collard's book "will help fill a gap" in library collections; her suggestion that the book would benefit from captions to accompany its photographs was adopted in the work's second printing, and Sea Snakes ultimately appeared on the finalist list for the American Library Association Recommended Books for Reluctant Readers.

Collard completed the text of Do They Scare You? Creepy Creatures in a month, helped by scientists he worked with at the University of California—Santa Barbara. The book includes information on twenty-two animals with scary reputations, such as vampire bats, sharks, scorpions, tarantulas, and piranhas. As the author once commented, his intention was to "show people how wonderful creepy creatures are and how our fears of animals are blown all out of proportion." The last creature Collard profiles in the book is the imaginary "razor-toothed, slime-encrusted bone muncher," which he invented as a way to "poke fun at our fears."

Focusing on the development of animals, Collard has written several books that share with children how young animals are created, are cared for, and eventually survive on their own in nature. In Animal Dads he introduces young readers to the many different ways fathers take care of their young, from keeping them safe to building shelters to even birthing them, as is the case with seahorses. Illustrated with paper-collage art by Steve Jenkins, Animal Dads addresses both a younger and older audience through Collard's use of a simple text printed in large type across the page for small children as well as a paragraph explaining more difficult concepts for older children. He uses a similar split-text technique in Making Animal Babies, which explains how animal young come into the world and the different methods by which creatures reproduce. Using a wide variety of living things, including sea animals, insects, and mammals, Collard not only shares with young readers how babies come about, but also some of the mating rituals animals perform, how embryos develop, and how babies are born. Describing the book as "an attractive, informative, approachable look at a delicate subject," School Library Journal contributor Patricia Manning also praised Collard for creating "a good [book] for young children about reproduction."

Collard follows his animal subjects as they become older and prepare to live on their own in Leaving Home, a work that also incorporates a two-tiered text. Through this method, according to Phelan, the author "explores the concept imaginatively, writing with admirable simplicity in the short text, [and] introducing children to more complex thoughts and vocabulary in the longer one." Different in format, Animals Asleep finds all manner of creatures, from orangutan to otters to butterflies to giant clams, curling up for a nap. Evoking a child's own situation, in Leaving Home Collard shares with readers the reasons why various animals leave their families as well as the many ways in which they depart.

Leaving Home also demonstrates how far some animals travel from their birthplace, whether they leave alone or with others their same age, and how gender plays a factor in when males and females begin life apart from their parents. Calling the book "handsome," School Library Journal contributor Louise L. Sherman found Leaving Home appropriate "both as a concept picture book ideal for a storytime and as an informational source."

Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials includes Collard's own account of caring for a baby opossum when he was a young teen. From there, the book traces the fascinating history of these unusual mammals, particularly the way they care for their young. Citing the author's focus on scientists' efforts to save many marsupial species living in endangered habitats, Carolyn Phelan wrote in Booklist that Collard's "handsomely designed" book "introduces marsupials with panache." In Kirkus Reviews, a critic praised the "logically organized" information in Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials, adding that the book is "appealing enough for the casual browser but also useful for serious middle-school research."

Many of Collard's books are the result of his travels. In 1994, for example, he went to Costa Rica to interview scientists working in a unique ecosystem known as a tropical cloud forest. The resulting book, Monteverde: Science and Scientists in a Costa Rican Cloud Forest, "not only documents the remarkable biology of the cloud forest, but the scientists who work there and efforts to protect this fragile ecosystem," the author explained. 1998 found Collard visiting Australia's Lizard Island, where he interviewed scientists studying the Great Barrier Reef in preparation for other nonfiction titles. "These travels, as well as my background as a biologist, provide me with an endless supply of book ideas," Collard explained.

Both Monteverde and The Forest in the Clouds, introduce readers to the Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica and the important relationship plants and animals share in this unusual tropical ecosystem. Like many of Collard's books, both volumes also emphasize the need to preserve such natural wonders and conserve endangered habitats. Reviewing The Forest in the Clouds for Booklist, Phelan noted that Collard "gives a clear sense of the diversity of life to be found in a cloud forest and the need to protect it," and Randy Meyer wrote in the same periodical that, "thanks to the impassioned pen of science writer Collard, the scientific Shangri-la comes to life" in the pages of Monteverde

