SNEED B. COLLARD, III Author
Click month to see events listed
Watch Sneed's hair-raising, spine-tingling entry video for the CBS reality show "The Amazing Race". While filming this video, they come across wild wolves and crazy dogs, have to slide down zip lines, and even face a man-eating crocodile! The video was so frightening that the Amazing Race people didn't even choose Sneed and his team-mate Bruce Weide to go on the show. How could the CBS folks have been so gutless???
Do you love nonfiction books as much as I do? If so, check out blogging from Sneed and other top nonfiction authors on I.N.K.--the website for Interesting Nonfiction for Kids. Each contributor posts once a month. Get real with nonfiction!
Check out this new interview with Sneed at the Wordswimmer blog!
Sneed B. Collard III is the author of the award-winning books Science Warriors The Battle Against Invasive Species; Shep our Most Loyal Dog; Dog Sense; Wings; and The Prairie Builders Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands, winner of 2006 AAAS/Subaru/Science Books & Films Prize for Excellence in Science Books. Sneed has evolved through several life-history stages on his way to becoming one of today's leading children's authors. His first book, Sea Snakes, was published in 1993. His fifty-second book, the novel Double Eagle, will be released this spring. In 2006, Sneed was the recipient of the Washington Post Children's Book Guild Children's Nonfiction Writer of the Year Award for his body of work. When he is not writing, he can often be found speaking to students, conducting teacher workshops, and walking his Frisbee-catching border collie, Mattie.
| Selected as the winner of the Washington Post--Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award for 2006 Winner of the AAAS 2006 Subaru/SB&F Prize |  | As you can see, Sneed's dog Mattie loves to catch Frisbees. The challenge is getting it away from her! |
| Honors News |
| JOHN ADAMS--OUR SECOND PRESIDENT has won an Honorable Mention in the Biography/Autobiography category of the New England Book Festival awards. more info click HERE |
DOUBLE EAGLE
by Sneed Collard, Reading level: Ages 9-12. Hardcover: 256 pages, Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (April 1, 2009)
ISBN-10: 156145480X ISBN-13: 978-1561454808 
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus ...While visiting his father on a barrier island near Mobile, Ala., 13-year-old Mike Gilbert finds a friend, a gold coin, lost treasure and more excitement than he'd bargained for. This suspenseful adventure opens with an introductory section describing the last run of the Skink, a paddle-wheel steamer escaping New Orleans in 1862. More than 100 years later, in June 1973, a salvage boat searches for the wreck just offshore, while Mike and Kyle explore a crumbling Civil War fort where they find a gold coin that might have been part of the load the Skink carried. Not surprisingly, the boys attract the attention of other treasure seekers, some of them armed. Although the setup requires some historical background and coin-collecting details, Mike's first-person narration moves along quickly, the action spiraling to a climactic confrontation just before a devastating hurricane. A final chapter a news story dated November 2009 allows readers to imagine a highly satisfactory ending. Reluctant readers carried along by the plot will encounter some interesting history along the way. (Thriller. 10-14)
From KidBits, the Buffalo NEWS This thrilling mystery starts in 1862 with me sinking of a Confederate ship, the Skink, off the Alabama coast. Despite rumors the Skink was carrying gold coins, no treasure was ever found.
Fast-forward to 1973, and 13-year old Mike has arrived on Shipwreck Island to spend the summer with his father, a marine biologist. A salvage ship is anchored offshore, reportedly searching for the treasure that was aboard the Skink. Mike, an amateur coin collector, makes friends with the teenage son of the lab maintenance man, and their explorations of the island and the Civil War fort there, lead to some surprising discoveries.
The author, himself a biologist, offers a thrilling mystery with plenty of surprises along the way, along with an afterword explaining which parts of the story were invented and which based on historical fact. - Jean Westmoore
Science Warriors: The Battle Against Invasive Species ISBN-10: 0618756361 ISBN-13: 978-0618756360
"The ants steal the show: super-close-up photos capture their swarming, maps sketch out their infestation, and a subsection details how the phorid fly actually emerges from the head of an ant. It's plenty gross and very exciting, but Collard makes sure readers realize it is not a laughing matter: invasive species cost us $137 billion annually, all the more reason for the back matter describing how readers can help the cause."--Booklist
"[Collard] shows how these endeavors just scratch the surface of a global problem and describes attempts by scientists and the government to try to prevent the transfer of species. The clear and helpful color photographs portray the scientists at work in field and laboratory settings, as well as the featured plants and animals. The final pages include steps readers can take to help fight invasive species and a call for more public funding to fight invaders."--Horn Book
ISBN-10: 158089125X ISBN-13: 978-1580891257
Teeth by Sneed B. Collard (Author), Phyllis V. Saroff (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Paperback: 32 pages Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (January 15, 2008) 
ISBN-10: 1580891217 ISBN-13: 978-1580891219
Humans and many animals use teeth to chew their food, but teeth are also used to attract mates and warn off predators. Science writer Sneed B. Collard III explores the various functions, structures, and number of animals' teeth. Includes a glossary and additional resources.
