Wendy Pfeffer
Author
Wendy Pfeffer, award winning author of many children's books, has also written WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS: GETTING STARTED, for adults. She has taught elementary school, directed a nursery school and led adult classes in writing. She especially enjoys visiting schools, teaching writing workshops and leading interactive presentations with children.
Wendy lives in Pennington, New Jersey and is available to visit your school to help children discover the joy of writing. By sharing real life experiences, she hopes these entertaining and informative tales will inspire the children to write, too..
Wendy's books shown below may be ordered from the following internet sources "Amazon.com by clicking the "Order" button or www.indiebound.org (go to the right, click on 'find bookstores' then click 'search'). Locally you may find Wendy's books at Borders and Barnes and Noble.
Published Books
A Log's Life
by Wendy Pfeffer, Robin Brickman (Illustrator), Stephanie Lurie (Editor) Reading level: All Ages School & Library Binding - 32 pages (September 1997) Simon & Schuster (Juv);
ISBN: 0689806361
Paperback Publisher: Aladdin
ISBN-10: 1416934839 ISBN-13: 978-1416934837 ![]()
After an oak tree falls in the forest, it has another life as home to a variety of creatures. As it decays over time, it provides food and shelter to porcupines, ants, mushrooms, salamanders, and many others, until it eventually turns into a mound of rich black earth. Very young children love spotting the animals as they learn about the life cycle of a tree. Full color.
*AWARDS* OUTSTANDING SCIENCE TRADE BOOK FOR CHILDREN 1998 and Named SELECTOR'S CHOICE 1997 GOLD MEDAL FOR PAPER CULTURE Society of Illustrators for their 1997 ORIGINAL ART SHOW in New York City American Bookseller's "Pick of the Lists,' Fall, 1997 THE JOHN BURROUGHS LIST OF NATURE BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS 1997, The Giverny Award, and international award - "Best Children's Science Picture Book" for 2000 PARENT'S CHOICE SEAL OF APPROVAL
SEASONAL BOOKS |
ISBN: 0525469680 The beginning of winter is marked by the solstice, the shortest day of the year. Long ago, people grew afraid when each day had fewer hours of sunshine than the day before. Over time, they realized that one day each year the sun started moving toward them again. In lyrical prose and cozy illustrations, this book explains what the winter solstice is and how it has been observed by various cultures throughout history. Many contemporary holiday traditions were borrowed from ancient solstice celebrations. Simple science activities, ideas for celebrating the day in school and at home, and a further-reading list are included.
Voted "Best of the Best" book by Chicago Library, 2004
Editorial Reviews
ISBN-10: 0525478744 ISBN-13: 978-0525478744
The spring equinox signals the time of year when the days are getting longer, the growing season has begun, and animals give birth to their young. With accessible, lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, this book explains the science behind spring and shows how the annual rebirth of Earth has been celebrated by various cultures throughout the ages and the world. Teachers will appreciate the simple science, the multicultural history, and the hands-on activities in this book. Parents and librarians will enjoy sharing it with children at Easter and Passover time.
We Gather Together - Celebrating the Harvest Season
by Wendy Pfeffer, Linda Bleck (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 40 pages Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (August 17, 2006)
The fall equinox signals the time of year when we gather our harvests and give thanks for their bounty. With accessible, lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, this nonfiction picture book explains the science behind autumn and the social history of harvest-time celebrations. We Gather Together presents a remarkable range of cultural traditions throughout the ages and the world, many of which have influenced our contemporary Thanksgiving holiday. Simple science activities, ideas for celebrating in school and at home, and a further reading list are included in the back of the book.
