"When she was young, the writer Flannery O'Connor was captivated by the chickens in her yard. She'd watch their wings flap, their beaks peck, and their eyes glint. At age six, her life was forever changed when she and a chicken she had been training to walk forwards and backwards were featured in the Pathe News, and she realized that people want to see what is odd and strange in life. But while she loved birds of all varieties and kept several species...

Incredible, Outrageous, Unbelievable Facts About Birds! You love birds. They're beautiful. They're graceful. They're a wonder to observe. Yet even seasoned bird watchers don't know everything about our feathered friends. Acclaimed naturalist, author and award-winning wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela has taken a deep dive into the magnificent world of birds-and you won't believe what he's uncovered! Why do some birds like to cover themselves with...

The Strange Bird is a new kind of creature, built in a laboratory-she is part bird, part human, part many other things. However, now the lab in which she was created is under siege and the scientists have turned on their animal creations. Flying through tunnels, dodging bullets, and changing her colors and patterning to avoid capture, the Strange Bird manages to escape. But, she cannot just soar in peace above the earth. The sky itself is full of...

As the bird flu pandemic reaches Gotland Island, panic spreads among the inhabitants who are frantic for an elusive cure. In the desperation that rises, the hunt for scapegoats begins, and extremist and anti-immigrant groups gain ground. Meanwhile, nurse Sandra Hägg makes a gruesome discovery at the health clinic where she works{u2014}a discovery that will cost her life. Soon Detective Inspector Maria Wern is assigned to solve the murder. Strange...

"Theodora is a perfectly normal duck. She may swim with a teacup balanced on her head and stay north when the rest of the ducks fly south for the winter, but there's nothing so odd about that. Chad, on the other hand, is one strange bird. Theodora quite likes him, but she can't overlook his odd habits. It's a good thing Chad has a normal friend like Theodora to set a good example for him. But who exactly is the odd duck here? Theodora may not like...

Ever heard of a flightless nocturnal parrot? This book will delight young readers as they learn what makes the kakapo one of the world's weirdest animals. Basic information is covered, such as predators, prey, habitat, life cycle, senses, and conservation status. Table of contents, diagram, map, fun facts, facts page, glossary, and index included. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Big Buddy Books is an imprint of...

"Finn and his younger brothers, Leo and Ooley, love reading stories about animals living in forests, on mountains or in the arctic. "When I grow up," says Finn, "I want to see wild animals and strange birds." "Why wait?" asks Leo. And so they set out in the snow on the Three Brothers' Wild Animal Safari. In their grandfather's time, the forest was full of animals -- but today the forest is quiet. Where have the animals gone?"--