Exploding Ants: Amazing Facts About How Animals Adapt

by Joanne Settel

A wasp lays its eggs under a
caterpillar's skin so that its young can
eat the caterpillar's guts as they grow.
A young head louse makes its home
on a human hair and feasts on
human blood.
Frogs use their eyeballs to help
swallow their food.
From small worms that live in a dog's nose mucus to exploding ants to regurgitating mother gulls, this book tells of the unusual ways animals find food, shelter, and safety in the natural world.
If animals all ate the same things and lived in the same places, it would be impossible for all of them to survive. So they specialize. Some animals eat the bits that others leave behind, such as skin and mucus. They find all kinds of unusual places to shelter, including the cracks and holes in another creature's skin or its internal organs. They use their own bodies to protect themselves from predators by imitating unsavory items such as bird droppings and even by blowing up.
These habits that may seem disgusting to us are wonderful adaptations that make it possible for a great variety of creatures to live and thrive on Earth. Read about them and marvel at the amazing ways animals adapt to the natural world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Childrens, Animals

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1999

About the author

Dr. Joanne Settel is an award-winning writer of science books for children all published by Atheneum/Simon and Shuster. She is the author of Exploding Ants Amazing Facts About How Animals Adapt, which was listed as one of the Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children (2000) by the Children’s Book Council. Her newest books are Your Amazing Skin from Outside In and Your Amazing digestion from Mouth Through Intestine.

Dr Settel also coauthored a popular series of children’s books, including Why Does My Nose Run?, Why Do Cats’ Eyes Glow in the Dark?, and How Do Ants Know When You’re Having a Picnic?, which was also listed as an Outstanding Science Trade Book For Children (1986).

Dr. Settel has a Ph. D. in Biology. She is a Professor Emeritus at Baltimore City Community College, where she taught courses in biology, anatomy, and physiology. She lives with her husband in Maryland, where she enjoys bridge, hiking, bird watching, and gardening.

Reviews

[Taylor Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Informational nonfiction
Grade: 4-6

Exploding ants is a book full of facts, real-life pictures and disgusting facts. I personal was grossed out by all the nasty things the bugs did, but I think that kids will love it. It will hold their attention and keep them wanting to learn more facts. I would recommend having this on your classroom bookshelf.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very gross - fifth graders will love it!

[Rani · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does an ant explode? #Ant #Science #KidsBooks

[Salsabrarian]

Color photos. Interesting look at how what seem to be nasty behaviors to us are actually essential for an animal’s survival. Among the facts: honey ants who store food in their abdomens for the colony during low-food times, animals regurgitating food for their young, ticks and murderous cuckoos.

[Gena Lott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This informative book is full of gross facts about the animal kingdom. It will be of total interest to most boys!
But definitely not MY cup of tea.
The reading level is kind of high so I will say 4th grade and up.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting nonfiction about unusual animal adaptations. Some are kind of gross (I don't want to be around a sneezing dog, ever, because of what lives in its nostrils). Some passages work for mentor texts, but not as many as I'd like, given the interest level of the content.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a book to read during your lunch (my bad!) Kids and adults who love to read about the weird, wild, and gross world of animals will love this gem. Great glossary at the back to build up that naturalist vocabulary!

[Andrea Flory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be good for grades 5-6. I think that this book had some good information in it but the title was misleading. It make it sound like all the book was going to be about ants and it was not. There was only a couple times that it mention ants. The genre is informational.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazing book about animals adaptations will surely hold your interest and the interest of your kids. With the real photos, amazing and disgusting facts it will keep you wanting to read more.

[Kayllee2000]

i ove this book it is so interesting we are reading it in school!

[Dulcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome.