“Sneed’s online visits with our Primary-aged children during Book Week, were an absolute highlight! Students were “enlightened” by his session on ocean animals that create their own light and his own experience in a submersible. Other students got to learn about his love of birds and how a passion like that, can result in so many published books. I highly recommend Sneed as a guest author for students and parents alike. On my own desk right here, I now have a book about birdwatching, so I can personally vouch for the positive impact that Sneed’s sessions can have!”—Tania Jordan, Teacher Librarian, Yew Chung International School of Shanghai
Have a Ball (Reading) This Fall!
Well, the heat of summer hasn’t quite cooled off, and neither has the pace of “hot off the shelf” new books. This Fall, I celebrate the release of two very different books that should appeal to children and adults alike. Defending Nature: How the Military Protects Threatened and Endangered Speciesexplores the vital, little-known role of our Armed Forces in protecting our nation’s biodiversity. The Department of Defense not only safeguards our nation, it oversees the protection of more than 25 million acres of lands—and more threatened and endangered species than any other government agency. The book focuses on three species found on Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base. To research the book, I spent several days accompanying biologists as they explained Eglin’s precious longleaf pine forests, the key role of fire to biodiversity, and what they are doing to help Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, and an easily-overlooked amphibian, the reticulated flatlands salamander. This book not only celebrates nature, but the many ways our servicemen and women protect our country. To obtain a significant discount on the book, order directly from the publisher by clicking here.
Defending Natureis a Junior Library Guild selection and earned a starred review from Kirkus, which called the book “Essential, and eye-opening, reading for serious students of wildlife conservation.“
Although my reputation has been built on children’s books, I’m guessing that my other September release, Birding for Boomers—And Everyone Else Brave Enough to Embrace the World’s Most Rewarding and Frustrating Activity may start to change that. This humorous, highly readable guide distills everything I have learned about the world’s greatest activity in the past decade. Though I began writing it specifically with the challenges of older birders in mind, it quickly expanded into a guide for anyone just setting out on one of the most rewarding journeys of their lives. In it you will find expert advice on buying equipment, learning to identify birds, dealing with disabilities, finding birds, helping protect birds, and much, much more. Foreward Reviews writes, “With its ranging approach and easy-to-follow advice, Birding for Boomers is a handy guide for all those—boomer or otherwise—who are looking to pick up an ornithological hobby.” Even better, the book makes a perfect holiday or birthday gift for the Boomer—or any other nature fan—in your life.
Order Birding for Boomers now from your local independent bookstore, online outlets, or directly from the publisher!
In case you missed it, my spring picture book,Like No Other—Earth’s Coolest One-of-a-Kind Creatures, is not to be overlooked. The book presents thirteen fascinating animals that have no close relatives in this world. They include more familiar animals such as the platypus and pronghorn to animals most kids and adults have never heard of such as purple frogs, Secretarybirds, and tuatara. Kirkus raves “A striking book that celebrates the astonishing diversity of the animal world,” and I can guarantee you and your readers will love it.
“A baker’s dozen of very different creatures star in this visually impressive and informative book. Each has no close relatives in the animal kingdom and is distinguished by unusual traits or behaviors, clearly and succinctly described here… Excellent backmatter offers would-be scientists more information on classifying animals, along with a glossary, relevant websites, notes on researching, taxonomy, and a map with the 13 animals and more one-of-a-kinds.” —Kirkus
Meanwhile, I continue to celebrate last spring’s release of Border Crossings, which has won the 2024 Orbis Pictus Award given out by the National Council of Teachers of English and the High Plains Book Award. Please enjoy my other news below—and in case you are wondering, yes, I am still doing plenty of school visits so please click on the School Visits link for more details or shoot me an email at sbcollardiii@gmail.com. Have a great rest of your year, and as always, I appreciate all that you do to make our world a better place.
Enjoy a review of my new picture book Border Crossings, illustrated by the fabulous Howard Gray, and published by my longtime publisher Charlesbridge Publishing: “On a shadowy night, a young ocelot makes his way south in search of a mate, but his trip abruptly ends when he comes to a giant wall: “where protective plants once stood, an ugly scar now stretches.” Unable to squeeze through the wall’s slats or gain traction on its slippery sides, the ocelot turns back and becomes one of many animals whose environment has been radically changed by the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. The book then walks viewers through the deserts, forests, and grasslands that surround the wall, emphasizing that the border is completely arbitrary and nonexistent in the environment. Its effects, however, are quite real, dividing breeding grounds, disrupting migratory patterns, and upending ecosystems. Simple, direct text gives the book broad accessibility, and an author’s note offers more specifics on the building of the border wall and the animals endangered both by its presence and other manmade threats. Suggestions for activism, a glossary, and further resources are included.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Lions and sharks may get all the notice, Collard writes, but some of the most fearsome and successful predators on the planet are barely visible: there’s a protozoan Trachelius “slurping up” its tiny prey “like an algae-filled ice-cream cone” while ladybird beetles enjoy an “aphid smoothie.” Meanwhile, army ants rip any creature in their path to shreds, and, in the sea, arrow worms “shorter than a pencil eraser” fall upon unwary copepods “faster than you can shout ‘free food!’” Young browsers will . . . devour this, and budding zoologists will relish the heaping helpings of specific species names and natural detail.”
