Three friends in the third grade launch a project to help people, but after talking to their adventurous librarian they end up helping a wounded manatee instead.

This is the first book to examine children's many connections to animals and to explore their developmental significance. Gail Melson looks not only at the therapeutic power of pet-owning for children with emotional or physical handicaps, but also the ways in which zoo and farm animals, and even certain television characters, become confidants or teachers for children--and sometimes, tragically, their victims.

Statistical Rethinking: A Bayesian Course with Examples in R and Stan builds readers’ knowledge of and confidence in statistical modeling. Reflecting the need for even minor programming in today’s model-based statistics, the book pushes readers to perform step-by-step calculations that are usually automated. This unique computational approach ensures that readers understand enough of the details to make reasonable choices and interpretations in their own modeling work. The text presents generalized linear multilevel models from a Bayesian perspective, relying on a simple logical interpretation of Bayesian probability and maximum entropy. It covers from the basics of regression to multilevel models. The author also discusses measurement error, missing data, and Gaussian process models for spatial and network autocorrelation. By using complete R code examples throughout, this book provides a practical foundation for performing statistical inference. Designed for both PhD students and seasoned professionals in the natural and social sciences, it prepares them for more advanced or specialized statistical modeling. Web Resource The book is accompanied by an R package (rethinking) that is available on the author’s website and GitHub. The two core functions (map and map2stan) of this package allow a variety of statistical models to be constructed from standard model formulas.

"Here's a delightful little book to warm the hearts of young children and teach them how to experience the joy of giving and receiving. Just think of all the little buckets this book will fill with love and encouragement." - Dr. Kevin Leman, author of Have a New Kid by Friday While using a simple metaphor of a bucket for happiness, authors Carol McCloud and Katherine Martin, M.A. show young children how our positive behavior and interactions increase happiness. This sweet book shows how we can fill each other's buckets by being kind, loving, and caring. It also teaches the importance of filling other people's buckets as well as our own. Fill a Bucket is perfect for children, parents, grandparents, teachers and people who want to teach empathy, nurture kindness, and create a positive environment in their home, classroom, and community. Fill a Bucket is a successful followup to the bestselling book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? (3 million copies sold worldwide!) Fill a Bucket introduces the bucket filling concept in simple ways that makes it easy to understand for younger children. &​ Publications by Bucket Fillers: ·Have You Filled a Bucket Today? ·Fill a Bucket ·Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness ·My Bucketfilling Journal ·Will You Fill My Bucket? ·Bucket Filling from A to Z ·Bucket Filling from A to Z Poster Set ·My Very Own Bucket Filling from A to Z Coloring Book ·BABY'S BUCKET Book ·Buckets, Dippers, and Lids