Animals Nonfiction

Abby wanted to be a penguin for the school play, but is cast as an owl instead! After complaining to her horseback-riding instructor, Abby learns a lesson on the important role barn owls play on farms. After seeing an owl in action, will she be able to proudly portray an owl in the play?

What were horses like one million years ago? Learn about the evolution of horses through history and how they adapted to their environment. How did horses go from being hunted by humans to being friends? Horses were domesticated to become more important to people's daily lives for work and transportation. What qualities do horses have that helped their survival and their human friends, too?

Did you know that a woolly bear is a type of caterpillar? People have sometimes used these caterpillars to predict the weather by looking at their stripes! Learn about these interesting creatures and what their life is like before they make cocoons and morph into their final form—the yellow tiger moth!

Meet Tiger, the tabby cat! Meet his family by learning about all the different kinds of cat breeds in the world. See how they are similar and how they differ from one another, but in the end—they are all part of the same family!

Slither into the scaly world of the mighty python! Learn about all the parts that make the python such a strange and misunderstood creature. See how its anatomy allows it to be more than just a limbless tube-like animal! Gain knowledge about this reptile’s habits and senses.

When a young boy visits his friend, Mary, he finds out it’s honey harvest day! Even though Mary’s family lives in the big city of Chicago, they have honeybees in their backyard. Follow along to learn about beekeeping and lots of cool stuff about the honeybee!

Mama Kiwi has finally laid her eggs! Now it's time for Papa Kiwi to take care of them until they hatch. Learn what Papa Kiwi must do in order to protect his babies. See how he hunts for food and protects the eggs all by himself until it's time for the eggs to hatch!

Two ants have lost their queen’s pink sprinkle! Now they must go on an adventure to find their queen’s sugary snack. They need to ask all the other creatures that live around them if they have seen it! Will they ever be able to find the sprinkle?

Have you ever wondered how insects defend themselves from predators? Some, like the stick insect and katydid, use amazing disguises to help blend into their surroundings! Others, like wasps, hornets, and some caterpillars, use a painful venom to discourage attackers. If you were a bug, what sort of defense would you use?

During the rainy season in the marshlands, Alligator has almost nothing to eat. When the dry season comes, Alligator digs a hole in the pond and waits for the animals to return. Without Alligator and her hole, there would be far fewer animals living in the marsh.

When a young boy happens across a tarantula, it scares him at first! But then he and the tarantula have a conversation, and he learns about the differences between insects and spiders—like the spider’s unique body, which is comprised of a combined head/thorax, abdomen, and palps—as well as some interesting facts about other arachnids!

How do you know that spring is finally coming? The geese, of course! All you have to do is look for the V-shape in the sky and listen for all that honking as they migrate back from Canada!

Do you know how many animals live in the Amazonian rainforest? Learn about the different predators and prey that coexist and depend on one another to survive. See how all life within a rainforest serves different roles and leads to a successful ecosystem.

Click, Jane, and CeCe go digging for dinosaur bones. When they finally dig up a bone, Click and CeCe are sure it’s a dinosaur bone but Jane thinks it is too small. Cloo teaches them something surprising – dinosaurs were all different sizes!

Have you ever gone birdwatching before? Learn about all the different birds that migrate to the Magee Marsh every spring! See all the kinds of birds that make their way to the same spot every year, like warblers, owls, and even ducks!

Have you ever wondered why birds have beaks? They don't have hands like we do, so they need another way to help themselves. Learn all the ways birds use their beaks, and see how different birds have different types of beaks that allow them to catch their meals.

Did you know that dogs have been helping humans for thousands of years? They have done a lot of different jobs to help us, even today! Dogs are more than just pets. They help police officers, people with disabilities, farmers, and even sick people. Have you ever met a dog that does one of these jobs?

Dana is going to the dog park! Meet all of the dogs that are at the park and what makes them special. Do you know the different breeds that are at the park? Help Dana find them!

Do you know how to tell if a creepy-crawly is an insect? Is a spider an insect? What about a millipede? Listen to learn how and put your skills to the test!

Frogs and toads and newts, oh my! Amphibians are a special class of animals. Have you ever seen one? Learn what sets amphibians apart from reptiles, and then take a quiz to see if the animal of your choice makes the cut as an amphibian!