Stranded

Book Description

Adventure story for children.

Customer Reviews:

could have been better.......2006-04-28

"Stranded" is about a girl in seventh grade living on a boat. Before the book starts, she was in an accident that cost her her right foot. Koby feels that the other kids at her school treat her differently than everybody else because instead of a foot, she now has a mechanical strap-on leg she calls her "leggy". If you're grossed out easily, I wouldn't recommend this book.

Koby (the girl) finds injured whales she wants to help, but, when she tells her parents about them, they don't believe that she ever found them. Her parents argue and within the first several pages, her mom moves ashore and takes Koby with her. But Koby continues to go out searching for the whales. Once she knows where they are, she asks her mysterious friend, a retired sea captain named Nickeljack, for something to put on the whales' injuries, but when she finds them they are even more hurt and beached. She spends the night trying to keep them alive. When the Coast Guard (which had been put on alert by Koby's mom) found her the next morning, she was filthy and cold, but the whales were alive. The story becomes more complex after this. This book is about how Koby deals with her leg problem, her parents, and the whales who need her help.

Personally, I thought this book could have been better. A lot better. She may be in seventh grade, but Koby acts like she is six years old. She makes a huge deal out of her missing leg, and how her "leggy" isn't the same as her old leg. Also, it's too convenient that she finds the whales on the same day that her mom moved out.

The book is supposed to be written from Koby's perspective, but in the book's dialogue Koby refers to her parents as "mom" and "dad." This book is great for anyone facing a dilemma involving a missing limb, because it goes into great detail about her mental struggle, and how she overcame it. It's also good for anyone (though it's unlikely) who found an injured whale and doesn't know what to do. From my position, though, it is not a great book. I wouldn't advise it to most people.

Brian Bruzzo

Stranded.......2006-04-28

The main character of this book was a girl named Koby who loved ocean. Koby meets lot of difficulties with her parents fighting and arguing over and over again. Koby is a girl that thinks that she is alone. In her mind she thinks everybody at her school hates her because she got into an accident that made her lose a right foot that had to be replaced by a wood in a form of a foot. She had many troubles along the way to the end by how she had a wooden foot. Koby lost her foot when she was eight years old but this story is about her when she is now twelve.
During the story she meets pilot whales. She tries to help the whales but she took very long time to earn their trust to help them. Koby couldn't leave them alone because they were badly hurt. The author wrote this story to express how hard and harsh it would be for a girl to live with a permanent space between her right foot and her shoe.
I thought this story was pretty well made how Koby dealt with pilot whales and her parents. The book made me think of my grandma on my dad's side because she lost her whole left knee down to her toes and now she's on an electric wheel chair. I liked how Koby never gave up on things during the story. I didn't like how Koby called her right wooden foot. I recommend this book for people who love whales and animals. So if you are even 1% interested in this book read the STRANDED!

Review od Stranded.......2006-04-27

Koby, a young girl, has to live her life missing a foot and having parents that fight all the time, often about her, and to top it all off, she has no friends. The only thing that can set her free is dinghy and being out on the open ocean. But when Koby finds herself stranded with two pilot whales, her life changes greatly.
I think this is a great book that captures you and takes you on a journey about a small girl making a big difference. This story is a wonderful story about friends that Koby never thought she'd have.
If you like stories about adventure, friends, and animals, you'll love this book.

