Meet the Wild Southwest: Land of Hoodoos & Gila Monsters
Susan J. Tweit
Illustrations: Joyce Bergen
Alaska Northwest Books, 1995
Ages 10 and up, Paperbound, $14.95
Desert ecology for kids, with activities
Packed with details about the lives of desert residents and the hows of desert weather and landscapes are the way they are, this book is perfect for answering "Why?" questions about nature in the Southwest. Also includes "Hot Tips"on places to go and things to do, and activities for kids, parents, and teachers.
Tweit's eclectic collection of natural-history facts and trivia provides a fascinating look at the American Southwest. ... It has plenty of appeal and will be especially useful for families planning hikes or nature walks in the Southwest. --Amazon.com
{From "Leaping Lizards") One is large, quick, and brightly colored, and hunts on the run. The other is small, slow, and earth-colored, and hunts by holding still.
They're both lizards. The common collared lizard, named for two black "collars" ringing its neck, is the eye-catching speedster. It's neon-bright coloring--a brilliant emerald belly with touches of turquoise blue, and chrome yellow accents above--screams to be noticed. Collared lizards grow to a foot long--at least half of which is tail. ...
Horned lizards are as different as can by from their flashy and quick cousins. They are short, growing to no more than 6 inches long, and squat, with a body shaped like a hockey puck and crowned with a collar of spines behind their head. They are also called horny toads because their flattened body is toadlike.
The horned lizard's main strategy for survival is camouflage, an ability to blend in with its surroundings. Most lizards rely on speed to avoid predators and to catch their meals, but not horned lizards. They hide b holding still instead.
BUY the book from the publisher, or at your local bookstore.