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews In this natural companion to Beaks! (2002), illustrated by Robin Brickman, Collard introduces types of teeth as well as the many uses to which they are put by wild animals, from stabbing or crushing food to displaying emotion. He also discusses numbers of teeth and how they grow, the differences between teeth and horns or antlers and the various places besides jaws that they grow in some fish. Supplemented by the occasional skull or inside close-up, Saroff's big, naturalistic head shots depict a wide variety of wildlife, artfully angled, often looking directly at viewers and, for the meat-eaters, with toothy mouths crowd-pleasingly agape. Dramatically illustrated and with information that is deftly pitched to the intended audience's level, this makes a fine choice amid the multitude of like-themed titles for either pleasure or purpose reading.
Wings by Sneed B. Collard (Author), Robin Brickman (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Paperback: 32 pages Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (February 2008) 
ISBN-10: 1570916128 ISBN-13: 978-1570916120
Birds aren't the only creatures that have wings-- bats and insects have them, too. Sneed B. Collard III explores the diversity of wings, the mechanics of flight, and the fascinating abilities and attributes flying animals possess. Intricate, vivid collages show the delicate beauty of each type of wing. Includes a glossary and additional resources.
| WINGS Honors |
| Selected as an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12 - And - Chosen as a finalist for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books. |
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews The creative team that collaborated on Beaks (2002) tackles the subject of wings. Beginning with a look at the many types of animals that have wings, Collard then offers some examples of the wide diversity of wing styles-differences in size, color and covering are all explored. He presents the dynamics of flight briefly, along with ways wings can influence an animal's activities and the many things animals accomplish by using their wings. The text concludes by comparing animals' wings to the wings humans have invented to achieve flight. Font differences make the text easily adaptable to many age groups-for the very young, just a short sentence, while for older readers there is an entire paragraph of information. Every animal is labeled, and the list of resources and glossary at the back will help children learn more. Brickman's awe-inspiring artwork was created by painting paper with watercolors, then cutting, sculpting and gluing the individual pieces of each collage. The result is an amazing feast of color and texture that brings the creatures to life and helps readers see how wings work. A must-have for every library collection.
Pocket Babies And Other Amazing Marsupials (Darby Creek Exceptional Titles) by Sneed B. Collard (Author) Hardcover: 72 pages Publisher: Darby Creek Publishing (September 2007)
ISBN-10: 1581960468 ISBN-13: 978-1581960464
Junior Library Guild Selection
Editorial Reviews
A star is assigned to books of unusual merit, determined by the editors of: Kirkus Reviews School Library Journal and Booklist. |
From Kirkus This intriguing, comprehensive introduction describes marsupials from the common Virginia opossums to the brush-tail possum, a New Zealand pest. In engaging, readable text, Collard presents familiar species (kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, wombats) and a host of lesser-known ones (bilbies, numbats, quolls, cuscus and the extinct thylacine). Along the way, he tells how marsupials differ from other mammals, dispels some popular myths and touches on speciation, classification and continental drift to explain how the many different species evolved and spread to their current homes in the Americas and Australia. His information is logically organized and supplemented with clear and easy-to-read maps and charts and well-reproduced photographs. With an attractive and functional design, this is appealing enough for the casual browser but also useful for serious middle-school research. The author concludes with chapters about threats to this mammal group and conservation efforts. He provides good documentation and suggestions for further exploration. ... splendid informational book.
From Booklist ... Collard opens with a personal story from his early teens, when he was given a baby opossum to raise for a few months. ... Related elements discussed, including fossil evidence, DNA evidence, extinction, adaptive radiation, and scientific classification, arc explained with the clarity that readers have come to appreciate in Collard's writing. .... Attractive, informative sidebars, excellent maps, and many clear, color photos appear throughout the book. Back matter includes annotated lists of recommended books and Internet sites, an extensive bibliography, and a glossary. Whether wowing readers with the mph of a kangaroo's burst of speed or describing wombats as "furry tractors with legs," this handsomely designed volume introduces marsupials with panache.— Carolyn Phelan
Flash Point by Sneed B. Collard Hardcover: 214 pages Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (August 3, 2006)
ISBN: 1561453854
After school Luther works part-time with a vet who rescues and retrains birds of prey but when he questions many of the community's beliefs about land use, he risks alienation from his friends and family.