~Nina

Stranded.......2003-03-25

Stranded
By: Ben Mikaelsen This book, named Stranded, is one of the greatest book I ever read. This book pulled me into the book cause it was amazing. It grabed my attention. So I kept on reading the book and it got better and better. It was about a girl named Koby. She has one leg that is fake. She moves into a new school and a has no friends there. Everyone looks at her cause she's the only one with a fake leg. She gets frustrated at them looking at her leg. She got used to it so after few days she forgot about it and no one looked at her fake leg. She is one of those people who doesn't give up if they fail. They just try their best. She has no friends at this school. After school she goes and finds a stranded dolphin on the beach. She takes care of it. She is really good at taking care of animals. What will she do?
I like this book because of many things. The book is interesting, fun, wild, and has lots of things in common with me.
I like it cause she helps other animals and tries to do other thigs too, like bringing their family together and getting some friends."Dad, I want to help." Koby just wanted to get her parents together, get friends, and save the dolphins. She is just caring about everything. She is just a kid. That is why I like this book.
I dislike this book because it was sad and mean. Koby couldn't get any friends. She was new so no one liked her. They always stared at her fake leg. It was so sad. How would it feel? If you were Koby and you had no friends how would you react? It is so sad. She is just trying to fit in the school and people don't welcome her and they make her sad.What bad friends.That is so mean. I would tell my mother to move out of her. It is so sad and mean. "Koby walked up,a couple of girlsturned and noticed her exposed leggy. They smiled."
My favorite part of this book was when she was having P.E. and there was an activity she was good at. The captain was the most popular girl in school, Becky, chose Koby 7th pick. Their team was losing and Koby caught up and won the race. They were so happy to win. They got to be friends and were really close friends after that. Koby was so happy. That was my favorite part of the book.

Stranded.......2003-03-25

Stranded
By: Ben Mikaelsen
Reviewed by: W.Yoon
Period: P.5

This book, named Stranded, is one of the greatest book I ever read. This book pulled me into the book cause it was amazing. It grabed my attention. So I kept on reading the book and it got better and better. It was about a girl named Koby. She has one leg that is fake. She moves into a new school and a has no friends there. Everyone looks at her cause she's the only one with a fake leg. She gets frustrated at them looking at her leg. She got used to it so after few days she forgot about it and no one looked at her fake leg. She is one of those people who doesn't give up if they fail. They just try their best. She has no friends at this school. After school she goes and finds a stranded dolphin on the beach. She takes care of it. She is really good at taking care of animals. What will she do?
I like this book because of many things. The book is interesting, fun, wild, and has lots of things in common with me.
I like it cause she helps other animals and tries to do other thigs too, like bringing their family together and getting some friends."Dad, I want to help." Koby just wanted to get her parents together, get friends, and save the dolphins. She is just caring about everything. She is just a kid. That is why I like this book.
I dislike this book because it was sad and mean. Koby couldn't get any friends. She was new so no one liked her. They always stared at her fake leg. It was so sad. How would it feel? If you were Koby and you had no friends how would you react? It is so sad. She is just trying to fit in the school and people don't welcome her and they make her sad.What bad friends.That is so mean. I would tell my mother to move out of her. It is so sad and mean. "Koby walked up,a couple of girlsturned and noticed her exposed leggy. They smiled."
My favorite part of this book was when she was having P.E. and there was an activity she was good at. The captain was the most popular girl in school, Becky, chose Koby 7th pick. Their team was losing and Koby caught up and won the race. They were so happy to win. They got to be friends and were really close friends after that. Koby was so happy. That was my favorite part of the book.

Average customer rating:

Thank you Chris Van Dusen!

MaGee and Dee, forever with me

LOTS OF FUN

Hooray for Mr. Magee!

Completely entertaining... destined to be a classic!

Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee
Chris Van Dusen
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee

If I Built a Car

Mercy Watson to the Rescue (Mercy Watson)

When We Go Camping

The Best Pet of All

ASIN: 0811852253

Book Description

With enough lunch for three, Mr. Magee and his dog Dee head out to the sea. But what begins as a fun day in the sun turns a bit bumpy when onel playful whale decides to say hello. Soon the crew that once was floating finds themselves flying! How will they get down? Who will come to their rescue? And when will they ever get to eat lunch? Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee is a great read-aloud, sure to provide fits of giggles.

Customer Reviews:

Thank you Chris Van Dusen!.......2007-09-05

We checked out one Chris Van Dusen book (A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee) at our local library and wanted more. We love his "retro" illustrations and his clever rhymes. Our kids ask to read this book over and over again. It is a cute story, told and illustrated well.

MaGee and Dee, forever with me.......2007-03-13

This is a beautiful book with Seussian rhyming text, and appeals to children of all ages, and young boys in particular. The rhyming text helps children who have difficulty reading stay engaged. There is so much to look at in the illustrations, and grownups interested in the color palette and trappings of the 1950s will find all of Van Dusens books welcome additions to their children's book library. This one will never go in the giveaway pile - you'll want to keep it forever.

