An Update on Maggie: Alaska’s Last Elephant

Author Jennifer Keats Curtis caught up with Michelle Harvey, Maggie’s Keeper, for elephant day. We thank Jennifer for giving us a look at Maggie’s new life on the blog today. 

Toka-Maggie-Lulu What a trio photo by Michelle Harvey 2021

Special thanks to Maggie’s keeper, Michelle Harvey, for providing an update on this precious pachyderm, who turns 39 years young this year!

Michelle continues to be involved with her beloved elephant, now as a volunteer with the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in California. During a recent visit, Maggie rumbled hello, and Michelle confessed, “Maggie will always be my favorite, although I love all of the elephants very much!”

Maggie(L) and Lulu (R) by a mudhole. They love mudding! photo by Michelle Harvey 2021

According to Michelle, every day, Maggie and the other elephants still lumber about PAWS’ natural, grassy, rolling hills. “Lulu and Toka are her best friends, and it makes me so happy to see them together. Mara and Thika are part of the group too, but these two go off and explore a different habitat.” At night, all five females return to the heated barn for meals, warm water, Boomer® balls, and togetherness. They “interact, touching each other with their trunks, trading hay and branches and trumpeting and rumbling. Each day, after time apart, they greet each other with excitement. This teaches me that there is always a time to celebrate!”

During her last visit, Michelle offered Maggie, Lulu, and Toka hay and alfalfa for a midday feeding along with something special—a little candy treat—and was treated to one of her favorite sounds, the elephants rumbling. Maggie carried her hay in her trunk and then stood right next to Lulu to eat. Even after working with elephants for many years, Michelle remains awed by the dexterity of their trunks. “They can pick up such tiny objects!”

As always, Michelle is grateful that Maggie resides at PAWS, “a peaceful place and the sun shines even in winter,” so Maggie will never be cold again. And, she reminds us all, “It’s never too late to do the right thing.”

Lulu (L) and Maggie (R) eating hay and alfalfa. Photo by Michelle Harvey 2021

Jennifer and illustrator Phyllis Saroff will host a virtual paint party for families at East Salisbury Elementary on March 30th. If you would like to book Jennifer or Phyllis for an event with your school or community group, email us for contact information at heather @ arbordalepublishing.com.  

To learn more about Maggie and the other elephants at PAWS, visit https://www.pawsweb.org/meet_elephants.html.

For more information about the nonfiction story of Maggie, visit https://www.arbordalepublishing.com/bookpage.php?id=Maggie.

It’s Hot! But Nature is Cool!

It’s no coincidence that we are sharing a book about summer on the Summer Solstice. That’s right, June 21 is the longest day of this year and therefore the day with the most sunlight. And what is the sun most known for? Keeping us warm, of course!

It keeps animals warm, too, which is a good thing when it’s cold outside. But what
happens when it’s hot? Animals can’t turn on the air conditioner or drink a cold glass of lemonade. A Cool Summer Tail explores how several animals adapt to hot temperatures. For instance, just like dogs, red foxes pant to dissipate their body heat because their skin doesn’t sweat like ours.

Did you know grey squirrels sometimes lick their forearms to cool off? This behavior has a similar cooling effect as sweating because when the saliva evaporates, their body heat is dissipated into the air.

Many birds stay cool by staying under the shade of tree leaves. This is one adaptation human animals can practice, too!

When the sun goes down at night, the temperature goes down, too. Some animals take advantage of the cooler air to find their food and move about. Imagine how our world would be different if humans slept during the day and were active only at night!

One way both humans and animals can stay cool is to take advantage of air blowing across our bodies. Whether it’s a lakeside breeze for a white tail deer or a circulating ceiling fan for humans, air helps dissipate body heat. While you are pondering this, make your own personal fan using the directions shared HERE by The Pinterested Parent.

Or make a paper plate mask of an animal featured in A Cool Summer Tail and encourage some pretend play. Directions HERE. While creating, discuss how animals adapt to summer heat and how these behaviors compare and contrast with how humans stay cool.

The next time you see an animal in its environment, take a minute to talk about how it adapts to the heat. Isn’t nature cool?

Carrie Pearson is the author of A Cool Summer Tail. The book is illustrated by Christina Wald. To investigate how animals stay warm when the temperature drops, check out another Arbordale book, A Warm Winter Tail, also written by Carrie and illustrated by Christina.

