L. E. Carmichael – författare

From the author of the critically acclaimed The Boreal Forest, a stunning exploration of the animals that have adapted to survive in Earth’s harsh polar regions.

The Arctic and Antarctica, at opposite ends of the Earth, have much in common: bitter cold, ferocious winds and darkness lasting six months. Despite these harsh conditions, many animals have adapted to stay alive in the polar regions. This evocative and beautifully illustrated book from the award-winning team of author L. E. Carmichael and illustrator Byron Eggenschwiler explores how animals at opposite ends of the Earth survive using similar adaptations. There’s the arctic fox who is protected from the ice by the fur on the soles of her feet, the emperor penguins huddling in groups around their chicks to keep everyone warm, and the narwhal using echolocation to find a crack in the surface ice to breathe. It’s a fascinating journey through a year in the polar regions, where animals don’t just survive - they thrive!

Each spread in the book is devoted to a month and includes a themed introduction and two stories on opposites pages, one about an animal in the Arctic and one about an animal in Antarctica. Extra spreads cover topics such as seasons, winter weather and types of ice. The book concludes with a timely description of the disruptions that climate change is causing to the polar regions, and how this will have global consequences. A glossary, further reading, author’s sources, an index and ideas for what children can do to help are included. There are strong life science curriculum applications here in animal habitats and animal adaptation, migration, hibernation and cooperation.

For fans of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and Girls Think of Everything – as well as anyone who loves discovering unknown tales from the past – a unique collection of unforgettable stories about women who were denied their place in history.

Throughout human history, women’s contributions have been overlooked, overshadowed or outright stolen, often by men in their field. In science and engineering, this is known as the Matilda Effect, after the nineteenth-century writer and women’s rights activist Matilda Joslyn Gage. This groundbreaking book explores little-known stories about 25 women who were erased from history, including Hatshepsut, an ancient Egyptian ruler whose name was chiseled off walls; Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy, who coined the term “fairy tales”; and Milicent Patrick, who created one of the most iconic monsters in Hollywood. It’s a valuable contribution to history that sets the record straight, writes these remarkable women back into the history books and gives them the credit they deserve.

Award-winning author L. E. Carmichael uncovered the fascinating stories for this book through extensive research and has included some that aren’t available anywhere else for young readers, in print or online. A diverse group of women from around the world and throughout history are featured, bookended by two original erasure poems by the author that highlight the book’s theme of women’s work and achievements. Eye-catching portraits by Roxanne Rainville help readers visualize these remarkable women from history. This book has numerous cross-curricular applications in history, STEM and biography. Additional material in the end matter includes a note from the author and illustrator, information on how to take action to help end the Matilda Effect, a glossary, author’s sources, further reading and an index.