Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea

When the rare tree kangaroo is perched high in a tree it looks a little like a monkey and a little like a bear but it is actually a kind of kangaroo. This engrossing book follows scientist Lisa Dabek's adventures tracking them down in Papua New Guinea and, for the first time ever, attaching a radio collar to find out about the mysterious creatures' habits. This is full of remarkable photographs and engaging writing.

The team ventured high into the mountains of the cloud forest of the tree climbing mammal's habitat to learn as much as possible. The author's, photographer's and scientists' passion about their expedition and the tree kangaroo is everywhere evident and contagious.

This is another brilliant book by the Montgomery/Bishop team. Other titles include The Tarantula Scientist and The Snake Scientist.

There is a bibliography and an index included along with other back matter. It's great for inspiration as a model for great nonfiction writing style. It's also a wonderful source for research into a specific animal or into science careers in general. This is a wonderful example of what it's like to feel great passion for one's work.

Related Books

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• The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer. (1984, Knopf. ISBN 0 679 86187 4. Order Info.) Picture Book. 32 pages. Gr 1-3.
  When Brian finds a salamander in the woods, he takes it home to live with him. By addressing his new pet's needs, Brian gradually creates a forest environment in his bedroom. The vivid illustrations depict the bedroom-turned-forest. The text allows the reader to discover the world of the forest layer by layer and to better understand the interdependence of creatures and their environment. Read More.

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Related Areas Within Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Web Site

• Picture Books in the Science Program
  http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/picturescience.html