Water-Walking, Sidewinding, and Other Remarkable Reptile Adaptations
- Provides layered text and back matter that encourages more in-depth discovery
- Promotes a sense of awe and wonder about the natural world
- Uses humor to engage children's attention
- Promotes cross-curriculum learning through poetry
- Includes a hands-on, science-minded project to help support and reinforce deeper learning
- Meets Next Generation Science Standards in ecosystems, biological evolution, and heredity for grades K through 2.
Nomad Press books in the Picture Book Science series present real-world examples of science topics that kids find fascinating! These nonfiction picture books consist of engaging narratives paired with detailed, accurate illustrations and layered text that offers ample opportunity for discussion and reflection. Elementary-aged children are equipped to recognize basic science concepts and identify the different ways they are demonstrated in real life, while being impressed with the idea that science is a constant part of our lives and not limited to classrooms and laboratories.
All books are leveled for Guided Reading level and Lexile and align with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.
All titles are available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliate
Laura Perdew is an author, writing consultant, and former middle school teacher. She has written more than 20 books for the education market on a wide range of subjects, including wetlands conservation, the history of toilets, pirates, and extinction. Her book Biodiversity: Explore the Diversity of Life on Earth (Nomad Press, 2019) earned a Booklist starred review and was a Junior Library Guild selection. Laura is a long-time member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, an avid runner and hiker, and an environmentalist. She lives and plays in Boulder, Colorado.
Katie Mazeika is an illustrator with a focus in children's publishing. She loves creating illustrations with a strong narrative that are filled with color and texture. Katie is the illustrator of the Picture Book Biography series from Nomad Press. Katie is a member of the SCBWI.
Praise for other books in the Picture Book Science series
Forces
Booklist Starred Review March 15, 2018
"Forces, despite its down-to-earth scientific grounding, manages to do the nearly impossible. Diehn brings gravity, magnetism, push-pull forces, and friction to life in everyday contexts, without a hint of schoolroom jargon. Children, parents, and teachers alike can enjoy learning the charming, often funny, relatable, and accessible science within this Picture Book Science series (4 titles) offering."
Praise for Extinction by Laura Perdew
National Science Teachers Association Recommends
"This book uses the concept of extinction to teach a little chemistry, a little climatology, paleontology, biology (biodiversity), ecology, and a lot of geology. The science information is historical and current, drawing on three-dimensional learning, incorporating science practices to determine what factors affect extinction in general and specifically. The integration of concepts help bring the science alive and relevant."
Praise for Biodiversity by Laura Perdew
Booklist Starred Review April 1, 2019
"Nomad applies its dependable activity-book format to the new Build It Environmental Science series (4 titles). Here biodiversity is placed under the microscope--sometimes literally--in a text that makes daunting concepts, such as evolution, levels of biodiversity (genetic, species, or ecosystem), and why biodiversity matters, easy to understand without sacrificing scientific precision. By book's end, readers will truly understand what biodiversity is, its importance to the health of the planet, and humans' impact on the complex natural systems where it thrives."
Booklist Series Nonfiction Showcase
"Through layered, mischievous illustrations and detailed back matter, the Picture Book Science series plies young readers with a ton of useful facts about how all sorts of animals have evolved to survive in their environments. Each book contains a hands-on activity that will get kids involved; the mammal volume even points out that human beings are mammals, too, and encourages students to consider their own place in their ecosystems. Classroom-friendly and fun, too."
Archimedes Notebook Fun New Series on Animal Adaptations "Let's face it: animals are cool! And most kids I know love to read about animals. What's even better than a book about animals is a whole series of books about strange and wonderful animal adaptations. Laura Perdew has written a whole bunch of books - well, at least five - about animals and their unique adaptations. They are fun and breezy, and a perfect way to introduce young children to the different classes of vertebrate animals: reptiles, birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish. Perdew introduces readers to unsung heroes of the animal world: star-nose moles, blue-footed boobies, and thorny devil lizards. She sings the praises of salamander slime and whale earwax. In addition to highlighting animals and their adaptations, Perdew begins each book with a poem. There's an acrostic, a limerick, haiku, cinquain, and free verse. Back matter for each book includes a glossary and activity that helps kids (and anyone else) learn more about the group of animals."
