Rattlesnakes
Wild about Snakes? Come meet these fine-tuned hunting machines. Discover how those rattles work, how powerful their venom is and who can sleep with a rattlesnake. Get an up-close look at the life of a rattler. A Hi-Lo book from Capstone Press.
Why Do My Teeth Fall Out? And other questions kids have about the human body
Why do kids grow but grown-ups don't? How much blood do I have in my body? and Why do I have freckles? Real questions from real kids. The answers will amaze you. Picture Window Books.
Mummies: Truths and Rumors
Did people eat mummy powder as medicine? Was King Tut murdered? Is Walt Disney's mummy hidden in Disneyland? Read the book to find out! A Hi-Lo book from Capstone Press.
Garter Snakes
Curious about the snake that everyone says is friendly? Learn how these little guys can eat a newt that would kill 10 humans. Discover the tricks the garter will play to escape. Find out where in the world you could see tens of thousands of these sleek snakes. A Hi-Low book from Capstone Press.
What's Inside a Rattlesnake's Rattle? And other questions kids have about snakes
Why do they have a cut in their tongue? Does a snake have ears? And, Do all snakes have fangs? Learn the answers and more. Picture Window Books.
Where does it come from? How long does it take? How far can it travel? And, why do we care? Crabtree Publishing.
How to Survive
An Earthquake
The ground shakes, the earth rumbles, it's an EARTHQUAKE! Scream and you may suffocate from the dust. Head for a doorway and you'll likely break a leg. What should you do? Read the book! You will learn how a teen survived under 5 floors of collapsed cement! A Hi-Lo book from Capstone Press.
Magazines for Children
Highlights for Children
"Patterns in Nature," May 2008.
"How big is it?" November 2007.
“A Rock-Eating Tree” and photo, Date to be announced.
“Nature’s Engineers,” Date to be announced.
“I Wonder… Why This Tree Is Dead,” Date to be announced.
“What Happened to This Leaf?” and photo, Date to be announced.
“Big Green Monsters?” and photo, Date to be announced.
“What Made This Hole?” and photo, Date to be announced.
“Smooth Stick and photo, Date to be announced.
Science World
“The Great Debate: Should New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward be rebuilt following Hurricane Katrina?” March 2008
“Thieving Foxes,” February 2008.
“Shipping Shortcut,” January 2008. 
“Mammoth Discovery,” October 2007.
KNOW: The Science Magazine for Curious Kids
"Pileated Woodpeckers," May/June 2008.
Fun for Kidz
"Explore A Stream," November 2007.
Fandangle Magazine
"The Magic of Dragonflies" and photo, April 2007.
"Find Magic in Your Backyard," April 2007.
Professional Publications
"That's A Fact" Columnist 2008-2009, KidMagWriters.com.
“Writers: Interpreters of Information,” The Blue Review, November 2006.
"Rocks Rock," Above and Beyond, November 2006.
“Food For Thought,” Camping Magazine, November 2005.
“Practicing Conservation at the Table,” Green Teacher, Fall 2005.
“Listen Up!” Heartbeat, May 2005.
MOST DEDICATED MOM
By Heather L. Montgomery “Drum roll please! The ‘Most Dedicated Mother’ award goes to – ”
Who will win? Believe it or not, the winner might have antennae, three body parts and six legs!
We don’t think of insect mothers tucking their kids into bed, working all day to make their daughter’s favorite dinner, or acting heroic and saving their son’s life. But some bug moms do. Turn the page to learn how! You may want a cake for your birthday – but not one made of dung (animal poop). A baby dung beetle does.
Mom and Dad Beetle work hard to make that happen. Dad carries armloads of dung down into their tunnel. Underground, Mom packs it, along with some of her own poop, into a roundish “cake.” From that cake, she creates a small ball of poop and lays an egg inside. When the baby hatches, he eats his way out.
Help Mom! I Can’t Reach!
Remember your mom cutting up your food when you were little? Young thornbug treehoppers want the sweet sap that’s inside the plant, but their straw-like mouths are not yet long enough. Mom helps by cutting slits into the plant.
They also call on Mom for protection. When a wasp buzzes by, they vibrate to let Mom know. She stalks over to scare off the bad guy. After the wasp leaves, the nymphs and Mom often keep vibrating. Maybe she is comforting them like a human mom would after a big dog chased her child.
Save Me!
Rove beetle babies lay cozy in their mud tunnel – until the tide comes in. Water rushes towards the tunnel. It is sure to drown them all! Mom to the rescue! She grabs a mouthful of mud and plugs the entrance of the tunnel to seal the air in and the water out. Once the tide recedes, she digs her way out, allowing fresh air to rush in to her waiting babies.
Making A Stink
Does your brother or sister ever “make a stink” when the cookie supply is running low?
Young burrower bugs let out odors to tell Mom that they are running low on grub. When she catches a whiff, she heads out to a local mint plant to get some nutlets (seeds). Then, she drags them back to stock the burrow for the kids’ lunch.
Coming Right Up! (Vomit, that is)
How about some fresh carrion – rotting dead flesh – for dinner? Young American burying beetles are excited by that thought, but only if their parents hang around to prepare it. Mom and Dad Beetle bury a dead mouse, strip off its fur, and cover it in spit to keep it fresh – yuck! Mom lays her eggs in the dirt nearby. Once the babies hatch, they beg for food. Mom and Dad vomit food right into their mouths!
Unfortunately, the American burying beetle is endangered. There are probably several reasons for this, but one reason, believe-it-or-not, is that there’s not enough carrion to go around!
Which Way Do We Go?
Do you ever feel like you are being herded like cattle? A Lace bug mom herds her kids to safety. When the coast is clear, they hang out together, munching on a leaf. When a wasp flies by, she shoos the kids off the exposed leaf and up the plant stem. If they can get to a curled leaf they will be safe. Mom has to direct traffic, making sure the young-uns don’t run out the wrong stem. She also goes after the attacker, often losing her life in the process.
Feed Me!
Bess beetle larvae have it rough. Imagine trying to chew through wood! A young beetle's jaw just can’t handle it. That’s okay. Mom and Dad spit out wood that they’ve already chewed. The kids snack on it.
That sounds gross, but not as gross as their other food – their parents’ frass (poop)! It’s full of bacteria and fungi that help digest the wood even more. Guess what? You’ve got bacteria in your gut, too!
Late Night Delivery
Are you a picky eater? A shield bug from Japan chills underground waiting for her mom to bring her a drupe (fruit) of one certain tree, and it has to be perfectly ripe.
Her mom hikes to a tree up to 50 ft (15 m) away – a long way if your legs are less than an inch (2.5 cm) long! To make sure a drupe is just the right one, she feels, smells and tastes it. If it passes the test, she drags it home. It may weigh three times as much as she does!
Beetles lurk, waiting to eat her. But, she braves the dangers and runs her delivery service 24/7. She keeps lugging food to her kids until she dies from exhaustion. That’s one dedicated mom!
So, who deserves the “Most Dedicated Mom” award? You decide!
Bake Me A Cake