Ann Downer

When a thirteenth-century wizard confronts twenty-first century Boston while seeking his pet dragon, he is followed by a rival wizard and a very unhappy demon, but eleven-year-old Theodora Oglethorpe may hold the secret to setting everything right.

Hatching Magic

During a dangerous journey through the Thirteen Kingdoms, a witch girl and an outcast stableboy find their fortunes intertwined with nefarious agents seeking a powerful Spellkey.

The Spellkey

What would you do if you found an alligator in your garage? Or if you spotted a mountain lion downtown? In cities and suburbs around the world, wild creatures are showing up where we least expect them. Not all of them arrive by accident, and some are here to stay. As the human population tops seven billion, animals are running out of space. Their natural habitats are surrounded?and sometimes even replaced?by highways, shopping centers, office parks, and subdivisions. The result? A wildlife invasion of our urban neighborhoods. What kinds of animals are making cities their new home? How can they survive in our ecosystem of concrete, steel, and glass? And what does their presence there mean for their future and ours? Join scientists, activists, and the folks next door on a journey around the globe to track down our newest wild animal neighbors. Discover what is bringing these creatures to our backyards?and how we can create spaces for people and animals to live side by side.

Sharing Our Urban World

Wild Animal Neighbors

Omar Rayyan

A Simon & Schuster eBook. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader.

The Dragon of Never-Was

When you think of smart creatures, animals such as owls, dolphins, dogs, and gorillas come to mind. But what about ants building mega colonies or bees reporting to the hive about new nesting sites? What about escape artist octopuses and jellyfish that use their eyes (they have twenty-four!) to navigate? Can insects, spiders, and other animals without backbones be considered smart, too?   We don't usually think of invertebrates, or animals without a spine, as being smart. But invertebrates can be astonishingly intelligent. These animals exhibit surprising feats of learning, memory, and problem-solving using their relatively simple, tiny brains--some the size of a sesame seed or even smaller. In fact, some intelligent invertebrates have no brain at all!   Scientists around the world are putting invertebrate intelligence to use in mind-boggling ways. Engineers are designing swarmbots based on bees to take part in search-and-rescue efforts. And materials scientists are basing a new, tough ceramic on the structure of a mantis shrimp's claw. In Smart and Spineless, readers will analyze key facts and determine whether they agree with the author's point of view of whether invertebrates can be considered smart. Author Biography, Bibliography, Charts/Graphs/Diagrams, Fast Facts, Full-Color Photographs, Further Reading, Index, Primary Source Quotations, Sidebars, Source Notes, Table of Contents, TV/Film/Video Resources, Websites.

exploring invertebrate intelligence

Smart and spineless

Presents an introduction to elephants, describing their different types, habitat, herd behavior, how they communicate using sound, touch, and bodily movement, and the dangers they face from illegal poaching.

The Surprising Science of Elephant Communication

Elephant Talk

When you think of smart animals, what comes to mind? Wise old owls? Problem-solving dolphins? Maybe you have heard of Koko the gorilla, who has mastered one thousand signs in American Sign Language, or Chaser the border collie, who recognizes one thousand names for her stuffed toys. But what about ants building megacolonies or bees reporting to the hive about new nesting sites? What about escape artist octopuses and jellyfish that use their eyes (they have twenty-four!) to navigate? Are insects, spiders, and other animals without backbones considered smart, too? When we think of intelligent creatures, we often think of vertebrates, or animals with spinal columns and relatively large brains. We don't usually think of invertebrates, or animals without a spine. But invertebrates can be astonishingly intelligent. These animals exhibit surprising feats of learning, memory, and problem-solving using their relatively simple, tiny brains—some the size of a sesame seed or even smaller. In fact, some intelligent invertebrates have no brain at all! Scientists around the world are putting invertebrate intelligence to use in mind-boggling ways. Engineers are designing swarmbots based on bees to take part in search-and-rescue efforts. And materials scientists are basing a new, tough ceramic on the structure of a mantis shrimp's claw. In Smart and Spineless, readers will be challenged to think in a whole new way about what it means to be smart!

Exploring Invertebrate Intelligence

Smart and Spineless

Caitlin, a girl exiled for witchcraft, and The Badger, her escort, journey through the thirteen Kingdoms, pursued by a mysterious man and tormented by Caitlin's visions, as they seek the Spellkey that will destroy their land's cruel rulers. Original.

Ann Downer

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