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Think Like A Goat: The Wildly Smart Ways Animals Communicate, Cooperate and Innovate

Written by Lisa Deresti Betik
Illustrated by Alexander Mostov
Published by Kids Can Press

ACTIVITIES

To be added by November 1-15.

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Think humans are the only intelligent creatures? Think again. The unique smarts of all kinds of creatures are on display in this intriguing exploration of animal intelligence!

Sure, humans are smart. But scientists are discovering that many other animals have smarts that might surprise us. For example: Some birds can store seeds in thousands of different places and then remember where they are months later. Octopuses can camouflage themselves as rocks, plants or other animals to avoid predators. And fireflies can communicate with one another by flashing light signals from their abdomens.

Covering four broad categories of intelligence – communication, social learning and cooperation, problem-solving and memory, and emotional intelligence – this fascinating book explains and celebrates animal intelligence in all its many varieties!

Lisa Deresti Betik’s innovative and highly readable resource about the intelligence of all kinds of critters is sure to delight animal lovers of every stripe. With lively, fun text presented in bite-size chunks, and playful illustrations by Alexander Mostov, including infographics and charts, the book is accessible and easy to read. Other topics covered include evolution and natural selection, ethology and distinctions between instinct and learning. The message is one of respecting other animals and recognizing we can learn a lot from how they solve problems. The high-interest topic has many life science curriculum links, including characteristics of living things, diversity of living things, and growth and changes in animals. The content is supported by a glossary, an index and suggested sources for further reading.

LISA DERESTI BETIK

Lisa Deresti Betik has been a storyteller since she was small. She used to spin wild tales about invisible, blanket-eating alligators in her room, and she once convinced everyone that the Tooth Fairy had made her fall out of bed. Today she writes fun, fascinating nonfiction books for children. She is the author of Think Like a Goat: The Wildly Smart Ways Animals Communicate, Cooperate and Innovate (Kids Can Press, 2023) and In the Dark: The Science of What Happens at Night (Kids Can Press, 2020).

 

Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Lisa grew up surrounded by majestic lakes and forests that encouraged her curiosity. She is a graduate of the Concurrent Teacher Education program at Queen’s University, and she loves helping young people learn more about our amazing world. Lisa now lives in Waterloo, Ontario with her family, where she keeps a Little Free Library on their front lawn.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Website: https://www.lisaderestibetik.com

Instagram: @lisaderestibetik.writes

Facebook: @LisaDerestiBetik.writes

Twitter / X: @LisaDerestiB

Email: lisa.mcd.betik@gmail.com

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Think Like a Goat: The Wildly Smart Ways Animals Communicate, Cooperate and Innovate (illustrated by Alexander Mostov, published by Kids Can Press, 2023)

In the Dark: The Science of What Happens at Night (illustrated by Josh Holinaty, published by Kids Can Press, 2020)

ALEXANDER MOSTOV

I have my dream job: I get to draw all day. I make playful, inclusive illustrations for everything from picture books to apps. I am inspired by plants, animals, architecture, and people. My favorite mediums to work in are gouache, crayon, watercolor, and ink. I like to draw on my iPad, too. Currently, I live in Seattle with my partner, Sara, and a mischievous little dog named Dziga. When I am not drawing or painting, you can find me snowshoeing, eating bread, or riding my little silver motorcycle around rural Washington state.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Website: https://alexandermostov.com/

Instagram: @alexander_mostov

Email: hello@alexandermostov.com

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Go, Bikes Go!, Sasquatch Books, 2019

D-Day: Untold stories of the Normandy, Quarto, 2019

Go, Boats, Go!, Sasquatch Books, 2019

The Secret Life of Spies, Quarto, 2020

Let’s Save Our Planet: Forests, Ivy Kids, 2020

Go, Planes, Go!, Sasquatch Books, 2021

Go, Trucks, Go!, Sasquatch Books, 2021

Nikola Tesla: Little People, Big Dreams, ‎ Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2022

The Planets We Explore, Magic Cat Publishing, 2023

Think Like A Goat, Kids Can Press, 2023

Super Sports Stars, Walker Books, 2023