NEW LIBRARY ACQUISITIONS FOR MEMBERS' LENDING
February -- 2003

California Academy of Sciences Library

Books
Children's Books
Multimedia & Audio/Visual
Curriculum Guides

BOOKS

Pub F868 .S15 H68 2000
All the Wild and Lonely Places: Journeys in a Desert Landscape / Lawrence Hogue. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2000.

The Anza-Borrego Desert on the southern border of California is a place filled with a rich natural and human history. Both of the histories are explored in this book from Hogue, who writes of his personal experiences with the desert, as well as the environment, the native Americans who guided the land, and the Spaniards and Americans who have attempted to tame it.

Pub QL76.5 .U6 H36 2002
Animal Attractions: Nature on Display in American Zoos / Elizabeth Hanson. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2002.

This fascinating book tracks the history of the American zoo, from origins in circuses, side shows, and private collections, to current incarnations that include more natural habitats and conservation. Many aspects of zoos are explored in Hanson's work, including collection development, maintenance, and management, designs, wild animal trade, and more. Sprinkled throughout the work are wonderful anecdotes and explorations of societies feelings about zoos.
Extensive notes and an index are included.

Pub QL737 .C23 T47376 2002
Caught in Fading Light: Mountain Lions, Zen Masters, and Wild Nature / Gary Thorp. New York: Walker & Company, 2002.

Nikki bungaku, literary diary, is a traditional Japanese style of prose. The author uses this form to present his diary of a three year mission that started out as a simple attempt to see a mountain lion in the wild, his quest turned into a life changing experience that reinvented the way he saw the world.
Along with an index, the author includes a list of the books that inspired and helped him during his quest.

Pub SF538.5 .A37 W56 1992
Killer Bees: The Africanized Honey Bee in the Americas / Mark L. Winston. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1992.

Killer bees have entered pop culture in the United States, and seem likely to enjoy a very long stay. But what exactly are they? How did they get to the Americas, what are the actual impacts of their arrival, and what will we need to do for crops? This volume examines the biological and social considerations surrounding Africanized honey bees. By removing the urban legends from the equation, the author presents a much clearer picture of these rather misunderstood insects.
Selected sources and readings and an index are included.

Pub QL737 .C425 P48 2002
Sightings: The Gray Whales' Mysterious Journey / Brenda Patterson and Linda Hogan. Washington, D.C.: National Geograhic Society, 2002.

The authors, a Native American author/essayist and a novelist/essayist, have put together a book that presents the gray whales and the controversy surrounding them from a variety of perspectives. Each author has a distinctive style and is presented in different type to emphasis their various opinions. Profiles of people are included, along with natural history of the whales themselves. The authors followed and researched the whales for seven years before publishing this book, and their care and time shine through.

Pub QK149.6 .M2 M33 1979
Wild Flowers of Marin / Lilian McHoul and Celia Elke. Fairfax, CA: Tamal Land Press, c1979.

Designed for a non-scientist, this volume presents descriptions of the flowers present in Marin County. Each plant is illustrated with a description located right next to it. Although the drawings themselves are all in black and white, the book itself is divided into color sections. So when you're standing in front of a purple flower, you can turn to the proper section of the book for identification purposes.

Other February titles:

Pub QH31 .W2 S44 2002
In Darwin's Shadow: The Life and Sciences of Alfred Russel Wallace: A Biographical Study on the Psychology of History / Michael Shermer. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Pub QK603 .H79 1998
Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds / George W. Hulder. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998.

Pub Z733 .S67 S64 2002
An Odyssey in Print: Adventures in the Smithsonian Libraries / Mary Augusta Thomas. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2002
.

Pub QH506 .L443 2000
The Triple Helix: Gene, Organism, and Environment / Richard Lewontin. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000.

[Back to the top]

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Biodiv Juv S591.3 .B53 2000
A Handful of Dirt / Raymond Bial. New York: Walker & Company, 2000.

Without dirt, there would be no life. Beautiful photographs and text present information about soil in this educational book. Many aspects of soil are presented, including nutrients, animals that live in the soil, and more.

Pub QL737 .C25 J34 2003
Skunk / Lee Jacobs. Farmington Hills, MI: The Gale Group, 2003.

