Caryn Lawton – illustratör

"The song started with an upward-slurred note at a pitch in the eighth octave, the extreme right key on the piano. Then, two higher notes came down in pitch, and two more rolled up and down, as if going over a speed bump. The tune lasted a second and a half and came again after a five-second pause. These liquid notes sounded like a waterfall, and I smiled because the source of the notes--a Veery, a kind of thrush--was the bird I'd come to Northcentral Washington to find."Tom Bancroft has an unusual wealth of scientific knowledge about birds and the Pacific Northwest. His education and professional career were entirely focused on birds, their ecology, and conservation--first as a research biologist and then at the science-policy interface. As a scientist, he focused on facts and left emotion and passion behind.Now, connecting science with personal observations, Bancroft shares from a human as well as an ornithologist's perspective, conveying the delight, healing, and passion that birds can bring to people. His essays explore species and places across the Pacific Northwest, some of them little known to even the most avid outdoor person. Chapters range from exploring the thrill of finding a rare bird to comprehending the incredible migration of a Swainson's Thrush. He describes how wild birds often helped him cope with life's challenges and rekindled the joy and solace he lost following a significant loss. His greatest hope is that his readers will also be drawn into the wild--to feel the wonders of the Veery, which flies to the southern Amazon for the winter, and to marvel that the Song Sparrow singing in their backyard learned its tunes after deciding where it would spend its life--that knowing these details would create a desire to discover more.

Passion is meant to be shared, and Dr. Elsa Kirsten Peters, better known as the Rock Doc, regularly conveys her enthusiasm for all things science in her nationally syndicated column. Now the curious geologist has compiled her favorites, along with a few new contributions, into Planet Rock Doc.With her wry sense of humor, personal anecdotes, and knack for explaining the complex in simple terms, Peters stretches far beyond geology to explore a wide range of topics related to natural and applied sciences. In the process, she reflects on the remarkable observations and inventions cultivated by great minds of the past. She comments on current debates, and she lends promise to the future, illuminating cutting-edge research. For easy access, articles are arranged by subject matter--geology and paleontology, energy and engines, food and agriculture, climate change, human health, biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, and education and history.

Butch, the beloved Washington State University Cougar mascot, just may be a superhero. This charmingly illustrated children's book lays out the evidence and lets readers decide. Little ones are asking parents to "read it again!" Cougar fans of all ages will recognize fun nods to WSU favorites, like Gardner Minshew and his mustache, and Andy Grammer's song, "Back Home.