Green Earth Book Award Winner
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
Editorial Review
From School Library Journal High school sophomore Luther, an ex-football player, finds himself at odds with his logger stepfather and his peers as forest fires blaze near Heartwood, MT. A hinted-at incident at last season’s play-off celebration soured Luther on sports and the party scene and turned former teammate Warren Juddson into an enemy. Now, Luther works for Kay, a vet who rehabilitates raptors, and his interest in the birds has caused his priorities to change. While many residents blame the fires on government policies restricting logging in national forests, Luther believes the issue is more complex. He and new friend–and crush–Alex, daughter of a Fish and Wildlife officer, create the Student Forest Society, and the teens are soon ostracized for their views. Tensions grow when Luther takes Kay’s prized falcon out to fly and the bird is shot and killed. Believing Warren is to blame, Luther starts a fight that ends in suspension for both boys. When fire comes to Heartwood, he heroically saves the birds and Kay’s house. While he recovers from his injuries, he comes to terms with his guilt over the party incident (vandalism). Luther is a sympathetic, believable character. Information about logging, forest fires, and birds of prey is skillfully integrated. Environmentally minded teens will appreciate this look at current issues within a coming-of-age story.–Laurie Slagenwhite, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI
Shep: Our Most Loyal Dog (True Stories) by Sneed B.Collard, III Illustrated by Joanna Yardley Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press (April 30, 2006) 
ISBN: 158536259X
Reliability, devotion and faithfulness: endearing qualities shared between people and their canine companions. Shep is the true story of a dog that became an inspiration to people around the world. Following the death of his owner in 1936, Shep watched as his body was placed on a train and shipped east. For more than five years, through rain and snow, Shep met every incoming train with hopes that he would see the man who had cared for him. Even today, people visit Fort Benton, Montana, to stand at the grave of a dog whose actions remind us of the true meaning of loyalty and heart.
Finalist for the Western Spur Award in storytelling. |
Dog Sense
by Sneed B., III Collard Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover: 176 pages Publisher: Peachtree (August 30, 2005)
ISBN: 156145351X
Paperback ISBN-10: 1561454605 ISBN-13: 978-1561454600
Both Dog Sense and The Prairie Builders have won
the 2005 ASPCA Henry Bergh Children's Book Award
and
won the Flicker Tale Award (North Dakota)
and is on the Charlotte Award (New York) Master List for 2008.
A finalist for the Treasure State Award (Montana)
Texas Lone Star List and the Keystone State Reading List
Editorial Review
From Kirkus When eighth graders Guy Martinez moves to small-town Montana, the only good thing is his new dog Streak, a border collie. At school he makes a friend, Luke Grant, and an enemy, class bully Brad Mullen. Luke helps him train his dog to catch Frisbees, but Brad has a Frisbee-catching dog, too. When Guy foolishly bets his dog on the outcome of the regional championships, he knows he has made a serious mistake. A veteran nonfiction writer, Collard shows in his first novel that he can construct a suspenseful plot and create believable characters. Some good things happen during the year: A cleaver teacher changes Guy’s opinion of English class, and he finds a girlfriend. However, not all of Guy’s problems miraculously disappear. His father doesn’t come back and his new friend, whose family was ostracized for opposing an environmentally unsound mining venture, leaves town. But Guy realizes that sometimes you have to accept that bad things happen, and move on. With a dog like Streak, he can. (Fiction 9-13)
From Publishers Weekly Collard (A Platypus Probably) makes a smooth move to fiction with this affecting first novel about a sensitive yet resilient eighth grader struggling to find his place in his new world. Narrator Guy and his mother have recently moved from California to Montana to live with his maternal grandfather. Still smarting from the loss of his father, who left home a year earlier, the boy also sorely misses the life he has left behind. Streak, Guy's frisky new Border collie, provides some solace, as does Luke, a classmate who befriends him on the first day of school, when Guy has a run-in with thuggish, tobacco-chewing class bully Brad. Despite Luke's friendship, Guy feels that being on Brad's "hit list" has alienated him from the other kids at school; in one poignant passage, he confides, "I don't know what the answer is. I just know I'm tired of feeling like I'm in a foreign country where everyone knows the rules but me." With Luke's help, Guy trains Streak to fetch a Frisbee in order to compete in the annual dog Frisbee-catching contest, of which Brad's German shepherd is the reigning champ. Young dog lovers will especially enjoy Collard's detailed accounts of the two competitions in which these rivals and their pooches participate, the second of which entails a decidedly drastic wager. The author provides further dimension to this strong story through Guy's rapport with his perceptive, understanding grandfather and the revelation of the issues plaguing Luke's family. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
From School Library Journal .... An easy read with believable characters, the story has enough action to keep reluctant readers interested.–Kathryn Childs, Morris Mid/High School, OK Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist ... Guy is an appealing, sympathetic protagonist, whose straightforward narrative describes the challenges of uprooting, making friends, and facing difficult people and life events. Try this with Bill Wallace's fans. Shelle Rosenfeld Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
Paperback (December 30, 2005)
ISBN: 1570913900
Hardcover: Charlesbridge Publishing (July 5, 2005)
ISBN: 1570913897
Share one of our planet's most dramatic events, the annual coral mass spawning event on Australia's Great Barrier Reef
On the Charlotte Award Master List for 2008 |
Editorial Review
From Children's Bookwatch - Superbly pictured in marvelous and colorful detail by Robin Brickman's cut-paper illustrations, One Night In The Coral Sea by science writer Sneed B. Collard III brings Australia's Great Barrier Reef to life for young readers ages 6 to 11. It is a night in the late spring just after the full moon and something is occurring that only happens once a year. Dozens of coral species simultaneously release thousands, millions, trillions of eggs and sperm into the sea. These then form new coral polyps that will settle onto the coral reef and form new colonies, extending the reach of the reef along the Australian coast. Enthusiastically recommended for both school and community library collections, One Night In The Coral Sea is an entertaining as it is informative.
The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands (Scientists in the Field) by Sneed B. Collard III Reading level: Ages 8 up, Hardcover: 72 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (May 30, 2005)
ISBN: 061839687X
In Prairie Builders, Collard traces the decades-long development and monitoring of the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, an ambitious attempt to reclaim farmland and return it to the tallgrass prairie it once was. The account features biologists Pauline Drobney and Diane Debinski as they work year after year to redevelop the prairie, even without fully knowing the complexities of the original ecosystem..... excellent photographs prominently feature the scientists at work ... and the sweeping vistas of the prairie in midsummer. The portrayal of a range of occupations with varying training requirements provides an appealing choice for children thinking of future careers in science and conservation.
Both Dog Sense and The Prairie Builders have won
the 2005 ASPCA Henry Bergh Children's Book Award
Best Books list 2005 - School Library Journal
Junior Library Guild selection
Best of Booklist
Best of Book Links
NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book
Winner of the AAAS 2006 Subaru/SB&F Prize
Editorial Review
From School Library Journal, Starred "The engaging text is accompanied by large, inviting color photographs. . . . An essential purchase for libraries in prairie regions and a worthwhile choice for others."
*STARRED* From Booklist In 1989 Congress passed a law setting aside thousands of acres of Iowa cornfields as a National Wildlife Refuge, despite the fact that there was little wildlife there. Determined to re-create the tallgrass prairie that has once covered large portions of the Midwest, naturalists and volunteers began the long process of bringing back the plants and animals that were native to the area. This wide-format book documents the restoration of the prairie ecosystem at the new refuge. Collard follows the project over a number of years, discussing everything from the reintroduction of bison to the annual Sow Your Wild Oats Day. He spotlights two particular aspects of the project: the ongoing challenge of finding and encouraging the growth of appropriate plants and the reintroduction of the regal fritillary butterfly. Through the book’s clearly written text and many excellent color photos, readers will learn not only about this particular prairie project but also about the history of America’s tallgrass prairies and the complex web of plants and animals in a particular ecosystem. The well-researched, beautifully designed volume concludes with a glossary and lists of recommended books and Internet sites. —Carolyn Phelan
A Platypus Probably by Sneed B. Collard, Andrew Plant (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4 to 10, Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (July 5, 2005), 32 pages 
Paperback: ISBN: 1570915849
Hardcover: ISBN: 1570915830
In this wonderfully illustrated picture book, young readers follow the life and adventures of one of earth's most intriguing animals.
NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book
Junior Library Guild selection
Animals Asleep by Sneed B. Collard III (Author), Anik McGrory (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co; (March 2004)
ISBN: 0618276971
The average human sleeps a total of twenty-four years over a lifetime. That's a lot of naps! Yet people aren't the only ones who enjoy a good rest; if you look around, you'll. find that all animals have a biological need for sleep. But some animals snooze in ways that we would find startling—if not absolutely impossible. A sooty tern, an island bird, takes a nap in midair as it slowly flaps its wings. A fruit bat gets forty winks while hanging upside down from a tree branch. A bottlenose dolphin can put half of its brain to sleep while it continues to swim. What other remarkable methods of sleep exist?
Won the 2003 ASPCA Henry Bergh Children's Book Award for illustration.
B Is for Big Sky Country: A Montana Alphabet (Discover America State by State. Alphabet Series)
by Sneed B. Collard III, Joanna Yardley (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: Hardcover: 40 pages ; Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press; (October 2003) 
ISBN: 1585360988
"The sky in Montana somehow seems bigger, bluer, and more spectacular than in any other state." Author Sneed B. Collard, III writes, "it's simply because our sky stretches over such an abundance of beauty." In "B is for Big Sky Country" readers will find out where the Going-to-the-Sun Road really takes you and what city the copper dome calls home.
Selected as one of four books for the Missoula Reads program to promote literacy.
