From tongue-in-cheek sonnets to lyrical free verse, Susan Blackaby's poems explore the many kinds of homes animals make for themselves.

See the intimate lives of birds as never before! Laura Erikson and Marie Read document the family lives of more than 50 common North American birds through breathtaking close-up photography. Stunning images of hummingbirds, owls, tanagers, and more showcase different stages of avian development and capture the loving bond that exists within each bird family. Bird enthusiasts of all feathers will cherish these beautiful images of courting, nest construction, eggs, nestlings, feeding time, and much more.

Covers nest of bird species of all 26 states east of the Mississippi.

The nests and eggs of all the common birds found west of the Mississippi are covered in detail - 520 species in all. More than 400 photographs show the nests and eggs in their typical habitats. Descriptive text includes color, shape, and number of eggs for each species, plus information on nesting materials, construction, and dimensions.

One of the world’s great naturalists and nature writers, Bernd Heinrich shows us how the sensual beauty of birds can open our eyes to a hidden evolutionary process.

A lively, illustrated exploration of the 500-million-year history of bone, a touchstone for understanding vertebrate life and human culture. Human bone is versatile and entirely unique: it repairs itself without scarring, it’s lightweight but responds to stresses, and it’s durable enough to survive for millennia. In Bones, orthopedic surgeon Roy A. Meals explores and extols this amazing material that both supports and records vertebrate life. Inside the body, bone proves itself the world’s best building material. Meals examines the biological makeup of bones; demystifies how they grow, break, and heal; and compares the particulars of human bone to variations throughout the animal kingdom. In engaging and clear prose, he debunks familiar myths—humans don’t have exactly 206 bones—and illustrates common bone diseases, like osteoporosis and arthritis, and their treatments. Along the way, he highlights the medical innovations—from the first X-rays to advanced operative techniques—that enhance our lives and introduces the giants of orthopedic surgery who developed them. After it has supported vertebrate life, bone reveals itself in surprising ways—sometimes hundreds of millions of years later. With enthusiasm and humor, Meals investigates the diverse roles bone has played in human culture throughout history. He highlights allusions to bone in religion and literature, from Adam’s rib to Hamlet’s skull, and uncovers its enduring presence as fossils, technological tools, and musical instruments ranging from the Tibetan thighbone kangling horn to everyday drumsticks. From the dawn of civilization through to the present day, humankind has repurposed bone to serve and protect, and even to teach, amuse, and inspire. Approachable and entertaining, Bones richly illuminates our bodies’ essential framework.

The authors of It's a Chick Thing return, this time taking an in-depth look at what it means to have a personal style in the home, with tips on decorating, food preparation, and throwing the best possible parties. Original.

Deep in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas in a place known as Grymme Creek Hollow was an abandoned homestead. Abandoned did not mean it was uninhabited. It was abandoned because the original owner was long gone. The chickens left behind claimed the Homestead for themselves. A stone wall surrounded the homestead and the chickens believed this was where civilization began and ended. Outside that stone wall was the dangerous wilderness known as the Deep Brush. The homestead was home to a chick named Chick. He was named Chick because his parents were not very imaginative. However Chick was very imaginative and had a real talent for finding adventure. Aunty Hysidia, of the ruling Council of Aunties has accused Chick's Father, Walter, of stealing corn. A serious offense that is punishable by being exiled into the Deep Brush. Chick, with his friends Peq and Quinny, must prove Walter's innocence.

A major anthology of the "hard SF" subgenre-arguing that it's not only the genre's core, but also its future. Something exciting has been happening in modern science fiction. After decades of confusion, many of the field's best writers have been returning to the subgenre called, roughly, "hard SF"--science fiction focused on science and technology, often with strong adventure plots. Now, World Fantasy Award-winning editors David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer present an immense, authoritative anthology that maps the development and modern-day resurgence of this form, argues for its special virtues and present preeminence-and entertains us with some spectacular storytelling along the way. Included are major stories by contemporary and classic names such as Poul Anderson, Stephen Baxter, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, David Brin, Arthur C. Clarke, Hal Clement, Greg Egan, Joe Haldeman, Nancy Kress, Paul McAuley, Frederik Pohl, Alastair Reynolds, Kim Stanley Robinson, Robert J. Sawyer, Karl Schroeder, Charles Sheffield, Brian Stableford, Allen Steele, Bruce Sterling, Michael Swanwick, and Vernor Vinge. The Hard SF Renaissance is an anthology that SF readers will return to for years to come. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Eleven year-old sternman Josy wants red and gray sawtooth mittens like his lobster boat skipper, but the village knitter, Aunt Ester, makes him old-fashioned compass mittens. When their boat gets lost in a thick fog, however, the old-time mittens hold the key to getting home safe-there might be some magic knitted into them.