Editorial Reviews
Coming out in May
LETS READ AND FIND OUT Science Books
Coral reefs are beautiful underwater cities that bustle with excitement and activity. From clown fish to spiny lobsters, hundreds of plants and animals live on coral reefs, making them one of nature's greatest treasures. What happens during a typical day in these marine metropolises? Read and find out How does a tadpole become a frog? Awarded the Parent's Choice Seal of Approval, this Stage 1 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science book explores this amazing metamorphosis. Now, children can take their first leap into the wonders of the natural world as they read, listen, and learn with this full-color book and cassette package. *AWARDS* PICK OF THE LIST' by American Bookseller magazine 1996 PARENT'S CHOICE SEAL OF APPROVAL *AWARDS* Pick Of The List by American Bookseller magazine, 1996 Named on of the Children's Books of the Year, by the Child Study Children's Book Comm. 1997 Editorial Reviews From Booklist, March 15, 1996 How pet goldfish feed, breathe, swim, and rest in water is the focus of this lively Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science book. Large, clear, labeled pictures in pen-and-ink, watercolor, and pastel and a simple, informative text explain how scales and slime keep fish healthy, how their sleek shapes help them swim, what it means to be cold-blooded, etc. There's some general information at the beginning about fish in lakes and ponds, and one double-page spread shows them in the sea, but the focus is on caring for a pet goldfish. The final instructions for setting up a goldfish bowl are straightforward and practical. The book design is open and inviting, and Keller's brilliantly colored fish swim through pages washed in aquatic blue and green. Hazel Rochman Copyright 1996, American Library Association. All rights reserved From Horn Book. Customer Reviews Wendy Pfeffer has a talent for making difficult science concepts understandable to young children. This is a lively and very kid-friendly book with cheerful illustrations that kids will enjoy and learn from. Deep underground and on the surface, worms are hard at work! Worms work like little plows, burrowing through soil by swallowing it. As they make their way through the dirt, worms loosen the soil so roots can spread and grow. Worms eat the bits of leaves and plants mixed with the dirt and leave behind castings that feed the plants. Find out how worms help us as they wiggle their way underground. Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal ...The well-organized text explains how worms improve the quality of soil and covers the basics about the animal's body structure, movement, diet, and reproduction. The writing is clear and engaging; in one instance, Pfeffer compares the segments on a worm's body to "the coils on a Slinky toy." .... the collage artwork is visually appealing...The book ends with suggestions for examining a worm in the field and a science-fair-type project using castings. --Jean Lowery, Bishop Woods Elementary School, New Haven, CT Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist From the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series, this book provides a good introduction to a familiar animal: the earthworm. Pfeffer discusses the worm's habits, anatomy, locomotion, food, and life cycles, as well as explaining the importance of castings and tunneling in maintaining soil richness, moisture, and aeration. The final two pages encourage children to explore earthworms on their own by closely observing a worm and a tunnel entrance and by planting seeds in ordinary soil. From School Library Journal Another entry in the popular and useful science series, this title explains in simple, clear language the stages in the development of a seed into a pumpkin. A couple of easy recipes and experiments are appended. Appealing watercolor-and-pencil illustrations show children involved in planting and tending the pumpkins, and help make the process and the passage of time understandable to this audience.Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist This satisfying volume from the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out series tells and shows how a pumpkin plant grows. With a level of detail that seems just right for young children, the text clearly presents how the plant develops from seed to mature pumpkin as well as how it obtains and distributes water and nutrients. Pfeffer uses plain English rather than specialized terminology, explaining processes with precision while keeping the text accessible to her audience. ... the artwork features three children who join (the farmer) to drop seeds into the ground, water them, and observe the plants as they grow. Their cheerful presence adds to the appeal of the illustrations, which are precise, pleasing drawings tinted with sunlit colors. The last two pages give instructions for two activities, "Roasted Pumpkin Seeds" and "How Plants Drink Water." An excellent introduction to plant development in general and pumpkins in particular. Carolyn Phelan Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved Editorial Reviews From Kirkus Reviews, This appealing title .... provides a simple explanation of sounds and hearing. Beginning with snaps, claps, and whistles, Pfeffer describes how sound waves vibrate through the air, and how tiny bones in the ear vibrate. She also explains how animals hear, from bats and echolocation to whales using sound waves to locate their young in the ocean, and notes that sound waves travel through the solid ground as well as air and water. Keller's charming illustrations show very young children .... with its suggestions for activities and clear language, it's a welcome addition to the series. -- Copyright 1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All Rights Reserved. OTHER TITLES by Wendy Pfeffer (author). Elaines Verstraeta (illustrator) Reading Level: Ages 4-8 Library Binding: 48 pages Publisher: Millbrook Press (December 2007) More than anything, Rem Goldin wants to fight the British in the American Revolution. His father and the other men of Sites Point, New Jersey, have all left town to join the fighting. But ten-year-old Rem is too young to go with the men. Disappointed, he climbs up Foxborough Hill to look out over the ocean. What is that murky shape he sees through the fog? Could it be a British warship? Can Rem find a way to save his town? Editorial Reviews From KISS Posted by Cindy Mitchell ....Rem is too young to join his soldier father during the American Revolution. Instead he must stay at home. When he runs to check the town cannon one day, he spots boatloads of British soldiers. With the help of some of the town women, they light the cannon, but Rem must come up with a special trick in order to save the town. Rem's story is a good early reader in history. To order the Mondo books below CREATURES IN WHITE SERIES LIVING ON THE EDGE SERIES Strikingly photographed, this series takes readers to the far reaches of the Earth. Using clear, concise language readily accessible to budding naturalists, it introduces them to the world's harshest terrain's and hardiest inhabitants, offering fascinating facts about animal physiology, behavior and survival strategies. (June 1995) Silver Press; *AWARDS* Editorial Reviews From The Horn Book, ADULT BOOK Writing Children's Books: Getting Started Available for $54.95 plus $4.50 shipping from: Wendy Pfeffer has combined forty years of teaching experience with the knowledge of what it takes to become a published author to create WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS: GETTING STARTED. It is not just another "how-to" book for budding authors; rather, it is a course. Through the use of an audio-cassette and a workbook, you will be guided through the process of creating a children's book... from generating the idea to submitting your completed manuscript to a publisher. Wendy has taught this course and several of her students have become published authors. Other Titles ALL ABOUT ME, First Teacher, 1990 THE WORLD OF NATURE, First Teacher,/p> Coming Soon! Wendy shows how her work progresses from the idea, manuscript, galleys, artist's sketches, press sheets and F&G's to a finished book. Wendy also leads narrative non-fiction workshops in some grades and guides the children to write a story in that genre. Her Professional Fee is $1100.00 a day. Over 50 miles $1400.00 a day (plus air travel and hotel for overnight trips) Schools respond to Wendy's presentations: "I was amazed at how weil she presented to the kindergarteners. They were captivated! Although many authors can write well for young readers, they cannot all PRESENT well to young readers. She is phenomenal at both! Her classroom management skills were excellent as well! She met with our first to fifth graders. Her presentations and book selections were geared toward each grade level/reading level. ALL of the students K-5 enjoyed her visit and learned from her presentation. I'd love to have her come back next year" Hamilton, NJ On behalf of the staff and students ... I want to thank you for a memorable day. This was the first author visit for our school, and you have set a precedent that will be difficult to match. You were so gracious and accommodating with your time and schedule. What impressed us most was the manner in which you related to our students! The staff also enjoyed visiting with you and your ability to share stories with them.
