Jane Kurtz – författare

There are so many different animals at the zoo, and they each make lots and lots (and sometimes LOTS!) of poo.So what do zoos do with all of that poo? This laugh-out-loud picture book explores all kinds of zoo poo, from cube-shaped wombat poo to teeny tiny worm droppings, and all of the places it ends up, including in science labs and your back garden!Welcome to the wonderful world of poo! Take a whiff and learn something new...

Meet Clara the world-traveling rhino in this adorable picture book based on the fascinating true story of how, in the late 1700s, she showed the world that big animals aren’t scary beasts but noble and intelligent creatures.Clara the rhinoceros was born in India in 1738. When she was orphaned as a baby, a kind Dutch merchant took her in. But, as Clara grew bigger and bigger, it was clear she needed a new home. A visiting sea captain had an idea: If he brought Clara to Europe, people all over the world could see how wonderful she was!And so, Clara left her home, and she and Captain Van der Meer became a kind of family. They travelled all over by carriage, boat, road, and river. Clara met kings and queens, merchants and farmers, artists and scientists, and, along the way, forever changed the way people thought about her species and other large animals of the land, sea, and sky.

A happy-go-plucky rhyme adventure of chickens frolicking in an urban environment as they run rampant all around town!"Urban backyard chickens go on a madcap tour of the city in this rhyming romp. . . the narrative bounces off the tongue. The marker-bright illustrations are frenetic and filled with humorous details."--Kirkus Reviews"Hysterical rhyming book about chickens escaping from their yard. Funny shenanigans ensue with each towns-person and animal they encounter. This will appeal to lots of kids around here whose families own chickens!"--Buttonwood Books & Toys, bookseller recommendation"Reading this out loud was so much fun! The rhyming and rhythm added a musical element to reading the book. And within the rhymes there are great vocabulary moments, too! . . . The backmatter of the book gives information about keeping urban chickens and some fun chicken facts. It is a great way to connect the story to science."--Unleashing ReadersChickens on the loose.Chickens on the lam.Zipping from the yard,As quickly as they can.Chickens don't just live on farms--they're in the city too! In the store, on the street, they bring mayhem and excitement to all the surprised people. See where these mischievous chickens go in this brightly illustrated picture book told in verse. Also included at the back are fun facts and tips for the urban chicken farmer.

A happy-go-plucky rhyme adventure of chickens frolicking in an urban environment as they run rampant all around town!"Urban backyard chickens go on a madcap tour of the city in this rhyming romp. . . the narrative bounces off the tongue. The marker-bright illustrations are frenetic and filled with humorous details."--Kirkus Reviews"Hysterical rhyming book about chickens escaping from their yard. Funny shenanigans ensue with each towns-person and animal they encounter. This will appeal to lots of kids around here whose families own chickens!"--Buttonwood Books & Toys, bookseller recommendation"Reading this out loud was so much fun! The rhyming and rhythm added a musical element to reading the book. And within the rhymes there are great vocabulary moments, too! . . . The backmatter of the book gives information about keeping urban chickens and some fun chicken facts. It is a great way to connect the story to science."--Unleashing ReadersChickens on the loose.Chickens on the lam.Zipping from the yard,As quickly as they can.Chickens don't just live on farms--they're in the city too! In the store, on the street, they bring mayhem and excitement to all the surprised people. See where these mischievous chickens go in this brightly illustrated picture book told in verse. Also included at the back are fun facts and tips for the urban chicken farmer.

Exciting, productive connections with authors, illustrators, and storytellers are at your fingertips with this resource. Unlike other author visit guides, this book goes beyond nuts-and-bolts planning to how to create the best possible encounters between students and authors. Successful visits in real space and in cyberspace are described, giving you specific ideas of the many ways to connect with and create meaningful links between bookpeople and children. Choosing the right guest, guidelines for successful visits, making curriculum connections, using e-mail to connect with bookpeople, live chats in virtual space, taking advantage of ITB and satellite technology, and using such props as realia and curriculum guides are some of the topics covered. Lists of author/illustrator web pages and managed Internet sites for author interaction are included.

Award-winning author Jane Kurtz spent most of her childhood in East Africa. In Jane Kurtz and YOU, she writes about animal spotting on the savanna, all-day treks on a treacherous road, and periodic visits to the United States where her fellow students asked, Did you see Tarzan? Each chapter contains a section that focuses on writing traits and the writing process, unlocking the mysteries of how authors come up with interesting ideas, hunt for vivid details, use words with sparkle and pizzazz, craft sentences and paragraphs that have pleasing rhythms, organize in clear and compelling ways, find their writing personality, and revise for big and little changes. Grades K-6.This title features the personal reflections on Kurtz's books for readers in grades K-6; including insight into her life, her path to becoming a successful children's author and the back story behind her books. Kurtz provides many suggestions for ways to think about writing- suggestions for connecting her books to common traits of good writers. Award-winning author Jane Kurtz spent most of her childhood in East Africa. In Jane Kurtz and YOU, she writes about animal spotting on the savanna, all-day treks to manage thirty-two miles on a treacherous road, periodic visits to the U.S. where her fellow students asked, Did you see Tarzan? Each chapter contains a section that focuses on writing traits and writing process, unlocking the mysteries of how authors come up with interesting ideas, hunt for vivid details, use words with sparkle and pizzaz, craft sentences and paragraphs that have pleasing rhythms, organize in clear and compelling ways, find their writing personality, and revise for big and little changes. The book's many photographs offer fascinating glimpses into the experiences that shaped Jane's picture books and novels for young readers and that nudged her to help start the first free library for children in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia. Grades K-6.

Unearth the extraordinary contributions Mary Morland made to 19th-century paleontology by pursuing her passion in spite of society’s expectations in this “delightful” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) picture book biography with a question-and-answer structure perfect for reading aloud.While other little girls were sipping tea perched on their chairs, Mary Morland was given the freedom to spend her time outside exploring. After her mother died, her father sent her to live with a professor who taught Mary how to examine plants, animals, rocks, and fossils. She soaked up all the knowledge she could and captured her discoveries in her journals. Mary continued studying and drawing fossils into adulthood, becoming a prominent fossil hunter whose finds impressed leading scientists of the day. Eventually, Mary bonded with William Buckland, England’s best fossilist, over their love of paleontology, and the two got married. Together, they introduced the world to Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur that lived on land. At the time, William received credit for their accomplishments while Mary worked from the shadows. This book shines a spotlight on Mary, celebrating her irrepressible spirit, her unconventional life, and her endless enthusiastic pursuit of prehistoric knowledge.

From Author Jane Kurtz, winner of the School Library Journal Best Of The Year and numerous other awards. In verse, Oh Give Me a Home relates the story of a girl’s inside-out view of America as she journeys from Ethiopia, searches for friends and belonging.Kirkus Starred Review Booklist Starred ReviewSelected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Book. In elementary school, Jane knows that Maji, Ethiopia, cool and green, perched on a mountainside of waterfalls and monkeys, is the perfect place to live. Or it would be perfect if she had a pet or a best friend.Jane is full of ideas that include schemes for an animal to play with. A real pet, not the dik dik that dies, the monkey that tries to bite her fingers, nor the elusive cat that lives in the shed and has just absconded with her litter of kittens. But her plans are derailed as Jane learns she is to move back to America with her family.America and Africa collide as Jane tries to answer the simple question, “Where am I from?” Entering grade school in suburban America for the first time, will she find a best friend a continent away from her real life in Africa? Or is America–where she meets her relatives for laughter and frolicking and big holiday meals–her real home?