Mighty Scared
The Amazing Ways Animals Defend Themselves
- Publisher
- Orca Book Publishers
- Initial publish date
- Feb 2024
- Category
- Mammals, Insects, Spiders, etc., Environmental Science & Ecosystems
- Recommended Age
- 3 to 5
- Recommended Grade
- p to k
- Recommended Reading age
- 3 to 5
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781459836068
- Publish Date
- Feb 2024
- List Price
- $21.95
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781459836082
- Publish Date
- Feb 2024
- List Price
- $27.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
★ “Enthralling…Empowers readers to understand their own human coping mechanisms, while colorful, detailed images soaked in softly muted earth tones build a base of strong general knowledge. The challenge for readers young and old will be to see who says 'ew' first! A thoroughly engaging, fact-filled book with audacious and memorable animal responses to predators. A must-have for every library.” — School Library Journal
Learn about the wild, wacky and downright disgusting ways some animals react out of fear.
Are you afraid of the dark? Of getting lost? Or of something you saw in a movie? Maybe someone laughed at you for being scared or called you a chicken. That’s okay! In fact, it’s how humans stay safe in scary situations.
While people might run or scream, animals have amazing ways of protecting themselves when they’re afraid. Fulmar birds vomit, Texas horned lizards shoot blood from their eyes and hagfish slime their enemies. Full of incredible and sometimes gross animal facts, Mighty Scared explores how mammals, insects, fish and birds around the world respond when scary predators are near.
About the authors
Erin Silver is an award-winning children’s author. Her books include Just Watch Me (Krystal Kite Award nominee), What Kids Did: Stories of Kindness and Invention in the Time of COVID-19 (Hackmatack Award nominee), Proud to Play: LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Made History, Rush Hour: Navigating Our Global Traffic Jam (Blueberry Award winner), Sitting Shiva (Vine Award finalist, TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award finalist) and Good Food, Bad Waste: Let’s Eat for the Planet (2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books finalist). Erin was chosen to tour during Canadian Children’s Book Week in 2023 and is a sought-after speaker at schools, libraries and conferences. She has an MFA in creative nonfiction and a postgraduate journalism degree. Erin lives in Toronto.
Hayden Maynard is a Canadian illustrator who graduated from Sheridan College's Illustration program. His clients include the New York Times, The Walrus, the Globe and Mail, Reader's Digest and the Washington Post. Hayden lives in Kingston, Ontario.
Editorial Reviews
★ “Enthralling…Empowers readers to understand their own human coping mechanisms, while colorful, detailed images soaked in softly muted earth tones build a base of strong general knowledge. The challenge for readers young and old will be to see who says 'ew' first! A thoroughly engaging, fact-filled book with audacious and memorable animal responses to predators. A must-have for every library.”
School Library Journal (SLJ)
“[Provides] facts that are often unknown and certainly surprising...There will be 'EWS!!!', but there will also be endless fascination.”
Sal's Fiction Addiction
“A juicy topic [that] goes for gusto.”
Kirkus Reviews
“With peppy prose and colourful, detailed illustrations, this slim value introduces a surprising range of self-protective traits and behaviors from across the animal kingdom…An endnote aims to connect the animal defences featured to kids’ responses to feeling frightened, with suggestions for calming fears, like taking deep breaths. The lively approach and unusual focus set this animal book apart.”
Booklist
“The term ‘amazing’ in the title is very true; each animal is incredible in its self-defence. This book is informative and written in a tone that can be easily read and understood by young readers, who will see these animals, and themselves, in a new light.”
Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)
“Though most readers would not want to encounter any of the animals highlighted in Mighty Scared... they will be both fascinated and repulsed by the rather disgusting survival techniques mentioned, all part of the book’s appeal! Recommended.”
CM: Canadian Review of Materials
Other titles by
Plant Attack!
The Fascinating Ways Flora Defends Itself
Resistance and Survivors
All Consuming
Shop Smarter for the Planet
I Am Jewish
In It to Win It
Sports and the Climate Crisis
Good Food, Bad Waste
Let's Eat for the Planet
Sitting Shiva
Rush Hour
Navigating Our Global Traffic Jam
Proud to Play
Canadian LGBTQ+ athletes who made history
What Kids Did
Stories of Kindness and Invention In the Time of COVID-19