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Who Pooped In The Park? Scat And Tracks For Kids

Author : Gary D. Robson
Published : 2006-10-01

Scatalogically speaked, this book delivers all the poop on Big Bend National Park. So to speak.

Who would have known critter poop was so big with kids? There's a whole franchise out there, with "Who Pooped in the Park" books for Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Rocky Mountain, Shenandoah and many more parks.

This book, on what pooped in Big Bend National Park, is aimed at kids age 8 and above. Part of the motivation in writing the book stems from the fact that wildlife in Big Bend is not always easy to spot. But scat and tracks often can be found.

Robert Rath illustrated the book with full-page, full-color cartoon-style pictures based around a family of four -- mom and dad and two young kids -- who are on vacation in Big Bend. Through the narrative writer Gary D. Robson intersperses details about the park, discussing its size and landscape and wildlife, while focusing on wildlife tracks and scat.

"The animals are here," said Dad. "We just need to look for their sign."

"Sign?" said Michael. "Like a sign at a zoo?"

Dad smiled. "In this case, a sign is a clue that an animal left behind. Look under that mesquite bush. An animal has been nibbling on the grass."

"All of these signs tell a story," added Mom. "See the little tracks the animal left in the dirt? You can count four toes in each footprint."

"Look over here! I found bunny poop, just like in Velvet's case back home," yelled Michael.

"We came all the way to Big Bend National Park for rabbit poop?" Emily moaned. "Michael's bunny makes plenty of poop at home."

"Scientists and rangers call it scat instead of poop, kids," Mom said with a grin. "But you're right. This is from a rabbit or hare."

As the family's vacation continues, they find other evidence of wildlife -- from scat to tracks and even antlers. While Mr. Rath points out the differences of some animals, such as mule deer and white-tailed deer, with his drawings, Mr. Robson drops in "The Straight Poop," little wildlife factoids such as that female deer don't grow antlers, that rabbits eat their own scat to maximize the nutritional value of their forage, and that roadrunners can run up to 15 miles per hour.

Though aimed at a youthful audience, this book and others in the series can be fun for families visiting national parks and help kids, and even their parents, learn some natural history on their vacations.

Comments

What a great book for teaching kids about the outdoors! To bad ours is only 14 months old right now.


In the category of "Wish I'd thought of this ... "


....indeed!


This is a wonderful and useful book that children really enjoy. I bought one for my niece and nephew and they went out in there neighborhood looking for scat and tracks.


We are two grown ups whith grown up kids. Shoot I wish we would have had this book when we visited Big Bend earlier this year. These will be must buys for future visits with future grand kids. Thank you so much


Sheryl-we bought 'Who Pooped in the Park" Yellowstone edition for our adult son as a 'souvenir' from our trip and he got a big kick out of it. He was around 22 at the time. Hopefully he's put it aside for the day when he has kids of his own. LOL


Glad to hear about this book. Tracks and scats tell stories and are good things for kids--and adults--to know about.


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