Plan your vacation around migration

Sunshine and warm weather bring the end of school daze and summer vacation! Many families are eager to pack up and vacation somewhere new. Are you going on vacation? Animals are also On the Move this summer and here are a few places to visit if you want to catch the magic of migration.

If Alaska is on your travel list, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to stop in June or July to view thousands of caribou. They spend the summer months raising calves and soaking in the sun before heading south to avoid the freezing winter temperatures.

Turtle tracks are an amazing find during early morning walks on the Beaches of the Southeast. In June, July and August, mother loggerhead turtles travel to the shore to lay their eggs before heading back out to sea. Then the little hatchlings make the long trip down the beach before diving into the ocean. While visitors are unlikely to get a glimpse of a turtle during the day, there are signs all around.

Head to the shores of Manitoba, Canada to catch sight of the rare beluga whale. In July and August these smiling mammals make their way to the Hudson Bay to breed. Then catch the salmon run in the fall, but they begin streaming to British Columbia, Canada in late summer. Wade into the rivers in August and spot the red-sided fish swimming by in small streams.

Although the elephant seals on the central coast of California perform their mating rituals in the winter, you can catch them molting on the beaches during the early summer months. The San Simeon viewing area is a great location to watch the large pinnipeds lounging.

For more amazing animals that migrate throughout the year check out Scotti Cohn and Susan Detwiler’s book On the Move: Mass Migrations. 

Book Launch Spring 2016!

It’s that time of year! Seven new books from Arbordale make their way into the hands of young readers across the country. This week we will be highlighting each book and their creators on our blog.

Before you learn about the inspiration for each of these books get to know the spring line up and pick your must have title for 2016!

Been There, Done That: Reading Animal Signs
by Jen Funk Weber
illustrated by Andrea Gabriel

Spotting wildlife is a thrill, but it’s not easy. When Cole comes to visit his friend Helena, he can’t wait to see all the wildlife the forest has to offer—and disappointed when all he sees are a few birds. Together the kids set out on a hike and encounter plenty of animal signs along the way. Through observation and her knowledge of animal behavior, Helena helps Cole learn what each of the signs means: something had been there; something had done that.

Cash Kat
by Linda Joy Singleton
illustrated by Christina Wald

Gram Hatter and Kat set off on an adventure. Gram quickly folds up a pirate hat and places it on Kat’s head and they begin their mission to help clean up the city park. Volunteering turns into a treasure hunt as Kat finds pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and even a dollar. With each discovery Kat gets a new hat and Gram Hatter teaches Kat how to count her coins as they pick up litter at the park. When Kat adds up her money, there’s enough for ice cream. Or should she donate the money to support the park instead?

Mammals
by Katharine Hall

All mammals share certain characteristics that set them apart from animal classes. But some mammals live on land and other mammals spend their lives in water—each is adapted to its environment. Land mammals breathe oxygen through nostrils but some marine mammals breathe through blowholes. Compare and contrast mammals that live on land to those that live in the water.

 

Midnight Madness at the Zoo
by Sherryn Craig
illustrated by Karen Jones

The bustle of the crowd is waning and the zoo is quieting for the night. The polar bear picks up the ball and dribbles onto the court; the nightly game begins. A frog jumps up to play one-on-one and then a penguin waddles in to join the team. Count along as the game grows with the addition of each new animal and the field of players builds to ten. Three zebras serve as referees and keep the clock, because this game must be over before the zookeeper makes her rounds.

Once Upon an Elephant
by Linda Stanek
illustrated by Shennen Bersani

From stopping wildfires to planting seeds, one animal is the true superhero that keeps the African savanna in balance. Elephants dig to find salt for animals to lick, their deep footprints collect water for everyone to drink, and they eat young trees to keep the forest from overtaking the grasslands. In every season, the elephants are there to protect the savanna and its residents – but what would happen if the elephants were only “once upon a time”? Read along to discover the important role this keystone species plays in the savanna and explore what would happen if the elephants vanished.