LOTS OF FUN.......2006-03-08

This book is so much fun. The rhymes make it fun to read over and over, and the illustrations are absolutely incredible corner to corner. The story is so cute. Not too long, not too short. We love it and also purchased Camping Spree W/ Mr. Magee and that too is a must have! Chris Van Dusen did not disappoint!

Hooray for Mr. Magee!.......2006-02-14

We bought this book for our (...) son for Christmas. Mr. Magee's first adventure (A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee) has been a favorite of ours for 2 years and his newest adventure quickly became another favorite! The rhymes are so catchy and the story so simple yet we can't seem to get enough of it, and we can't wait to see what sort of crazy situations Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee will get themselves into next.

Completely entertaining... destined to be a classic!.......2004-09-14

Both of Chris Van Dusen's Mr Magee books are incredible, engrossing, beautifully illustrated (and wacky) tales. No kid I know can put them down. My nephew asked to have it read 10 times a day the first week he got it!

The story is about a retro guy and his dog that go out boating for the day and end up stuck in a tree. They are rescued by whales. While full of drama and adventure both stories end in a relaxing shared meal ;)

Inside Passage: Living With Killer Whales, Bald Eagles, and Kwakiutl Indians

Average customer rating:

Real Deal
PURE DRAMA
Interesting but too idealistic
Inside Passage -- Captivating!!!!!
Beyond Human

Inside Passage: Living With Killer Whales, Bald Eagles, and Kwakiutl Indians
Michael Modzelewski
Manufacturer: Adventures Unlimited (FL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0966062507

Book Description

Inspired by Robinson Crusoe and Jack London, Michael Modzelewski, jettisoned all baggage accompanying life in the comfortable middle class and set out to find raw, unharnessed wilderness. He found it on Blackfish Sound ("Blackfish" is the Kwakiutl Indian word for the killer whale) in the Inside Passage, the rugged coastline between Seattle and Alaska.

Leaving his home in Aspen, which had become a false Shangri-La for him, Modzelewski settled on a desolate island in the Inside Passage, a place which "after seducing you with beauty would shake you with fear. An unpredictable place that kept you always prepared, honed to the keen edge of life." Here he lived alone for months on end.

Inside Passage describes his experiences in this unspoiled setting, where the sky is his ceiling, mountains are his walls, and physical challenges test him down to the marrow. He also forms unusual friendships with passing yachters, salmon fishermen, Kwakiutl Indians, loners, and the owner of the house he is staying at, Will Malloff, a man of oversized personality -- a healer, builder, woodsman, and thinker. Modzelewski writes with a love for nature and gentle humor about his interactions with the native animals (eagles, whales, wolves), local animals (cats, dogs, "tame" wild boars), and other settlers.

Inside Passage is the powerful story of one man learning the ways of self-reliance in a soul-filled search through the northern wilderness.

Customer Reviews:

Real Deal.......2006-04-25

I live in Alaska and a friend recommended Mr. Modzelewski's book. And now I recommend it to the world. Sure, there's the usual descriptions of animals, ocean, weather and solitude but what makes this book special is the author goes so much deeper into the Spirit behind things. Haven't stopped thinking about his experiences and it's been a month now since I finished the book.

PURE DRAMA.......2005-06-19

I'm an actress and read scripts, rarely books -- but after a producer friend recommended Inside Passage to me, I couldn't put it down! In fact, I read it three times. It was like watching a movie -- that's how vividly Michael Modzelewski writes. Alaska is a far different world than Los Angeles and I escaped completely to a pure and inspiring reality. Thank you, Michael! You are gifted and blessed. And who knows? Maybe we can turn this captivating story into a film, with the author and animals the main characters and could there be a more beautiful setting than the Inside Passage to Alaska -- as evoked so wonderfully in this poetic prose.

