Showing results by narrator "Donna German" in All Categories

How much does an elephant weigh? How do you know? How would you know if you didn't have a modern scale? Six-year-old Cao Chong, the most famous child prodigy in Chinese history, faced just this problem! Chong watches as the prime minister's most trusted and learned advisors debate different methods. The principle of buoyancy and a little bit of creative thinking help this boy come up with a solution.

On May 12, 2008, XiXi, a giant panda, escaped from the destroyed Wolong Panda Reserve when a 7.9 earthquake rocked Northern China. After the quake, mother and cub run from the wreckage. Confused and afraid, they get lost! How will they survive outside their reserve? Will they find food? Will they find shelter? And will they safely endure the earthquake aftershocks?

The forest animals are surprised when a volcano suddenly explodes, covering the land in gritty, warm ash and rocks that make it unlivable for many plants and animals. Gopher survives in his underground burrow with food to eat. How does Gopher help bring life back to the mountain?

Yes, some of the 18 species of penguins live in cold, polar regions, but most penguins live in warm climates. One species even lives near the equator! These birds “fly” through the water with flippers instead of the air with wings. Most are black and white, but one species is blue and white. Some have red eyes, and some have yellow eyes. Some even have colorful bursts of feathers atop their heads.

I Am Hatzegopteryx, the second book in Arbordale Publishing’s I Am Prehistoric series, gives children a glimpse into the life of the awesome Hatzegopteryx, from tiny chick to majestic winged predator, and how it made its living. Unlike many pterosaurs, this one was a terrestrial carnivore, spending its time hunting prey on land.

Perhaps you’ve seen an otter swimming and playing at a zoo or aquarium, but do you know how do these amazing animals live in the wild? Most are found in freshwater habitats, while others make their home in coastal kelp forests or can be found feeding along rocky shores.

What child hasn't wondered what it would be like to be an animal, able to hop, fly, or slither with ease? After a trip to an aquarium, Oliver decides he wants to be a sea otter. Oliver tries to copy sea otter behavior at meals, while playing, during a trip to the store, and at bath time. However, during the course of the day, Oliver discovers that he just doesn't have the same adaptations. Being an otter isn't easy for a human. What's an otter - we mean, a boy - to do?

What creeps while you sleep? Short, lyrical sentences make this a perfect naptime or bedtime story. Young listeners are introduced to nocturnal animals and their behaviors. Older listeners learn more about each animal through paired- listening sidebar information.

Long ago, the Old Ones were bad. They drank all the water, ate all the pine nuts, and left nothing for the other creatures. Sinawav the coyote punished them by turning them into rocky hoodoos. Now, when children misbehave, their Paiute elders remind them that they, too, could be turned into stone columns! Vivian has heard the stories, but this year as she and her grandmother climb the mesa to pick pine nuts, Vivian has something more important on her mind: basketball tryouts.

Jojo is prepping for an exciting night; it's time for the bat count! Bats have always been a welcome presence during the summers in the family barn. But over the years, the numbers have dwindled as many bats in the area caught white-nose syndrome. Jojo and her family count the bats and send the numbers to scientists who study bats, to see if the bat population can recover. On a summer evening, the family quietly makes their way to the lawn to watch the sky and count the visitors to their farm.

Nani has always dreamed of being a princess. When a real Hawaiian princess comes to her hometown of Hilo, Nani dresses in her best clothes. But as she watches Princess Luka, who has come to save the town from a volcanic lava flow, Nani learns that there is more to being a princess than fine clothes. This incredible story of kindness and generosity is based on the historical events of the 1880-1881 eruption of Mauna Loa on the Island of Hawai'i and the real-life Princess Luka.

As the sun begins to set, arctic animals scurry to prepare for six months of darkness and cold. Tuktuk the collared lemming is almost ready for the long winter night - all he needs is warm fur to line his nest. When one furry kamik (boot) slips off an Inuit driver's sled, Tuktuk is in luck! But as he drags it home, Putak the polar bear, Aput the arctic fox, and Masak the caribou eye this little lemming's prize and want it for their own. Can Tuktuk outwit the other animals and convince them that one furry kamik is no good for anyone bigger than a lemming?

As a school project, Alexa raises an American crocodile named Jefe. Alexa brings him chicken and frogs to eat and measures his growth. Soon he will be big enough to return to the wild.

While Ming plays outside one summer day, the smell of delicious food fills the air. It is coming from greedy Fu Wang's house. "What is he up to?" wonders Ming. To his alarm, Fu Wang demands that all the neighbors pay him for the pleasant smells. When the neighbors refuse, the case goes to court. How will the judge rule in this unusual case? Can Fu Wang make money from the neighbors' sense of smell? A wise judge makes use of another sense to close the case with clever and convincing logic.

Gram Hatter and Kat set off on an adventure. Gram quickly folds up a pirate hat and places it on Kat's head, and they begin their mission to help clean up the city park. Volunteering turns into a treasure hunt as Kat finds pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and even a dollar. With each discovery, Kat gets a new hat, and Gram Hatter teaches Kat how to count her coins as they pick up litter at the park. When Kat adds up her money, there's enough for ice cream. Or should she donate the money to support the park instead?

Imagine finding turtle eggs in your sandbox! When a mother diamondback terrapin lays eggs in a young girl's sandbox, the girl becomes a "turtle-sitter" to help the babies safely hatch. She raises the teeny hatchlings until they become big enough to fend for themselves in the wild. Then, with the help of experts, she releases them. Along the way, she learns about these unique animals and that she has made an important contribution to their survival.

Beatrix the beaver longs to be good at something. Her brother, Bevan, is an expert at repairing the lodge with mud and twigs. Her sister, Beverly, is a superb swimmer and underwater gymnast. What makes Beatrix stand out? One day she runs away by swimming up the creek and finds yummy plants to eat and trees to gnaw. When her siblings set off to find her, all three little beavers wind up trapped!

Two friends take off on a butterfly hunt, only to find themselves tangled in a mathematics net! Written in rhyme, award-winning author Barbara Mariconda takes you along as the narrator, Rose, and her friend, Ed, race to see who can catch the most butterflies on this addition adventure. "How many in all? Let's add them again!" shout the butterfly hunters. Who will win?

Cozy up for a rainy-day listen and explore the prairie ecosystem through its ever-changing weather. Each month features a storm typical of that season and a prairie animal who must shelter, hide, escape, or endure those storms. Told in lyrical prose, this story is a celebration of the grasslands that dominate the center of American lands and the animals that live there.

Packy the Packrat's mother has had enough! It's time that he sorts through his ever-growing collection of trinkets and puts them away. Told in rhyme, the audio leads the listener to participate in the sorting process by categorizing Packy's piles of things according to like characteristics and attributes. The story promotes and reinforces analogous thinking - a critical thinking skill in math, science, and life.