Animals Nonfiction

Squeak! Tiny hamsters make fun pets. Some have a solid color and others have three different colors. Some have short tails and others have long tails. Young listeners will learn about the appearance and behavior of hamsters, and discover why these curious rodents make great pets.

Cute and cuddly yet powerful and fierce, polar bears are loved by people around the world. But the great bear of the north is in trouble. Its habitat is disappearing, and its food supply is dwindling. Learn more about these amazing animals, their Arctic homes, what the eat, and what you can do to help.

Yank! The giant panda strips bamboo leaves with its sharp claws. Weighing more than 300 pounds, this is one huge bear! Listeners are introduced to physical features, behavior, habitat, and life cycle to find out why giant pandas are awesome!

Sheep have important roles to play out on the farm. Listeners learn all about a sheep's physical features, diet, life cycle, and what life is like on the farm.

Climb and play. Rest in a sunny field. Goats are at home on the farm.

Few activities grip our attention more than animal watching. Dolphins and seals bring us much joy, and sharks and alligators hold us in awe. But animals can also prompt a variety of fascinating questions. Why do dolphins sometimes surf? How well can birds of prey actually see? Why do giant pandas eat bamboo fast food? Why are cavities essential to one reptile's survival? What effect can a slight temperature change have on alligator hatchlings? How can some seals stay underwater so long and dive so deeply without harm?

Follow along with National Geographic explorer Brady Barr as he crawls into a muddy hole just barely big enough for his shoulders, and comes face to face with 13 crocodiles! Laugh out loud as you learn how to catch a crocodile using shoe laces and underpants. Listen in anticipation to find out what happens when you put a 600-lb crocodile on an airplane in just a flimsy wooden crate. These action-packed stories and more will engage listeners and inspire them to go out and explore their own world.

Lift your tail and splash the water! It's time to share a day up close with a narwhal. See this whale's watery home, what it eats, and how it cares for its young.

You see a fin poke out of the water. It’s a big gray animal with a friendly face. It looks like a dolphin, but is it a porpoise? Dolphins and porpoises are similar, but they have some important differences. Find out how their fins, mouths, teeth, and behaviors can all help you tell these two animal look-alikes apart.

An animal that looks like a turtle munches on some grass. It has scales and a hard shell. But is it a turtle or a tortoise? Turtles and tortoises are similar, but they have some important differences. Find out how their legs, feet, shells, and behaviors can all help you tell these two animal look-alikes apart.

A brownish creature with bumps and lumps sits on rock. Is it a frog or a toad? From the color of their skin to how they move, frogs and toads are not the same. Dive right in to discover how they are alike and how they are different.

Two beady eyes peek out of the water. Is it a crocodile or an alligator? They may look similar, but these two reptiles have many differences, including where they live and the shape of their snout. Let’s find out what fearsome creature is really lurking below the water and explore their differences.

Flutter, flutter! What did you just see? Was it a butterfly or a moth? Butterflies and moths are similar, but they have some important differences. Find out how their colors, antennae, bodies, and behaviors can all help you tell these two animal look-alikes apart.

Gorgeous eyelashes. Flashy feathers. Silky hair. The animals in this book are far from drab and dull.

Blue scales. Pink wings. Purple feathers. The animals in this book are far from boring.

Seals sit on chunks of floating ice. They're ready to dive into the freezing Arctic water at any moment. Learn more about what predators they watch out for and how they protect their young. Learn how seals find food, stay warm, and more.

Snowy owls call the bitterly cold Arctic their home. Learn how they live in this harsh environment. Snowy Owls Are Awesome tells listeners how these birds find their prey, what dangers they have to watch out for, and more.

Polar bears roam the Arctic tundra searching for food. Find out how these cold weather bears stay warm and survive in their frigid environment. Learn what polar bears eat, how they care for their young, and more in Polar Bears Are Awesome.

A killer whale launches into the air creating a huge wave as it crashes back into the ocean. Find out how these great mammals live in the freezing waters of the Arctic. Learn what killer whales eat, and how they work together to hunt.

Penguins waddle slowly across the ice. But in the frigid waters, they zoom after prey. Learn how these birds stay warm in their polar habitat, how they raise their young, and how they find food while avoiding predators.