Doug Wechsler – författare

Explores a question unasked by any other book for young readers: What can we learn about nature and evolution from the bizarre and exotic ways some animals have evolved to get life-giving oxygen? An inquiry-based book designed to stimulate active minds; a STEM standout from a celebrated nature photographer and writer.

There’s no doubt about it: Vultures are unsavory. As Doug Wechsler writes, “Thinking about what vultures eat is enough to make you want to throw up.” This humorous and informative book presents a balanced picture of these birds that, despite their lack of social graces, perform a vital role in their ecosystem by acting as garbage collectors.

From the opening page in which the reader is presented with a peregrine falcon dive-bombing a flock of sandpipers at more than 150 miles per hour, this dynamic book will grab and hold the reader’s interest to the final page. Students will learn about this predator’s history from its role as a hunting bird for Asian noblemen 2,500 years ago to its recent triumphant comeback from near extinction.

Red-tailed hawks can live almost anywhere and eat almost anything. This book describes the red-tailed hawk''s life span of up to twenty-one years, its habitat, and how and where to go looking for this beautiful predator.

The bald eagle was driven to the brink of extinction in the 1960s by widespread use of the chemical DDT. This compelling book tells the story of these amazing predators, accompanied by stunning photographs of the bird that is the symbol of our country.

Ospreys live on every continent but Antarctica and, as Doug Wechsler writes, “They make their living eating fish.” Packed with facts and action photography, this book will both educate readers and fully engage them in the life of this bird of prey.

Taipans are long, fast, and deadly, and Doug Wechsler brings them to life in this fast-paced and informative book. Students will love the brilliant photographs and the vivid descriptions of such scenes as the taipan “tiptoeing” through tall grass with its head and neck off the ground for a better view of its surroundings.

Did you know that the smallest rattlesnake (the pygmy), and the largest (the eastern diamondback) can both be found in Florida’s pine forests? How about that rattlesnakes’ rattles are made of the same material as human fingernails? This book is full of fabulous rattlesnake facts guaranteed to fascinate your students.

Students will love the photographs of researchers in South America draped with an anaconda in this informative book that teaches the reader about how the amazing boas reproduce, where they live, and how they smell, hunt, and eat their prey.

There are 30 species of garter snake, from Costa Rica to Canada. Students will find out from this book what eats garter snakes, and what the garter snake eats (sometimes the same thing depending on the age of the snake). They will also learn how and where to find these harmless snakes.

Where does the pit viper get its name? How many species of pit viper are there? Richly illustrated and full of detailed and engaging information, this book is sure to be a hit with snake enthusiasts.

Everyone can picture a frog on a lily pad, and no frog is more likely to be sunning itself on one than the bullfrog. But did you know that a warm, well-sunned bullfrog digests its food faster than a cold bullfrog, or that with its big mouth, the bullfrog can eat creatures almost as big as itself? Students will enjoy learning the secrets of the frog that has threatened other frogs’ existence.

Called "one of the small wonders of the amphibian world," the glass frog’s claim to fame is the transparent skin of its belly. Why the glass frog’s guts are on display remains a mystery, but students will come up with their own theories while reading this instructive and enlightening book.

Also known as the meadow frog and the grass frog, the leopard frog sports distinctive spots. Like the big cat, a leopard frog lurks in the tall grass, waiting for prey. But as Doug Wechsler says, “You would hardly think this is a dangerous creature, unless you were a grasshopper.” Beautiful photos and helpful hints will draw students into the life cycle of this unique frog.

“They are like jewels in a tropical forest,” says Doug Wechsler of the treefrog. Students will relate to the frog that lives in its very own tree house, and they will be eager to learn about the treefrog that “makes a kind of sound we try not to make in public.” Packed with exciting treefrog information, this book will be a popular learning resource.

Why might a wood frog be called a frogsicle? A wood frog can stay partially frozen during winter hibernation, then thaw out in spring to breed. This is just one of many unexpected facts that will enthrall kids and bring them leaping to the bookshelves to learn more about this shy creature that prefers living in the woods to living in the water.

What is the only snake known to have eaten a person? If you don’t know the answer, perhaps it is time to read this book. The answer, of course, is the python, a record-breaking snake that can grow almost as long as a school bus and has been known to live for 47 years in captivity.

Creeaaakkkk . . . CRASH!A mighty oak has fallen in the forest. But fifty years later, the only evidence that it was there is a dark mark on the forest floor. Where did it go? Author and photographer Doug Wechsler invites readers to dig into this biological mystery and discover the answer to the disappearance. Trees are the basis of a lot of life in a forest-and that doesn't stop when they die. Millions of creatures depend on dead trees for food and shelter. Following the fall of an oak tree, Wechsler explains how the tree is broken down by animals, insects, and fungi over the course of fifty years. Along the way, explore parts of a tree, insect lifecycles, and the magic of mycelia. And discover how rotten wood benefits the forest by providing essential nutrients for new trees to grow.

Creeaaakkkk . . . CRASH!A mighty oak has fallen in the forest. But fifty years later, the only evidence that it was there is a dark mark on the forest floor. Where did it go? Author and photographer Doug Wechsler invites readers to dig into this biological mystery and discover the answer to the disappearance. Trees are the basis of a lot of life in a forest-and that doesn't stop when they die. Millions of creatures depend on dead trees for food and shelter. Following the fall of an oak tree, Wechsler explains how the tree is broken down by animals, insects, and fungi over the course of fifty years. Along the way, explore parts of a tree, insect lifecycles, and the magic of mycelia. And discover how rotten wood benefits the forest by providing essential nutrients for new trees to grow.