Woods Scientist

Sue Morse is at home in the woods; she has read the woods ever since she could remember. She believes that by reading the forests she can help save them. So outside the door of her small cabin lies her laboratory: the rich and extensive forest and all of the creatures who live there. Revealing just how active and engaging science—and scientists—can be, this book also gives us a closer glimpse into the vulnerable homes of bear, lynx, deer, bobcat, and all the dwellers of the woods.

A devoted nature lover and animal tracker, Sue Morse shares her knowledge and love of some of the creatures that inhabit America's woodlands.

Sue Morse is at home in the woods; she has read the woods ever since she could remember. She believes that by reading the forests she can help save them. So outside the door of her small cabin lies her laboratory: the rich and extensive forest and all of the creatures who live there. Revealing just how active and engaging science—and scientists—can be, this book also gives us a closer glimpse into the vulnerable homes of bear, lynx, deer, bobcat, and all the dwellers of the woods.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Morse's childhood love of forests and animals led to a career as wildlife specialist and photographer, studying habitats and promoting conservation for some 30 years. Wolves, bears, moose, and lynx are among the animals featured in this introduction to her work. Swinburne's narrative sketches a bit of Morse's life story, follows her as she leads groups of adults and children on tracking expeditions, and explains behavior and habitat needs of some of the animals. The book is organized in four topical sections, and has shorter sidebar essays set on green to separate them from the main text and handsome full-color photographs of woods and mountains across the country. Children will be drawn to the various species introduced, and Swinburne and Morse offer many invitations for personal involvement in studying wildlife and assisting in conservation efforts. Concluding pages list simple activities and suggest topics for further investigation. A directory of organizations and a list for further reading are appended.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Stephen Swinburne is the author of another book in the Scientists in the Field series, Once a Wolf. A writer, photographer, and naturalist, he is the author of several nonfiction books for children and says he writes to "share [his] enthusiasm for the natural world, and through children's books and school visits, encourage wonder, imagination, and discovery." He lives with his wife and two daughters in South Londonderry, Vermont.