Deep Sea Floor by Sneed B., III Collard (author), Greg C. Wenzell (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 9-12
Edition: School & Library Binding 32 pages ; Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing; (February 2003) 
ISBN: 1570914028
A Junior Library Guild selection
AAAS Best Science Books and Films list for 2003.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist One of the great frontiers of scientific discovery in recent years has been the deep-sea floor. In a brief, lucid account illustrated with many watercolor paintings, Collard explains the basics of oceanic geology, including crustal plates, abyssal plains, and trenches; the sonar technology and deep-sea submersibles that have made exploration possible; and the sometimes exotic-looking varieties of wildlife that have been observed. The short section on deep-sea vents and cold seeps offers a simple explanation of chemosynthesis and points out that not all life on Earth relies on photosynthesis. This section is a good example of highlighting a change in scientific knowledge that contradicts statements made in many older books that are still in classrooms and libraries. Wenzel's watercolors are equally effective in picturing the strange, deep-sea environment and in illustrating the specifics of geology, biology, and technology referred to in Collard's informative text. A list of recommended books and Web sites will lead children to more about this alien, undersea world. A glossary is appended. Carolyn Phelan Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
Butterfly Count by Sneed B., III Collard , Paul Kratter (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding Publisher: Holiday House; 
ISBN: 0823416070; (March 2002)
Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book by CBC/NSTA.
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews Butterfly fans will flutter happily about this tale of a child joining the annual nationwide butterfly census in hopes of spotting a once-common, now-rare regal fritillary. Identification guide in hand, Amy floats through the fields of wildflowers and high grasses that used to be her great-great-grandmother Nora Belle's farm, and is now run by a prairie reclamation project. She sees mourning cloaks and monarchs, painted ladies, red admirals, and black swallowtails-but not the fritillary that was Nora Belle's favorite. To Amy's evocative roll call, Kratter (A World Above the Clouds, not reviewed, etc.) adds naturalistic watercolor portraits, both in leafy natural settings and in a final section of captioned close-ups. Collard (A Firefly Biologist at Work, not reviewed, etc.) brings Amy's quest to a satisfying end in the old family plot where Nora Belle is buried-one of the few patches of prairie that has never been plowed. He adds more about the yearly Fourth of July Butterfly Count at the end, along with safety-conscious advice for young naturalists interested in attracting and observing these flighty wonders.
From Booklist When Amy's great-great-grandmother, Nora Belle, farmed the prairie, the regal fritillary was her favorite butterfly. Once one of North America's largest and most widespread butterflies, the regal fritillary vanished with its plowed prairie habitat. Nora Belle now lies buried near her farm, which she gave over to prairie restoration in hopes that the regal fritillary would someday return. It is to this restored prairie that Amy and others come on the Fourth of July to participate in an annual butterfly count. In startlingly realistic detail, Kratter paints the prairie fauna sheltered by and flitting among the indigenous grasses and flowers. His watercolors also convey the welcome shade from the summer sun, where Amy rests and awakens to spy, near Nora Belle's grave, the long-awaited regal fritillary. The various butterflies depicted in the art are pictured again and described at book's end, creating a mini field guide for readers. Amy's age (she's pictured as an older child) extends this story beyond its picture-book format, making the book well suited to children who can read and enjoy the story on their own. Ellen Mandel Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
From School Library Journal A gentle family story with an environmental message. Amy and her mother are taking part in the Fourth of July butterfly count on a stretch of land that belonged to the girl's great-great-grandmother and was turned over to a conservation group for a prairie restoration project. Nora Belle's favorite butterfly, a regal fritillary, is now rarely seen, but is the one that Amy is hoping to find. With the help of a field guide, she lists the numerous species she encounters and finally spots the elusive species in the family's burial plot, which stands on "the last patch of prairie in the county that was never plowed." Soft watercolor illustrations of prairie grasses, plants, and butterflies quietly illuminate this tranquil tale. Information about and portraits of 14 butterflies are offered at the end of the book, along with details on how to take part in the North American Butterfly Count and how to obtain a guide for planting a butterfly garden. - Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Beaks! written by Sneed Collard III, Robin Brickman, Illustrator. Charlesbridge Press, Fall 2002, ) 
Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing; ; (July 2002
ISBN: 1570913870
Paperback ISBN: 1570913889
Named a Junior Library Guild selection.
IRA Teacher's Choices selection.
Leaving Home by Joan Dunning (Illustrator), Sneed B., III Collard Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover - 32 pages (March 25, 2002) Houghton Mifflin Co (Juv);
ISBN: 0618114548
We all “leave the nest” eventually, and animals do, too. Here we follow different creatures from all sorts of environments as they leave home and venture off to make their own place in the natural world. Some walk (jaguars), some crawl (crabs), some swim (sharks). Some leave as soon as they’re born (salamanders), and others leave after several years (elephants). Albatrosses fly across oceans while hedgehogs walk only a short distance away. And songbirds even come back.
