adaptation

Jan Thornhill traces the history of this perky little bird, one of the most adaptable creatures on Earth, from its beginnings in the Middle East to its spread with the growth of agriculture into India, North Africa and Europe.

Fluent readers will watch some of the animal kingdom's most infamous attack methods.

What can communicate but has no mouth, and can attack but has no hands? A plant! You might love the beauty and fragrance of flowers, but plants are far more complex than meets the eye. Some plants have ways of luring insects for pollination. Others mimic the look of the female insects whose male counterparts they want to attract. The Venus flytrap eats insects and other small animals for extra nourishment. You might see some of these ninja plants with their sneaky and deceitful ways in your own backyard. These plants might even be sitting on a windowsill in your home. This fascinating world of ninja plants is waiting to be discovered. Bibliography, Charts/Graphs/Diagrams, Further Reading, Index, Online Resources, Source Notes, Table of Contents, Websites.

Explores some of the physical characteristics animals have adapted that enable animals to survive.

Introduces animals that have unusual survival abilities, covering the octopus ink screen, the Australian frog that fills itself with water, the horned lizard's ability to puff its body to twice its size and shoot blood from its eyes, changing color for camouflage, spraying a foul-smelling fluid, and more.

Describes several common traits that help animals survive, including fur, camouflage, and hunting skills.

Explores the various unique ways animals have adapted physically to their natural environments.

Discusses the unique characteristics of cacti, including their spines and how long they can live.