I love sharing fascinating information about the amazing world we live in with readers, especially children. When i was young, the natural world intrigued me, and I spent hours outside, chasing butterflies, catching tadpoles, and hunting for salamanders. Riding horses, hiking with my cocker spaniel Buffy–interacting with the animals that live with us also fed me. So sharing my curiosity and knowledge through writing is a natural outcome for a person like me–and in this section you can learn about the books I’ve written and what I’ve learned. Enjoy!
In 1995 wolves were brought back to the Yellowstone ecosystem after an absence of about 70 years. Since then, the wolves have thrived, and the ecosystem has continued to become more diverse as other keystone species such beavers are returning and adding new habitat for a huge variety of living things.
Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862, and President Abraham Lincoln signed it. Homesteaders had to build their home and plow at least 20 acres for crops to “prove up” the claim to get full ownership of the property. Then even the poor could own land if they worked hard enough.
When schools aren’t open–no field trips, no biology classes– nature-loving city kids don’t need to feel deprived–they’ve got piegons! They don’t need to go that far to watch nature in action–the windowsill or sidewalk edging can show you wildlife in action, as pigeons forage for food and male pigeons display, strut, and coo in hopes of finding a mate.
Artist Deborah Milton and I traveled to the wild islands of British Columbia to experience the habitat and life of the Kermode bear, a rare subspecies of the American black bear that often produces creamy white cubs. They are not albino; their eyes and skin are dark. This rarity lives only in this temperate rainforest.
The inspiration for book topics can come in surprising ways. When U.S. Navy Seals Team Six killed El Quida leader Osama bin Laden, the crew included a military working dog. When people learned a dog was involved in the raid, they wanted to learn everything about it–what breed, gender, and what work such dogs do.
Book reviews for At Home with the Beaver: The Story of a Keystone Species
This book’s text and gorgeous photos show how beavers create an environment for thousands of living things. Their ponds become homes for microscopic life, fish, birds, turtles, and more.
Here is a complete list of my published books, from newest to oldest, all the way back to 1973, when one color on a book jacket was exciting, and an occasional black and white illustration with lots of text was normal. How things have changed!! Made for Each Other: Why …
The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 explored the American West along the Missouri River, then over the Continental Divide to the Columbia River and on to the Pacific Coast. The journals that resulted provide lots of interesting information and stories from the journey.
“The Right Dog for the Job” follows Irah, a wonderful golden retriever who started out as a service dog in training and ended up as a Guide Dog for the Blind. I made many new friends, both canine and human, while working on this project.