Life in a Coral Reef
by Wendy Pfeffer (author),Steve Jenkins (Illustrator), Paperback: 40 pages, Publisher: HarperCollins (2009)
ISBN-10 0064452220 ISBN-13: 978-0064452229
From Tadpole to Frog
by Wendy Pfeffer, Holly Keller (Illustrator), Peter Lerangis (Narrator), Ages 4 to 8 32 pages HarperTrophy
Paperback ISBN: 0064451232
Paperback & Cassette ISBN: 0694700460
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Editorial Reviews
BEST CHILDREN'S SCIENCE BOOKS OF 1994 in the Science & Films magazine
From Horn Book This lovely introduction sketches the most basic aspects of frog life -- the laying and hatching of eggs, the stages of growth, eating and the danger of being eaten, and hibernation. Pleasing views of plants and animals sharing the pond environment are rendered in bold economy. The text's clarity and shape make the book an inviting read-aloud science lesson. -- Copyright 1994 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.From School Library Journal An introduction to the life cycle of frogs, with additional facts about individual species on the last two pages. Sentences are simple, with questions and exclamations to help break up the informative text. Keller's clean, clear watercolor illustrations, similar in style to those of Nancy Tafuri, show a variety of pond animals and plant life through the seasons. Other books on this topic are generally geared to older readers, making this attractive picture book a good starting point for beginning readers interested in nature. Sandra Welzenbach, H.K. Williams Elementary School, San Antonio, TX Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
What's It Like to Be a Fish? by Wendy Pfeffer, Holly Keller (Illustrator) Ages 4-8 Library Binding (February 1996) HarperCollins Children's Books;
ISBN: 0060244291
Paperback ISBN 0064451518
How can fish live in water and why don't they drown? The answer to this fishy question and more can be found out in this addition to the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. What's It Like to Be a Fish? clearly explains how a fish's body is perfectly suited to life underwater, just as our bodies are suited for life on land.
by Wendy Pfeffer (Author), Helen K. Davie (Illustrator) Ages 5-9 Edition: Library Binding, 40 pages, Publisher: Harpercollins Children's Books; (September 2003)
Dolphins are smart. They are so smart that they can talk to each other. Dolphins communicate underwater for the same reason people talk on land: to let others know who they are, where they are, and maybe even how they feel. Also included are activities that explore how dolphins talk to each other.
Editorial ReviewsFrom Booklist This attractive book from the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series discusses the sounds made by dolphins. Pfeffer draws parallels between people's words and dolphins whistles, human babies' gurgles and baby dolphins' chirps, human mothers' warning words and dolphin mothers' scolding movements. Besides relating the wide range of sounds dolphins make, the author also describes how the sounds are made, their use in echolocation, and a variety of underwater noises made by whales. Davie's paintings portray the world beneath the waves with particular grace and surprising variety. The book closes with an excellent two-page diagram showing a dolphin's interior organs and bone structure. An inviting addition to science collections. Carolyn Phelan Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
Wiggling Worms at Work
by Wendy Pfeffer(Author), Steve Jenkins (Illustrator) Ages 4-8 40 pages ; Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (December 23, 2003) Library Binding
ISBN: 0060284498 ![]()
Paperback: ISBN: 0064451992 ![]()
Hardcover: ISBN: 006028448X ![]()
From Seed to Pumpkin
by Wendy Pfeffer (Author), James Graham Hale (Illustrator) Ages 4-8 40 pages Publisher: HarperCollins; (September 1, 2004) Edition: Library Binding
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Hardcover: ISBN: 0060280387 ![]()
Paperback: ISBN: 0064451909 ![]()
Editorial Reviews
SOUNDS ALL AROUND
by Wendy Pfeffer, Holly Keller (Illustrator) Ages 4-8 Library Binding - 32 pages (January 1999) HarperCollins Children's Books; ISBN: 0060277122
call this phone number 1-888-886-6636 
Publisher: Mondo Publishing; (April 2005)
paperback ISBN: 1593363168
Many years ago, China's beautiful legendary princess,
His-ling Shih, sat sipping tea under the branches of a mulberry tree.
Suddenly, something shiny caught her eye.
The sunlight illuminated a small creature on one of the tree's branches.
One long strand of shiny thread oozed from a white worm's lower lip.
"How strange this creature is," thought the empress.
What Empress His-ling Shih did next would change the course
of her beloved China... and forever enrich the rest of the world.