Editorial Reviews
Starred Review from LIBRARY TALK (Sept./Oct.) "All living creatures grow up and leave home to start life on their own, each on its unique timetable. This book provides readers with good scientific information on the habits, behavior and instinctual patterns of a wide variety of animals, birds, insects, ect. The book is well designed, visually attractive, written in sensitive, and, at times, almost poignant language. A book to appreciate on many levels, it should appeal to a wide age range..."
From Booklist Ideally, a parent or teacher would read this generously illustrated science book aloud twice: once for the brief, large-print text that runs, phrase by phrase, along the tops of the pages, and again for the more detailed paragraphs that appear below the pictures. Beginning "Sooner or later, we all leave home," the book explores how different animals accomplish this journey (walking, crawling, flying, swimming, floating on the wind), whether they know where they're going; whether they travel alone or with others, going near or far. In a series of richly colored watercolor paintings, Dunning portrays a wide array of species inhabiting a variety of habitats. Occasionally children might wish for a closer view of the animal under discussion, such as the coral larvae described as looking like space aliens, but most of the lively paintings are well designed to display the traits mentioned. Collard explores the concept imaginatively, writing with admirable simplicity in the short text, introducing children to more complex thoughts and vocabulary in the longer one. Carolyn Phelan Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
From School Library Journal This natural-history picture book takes a look at animal maturation. After a pictureless first page stating "Sooner or later, we all leave home," the top of each subsequent page features a large-type simple text telling the many ways animals do this. Watercolor paintings of the animals fill the middle of the pages and along the bottom smaller typeface text gives more detailed information about the creatures, including why and when they depart. Thus, the text along the top may have one word such as "hop," with an illustration depicting a rabbit family while the bottom text tells about rabbit reproduction and the differing ways males and females leave home. Occasional points are stretched to fit the theme; for example, wildebeests don't really leave home, they migrate with their herds. The chambered nautilus hatches, which is not leaving home in the way the other animals in the book do. Dunning's large, striking watercolors show each creature in its habitat in a manner that doesn't aim for photographic realism yet manages to include just enough detail to be informative as well. To underscore the theme, most of the animals are pictured breaking through into the pastel border that frames each illustration. This handsome book works both as a concept picture book ideal for a storytime and as an informational source.Louise L. Sherman, formerly at Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
A Firefly Biologist at Work (Wildlife Conservation Society Books) by Sneed B. Collard Hardcover (September 2001) Franklin Watts, Inc.; Reading level: Ages 9-12, School & Library Binding - 48 pages (September 2001) 
ISBN: 0531117987
Paperback (March 2002) ISBN: 053116568X
Lizard Island : Science and Scientists on Australia's Great Barrier Reef (Single Title: Science: Life and Environmental Science) by Sneed B., III Collard Reading level: Young Adult School & Library Binding (September 2000) Franklin Watts, Incorporated; 
Hardback ISBN: 0531117197
Paperback ISBN: 0531165191
Named to the New York Public Library's BEST BOOK FOR THE TEEN AGE LIST
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist The author of Monteverde: Science and Scientists in a Costa Rican Cloud Forest (1997) turns to another threatened habitat that is being studied, a reef community at Lizard Island Research Station. Collard profiles 17 individuals who work or have worked there, giving glimpses not only of the scientists' diverse backgrounds but also of the sorts of mysteries they hope to understand--from the behavior of parasites to the spectacular annual "spawn-a-thon," during which as many as 1,356 species of coral release eggs and sperm at once. The author ends with an ominous account of the tragic destruction of many of the world's coral reefs and a direct plea for more ecologically responsible behavior. ...... this is a readable, enthusiastic visit with the practicing scientists in the field; pair it with books like Mary Cerullo's Coral Reef: A City That Never Sleeps (1996), which has eye-popping underwater photos. GraceAnne DeCandido Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
A Whale Biologist at Work (Wildlife Conservation Society Books) by Sneed B., III Collard Reading level: Ages 9-12 School & Library Binding - 48 pages (September 2000) Franklin Watts, Incorporated; 
Hardback ISBN: 0531117863
Paperback ISBN: 0531165264
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal -Collard describes the work of marine biologist John Calambokidis, who began studying humpback whales off the California coast but expanded his investigations to include blue whales as he discovered their presence among the humpbacks. Although the focus is on the nature of the scientist's work, basic information about these creatures is also included. The different techniques of identifying individual whales are described and illustrated, and readers are given a chance to test their own powers of observation. Scientific descriptions are punctuated by memorable phrases such as whale breaths sounding like "heaving gasps of a steam locomotive." The full-color photos include exhilarating looks at breaching and other shots of humpbacks and blues. This clearly written title will be of interest to animal lovers, environmentalists, and children considering career choices.-Frances E. Millhouser, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
The Forest in the Clouds by Michael Rothman (Illustrator), Sneed B.Collard III, Reading level: Ages 4-8 School & Library Binding - 32 pages (July 2000) Charlesbridge Publishing; 
ISBN: 088106985X
Take a trip to a unique habitat--the cloud forests of Central America! In his previous journey, Sneed Collard introduced the water habitats of Our Wet World--a "Reading Rainbow" selection and an NSTA/CBC Notable book. Now he takes the reader to the mountains of Costa Rica to see the glorious resplendent quetzal, the fierce margay, the slow-moving two-toed sloth, the startling harlequin frog, and dozens of other colorful and secretive animals. They inhabit a very special place, a rain forest of the mountains--the cloud forest. This lavishly illustrated book takes the reader on an incredible journey to this habitat, warns of the threats to it, and suggests what readers can do to help or to learn more. A glossary, a list of suggested websites and books, and a map are included.
