Sandra Markle is the author of numerous award-winning books for children. A former elementary science teacher, she is a nationally-known science education consultant. Markle has received many honors for her series Animal Predators, Animal Scavengers, and Animal Prey. Several titles have been named as National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)/Children's Book Council (CBC) Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, and Animal Predators was honored as a Top 10 Youth Nonfiction Series by Booklist. Markle is also the author of the Insect World series and several single titles. Her book Rescues! was named a Best Book by the Society of School Librarians International and a Recommended Title of Outstanding Nonfiction by the National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE) Orbis Pictus Award committee; Animal Heroes was named a 2008 Lasting Connections title by Book Links. Markle lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida with her husband, photographer Skip Jeffery.
Each series title examines the unique characteristics and behaviors of an apex predator. Clear, lively language takes readers right into the predator's world with effective use of statistics, narrative descriptions, and analogies. Opening pages examine the particular qualities that make the featured animal a top hunter. Subsequent spreads take readers through a year or more of its life cycle, providing information on parent care, social structure, mating, and habitat, along with fascinating predator behaviors. Multiple aspects of predation are covered, ranging from hunting strategies and food sharing to the ways that parents train their young. Vivid photographs show the animals in their natural environment, with scenes of hunting and eating included. Some titles include a close-up view of a key physical feature, such as the teeth of the gray wolf. VERDICT First-rate presentations on a popular subject area. --School Library Journal -- (11/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)