Interesting but too idealistic.......2005-04-01

Quick read. Definitely worth it if you have been or are going to be in the region. Some of his scientific stuff is a little off but it's not the right book if you are looking for exacting detail on these subjects. Modzelewski's perspectives were very idealistic and I found it a little difficult to believe that the experiences he relates were quite a spiritual or mind altering as he sometimes makes them seem. The author does pull series of stories or facts together well. The chapters addressed themes - like the tribes, animals, the island's owner, etc. Modzelewski doesn't try to tell you everything there is to know about any of these subjects but selects what he thinks is interesting and relates it briefly. Often the points he makes or the stories he chooses to tell are not ones that you might have expected.

Inside Passage -- Captivating!!!!!.......2004-09-08

A wonderful voyage in mother nature's womb, evoking feelings of awe, and revere at the colossal universe, inhaling the powerful imagery of wilderness through Michael.

Beyond Human.......2004-08-11

Michael Modzelewski writes like a wild animal. If the beasts could speak it wouldn't come out much different than how Michael describes them. The author knows no limits -- extending into and giving shape to all animate matter in super insightful poetic prose.

At the Water's Edge : Fish with Fingers, Whales with Legs, and How Life Came Ashore but Then Went Back to Sea

Average customer rating:

The Extinction of Species
A Whale of A Tale!
Enlightening.
Walk in, then take the plunge!
Truly excellent book on evolution

At the Water's Edge : Fish with Fingers, Whales with Legs, and How Life Came Ashore but Then Went Back to Sea
Carl Zimmer
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0684856239

Book Description

Everybody Out of the Pond

At the Water's Edge will change the way you think about your place in the world. The awesome journey of life's transformation from the first microbes 4 billion years ago to Homo sapiens today is an epic that we are only now beginning to grasp. Magnificent and bizarre, it is the story of how we got here, what we left behind, and what we brought with us.

We all know about evolution, but it still seems absurd that our ancestors were fish. Darwin's idea of natural selection was the key to solving generation-to-generation evolution -- microevolution -- but it could only point us toward a complete explanation, still to come, of the engines of macroevolution, the transformation of body shapes across millions of years. Now, drawing on the latest fossil discoveries and breakthrough scientific analysis, Carl Zimmer reveals how macroevolution works. Escorting us along the trail of discovery up to the current dramatic research in paleontology, ecology, genetics, and embryology, Zimmer shows how scientists today are unveiling the secrets of life that biologists struggled with two centuries ago.

In this book, you will find a dazzling, brash literary talent and a rigorous scientific sensibility gracefully brought together. Carl Zimmer provides a comprehensive, lucid, and authoritative answer to the mystery of how nature actually made itself.

Customer Reviews:

The Extinction of Species .......2007-01-07

"At the Waters Edge: Fish with Fingers, Whales with Legs
By Carl Zimmer

THE EXTINCTION OF SPECIES

Nearly all the species of Life Forms that have ever existed are now extinct. Through the millennia, there have been five documented "mass extinctions," affecting everything from primordial life forms to Dinosaurs.
The lesson is either that the rest of the species were unprepared for evolution; or that Man for reasons unknown, was better equipped for survival.

"The Permian mass extinction occurred about 248 million years ago and was the greatest mass extinction ever recorded in earth history; even larger than the previously discussed Ordovician and Devonian crises and the better known End Cretaceous extinction that felled the dinosaurs. Ninety to ninety-five percent of marine species were eliminated as a result of this Permian event"*

In "Fish with Fingers; Whales with Legs" science writer Carl Zimmer examines the extinction of species that once used their digits for underwater propulsion, but later evolved into legs for walking on land.

Why are the Frogs disappearing? Nearly 200 species of amphibians are either extinct or heading that way) Is it because Amphibians, with their Permeable skin and need for ample moisture to keep their Skin from wrinkling, are more susceptible to extinction than say, insects; or because we (Man, as the Custodian of the Ecology) have so impacted the Environment that certain species are destined for doom?
In Africa, the Hippopotamus is endangered. A certain Toad (the golden Toad) of Costa Rica hasn't been seen in thirty years. Many species of Frogs and other amphibians have disappeared or are listed as Threatened or Vulnerable by the International Conservation Union. The Polar Bear is losing its Habitat: the Arctic ice shelf is disappearing. Polar bears are smaller and weaker, and more vulnerable to disease and famine.

