New Releases by Stephen Person

In September 2009, researcher BJ Kirschhoffer was studying polar bears in Churchill, Canada. There were bears everywhere, but something strange was happening to the animals. Some did not look healthy. Many of them were skinnyBJ could even see their ribs through their white fur. These were not well-fed bears. BJ knew that something was very wrong, but what was causing this problem? In Polar Bear: Shrinking Ice, kids go on a real-life adventure with wildlife biologist BJ Kirschhoffer as he solves the mystery of the skinny polar bears. Along the way, children will learn how polar bears survive in their bone-chilling environment, including how they hunt, stay warm, and raise their babies. Large, full-color photos and a narrative format will keep readers turning the pages for more.

On October 3, 1993, Michael Durant was sent on the most dangerous mission of his life. A brutal warlord was trying to seize control of Somalia. American forces, however, were determined to stop him. Michael Durant was a helicopter pilot for the U.S. Army''s elite special operations force known as the Night Stalkers. His mission was to fly U.S. Army Rangers into the heart of Somalia''s capital, Mogadishu, so that they could capture the warlord. Would Michael be able to carry out his mission? In this gripping new book, young readers will meet the fearless soldiers who serve our country, and also get an inside look at how they train for, and carry out, their dangerous missions. From rescuing hostages in Iran to capturing terrorists in Pakistan, no job is too tough for members of the Army Night Stalkers. Large, full-color photos and dramatic real-life stories will keep kids turning the pages to learn more.

On the moonless night of May 2, 2011, two Black Hawk helicopters crossed the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan. Crowded into each helicopter cabin were members of the U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six. These were some of the most highly trained special operations forces in the world. The mission of SEAL Team Six was to hunt down the world''s most wanted terrorist--Osama bin Laden. However, bin Laden had successfully escaped capture for more than ten years. Would SEAL Team Six finally be able to get him? In this gripping new book, young readers will meet the fearless soldiers who serve our country, and also get an inside look at how they train for, and carry out, their dangerous missions. From rescuing hostages to capturing terrorists, no job is too tough for SEAL Team Six. Large, full-color photos and dramatic real-life stories will keep kids turning the pages to learn more.

In the late 1800s, the roseate spoonbill was on the brink of extinction in North America. This large bird was hunted for its beautiful pink-and-white feathers, which were used to make hats and fans. However, conservationists and government agencies stepped in to help, and their efforts helped the roseate spoonbill population recover. These animals can now be found in the wetlands of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. The birds’ future survival depends on protecting their habitat in the Gulf Coast region. In Roseate Spoonbill: Pretty in Pink, kids go on a real-life adventure with scientists in the field as they study these magnificent wild birds. Along the way, children will discover the roseate spoonbill’s life cycle, diet, behavior, and physical characteristics. Large, full-color photos and a dramatic narrative format will keep readers turning the pages.

Late one summer afternoon in 2010, wildlife rescuer Lisa Bates set off on a very strange rescue mission. Lisa drove into the Arizona desert with a dog crate in the back of her car. In the crate was a small animal—but it sure didn’t look like a dog. It had reddish-brown fur and a pig-like snout. It was a baby collared peccary that had been separated from its mother. Would Lisa find a way to reunite them? In Collared Peccary: Cactus Eater, kids go on a real-life adventure with wildlife biologist Lisa Bates as she tries to save a lost baby peccary. Along the way, children will learn how peccaries have adapted to their harsh desert climate, including how they find food, stay safe, and keep track of other herd members. Large, full-color photos and a dramatic narrative format will keep readers turning the pages.

Early one evening in October 2011, Gail Loveman heard a strange noise coming from outside her house in Boulder, Colorado. She looked through the glass door leading to her backyard—and was shocked by what she saw. There, standing on her porch, was a cougar! Because cougars are solitary animals that avoid contact with humans, it’s rare to see a cougar in the wild, and very unusual to see one near a house. In Cougar: A Cat With Many Names, kids will go on a real-life adventure with wildlife biologists as they investigate changes in the range of cougars as humans settle in the animals’ territories. Along the way, children will learn how these powerful cats hunt for food, raise their young, and adapt to life in mountains, forests, deserts, plains, and wetlands. Large, full-color photos and a dramatic narrative format will keep readers turning the pages.

