Scorpions: Armored Stingers (Arachnid World)

Markle, Sandra

ISBN 10: 0761350373 ISBN 13: 9780761350378

Publisher: Lerner Pub Group, 2011

Synopsis

Watch out for those tough arachnids with poisonous tails--they are scorpions! In this book, you will learn how scorpions are similar to and different from other arachnids. Close-up photographs and diagrams reveal extraordinary details about the scorpion's body both inside and out. And a hands-on activity reveals how a scorpion's senses help it find its prey. Learn more about this fascinating member of nature's Arachnid World.

About this title

Review

"These volumes discuss the title animals' physical characteristics, life cycles, and danger to humans. Markle's clear and detailed narratives, along with instructive close-up photographs of the exterior and interior anatomies of the title arachnids, will fascinate readers and make them instant experts on the creatures." --The Horn Book Guide

--Journal

"This fascinating book starts out by describing the difference between arachnids and a close relative, the crustacean. Most arachnids, such as the scorpion, have eight legs and two main body parts. Full-color photographs make this book especially informative. Detailed pictures (such as those of the inside and outside of the scorpion) are shown. In addition, throughout the book, words that are hard to pronounce are phonetically spelled in parentheses. Interesting structures on the outside of the scorpion (such as the pedipalps, chelicerae, spiracle, and telson) are visually represented and described. These close-up photographs reveal details about the scorpion that are extraordinary! Inside, structures like the malpighian tubules, book lungs, and the hepatopancreas are explained. The book goes into detail about how the scorpion becomes an adult through incomplete metamorphosis. Self-defense mechanisms, armed warfare, they way they fight or flee, and scorpion babies are additional topics. Readers will learn interesting facts; for instance, except for newborns, all scorpions glow blue green or yellow green in ultraviolet light. In addition to all of the facts and information presented in this book, the reader also learns how scorpions are classified and the names of other arachnid defenders and what they look like. There is a glossary and lists of additional books to read and websites that contain more information. Near the end of the book, there is a scorpion activity for students to do. Students follow steps in the activity to get a feel for how scorpions detect vibrations through the ground and the air. All in all, this middle school book would be a great addition to any teacher's classroom library." --NSTA

--Website

"Markle follows her 'Insect World' series (Lerner, 2008) with a similarly designed overview of spiders, ticks, and scorpions. She presents a mix of common and less-common facts (not all arachnids have eight legs), and her commentary accompanies a particularly strong suite of illustrations featuring large, clear, labeled outside and inside views that display typical body parts. Photos go beyond the standard portraits to show, for instance, harvestmen mating and multiple shots of ticks feeding. Each volume also includes multimedia resource lists and a science activity designed to provide insight on the arachnid world without actually involving any live animals. First-rate." --School Library Journal, Series Made Simple

--Journal

"These books are very well done, with phenomenally great photographs. There are extreme close-ups of body parts: eyes, feet, inside the baby spider nests. There are many good photographs of spiders doing their daily spider thing, including eating prey or sucking blood out of their host. There are a lot of pictures of infant spiders. The books follow them through their life cycle. They also show photographs of the arachnids molting, mating, and maturing. The books contain small sidebars and cross-section drawings of each arachnid. Large fonts and few words on the page make the books easier to read. The book Ticks discusses diseases carried by ticks. Anyone interested in spiders and arachnids is going to love these books. They are well researched by Sandra Markle and the language is accessible to younger readers. Each book contains activities and More Arachnid Defenders." --Library Media Connection

--Journal

About the Author

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.

About this edition

• Publisher: Lerner Pub Group
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0761350373
• ISBN 13: 9780761350378
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 48