Collard's work with scientist in the field have led to his "Science Adventures" books, which include In the Deep Sea, On the Coral Reefs, In the Wild, and In the Rain Forest Canopy. In the Deep Sea describes the work of Dr. Edith Widder and other biologists studying marine bioluminescence: the way some undersea species make their own light. For Collard, profiling Widder and her research had an unforeseen but amazing outcome. As he noted on his home page, "With Dr. Widder and other scientists, I spent five days out at sea. Even better, I got to dive two times in the research submersible Johnson Sea-Link. Each time, we dove to the bottom of the ocean, 3,000 feet deep. I saw viper fish, tripod fish, comb jellies, squid, and many other animals. Most of these were bioluminescent. I took tons of photographs and had the time of my life." In On the Coral Reefs Collard joins biologist Alexander Grutter to explore the unique environment in a coral reef, while In the Wild finds Tara Stoinski, Thomas Butynski, and other zoo biologists working to save the planet's endangered species. Sharing a similar theme, A Firefly Biologist at Work follows Collard's stepfather, firefly expert Jim Case, in his work studying the synchronus firefly native to riverbanks of Southeast Asia. Praising Collard's scientist-oriented studies as "clear and engaging," Piehl wrote in School Library Journal that the volumes are "solid choices" for budding biologists.

Other interesting creatures are introduced to young children in books like Beaks!, Teeth!, and Wings!, A Platypus, Probably, and One Night in the Coral Sea, the last two which focus on creatures native to Australia. In A Platypus, Probably, which features detailed paintings by Andrew Plant, Collard profiles an unusual nocturnal mammal that is can breathe air but feeds underwater. Focusing on the history and behavior of the platypus, the book is "an interesting informational read," according to a Kirkus Reviews writer, and Patricia Manning concluded that the book contains enough "data to satisfy enquiring minds." Featuring illustrations by Robin Brickman, One Night in the Coral Sea takes readers down into the depths of a coral reef in Australia's Great Barrier Reef during the spring spawning: the single night when the many coral species in that unique ecosystem reproduce. Collard's "basic" text shares with children "an amazing event that scientists discovered little more than 20 years ago," wrote Kathy Piehl in her School Library Journal review of the 2005 book. In Kirkus Reviews a critic dubbed One Night in the Coral Sea a work that "stands out" due to its "special focus" as well as Brickman's "riveting illustrations."

Turning his hand to fiction, Collard has also authored Butterfly Count, a picture book that introduces children to the world of science through the story of Amy. Described as a "gentle family story with an environmental message" by School Library Journal critic Maryann H. Owen, Butterfly Count shares the tale of Amy as she celebrates the Fourth of July holiday by going with her mother on a butterfly hunt. Taking place on a stretch of land once belonging to her great-great-grandmother Nora Belle, the hunt features conservationists, young and old, gathering to count the number and variety of butterflies living on the property, which is now a part of a prairie restoration project. Hoping to find at least one regal fritillary, Nora Belle's favorite, Amy finally locates the rare insect among her ancestor's graves in a portion of meadow that was said to have never been mowed by the early settlers. According to Ellen Mandel in Booklist, the author's decision to make Amy an older child broadens the book's appeal, "making the book well suited to children who can read and enjoy the story on their own."

In Collard's first novel, Dog Sense, he tells the story about thirteen-year-old Guy. After his single mom moves the family from California to a small Montana town to live with her father, Guy Martinez has to put away his surf board, adapt to new surroundings, and make new friends in his eighth-grade class. Problems with a school bully make the move less than pleasant, until problems are resolved with the help of his friendly, Frisbee-catching border collie, Streak. "Collard shows in his first novel that he can construct a suspenseful plot and create believable characters," wrote a Kirkus Reviews writer in appraising the author's fiction debut, and in Guy he creates what Booklist critic Shelle Rosenfeld called "an appealing, sympathetic protagonist" in his "straightforward narrative." Reviewing Dog Sense for Publishers Weekly a contributor praised the book as an "affecting" coming-of-age story that features "a sensitive yet resilient" teen.

Also set in Collard's native Montana, Flash Point finds high-school sophomore Luther Wright working for Kay, a local veterinarian, after school. Kay rescues injured birds of prey such as falcons, owls, and hawks, caring for them and ultimately releasing them back into the wild. As Luther gets more involved in the natural wildlife in the surrounding forest, he raises the ire of his father, who works for the local lumber company and has been having his job curtailed by environmental regulations. A fire that ravages the area and the tragedy and conflicts that result serve as the focus of a "solid story" that "should appeal to readers interested in ecological themes such as managing fires in forests and protecting raptors," according to Kliatt critic Claire Rosser. In School Library Journal Laurie Slagenwhite wrote that themes relating to "logging, forest fires, and birds of prey" are "skillfully integrated" into Collard's tale, and a Kirkus Reviews writer dubbed the story "well-paced" and "interesting."