Awards:
Named to the 2001 IRA Teachers Choice List
Finalist for the 2001 ASPCA Henry Bergh Award for children's literature
Named as one of Booklist's Top Ten Books for Chldren
and Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children by NSTA/CBC
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist This colorful book introduces Costa Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest, which Collard discussed for somewhat older readers in Monteverde: Science and Scientists in a Costa Rican Cloud Forest (1997). Stretching across the double-page spreads, Rothman's beautifully textured acrylic paintings offer close-up views of some of the animals and plants living in this rich and complex ecosystem. Collard's text is as focused and colorful as the illustrations. Commenting on the forest itself as well as individual creatures that live there, he gives a clear sense of the diversity of life to be found in a cloud forest and the need to protect it. The book ends with a glossary, a map showing cloud forests in Costa Rica, and lists of organizations, books, and Web sites related to cloud forests, rain forests, and conservation. Carolyn Phelan Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
Making Animal Babies by Sneed B.Collard III, Steve Jenkins (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover - 32 pages (April 24, 2000) Houghton Mifflin Co (Juv); ISBN: 0395953170 
In this accessible and informative picture book, take a journey throughout the animal kingdom and explore the many ways animal babies are created. From sea sponges, to frogs, to tigers and dolphins, look at the ways animals find and attract mates and how the reproductive process works.
Editorial Reviews
July SLJ Starred Review "Good books for young children about reproduction are a rarity and are eagerly sought by libraries and parents alike. This is one of them. The dual text (one very simple sentence for the child and another more complex explanation for the adult that will help answer inevitable questions) keeps perfect step with Jenkins's eye-catching, colorful cut-paper collage illustrations. A variety of asexual reproductive methods, such as budding and fission, and sexual behaviors are described and depicted, as are embryo development and birth. "Human animals" are not mentioned. Some purists may carp at the term "babies," but it is perfect for the intended audience. An attractive, informative, approachable look at a delicate subject."
Children's Literature Review: This informative book takes readers through the animal kingdom and explains the myriad ways in which animal babies are created. It starts with simple water organisms that bud or split from the parent, or simply break off on their own. Collard then explains that most animals procreate by sexual reproduction and discusses how the sperm and egg are brought together to make the next generation. The book discusses the mating process, explaining that chameleons show bright colors to attract a partner, walruses fight with their tusks, birds build elaborate structures to impress a partner, and fireflies light up the sky. Spectacular three-dimensional collage illustrations bring the book to life. Especially noteworthy are pictures of a developing chimpanzee embryo and of a cat giving birth. There is a helpful glossary at the end of the book. Making Animal Babies is a follow-up to the acclaimed Animal Dads. Reviewed by Julie Steinberg. Copyright 2000 Children's Literature Reviews. All Rights Reserved.
Acting for Nature : What Young People Around the World Are Doing to Protect the Environment by Sneed Collard III, Carl Dennis Buell (Illustrator) Paperback (January 2000) Heyday Books; 
ISBN: 1890771244
What Young People Around the World
Are Doing to Protect the Environment
Pollution, overcrowding, global warming, species extinction--everyone knows the Earth is in trouble. Is there anything we can do? Acting for Nature tells the remarkable stories of 15 young people from around the world who didn't get discouraged. They saw environmental problems in their communities and found ways to solve them.
