Truth About Nature: A Family's Guide to 144 Common Myths about the Great Outdoors

by Stacy Tornio, Ken Keffer

Overview

Does moss only grow on the north side of a tree? Is the North Star really the brightest star? Will a mother bird abandon its baby if you put it back in its nest? Will toads really give you warts? The Truth About Nature answers all of these questions and more.

This useful compendium for parents and children to read together sets the record straight on nature myths once and for all. It breaks down 144 everyday nature myths, identifying how true the myth really is, with the book’s unique “myth scale” (level 1 being somewhat true to level 3 being a complete myth). Organized by season and covering facts that are so strange they must simply be false (but they’re true!), this interactive guidebook also offers readers the chance to do their own science experiments to bust a few myths on their own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762796281
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/07/2014
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	232
Sales rank:	1,157,993
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 17 Years

About the Author

Stacy Tornio love of nature shows itself in all aspects of her life. She is the editor of Birds & Blooms magazine, and is a master gardener in Milwaukee where she teaches youth gardening classes in the community. Stacy enjoys watching her two children explore nature in their own backyard and beyond.
Ken Keffer was born and raised in Wyoming. A vagabond naturalist and environmental educator, he’s worked in Alaska, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Ken enjoys floating on lazy rivers, birding, snowshoeing, fly fishing in the mountains out West, and walking his dog, Willow the Wonder Mutt.
Visit the authors at DestinationNature.net.

Editorial Reviews

10/06/2014
Naturalists Tornio and Keffer dispel—and sometimes find elements of truth in—myths associated with the natural world. Can lightning strike in the same place twice? Yep. Will playing in the cold can make you sick? “No matter what Mom or Grandma says, you can’t get a cold just by being outside or not wearing a hat.” In looking at the idea that “Sharks kill a lot of people,” the authors note, “We actually do more harm to sharks than they do to us. By fishing the ocean, it’s taking away their food supply.” “Stranger Than Fiction” sidebars introduce surprising truths, while family-centric experiments appear throughout this fun, educational, and eye-opening book. All ages. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Meant to inspire families to get out into nature, this guide explores the truth behind 144 different nature myths we've all heard since we were kids, from 'Animals can smell fear' and 'If you touch a baby bird, the parents will abandon it' to "You lose most of your body heat through your head' and 'You shouldn't swim for at least 30 minutes after you eat.'.. . .[T]his inexpensive, attractive, and informative book is ideal for the circulating collections of. .. public and school libraries. This book, meant for families to use together, will be of interest to kids alone as well and is a great choice for middle school collections in both public and school libraries.

Booklist

Meant to inspire families to get out into nature, this guide explores the truth behind 144 different nature myths we've all heard since we were kids, from 'Animals can smell fear' and 'If you touch a baby bird, the parents will abandon it' to "You lose most of your body heat through your head' and 'You shouldn't swim for at least 30 minutes after you eat.'. . . .[T]his inexpensive, attractive, and informative book is ideal for the circulating collections of . . . public and school libraries. This book, meant for families to use together, will be of interest to kids alone as well and is a great choice for middle school collections in both public and school libraries.

Booklist

“How much do you know about nature? Don't believe everything you hear. The Truth About Nature separates fact from fiction and is a great way to get more in touch with the world around us.” —David Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation 

“Building on the success of The Kids' Outdoor Adventure Book, The Truth About Nature is a wonderful and fun resource that will engage kids and families with our parks and natural resources. Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer have once again created a book that is brimming with interesting information and is a real page-turner. It is a terrific gift for family and friends!”   —Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust

From the Publisher