"Over the last few decades scientists and naturalists around the world have noticed a disturbing declining trend in many amphibian populations. The cause of such declines has so far been elusive and multiple factors working in tandem are likely to be responsible. Among the factors listed as contributing causes to such declines are: climate change, increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation, habitat destruction, increased exposure to pathogens, acid rain, human predation, and others. There is uncertainty as to whether these declines are caused by human activity or by natural cycles but most scientists believe that humans are at least partly responsible for many of these declines." (1)

But there are some positive signs. There are certain environmental niches, or enclaves where species have been protected and isolated from human and natural enemies. An example of that is the so-called "noah's ark" region in the tropical rainforests of Brazil and Coral Reefs in Indonesia where previously unknown species of fish are being discovered. According to research published in the National Geographic, there are 794 species of threatened or endangered animals, plants, and insects living in 595 sites around the world; little ecosystems where these species persevere. Another recent study shows that Earth's population is exceeding Earth's resources.
Man is the greatest enemy of the Environment. Man also has the capacity to arrest or reverse the tendency toward extinction and eradication of species.
Further Recommended Reading:
Ellis, Richard: No Turning Back: The Life and Death of Animal Species
Quammen, D: The Death of the Dodo
Dawkins, Richard: The Ancestor's Tale : A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution.
--END--

A Whale of A Tale!.......2006-08-26

This is one of my favourite books. Not just about whales, mind you, but about evolution of life in the oceans, then up onto land and, in some cases, back to sea again.

The author takes the reader through a complete yet understandable history of the evolution of whales. For my part, I knew that whales had once been terrestrial, but I didn't know even a tenth of the entire story. I learned that one of the first whales (or al least it's ancestor) was ambulocetus natans, a curious looking fellow who was something of a cross between a wolf and a whale. Then, on to Rodocetus and Basilosaurus and Dorudon, thogh not necessarily in that order.

I found out things I would never have expected in this book, such as the evolution of hand and how Hox genes work during development in the womb.

For anyone who is interested in whale evolution, human evolution, or life in the sea, this book is for you!

Enlightening........2006-04-25

I'm not one to pen lengthy reviews as the idea is, after all, what is the book about, did I or did I not like it and why - plain and simple. Well, I did like it, hence the 4 stars. However, I'm not quite sure why. Mr. Zimmer explains about evolution, some exploring, discovering, insight and mystery solving in a style that contributes to it all being easily understood (almost as if you were involved with it in some small way). It's inspiring, informative and educational. It isn't a cliff hanger, but it kept my attention and after having put it down I wanted to pick it up again. Not riveting but, I think, addictive. If you're interested in discovering the linear progression of how our understanding has arrived at where we now find ourselves (regarding evolution) then give it a try.

Walk in, then take the plunge!.......2005-09-21

At The Water's Edge is about about the evolution of large and important changes in species; Zimmer focuses on change in habitat, the move from sea to land, and then back to sea.

Zimmer begins by describing different fish lineages and concentrates on the branch that leads to our own chordate subphylum, the tetrapods. How and why did legs evolve? How did our left and right walking motion appear? Zimmer reveals a surprising answer. Tetrapods, legs, and walking did not evolve to help fish survive on land; they evolved to help fish swim in shallow swampy river deltas at the ocean's edge. These features allow fish to move more efficiently among the river plants and to sneak up on prey more easily. Once the left right motion was established, it was easy for fins to strengthen. At some point there came a need to move from puddle to puddle, or perhaps to escape predators, or to lie in wait out of the water. Strong alternating fins, which had evolved in a purely aquatic environment, were ideally suited to these new tasks.

To emphasize this original unplanned use of an existing feature, Zimmer uses Stephen Jay Gould's strange neologism "exaptation" rather than a more familiar term like pre-adaption. Zimmer prefers exaptation because pre-adaptation somehow implies that the final use of a thing was planned from the beginning. Zimmer emphasizes that it was not.

