The Puzzle of the Platypus: And Other Explorations of Science in Action (Scientists Probe 11 Animal Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Jack Myers (Author), John Rice (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3–6—This collection of 11 articles originally appeared in Highlights magazine during the 1990s and early 2000s. Each article tells how a scientist was able to unravel a mystery about some kind of animal. Myers's stories about dolphins, polar bears, elephants, and other animals contain many interesting scientific facts and are written in accessible and engaging prose. The book has a clean, uncluttered layout that invites consecutive reading. Most of the pages have attractive watercolor illustrations. Each article opens with a humorous picture, and more informative images and diagrams appear in the body. This is a good choice for children who can read chapter books, and who enjoy nonfiction.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
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From Booklist

In his fifth (posthumous) gathering of lightly edited columns from Highlights magazine, Myers looks with a typical balance of precision and simplicity at a clever study of dolphin sonar, a successful effort to reintroduce a nearly extinct species of wild horse to its original Mongolian range, the efforts of scientists to find a logical niche in the taxonomic scheme for the decidedly peculiar platypus, and eight other revealing experiments, observations, and discoveries. Along with the occasional color photo, each entry is illustrated with one or more of Rice’s accurately detailed paintings (some of which are amusingly fanciful), and in service to readers who want all the facts, a list of resources from which Myers drew his information is appended. As with the previous collections, these mini-essays are equally suited to reading alone or aloud and make stimulating introductions to the actual practice of science. For readers wanting more in-depth views of science at work, suggest books in the Scientists in the Field series. Grades 3-5. --John Peters

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press (March 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590785568
• ISBN-13: 978-1590785560
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #762,592 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and very entertaining, October 8, 2008

By 

Michele (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Puzzle of the Platypus: And Other Explorations of Science in Action (Scientists Probe 11 Animal Mysteries) (Hardcover)

This book is a compilation of eleven animal "mysteries." The short stories were originally part of the "Science in Action" articles in Hightlights for Children magazine and are now included in one of several books in the Science in Action series. The book includes topics such as how dolphins communicate, how crows have been observed creating tools, and how people have long pondered the question of whether a platypus is a bird, mammal, or reptile. Each section is only a few pages long and gives the reader a simple background of the topic. I really enjoyed this book, and learned a lot more than I expected. It is a quick read and keeps the reader engaged by the switching of topics. The contrasting cartoon and realistic illustrations are also very enjoyable. This book is a great homage to Jack Myers.