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Detector Dogs, Dynamite Dolphins, and More Animals with Super Sensory Powers

Illustrated by Daniel Duncan
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Hardcover
$24.99 US
7.25"W x 9.25"H x 0.64"D   | 23 oz | 20 per carton
On sale Sep 20, 2022 | 176 Pages | 9781536219128
Age 9-12 years | Grades 4-7
Reading Level: Lexile 1190L | Fountas & Pinnell X
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Meet incredible animals with all kinds of highly developed senses and learn about the jobs they do in this book full of amazing facts, cool science, and activities.

Fly alongside a photo-delivery pigeon, discover a honeybee’s electric secrets, and sail the high seas with a poop-sniffing dog detective on a mission to save endangered killer whales. All of these animals use their super senses, from echolocation to electroreception, to help human coworkers tackle real-world problems like pollution and global warming. Each chapter introduces a different animal, such as Cynthia, the pipe-fixing ferret, and Rosita, a goat who helps prevent wildfires. With bright and entertaining text alongside colorful photos and illustrations, this book examines how each animal’s behavior and biology makes it perfectly suited for the job it does. At the end of each chapter, curious young scientists are invited to explore their own human senses through fun guided experiments.
  • SELECTION | 2022
    Junior Library Guild Selection
An engaging survey, thoroughly documented and as ethically nuanced as it is lively.
—Kirkus Reviews

A perfect book for animal lovers, this narrative nonfiction book is a fascinating read about animals with super senses and how they can use those senses to help people complete important and frequently unusual tasks. . . the upbeat and entertaining text combined with the high-interest subject matter makes this book a great choice.
—School Library Connection
Christina Couch and Cara Giaimo are science journalists and alums of the MIT graduate program in science writing. Christina Couch writes about the wonderful weirdness of brains (organic and artificial), and Cara Giaimo writes about the amazing lives of animals. You can find their work in the New York Times, Wired, Atlas Obscura, NOVA, and other outlets. They live in the Boston area.

Daniel Duncan is the author-illustrator of South and the illustrator of Mr. Posey’s New Glasses by Ted Kooser, The Girl Who Could Fix Anything by Mara Rockliff, and The Purple Puffy Coat by Maribeth Boelts. Daniel Duncan creates most of his work in an old stable turned studio on the outskirts of London.

The authors discuss their book

Photos

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About

Meet incredible animals with all kinds of highly developed senses and learn about the jobs they do in this book full of amazing facts, cool science, and activities.

Fly alongside a photo-delivery pigeon, discover a honeybee’s electric secrets, and sail the high seas with a poop-sniffing dog detective on a mission to save endangered killer whales. All of these animals use their super senses, from echolocation to electroreception, to help human coworkers tackle real-world problems like pollution and global warming. Each chapter introduces a different animal, such as Cynthia, the pipe-fixing ferret, and Rosita, a goat who helps prevent wildfires. With bright and entertaining text alongside colorful photos and illustrations, this book examines how each animal’s behavior and biology makes it perfectly suited for the job it does. At the end of each chapter, curious young scientists are invited to explore their own human senses through fun guided experiments.

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2022
    Junior Library Guild Selection

Praise

An engaging survey, thoroughly documented and as ethically nuanced as it is lively.
—Kirkus Reviews

A perfect book for animal lovers, this narrative nonfiction book is a fascinating read about animals with super senses and how they can use those senses to help people complete important and frequently unusual tasks. . . the upbeat and entertaining text combined with the high-interest subject matter makes this book a great choice.
—School Library Connection

Author

Christina Couch and Cara Giaimo are science journalists and alums of the MIT graduate program in science writing. Christina Couch writes about the wonderful weirdness of brains (organic and artificial), and Cara Giaimo writes about the amazing lives of animals. You can find their work in the New York Times, Wired, Atlas Obscura, NOVA, and other outlets. They live in the Boston area.

Daniel Duncan is the author-illustrator of South and the illustrator of Mr. Posey’s New Glasses by Ted Kooser, The Girl Who Could Fix Anything by Mara Rockliff, and The Purple Puffy Coat by Maribeth Boelts. Daniel Duncan creates most of his work in an old stable turned studio on the outskirts of London.

Media

The authors discuss their book