The Super Outbreak of 2011 was a series of more than 300 powerful tornadoes that struck in 15 different states over several days in April of 2011. One of the most destructive natural disasters in U.S. history, the tornado outbreak killed more than 340 people and flattened thousands of buildings. Many pets, farm animals, and wild animals were injured or left stranded without food or water. Could rescue workers save the animals and reunite pets with their owners? In Saving Animals After Tornadoes, kids will discover the inspiring stories of rescue organizations like the Alabama Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, whose volunteers brought injured pets to animal shelters for veterinary care, and the Alabama Wildlife Center, whose rescue teams saved baby birds with broken wings and damaged feathers. The uplifting true stories and full-color photos in this book will capture the heart of any young animal lover.

When disaster strikes, people aren''t the only ones in danger. Earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes, and hurricanes also threaten the lives of thousands of animalsbut who will come to their rescue? In this gripping new series, children will meet the everyday heroes who have risked their lives to save animals both large and smallfrom cats and dogs to sea otters, pelicans, horses, and panda bears! As young readers relive the dramatic events surrounding such famous disasters as the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, they will witness firsthand the dramatic and courageous rescue attempts that saved the lives of thousands of innocent pets and wild animals. The inspiring, heartwarming tales in this series are a must for any young animal lover.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast with heavy rain and winds that whipped at speeds of up to 140 miles per hour (225 kph). Thousands of people had already evacuated the city, but many were not able to take their pets. Instead, they left extra food and water for the animals—thinking they would be back in just a few days. Unfortunately, that was not the case. As young readers relive the dramatic events surrounding the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, they will witness firsthand the dramatic and courageous rescue attempts that saved the lives of thousands of innocent animals that were trapped in the Gulf Coast region after Katrina. From rescue workers floating in boats down the flooded streets of New Orleans looking for stranded pets to marine biologists searching for dolphins that were washed out to sea, the inspiring, heart-warming tales in this book are a must for any young animal lover.

On the morning of October 27, 2003, a police car skidded to a stop in front of Nancy Baar’s house in San Diego. "You have ten minutes to get out of here!" the officer shouted. A huge wildfire was burning out of control in the mountains near Nancy’s house and was quickly approaching her neighborhood. She had to leave quickly, but it wouldn’t be easy. Nancy’s four-acre (1.6-hectare) property was home to dogs, a horse, a pig, and 71 birds! There was no way she could move all the animals to safety in time. Would anyone save the animals that were left behind? In Saving Animals from Fires, readers will meet the courageous workers who risk their lives to rush into houses, forests, and rivers to rescue animals from fire and ash. From saving pet birds in California to rescuing koalas in Australia, the inspiring and true stories from around the world will warm the heart of any animal lover.

This book briefly describes the features and habits of the Great Dane.

On April 20, 2010, a gas explosion rocked the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, beginning what would become the largest oil spill ever in U.S. waters. As the scope of the disaster became clear, scientists and volunteers from across the country raced to the coast, determined to try to save the region''s diverse wildlife. With millions of gallons of oil flowing into the Gulf every day, however, the job would be a long and difficult one. In Saving Animals from Oil Spills, readers relive the dramatic events surrounding the Deepwater Horizon disaster and witness the dramatic and courageous rescue attempts that saved the lives of animals whose lives were in danger. Kids will come to appreciate the incredible effort—and compassion—it takes to capture, clean, and release the vulnerable animals whose lives depend on a sustained human response. The inspiring true stories in this book will warm the heart of any animal lover.

Can dogs live in the freezing temperatures of the Arctic? Absolutely! Not only can they survive the harsh conditions, they can thrive as important helpers in the community. In Sled Dog: Powerful Miracle, kids will learn all about these dogs and how they live with—and help—humans in the Arctic. Packed with large, full-color photos and written in a narrative format, Sled Dog: Powerful Miracle will take kids on a real-life Arctic adventure as they learn all about these super-strong dog heroes. Children will come to see that dogs are truly man’s best friends—no matter where they live!

In the spring of 2010, wildlife biologist Tony Fischbach visited the Chukchi Sea off the northwest coast of Alaska. He was there to study walruses in their remote Arctic habitat, but it wasn’t an easy task. The Arctic is one of the coldest places on Earth, and Tony—unlike a walrus—wasn’t naturally adapted for life in the extreme cold. Eventually, Tony was able to attach a radio transmitter to several walruses so he could track where they would travel. He was surprised—and disturbed—by what he discovered. What did Tony learn about these animals and how they survive in their chilly Arctic habitat? In Walrus: Tusk, Tusk, kids go on a real-life adventure with wildlife biologist Tony Fischbach as he studies walruses in one of the northernmost places in the world. Along the way, children will learn how walruses survive in their bone-chilling environment, including how they hunt, stay warm, and raise their babies. Large, full-color photos and a narrative format will keep readers turning the pages for more.