Once he's done with how tetrapods appeared and then came to land, Zimmer makes an about face and returns to the seafollowing whales and dolphins. Here too we find surprises. Early whale ancestors probably behaved like crocodiles and alligators. They would stay in the water with only their eyes and nose protruding, waiting for a land based prey to come close. Later, Zimmer describes echolocation, one of the most complex and useful features of cetaceans. Dolphins and many whales have a superb sonar system that works by echoing clicks out and back in through a fat-filled cavity in their forehead called the melon. The melon
acts as a sound lends letting dolphins "see" small objects hundreds of feet away. How can such a useful and complex organ evolve? The current hypothesis is that the melon's first function in early whales was simply to block the nasal passage during deep dives, to keep water out. Once it existed, it probably provided very rudimentary echolocation which gave natural selection something to work with. Another exaptation.

Another topic Zimmer touches often is cladism, which is the sorting of species into a genealogical table by identifying key features. Features common to a group of species can imply a common ancestor even if we haven't found any trace of the ancestor itself. Two cladistic schools are at this moment fighting it out: the biological and morphological school one side, and the genetic school on the other. The schools often arrive at different conclusions. The strength of the biological school is that its discoveries are practical; key features mean something concrete like a backbone (chordates) or a melon (dolphins and many whales). However, key features are very difficult to identify. Genes on the other hand are easy to identify and to compare among different species. Also, there's a mechanical logic to genes that readily lends itself to cladistic sorting. However, genes often don't mean anything, i.e. have no effect on how the organism works, and they can mutate at random, appearing and disappearing for no reason. Each camp will probably have to find a way to learn from the other.

Charles Darwin famously called his Origin of Species "one long argument", by which he sought to establish Natural Selection as the main means of evolution. You might take Zimmer's book as one short argument to establish exaptations and cladism as the main engines of macroevolution.

Truly excellent book on evolution .......2005-04-28

_At the Water's Edge_ by Carl Zimmer is a fascinating and well-written account of macroevolution, evolution outside of the "generation-by-generation" pace of microevolution. In microevolution, biologists can follow the process of natural selection; as every generation of a species produces a line of variants, some of these variants do better than others and survive to possibly pass on those variant traits to their offspring. Biologists can for instance track the success (and failure) of individual genes or how a particular species of insect adapts to a new pesticide. Macroevolution on the other hand works on much larger, grander scales, a scale in which completely new types of bodies appear.

Zimmer sought to examine macroevolution in the development of tetrapods from fish (which occurred between 380 and 360 million years ago) and whales from land mammals (occurring about 50 million years ago), using these fascinating accounts to introduce to the reader two of the most common features of macroevolution - exaptations of existing features and the correlated progression of many different parts.

Exaptation is a term used to describe the notion of a structure crafted by evolution for one function and later becoming ideal for another, often completely different function. Early in the 20th century this concept was known as preadaptation, a term coined by Alfred Sherwood Romer, though Stephen Jay Gould and Elizabeth Vrba in 1982 offered the term exaptation instead as preadaptation seemed to imply some sort of conscious planning for the future that evolution can never have.

In tetrapod evolution, the production of urea in lobe-fins was an exaptation - originally evolved as a way for an organism to avoid ammonia poisoning, excess salt, and water loss at sea, an excellent system for when tetrapods came ashore. Lungs may have evolved originally not for life on land but to give predatory fish more stamina in chasing prey at sea, this ability helping keep the heart nourished and allowing the fish to swim longer and harder than fish without lungs. Early tetrapods evolved legs to move along shallow, coastal lagoon bottoms and through flooded forests, not to move onto land, an "exaptation of the most dramatic sort." Among whales, _Ambulocetus_, an ancestor with perhaps a crocodile-like lifestyle, may have evolved the ability to hold its breath while it drowned its prey in deep water, an exaptation for later life at sea. Similarly, the ability of _Ambulocetus_ to hear low-frequency sounds traveling through the ground - as it rested its head on the shore, waiting for prey, the sounds traveling up its bony jaw - may have been an exaptation for hearing underwater.

Correlated progression is a bit harder of a concept to explain. Essentially, it is a "choreography of changes" in an animal. The term, originated by Keith Thomson in the 1960s, describes how one change in a particular aspect of an organism cannot take place unless natural selection was also altering the other parts of the organism for other adaptations at the same time; changes in one part of the body can sometimes make other changes more beneficial to an animal. If anatomical features of an animal are tightly linked together, they will change in concert.

