Books published by Charlesbridge Publishing,U.S.

Dig these crafty creatures!We all use tools every day: a pen to write a story, a paint brush to illustrate a book, a fork to eat dinner. But it's not just humans who use tools. Chimpanzees often poke sticks, straw, or blades of grass into termite mounds to draw out insects for a tasty treat. Veined octopuses have been observed carrying coconut shells-they crawl inside them and hide from predators when they need a rest. A New Caledonian crow can even bend a twig with its beak to use as a hook to dig out bugs. Scientists don't all agree on what counts as a tool, but young readers will be inspired to observe the animals that live around them and how they use various objects to find food, to attract a mate, to protect themselves, or to build or conceal a home.Renné Benoit's illustrations get closeup with each animal, exploring habitats, the special problems they face, and the ways they solve these problems-either by intelligence or instinct. Tooling Around: Crafty Creatures and the Tools They Use is a wonderful introduction to the animal kingdom and the many different ways animals survive.

Spring is in the air-and in the trees! Spring is here, and with the new season come trees full of life, color. . .and blossoms! From the creators of Leaf Jumpers and Winter Trees, Spring Blossoms introduces readers to a variety of different flowering trees. During a stroll through the forest, two children come across the small and white flowers on a crab apple tree, the rich, red buds on a red maple, and many more. Along the way, readers learn that some trees have both male and female flowers-each with a distinctive appearance. Back matter includes extended botanical facts and more information about trees and their life cycles. Told in lyrical rhymes with beautiful linoleum-cut illustrations, Spring Blossoms offers a unique blend of science, poetry, and art studies.

"I hear a song sparrow singing from the bushes on the shore."--Henry David Thoreau, WaldenHenry David Thoreau was an author and naturalist whose book WALDEN still inspires readers today. In it Thoreau documented his experience living in a cabin on Walden Pond, reflecting on the beauty of nature and Mother Earth. Much of his writing, including WALDEN, propelled the environmental movement that exists today.Over one hundred and fifty years later, Michael McCurdy pays tribute to this influential figure and the historic place that inspired Thoreau during his lifetime. In WALDEN THEN & NOW, readers take an alphabetical journey around Walden Pond. McCurdy explores Thoreau's simple life in his cabin surrounded by nature, and highlights what has changed and what has stayed the same from Thoreau's time to our own. Readers discover the animals, plants, seasons, and thoughts that Thoreau recorded during his life on the pond as they gain an appreciation for nature and environmentalism.McCurdy's beautiful wood engravings illustrate this celebration of the joy, solitude, and drama of the natural life of Walden Pond—then and now.

When cars were invented, the US Postal Service said goodbye to animal-powered deliveries forever-or did it? There's one town in the States that still receives their mail by mule! Meet Anthony Paya, who leads a train of mules on a daily three-hour trek down into the Grand Canyon to bring mail to the townspeople of Supai. Full of authentic Western details about Paya's one-of-a-kind job and magnificent workplace, this beautifully illustrated journey will fill readers with wonder and respect for this unique American landscape. Back matter includes further information about the hazards of working this mail route and author-illustrator Craig Brown's journey with the mule train to Supai.