The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was a nearly escape-proof prison located on a small island in San Francisco Bay. America’s most dangerous criminals were imprisoned there and endured harsh conditions, including solitary confinement in dark cells. Though the penitentiary was shut down in 1963, visitors have reported hearing mysterious cries from empty cells and seeing ghostly figures that suddenly vanished! Have the troubled spirits of former inmates been sentenced to haunt Alcatraz forever? An exciting narrative format brings the hair-raising history of Alcatraz to life, while providing plenty of creepy details to satisfy young horror fans. Chilling photos and clear, age-appropriate text will keep readers turning the pages to learn more about Alcatraz’s spooky prison.

Marie Laveau was known as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. In the mid-1800s, many people in New Orleans believed that voodoo practitioners could contact the spirits of the dead to ask for their help. Marie Laveau was said to use magical charms and potions to place or remove curses on those she wished to help—or harm! Did this voodoo priestess really have the power to contact the spirit world and cast spells? An exciting narrative format brings a fascinating period of American history to life, with plenty of creepy details to satisfy young horror fans. Chilling photos and illustrations and clear, age-appropriate text will keep readers turning the pages to discover the secrets of the voodoo queen.

On a hot September day in 1924, Jesus Lajun noticed a terrible smell coming from his house in Los Angeles. He went down to his basement and discovered a dead rat, which he picked up and tossed in the trash. A few days later, Lajun came down with a fever and noticed a strange, purple lump on his thigh. Soon Lajun was dead, as was his daughter, several of his neighbors, his ambulance driver, and even the priest who had performed his funeral. All of them died from the same illness! What killed Jesus Lajun and quickly spread with disturbing ease to the people around him? A doctor studying the case soon discovered that it was plague, a deadly disease that’s spread by fleas and rodents—including rats. In Bubonic Plague: The Black Death!, children will learn all about the three forms this disease takes in the human body—bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic—including how the disease spreads, the worst outbreaks in history, and how doctors have developed effective medicines to combat the illness. Most important, children learn how to avoid catching bubonic plague in the first place!

One of the oldest diseases in history, malaria was once common all over the world. Some scientists believe that malaria may have killed more people than any other disease in human history. Fortunately, doctors now understand the causes of the disease and have developed effective treatments. Yet in some parts of the world, malaria continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people each year. In fact, it’s estimated that every 30 seconds a child in Africa dies from this terrible disease. Why is this super killer still taking so many lives? And will humans ever conquer malaria once and for all? In Malaria: Super Killer!, children will learn all about this disease, including its history, how it spreads, and how doctors and organizations continue to work to eradicate the illness from impoverished areas. Readers will also meet individuals like Dawn Dubsky, a malaria survivor from Chicago who founded America Against Malaria, a group working to defeat the disease in the African nation of Ghana.

Introduces lightning, discussing how it is formed and where it tends to strike, and describing some of the experiences of survivors who have been hit by lightning.

Explains the causes and characteristics of volcanoes, scientific advances that allow earlier warnings of possible eruptions, and safety tips.

Visit a magical city under the sea! Coral reefs look like colorful buildings rising up from the ocean floor. These huge underwater colonies are built by tiny animals called coral polyps. An amazing variety of plants and animals live among coral reefs—in fact, reefs are home to more than one million species of marine life! Jaw-dropping photos, a habitat map, and fascinating information will captivate young readers as they learn about these truly spectacular cities under the sea.

In the Arctic, winter lasts eight months and temperatures fall as low as -58oF. Few animals can survive such extreme conditions. The Arctic fox, however, is unique. It lives farther north than any other land mammal in the world. How can it survive the harsh conditions? Biologist Maarten Loonen wanted to find out. Since 1990, he has traveled to the Arctic every year to study these uncommon foxes. In Arctic Fox: Very Cool!, kids follow Loonen as he studies the survival techniques of these fascinating animals. Large, full-color photos and a narrative format will keep readers turning the pages for more.