When he is not writing, Collard spends his time traveling and speaking to groups about writing, science, and the environment. Despite the fact that being a writer has been difficult for him, particularly financially, Collard has enjoyed the support of his family and remained pleased with his career choice. He offered this advice for young people: "If you want something in life, don't be afraid to go after it. Different people will always tell you how you should live your life. Many of these people mean well, but they cannot see inside you, so what they tell you may not be right for you. However, just because you decide to do or be something does not mean it will be easy. To achieve something important and valuable takes a lot of hard work and you have to stick to it, even when it is hard and painful."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 15, 1993; May 15, 1997, Carolyn Phelan, review of Animal Dads, p. 1577; September 1, 1997, Randy Meyer, review of Monteverde: Science and Scientists in a Costa Rican Cloud Forest, p. 116; August, 1999, Ilene Cooper, review of One Thousand Years Ago on Planet Earth, p. 2048; May 1, 2000, John Peters, review of Making Animal Babies, p. 1672; June 1, 2000, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Forest in the Clouds, p. 1900; February 1, 2001, John Peters, review of Lizard Island: Science and Scientists on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, p. 1047; February 15, 2001, Carolyn Phelan, review of A Whale Biologist at Work, p. 1132; December 1, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of A Firefly Biologist at Work, p. 654; March 1, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Leaving Home, p. 1137; April 1, 2002, Ellen Mandel, review of Butterfly Count, p. 1332; March 1, 2004, Carolyn Phelan, review of Animals Asleep, p. 1190; May 15, 2005, Gillian Engberg, review of One Night in the Coral Sea, p. 1654; June 1, 2005, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands, p. 1796; September 15, 2005, Carolyn Phelan, review of A Platypus, Probably, p. 68; October 15, 2005, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Dog Sense, p. 50; February 1, 2006, Gillian Engberg, review of On the Coral Reefs, p. 46; January 1, 2007, John Peters, review of Sacagawea: Brave Shoshone Girl, p. 107; September 15, 2007, Carolyn Phelan, review of Animal Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials, p. 62.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, April, 2004, Timnah Card, review of Animals Asleep, p. 321.

Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 1993, review of Sea Snakes, pp. 224-225; March 1, 2004, review of Animals Asleep, p. 220; June 15, 2005, reviews of One Night in the Coral Sea and A Platypus, Probably, p. 680; September 1, 2005, review of Dog Sense, p. 970; October 1, 2006, review of Flash Point, p. 1012; August 15, 2007, review of Pocket Babies and Other Amazing Marsupials.

Kliatt, November, 2006, Claire Rosser, review of Flash Point, p. 6.

Publishers Weekly, March 31, 1997, review of Animal Dads, p. 73; October 18, 1999, review of One Thousand Years Ago on Planet Earth, p. 82; October 31, 2005, review of Dog Sense, p. 57.

School Library Journal, March, 1993, Karey Wehner, review of Sea Snakes, p. 205; July, 2000, Patricia Manning, review of Making Animal Babies, p. 93; August, 2000, Kathy Piehl, review of The Forest in the Clouds, p. 168; March, 2001, Frances E. Millhouser, review of A Whale Biologist at Work, p. 232; May, 2001, Laura Younkin, review of Lizard Island, p. 162; December, 2001, Arwen Marshall, review of A Firefly Biologist at Work, p. 154; April, 2002, Louise L. Sherman, review of Leaving Home, p. 129; June, 2002, Maryann H. Owen, review of Butterfly Count, p. 92; July, 2003, Diane Olivio-Posner, review of The Deep-Sea Floor, p. 112; August, 2005, Kathy Piehl, review of One Night in the Coral Sea, p. 142; September, 2005, Patricia Manning, review of A Platypus, Probably, p. 190; October, 2005, Patricia Manning, review of A Firefly Biologist at Work, p. 62; November, 2005, Kathryn Childs, review of Dog Sense, p. 130; May, 2006, Kathy Piehl, review of In the Deep Sea, p. 142; August, 2006, Linda Zeilstra Sawyer, review of Shep: Our Most Loyal Dog, p. 102; December, 2006, Laurie Slagenwhite, review of Flash Point, p. 134.