Also included at the end of this book are
8 pages describing the life cycle of this strange creature. 
by Wendy Pfeffer, ages 4-8, Publisher: Mondo Publishing;
It’s likely you’ve seen an airplane flying in the sky above.
Perhaps you’ve even been on one.
Did you ever wonder how such a heavy machine could
lift off the ground, fly above the clouds,
and then come down safe and sound.
Think about the birds you’ve seen soaring over treetops.
Do you sometimes wonder how they are able
to lift off the ground and fly for miles?
From nose to tail, airplanes and birds have
many parts that help them fly.
But how do they get up there?
What keeps them aloft?
And how do they return safely to the ground?
Read how they do it all with WINGS.
by Wendy Pfeffer, ages 4-8, Publisher: Mondo Publishing;
A land hermit crab journeys to the ocean.
She is a mother and is ready to lay her eggs.
She drops her eggs into the water.
Then she returns to the beach never to see her babies.
A hermit crab’s tiny eggs must hatch in the ocean.
However, adult hermit crab’s can live only on land.
Discover the extraordinary life of this common
house pet as you follow the
land hermit crab from the beach to the ocean and
then back to land as it completes the circle of life.
by Wendy Pfeffer, ages 4-8, Publisher: Mondo Publishing;
Dive into the world of the humpback whale!
Explore the mammal’s diverse habitats.
Visit the cold waters where humpbacks feed in the summertime,
including the oceans and seas of Antarctica and Alaska.
Then travel to warm waters where they breed,
such as those that surround Mexico and Hawaii.
Discover the many sounds of these noisy saltwater creatures.
You’ll learn that wherever humpbacks live, they fill their watery world
with sound. You’ll also discover the most amazing
sound the humpback whales make--- song. 
by Wendy Pfeffer, Edition: Paperback Publisher: Scholastic Reference; (June 2002)
ISBN: 0439425042
by calling 1-800-724-6527 press 3 or 1-800-242-7737
Kids are fascinated with storms. Clouds roll in, the wind blusters,
suddenly there are flashes of lightning, and claps of thunder.
Young meteorologists will learn what causes lightning and thunder,
how rain falls from the clouds, the different types of lightning,
why they see lightning before they hear thunder, and much more.
Children will also find out ways in which to prevent themselves
from being harmed during thunderstorms.
Intended for young audiences. Living on the Edge provides just the right amount of information in just the right terms. This is an outstanding early introduction to animal and earth sciences while telling how animals adapt in order to survive. It is also a celebration of life. Grades 2-5.
Marta's Magnets
Marta's sister Rosa calls her magnet collection junk, but Marta's magnets help her make friends in her new home and help her retrieve a lost key for Rosa's new friend.
OUTSTANDING SCIENCE TRADE BOOK FOR CHILDREN for 1996
by the National Science teachers Association and the Children's Book Council
"1996 CHILDREN'S BOOKS MEAN BUSINESS" exhibit and catalog, and ABA and CBC project
From School Library Journal: Marta is a collector...of keys, paper clips, gum wrappers, and magnets. When she moves to a new neighborhood, she uses her magnet collection to make friends and to help her older sister's best friend retrieve a key that has fallen through a sidewalk grate. Directions are included for making a refrigerator magnet. Large, understated, but realistic colored-pencil drawings depict attractive multiethnic youngsters. A pleasant but slight story about fitting in that could also be used to introduce a unit on magnetism.Eunice Weech, M. L. King Elementary School, Urbana, IL

Publisher: Drew Publications; 5th edition (January 2004)
ISBN # 0-9722907-0-2
Bernadette Boyles, Marketing Director
Drew Publications
139-30 Grand Central Parkway
New York, NY 11435LIGHT SO BRIGHT, Harper Collins
SNOW: What Good is It?
With an author's note on global warming
LEAVES: What Good Are They?
with an author's note on how leaves change color