This child's volume provides a great introduction to skunks. Color photographas are featured, and the text provides basic information on what a skunk looks like, where they live, what they eat, how they live, and more.
A table of contents page and an index are included.

Pub Juv QB61 .M38 2003
The Space Book: Acitivities for Experiencing the Universe and the Night Sky / Marc McCutcheon. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003.

Interested in astronomy? Why not give this book of simple activities and fun facts a try? Activities include making a model of the solar system, a simple experiment that helps to explain how stars and planets were created, and more.
Easy explanations are provided, along with the materials needed for each experiment. An index and a glossary are also included.

Biodiv Juv QH87.3 .C65 1996
Squishy, Misty, Damp & Muddy: The In-Between World of Wetlands / Molly Cone. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1996.

If you see a forest that looks like it's growing in the middle of a pond, it's probably a wetland. and if you liked finding that out, than this is the book for you. Great photographs of wetlands and the animals and plants that live in them are presented with text that talks about the different kinds of wetlands and why they're important.

Pub QL668 .E227 J34 2003
Toads / Lee Jacobs. Farmington Hills, MI: The Gale Group, 2003.

What's the difference between a frog and a toad? Find out on the first page in this great book that introduces children to toads and their biology and life style.

Biodiv Juv QL668 .E2 S82 2002
Welcome to the World of Frogs and Toads / Diane Swanson. North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Whitecap Books, 2002.

Color photographs and text introduce the reader to the world of frogs and toads, including what they eat, how they move, and where they live. Interesting facts are also presented in a sidebar format that allows for a little more depth.

Other February titles:

Biodiv Juv Q124.95 .W54 2003
Ancient Science: 40 Time-Traveling, World-Exploring, History-Making Activities for Kids / Jim Wiese. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sonds, Inc., 2003.

Biodiv Juv QH541.5 .M3 L84 1994
Squish! A Wetland Walk / Nancy Luenn. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1994.

[Back to the top]

MULTIMEDIA/AUDIO VISUAL

Pub QL666 .C925 L378 1996
Last Feast of the Crocodiles. [Washington, D.C.]: National Geographic Video, c1996.

Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach, this video was filmed at the Luvuvhu River during an extreme drought. Because of the lack of water, animals that normally would avoid the watering hole portrayed in the film are forced to risk their lives for water. By the end, however, there is not enough water for anyone. Visually stunning, the footage presented shows interactions between hippos and crocodiles, along with the savageness of nature.

Other February titles:

Biodiv SB612 .P32 B76 2002
Brooms: Managing Invasive Alien Shrubs. [Kensington, Calif.]: Xenobiota Xposures, c2002.

Biodiv TP248.65 .F66 H37 1999
Harvest of Fear. Boston, MA: PBS Video, c1999.

Biodiv SB612 .C2 Y44 2001
Yellow Starthistle: Managing an Invasive Alien Species. [Kensington, Calif.]: Xenobiota Xposures, c2001.

[Back to the top]

CURRICULUM

Biodiv QK51 .S63 2001
Plant Lessons: Introducing Children to Plant Form and Function / Priscilla Spears, Ph.D. Conifer, CO: Big Picture Science, 2001.

Lessons are presented on Plant Form and Function on the whole plant, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Each section contains lessons and activities, along with the materials needed, along with suggestions for children's work.

Other February titles:

Pub Q183.3 .A1 E96 2002
Experiential Learning for Pre-Service Science and Mathematics Teachers: Applications to Secondary Classrooms / Penny J. Gilmer, Lori Livingston Hahn, and M. Randall Spaid, Editors. Tallahassee, FL: Southeast Eisenhower Regional Consrotium for Mathematics and Science Education @ SERVE, 2002.

Pub LB1585.3 .M334 2002
Girls at the Center: Girls and Adults Learning Science Together / Dale McCreedy and Tobi Zemsky. Philadelphia, PA: The Franklin Institute; New York: Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., 2002.

[Back to the top]

All of the materials above are available for loan to Academy members.

This page will not be complete until the end of February. Please check back for more materials and reviews.


 

 

 

 

Bibliographies

Biodiversity Home Page

Academy Library Home Page

California Academy of Sciences

Last update: February 25, 2003