Nature Mysteries

Of all the creatures of the deep blue, none is as captivating as the octopus. In Many Things Under a Rock, marine biologist David Scheel investigates four major mysteries about these elusive beings. How can we study an animal with perfect camouflage and secretive habitats? How does a soft and boneless creature defeat sharks and eels, while thriving as a predator of the most heavily armored animals in the sea? How do octopus bodies work? And how does a solitary animal form friendships, entice mates, and outwit rivals?

Queenie the cat has a big problem. And for once, it's not the slobbery, overly-excited creature who also lives at Blackberry Hill Inn. Sweet Lady Emsworth, the neighbor's prize cow, has disappeared, meaning no morning cream for Queenie. And when Queenie's not happy, no one is happy.... Things aren't looking great for Arthur the dog, either. His beloved humans, twins Harmony and Bro, are distressed about the strange activity in their town. Mysterious hi-tech people are suddenly very interested in nearby Catastrophe Falls....

In the 1870s, grasshoppers known as Rocky Mountain locusts destroyed crops and farms across the Great Plains states, then were never seen again. Where did these bugs come from and where did they go? That's the great grasshopper mystery!

Willow Feathers McBeaver, aka Detective Duck, is a crime-solving (and very precocious) little duck. She and her animal pals live on Dogwood Pond, a beautiful pond in New England adjacent to Lazy Days, a human campground. Dogwood Pond has always been a pristine spot with clear water, abundant wildlife, and shady willow trees, but now it is encountering puzzling problems—mysteries that arise from human-caused disruptions in nature, such as water pollution, refuse, warming climate, and human encroachment.

When Kid accompanies her parents to New York City for a six-month stint of dog-sitting and home-schooling, she sees what looks like a tiny white cloud on the top of their apartment building. Rumor says there’s a goat living on the roof, but how can that be? As Kid soon discovers, a goat on the roof may be the least strange thing about her new home, whose residents are both strange and fascinating.

When Hank makes the mistake of asking Drover what he's doing, Drover reveals his observation that the moon looks like a cookie! After some highly scientific discussion and calculations, Hank and Drover agree that the moon is a cookie, not swiss chesse. And, when Loper sets down Sally May's picnic basket, which contains some oatmeal raisin cookies, the plot thickens, and Hank realizes the cookie moon was a sign that he should...you'll never guess what!

It's a dark day for Hank the Cowdog. First, Loper invites Hank's archenemy, Plato the Bird Dog, over for some quail hunting on the ranch. Then Beulah, the collie of Hank's dreams, snubs him in favor of watching Plato in action. But when Beulah finds herself caught in the clutches of a ruthless cannibal, Hank knows there's only one dog tough enough to save her...and it isn't a bird dog.

Hank the Cowdog is in hot water with Sally May--again! But, before Hank has a chance to convince her how sorry he is, he learns the ranch is being targeted for a major invasion from his arch-enemies the coyotes. Does Hank have what it takes to save his reputation, protect the ranch, and make things right with Sally May? Hank sings about his dog food in "Eating Doesn't Have to Be Fun", and Hank stops in his tracks when he hears "The Coyote Chicken Chant".

On a blustery day in late fall, Hank sneaks into the back of Slim's pickup and finds himself at a neighboring rancher's fall branding...the very neighbor, in fact, who owns the gorgeous Miss Scamper the Beagle! Unfortunately, Miss Scamper has always been a little hard to figure out, and he can't decide if she's crazy about him...or just plain crazy. And, as the day unfolds, it even begins to look like she's angling to land him in a heap of trouble with her pit bull boyfriend, Steel!

This second book, The Sands of Time, continues the adventures of Hermux Tantamoq, mouse and watchmaker in the imaginary city of Pinchester. When the museum announces a show of Mirrin Stentrill's latest paintings (monumental, visionary portraits of cats) Mayor Hooter Pinkwiggin vows to shut it down. Cats are touchy subject among Pinchester's mostly small-rodent population. But while militant mice organize to stop the show, most of Pinchester's stylish set is vying for invitations to the gala opening.

It's summertime, and the weather on Hank's West Texas ranch is hot and dry. So dry, in fact, that everyone is on the lookout for prairie fires. So Hank bravely adds the title of Head of Fire Safety to his already impressive list of responsibilities and gets to work. But patrolling for fires is dull, and it's hard to do on an empty stomach. Despite the distractions - desperate hunger, a cruel trick at the hands of Pete the Barncat - Hank somehow manages to stay focused on the job at hand.

The four Aldens like visiting the large old museum owned by their grandfather's friend. But then Jessie sees a huge, scary shadow moving in the room where the dinosaur skeletons are on display. And bones from the enormous Tyrannosaurus rex disappear. They must find the missing bones and solve the mystery before an exhibit is scheduled to open - or there might not be a dinosaur exhibit at all!

The white-collar life Jonathan Powell created for himself is gone. Standing outside Wentworth prison after serving his five-year sentence, he knows he has to start over. No more hooking up with Dominant women so he can enjoy the challenge of screwing up their minds. But who knew his last target would be a psychopathic killer who tried to off two cops? No, it wasn't the game that was the problem. He just made some key mistakes. Mistakes he won't make again. Then Mistress Dona shows up to give him a ride from the prison into his new life, and his resolve goes out the window.

These are the adventures and discoveries of the scientists who revealed the secrets of the Komodo dragon. This strange creature inspired myth and legend, luring brave souls into the forests of Indonesia to see if the tales were true. In the end, it attracted scientists, who unraveled the mysteries of how such a remarkable creature could exist, how it uses the deadly germs in its saliva to its advantage, and how those microbes may lead to cures for stubborn diseases.

Theodosia Throckmorton has her hands full at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. Her father may be head curator, but it is Theoand only Theowho is able to see all the black magic and ancient curses that still cling to the artifacts in the museum. Sneaking behind her fathers back, Theo uses old, nearly forgotten Egyptian magic to remove the curses and protect her father and the rest of the museum employees from the ancient, sinister forces that lurk in the museums dark hallways.

Detectives Sal and Iggy have a new case—find the stolen diamond from the museum! Together, they must find the thief and return the diamond. Who can be the buggy culprit? Was it the security guard firefly? One of the bees at the nearby party? These two reptiles need to use the evidence left at the scene to solve the mystery!

The monumental statues of Easter Island, both so magisterial and so forlorn, gazing out in their imposing rows over the island’s barren landscape, have been the source of great mystery ever since the island was first discovered by Europeans on Easter Sunday 1722. How could the ancient people who inhabited this tiny speck of land, the most remote in the vast expanse of the Pacific islands, have built such monumental works?

The Aldens are helping out at a rescue ranch, taking care of horses that need extra attention. Jessie’s favorite is a beautiful horse named Dragon. But when Dragon and some of the other horses disappear from the pasture, the Boxcar Children must saddle up for a mystery. What’s happening to the horses at the Dare to Dream Ranch?

Cattle call. A gang of marauding dogs is threatening the calf population on the ranch, and Hank knows that it's up to the Head of Ranch Security to do something about it. But instead of being outside where he can fight off the fiends, Hank is trapped inside - at the mercy of Slim and his dreaded vampire sweeper!

When Hank is attacked by a Headless Cowboy, he knows it's going to be a tough day defending the ranch! But when Slim discovers Sally May's watermelon patch has been raided by raccoons, things get serious. Slim, Drover, and Hank are entrusted with the job of a nighttime stakeout to catch the raccoons in the act. Will Hank save the day? Or will busted watermelons prove Hank is a bust as the Head of Ranch Security?