If you haven’t yet checked them out, my other recent picture books are perfect additions to STEM and STEAM studies. Waiting for a Warbler, a finalist for the Green Earth Book Award, is a captivating story about a Cerulean Warbler’s epic journey from South America to its breeding grounds in the United States. It also tells the inspiring parallel story of a family that has been trying to improve its yard habitat for birds and other creatures. Beaver and Otter Get Along . . . Sort of, an Honor Book for the Eureka! Children’s Nonfiction Award, shares the charming, humorous story of a beaver who has to deal with river otters invading his pond!
Did you miss me on Jerry Pallotta’s great “Learning Live with Authors” Youtube show? Never fear. Click here to watch a replay—and catch other awesome authors reveal the stories behind their books!
School and Conference Visits
In-person school and conference visits are showing signs of life, but I continue to offer author visit presentations and workshops online through ZOOM. These online visits are extremely affordable, the cost depending on your class size and situation. Contact me at sbcollardiii@gmail.com.
I am pleased to announce that I am now working with Author’s Abroad to book my international school visits. To find out more, you can contact them directly by clicking here or, as always, my own email listed above. Here is what teacher Hannah McLaughlin wrote of my remote visit to Bangkok Patana School: “We wanted to email to say a HUGE thank you for your writers workshop you provided for our Year 6 students last week. They really enjoyed hearing about your journey as an author and how your passion has shaped your writing over the course of your career. Your passion for not only birds, but all species of animals, was inspiring and this week our students are choosing a species they’re interested in for a migration project in our connected learning sessions. We have an amazing range of animals from Arctic Terns to Zooplankton to Caribou. You definitely instilled the importance of our passion, choices, and drive to learn about something that will help us in creating the best writing we can!”
♦ SPEAKING DATES ♦
Please consult the calendar to the right, or better yet, email me at sbcollardiii@gmail.com.
Kirkus awarded One Iguana, Two Iguanas: A Story of Accident, Natural Selection, and Evolution, a starred review, calling it “A fresh and accessible approach to an important scientific topic.” A Junior Library Guild selection, the book tells the remarkable story of how the Galápagos marine and land iguanas—two radically different creatures—evolved from the same accidental arrival to the Galápagos beginning about four million years ago. It’s a perfect STEM/STEAM selection, one that will captivate your students and facilitate a wealth of scientific inquiry. The book was also named a Bank Street 2019 Best of Children’s Books selection. and an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12. Best of all, you can order it now!
Hopping Ahead of Climate Change, Finalist for the AAAS/Subaru/SB&F Prize for Middle Grade Science
Finalist for the American Association Advancement of Science/Subaru/Science Books & Films Prize for Nonfiction Science
NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books
Eureka Nonfiction Award Silver Medal
Junior Library Guild Selection
Booklist: “Collard does an excellent job of telling the story of the snowshoe hare, while also keeping stewardship and conservation as the core message.”
School Library Journal: “Captivating text and a stimulating use of color photographs make this a welcome addition for all environmental collections.”
Midwest Book Review: “Impressively well written, organized and presented, “Hopping Ahead of Climate Change” is unreservedly recommended for family, school, and community library Environmental Studies and Wildlife Studies collections and supplemental studies reading lists.”
Karen Yingling Reads: “veteran nonfiction science writer Collard gives us fascinating insights into what’s going on with this (extremely adorable) animal.”
Fire Birds continues to gain traction as a highly readable and useful STEM book for kids of many ages!
NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books
Eureka! Nonfiction Book Award Silver Medal
Green Prize for Sustainable Literature
AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize, Commended List
High Plains Book Award, Finalist
Starred Review, School Library Journal
A Junior Library Guild selection
Japan 2023
In March 2023, my daughter and I did something we’d always dreamed about—visit Japan! It was a remarkable trip, full of adventure, birds, great food—even a Japanese baseball game. You can hear more about it if you invite me for a school visit!
Heading to Japan? Pick up Sneed’s new step-by-step planning guide, First-Time Japan! This innovative, concise volume gives you key details on transportation, lodging, documents, food, manners—in short, all of the essential details you need to plan and conduct your trip. Along the way, it provides great ideas and insider tips for what to do and where to go. Order now directly from Mountain Press.
“Sneed’s online visits with our Primary-aged children during Book Week, were an absolute highlight! Students were “enlightened” by his session on ocean animals that create their own light and his own experience in a submersible. Other students got to learn about his love of birds and how a passion like that, can result in so many published books. I highly recommend Sneed as a guest author for students and parents alike. On my own desk right here, I now have a book about birdwatching, so I can personally vouch for the positive impact that Sneed’s sessions can have!”—Tania Jordan, Teacher Librarian, Yew Chung International School of Shanghai
“Sneed’s online visits with our Primary-aged children during Book Week, were an absolute highlight! Students were “enlightened” by his session on ocean animals that create their own light and his own experience in a submersible. Other students got to learn about his love of birds and how a passion like that, can result in so many published books. I highly recommend Sneed as a guest author for students and parents alike. On my own desk right here, I now have a book about birdwatching, so I can personally vouch for the positive impact that Sneed’s sessions can have!”—Tania Jordan, Teacher Librarian, Yew Chung International School of Shanghai
