Lost at a highway rest stop on a trip to Maine, a kitten is chased by a dog, injured in a fall, and attacked by a herring gull. Exhausted, she is rescued by two innkeepers, who-with some reluctance-agree to take her home to Rockport. To this day, Pumpkin rules the roost at Strawberry Hill, greeting guests, walking them down to the water's edge, and generally entertaining both her adopted "parents" and their clients.

Sometimes, just sometimes, a human being and a wild animal make a special connection that changes both of their lives. So it was with Rockport, Maine's Harry Goodridge and the harbor seal pup he named Andre. The two became inseparable, though the seal was free to come and go as he pleased. (His floating enclosure in the harbor simply minimized his presence in skiffs owned by yachtsmen, who complained about his sunbathing in their dinghies.)

Little Loon traces the birth and first summer of a loon chick on a New England lake, ending with the loon's migration for the winter. Readers follow along as the baby loon grows and discovers the world around her. Along the way, they'll learn that loons are so perfectly adapted to life in the water that it's very difficult for them to walk on land. They only come out of the water to lay eggs, so their nests are built are very close to shore and are...

What happens to the denizens of the tidal zone when the sea recedes every 12 hours? This is the question that Hodgkins answers in a playful yet instructive way. Children are introduced to crabs, sea urchins, mussels, sea worms, starfish, lobsters, periwinkles, and other creatures that must adapt to constantly changing conditions. Previously announced spring 2006.

This book tells about Mexico's geography, government, economy, sports, holidays, food, and arts.

With their numbers diminishing, scientists are trying to solve the mystery of whale strandings. Why would the world's largest mammal do something that would most likely cause it to die? Around the world, scientists are trying to find the answer.

"When you gaze into the sky at night, what do you see? Most of us see only the brightest stars because they are the only ones that can cut through the artificial light that overwhelms the night. But up there, beyond the haze of streetlights and buildings, lies the Milky Way--our home galaxy. The words and photos in The Secret Galaxy allow young readers to see the stars as never before."--