Sharks and Dolphins
by Kevin Kurtz

Sharks and dolphins both have torpedo-shaped bodies with fins on their backs. They slice through the water to grab their prey with sharp teeth. But despite their similarities, sharks and dolphins belong to different animal classes: one is a fish and gets oxygen from the water and the other is a mammal and gets oxygen from the air. Marine educator Kevin Kurtz guides early readers to compare and contrast these ocean predators through stunning photographs and simple, nonfiction text.

Tornado Tamer
by Terri Fields
illustrated by Laura Jacques

In this adaptation of The Emperor’s New Clothes, Mayor Peacock declares he will hire a tornado tamer to protect the town. After a long search, Travis arrives to fill the position and this weasel has a plan. He will build a very special, transparent cover to protect the town. Travis’ magical cover is so transparent that only those smart enough and special enough can even see it. Mouse is doubtful, but his questions are brushed off. Months later, the cover has been hung and Travis has been paid a hefty sum, but a tornado is in the distance and the town is in its path. Will the magic cover protect the town?

Find out more about our newest titles at Arbordalepublishing.com!

Get Excited: New books are almost here!

Winter 2015 marks many milestones at Arbordale Publishing, the first releases under the new Arbordale name, the 100^th book, and 10 years in business. However much remains the same as the publisher continues the trend toward nonfiction picture books featuring animals and the world we share with them. It is evident that animals will be popular this season featuring three books representing animals from all over the world with two books specifically featuring raptors.

Naturalist Mary Holland is leading off with the 100^th book, Animal Eyes. Her remarkable photography captures the distinct differences in eyes from insects to coyotes featuring information not only about the eye itself, but how the placement of eyes helps prey and predators in their habitat.

The second “animal” book continues the Animal Helpers series with Raptor Centers. Jennifer Keats Curtis has shown children the rewarding careers that involve rehabilitating, rescuing and caring for all types of animals. In this installment she features birds of prey and the special resources it takes to help feathered friends.

Finally, Animal Partners rounds out the topic with a book of poetry featuring facts of unusual animal relationships. Author Scotti Cohn uses humor to explore nature’s symbiotic relationships on land and in the sea. Shennen Bersani uses just the right blend of realism and whimsy to bring each poem to life.

Although dinosaurs may have been an animal, we are still learning about these creatures. Dino Treasures is a follow up to Dino Tracks, and Rhonda Lucas Donald once again explores the job of paleontologists through song. Because Cathy Morrison has never laid eyes on this creature she did extensive research before creating her illustrations and the book was vetted by many prestigious members of the paleontology community to ensure the most up to date accuracy.

Compare and contrast the characteristics of different types of clouds through vibrant photographs.

Compare and contrast the different characteristics of trees through vibrant photographs.

Author Katharine Hall tackled two subjects that are around us all the time in her Compare and Contrast series. Trees and Clouds are perfect for an early reader curious about nature. Clouds shows how each type of cloud is different and helps to predict the weather. While Trees, compares the size, stem and habitat of different trees throughout the world.

The season at Arbordale rounds out with two fiction books and two debut authors. Jaime Gardner Johnson goes to the farm with The Ghost of Donley Farm, but the animals you find there are not as expected. Children will meet Rebecca the red tailed hawk and Bernard the barn owl. The two compare their difference and similarities which Laurie Allen Klein illustrated in great detail.

Little Gray’s Great Migration is one of the only books in print featuring gray whales and new author Marta Lindsey was drawn to write the story after witnessing their migration one summer. The little whale shows off for visitors until it is time to migrate and he must help his mother make the way to a special food filled sea. Illustrations by Andrea Gabriel bring out the personality of the large ocean mammals.

Jennifer Keats Curtis rounds out the winter titles with Salamander Season. This collaborative effort with scientist J. Adam Frederick and illustrator Shennen Bersani highlights salamanders through one girls science journal. This father, daughter outing will teach children all about how salamanders transform from eggs to full-grown amphibian.

As with all of Arbordale’s books the For Creative Minds section is the perfect ending to explore each topic further and create discussions about the world we live in. The publisher also provides many resources for teachers at http://www.arbordalepublishing.com including standards alignment information, an activity guide and quizzes that are smartboard compatible.

The celebration for the new releases begins with the launch January 25, 2015. All Arbordale titles are available in various formats through local bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major distributors. Enhanced English and Spanish read aloud eBooks are available through the publishers website online or through Fun eReader® on the iTunes store.