Award: |
Editorial Reviews
"The young people in this book are shining examples of what others, all over the world, can do." --Jane Goodall, Director of the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education, and Conservation
"The stories in this book transcend geographical, political, and religious boundaries. The achievements of these young people will inspire not only other youngsters, but adults, too." --David Brower, Founder of Friends of the Earth and Founder and Chair of Earth Island Institute
"By telling real life stories, this book demonstrates how each of us can play a part. It is both amazing and inspiring what some young people have achieved." --David Bellamy, Founder of the Conservation Foundation
1,000 Years Ago on Planet Earth by Sneed B. Collard III, Jonathan Hun (Illustrator) Format: Hardcover, 1st ed., 32pp. Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company Pub. Date: September 1999 
ISBN: 0395908663
Describes events and cultural developments all over the world 1,000 years ago, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
From The Publisher
At the dawn of the third millennium we know more about our amazing planet than ever before. But what did the world look like one thousand years ago? This eye-opening book takes readers back a thousand years in time to discover what was happening in twelve incredibly different civilizations at the turn of the first millennium. Travel to Central America to explore the great pyramid at Chichen Itza, witness the acts of the bloodthirsty and adventurous Vikings in northern Europe, and learn about the fascinating innovations of the Chinese during the Song Dynasty. This fascinating flashback describes how the planet has changed over the centuries and helps readers imagine what the future may be like.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist , August 19, 1999
As the third millennium A.D. approaches, kids may wonder what was happening on earth at the turn of the second. This book does a fine job of introducing that information, beginning with a list of facts (population, language, etc.) and going on to survey what was happening in various parts of the world. Each two-page spread begins "1,000 years ago in . . ." and goes on to chronicle in a bar of text what was happening in civilizations in various parts of the world. Among the areas chronicled are the Americas, Central and Southern Europe, Northern Europe, England, China, India, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia. The pictures ... add a solid visual dimension to the historical developments. The last page updates the fact list initially presented. Kids will see there has been tremendous progress in some ways, but not all. Ilene Cooper Copyright 1999, American Library Association. All rights reserved From Kirkus
'' ..... Collard captures the essence of a culture in a few brief paragraphs. .... this is a good introduction that will encourage more exploration.
Birds of Prey : A Look at Daytime Raptors (Watts Library: Animals) by Sneed B. Collard III Reading level: Ages 9-12 School & Library Binding - 64 pages (September 1999) Franklin Watts, Incorporated; 
hardback ISBN: 0531203638
paperback ISBN 0531164195
Discusses the physical features and behavior of daytime raptors, including eagles, harriers, kites, Old World vultures, caracaras, and falcons.
Our Wet World: Discovering Earth's Aquatic Ecosystems. by Sneed B. Collard III, Charlesbridge Publishing, 1998.
ISBN # 0-88106-267-7 (hardcover)
ISBN# 0-88106-268-5 (paperback)
"The magic of the underwater world comes alive in this pleasant children's book. From streams and rivers through marshes to the shore, each ecosystem is carefully described in clear terms..."--Independent Publisher, May/June, 1998
OUR WET WORLD was named a 1998 Outstanding Science trade Book
by CBC/NSTA and was a 1998 Reading Rainbow review book.
Animal Dazzlers : The Role of Brilliant Colors in Nature (First Book) by Sneed B. Collard III, Reading level: Ages 9-12 School & Library Binding - 64 pages (September 1998) Franklin Watts, Incorporated; ; 
hardback ISBN: 053120362X
paperback ISBN 0531159183
A fun look at the many roles of bright colors in nature. Features stunning color photographs.
|  Charlesbridge Publishing, 1997.(hardcover) ISBN# 0-88106-837-3 ISBN# 0-88106-837-5 (paperback) 22 of the world's strangest animals and how their "creepy" ways help them survive. Named as one of the 20 Best Books on the Environment by the 1994 Information Please Almanac. |
"An introduction to the terrestrial |
Starred Review. "Thanks to the impassioned pen of science writer Collard, this scientific Shangri-la comes to life...(Collard's) profiles, which follow the scientists as they scour the ground, watch the skies, and lie suspended in the forest canopy make intoxicating reading...The many black-and-white and full-color photos are a marvelous bonus."--Booklist, September 1st, 1997, |
Science Adventure Series
Best of the Year from Science Books and Films
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American Heroes Series
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| John Adams: Our Second President by Sneed B. Collard Hardcover, 48pp Publisher: Benchmark Books Age Range: 8 to 12 Pub. Date: November 2, 2006 ISBN: 0761421599 ISBN-13: 9780761421597 |
Rosa Parks: The Courage to Make a Difference | |
Sneed's school presentations focus on writing in the context of science for elementary and middle school students. He gives a maximum of three assembly presentations per day, giving different presentations for different grade levels. His recent talk titles include:
LEARN MORE ABOUT A SNEED COLLARD SCHOOL VISITS BY CLICKING ON THE SCHOOL BUS 
Teachers and Librarians interested in school talks only may phone or email Sneed at the numbers below. Because of the large volume of Spam and resulting filters, however, I strongly suggest you telephone me directly to discuss a visit.
Sneed Collard
My phone is (406) 721-2783 (Mountain Time).
or by email at collard@bigsky.net 
Please DO NOT give this information to students for any reason. Fan mail and other letters should be sent through an appropriate publisher, e.g.
Charlesbridge Publishing
85 Main Street
Watertown, MA, 02172.
To return to state page click HERE. 06/26/09 date last edited