The evolution of the tetrapod ear is an excellent example of correlated progression. The stapes in the human ear is homologous with a large bone that supports fish jaws, known as the hyomandibular. The ancestral lobe-fin fish's skull was originally a loose collection of bones held together by ligaments, the hyomandibular serving to brace the upper and lower jawbones against the back of the braincase and also helping to flare open the gill flap to let stale water out of the animal's head. As shown by such fossils as _Acanthostega_, early tetrapods developed a braincase that was fused shut, the jaw being able now to make direct contact with the sturdier skull, the hyomandibular bone no longer needed to support the jaw (and also not needed for working the gills as they became less important for breathing). The hyomandibular shrank and became lodged tightly in the back of the skull, at first locked in so much that it couldn't vibrate freely. Later on other bones of the skull became sturdy enough that the proto-stapes could loosen and begin transmitting sounds to the brain. The stapes could only evolve as a new type of bite was evolving thanks to changes in the skull and in breathing. In turn, the shrinking hyomandibular had its own effects; as the muscles that once connected it to the gill arches now were attached to the jaw to open and shut it and support the head on its shoulders, the dwindling hyomandibular let other bones and muscles create the tetrapod neck. Also, when the shoulders were liberated from the head and from the heavy bone once covering the gills, there was enough room for a bigger, more complex shoulder joint better suited to walking on land.

Similarly, the evolution of whale echolocation was a good example of correlated progression, each incremental change in the head of the whale encouraging other changes. Some whales may have accidentally made noises in their nose that, thanks to their echoes, made it easier to hunt prey. Sound may have inadvertently been focused by nose plugs, with whales with oversized nose plugs being favored (the nose plugs evolving into melons). The nose moved up towards the top of the head for easier breathing, but the jaws expanded back to carry it there, which made the whale's skull more stable as it moved back and creating a reflecting dish on the upper jaw for sounds waves coming from the nose as a well as a platform on which the melon to rest.

In addition to being a book on the concepts of exaptation and correlated progression, the book can simply be read as an excellent illustrated report of the evolution of tetrapods and whales, with the history of research, accounts of the personalities involved, and speculations on the lifestyles and habitats of early tetrapods and whales.

The Grandest of Lives: Eye to Eye with Whales

Average customer rating:

What a Grand Book!
What a Wonderful Little Book
Chadwick does it again.
The Grandest of Lives Indeed!

The Grandest of Lives: Eye to Eye with Whales
Douglas H. Chadwick
Manufacturer: Sierra Club Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1578051266

Book Description

The largest creatures to inhabit the Earth, whales have long inspired awe in human beings. Because they spend almost 95 percent of their time beneath the ocean surface, however, little has been known about their lives--until recently. With advances in technology and more intense study, fresh facts are coming to light about these magnificent mammals, and to be a whale watcher now, says acclaimed author and wildlife biologist Douglas Chadwick, is to have a front-row seat to stunning discoveries.
Chadwick has followed and reported on whales for more than a decade, and in The Grandest of Lives he offers a fascinating insider's view of modern-day scientific whale observation--from data gathering to spirited scientific debate to expedition storytelling. In detailed portraits of five whale species that represent a cross-section of the forms and lifestyles of cetaceans worldwide--the humpback, northern bottlenose, blue whale, minke whale, and orca--Chadwick moves deftly from natural history to more personal observations, clearly communicating his fondness and admiration for these mammoth masters of the sea, as well as the sheer joy of being among them.

Customer Reviews:

What a Grand Book!.......2007-10-08

This is a wonderfully written account of some of the most interesting animals in the ocean, the whales. The author has composed a great book that is divided into well devised chapters that use one whale to explain these giants of the sea.

What a Wonderful Little Book.......2007-05-26

Douglas Chadwick has written and excellent book on several different types of whales but, really, about whales in general.

A wonderful eye-opener to those who just look at them as "fish". These creatures seem to be intelligent beings not far behind us (or maybe far ahead of us). Chadwick brings us into a relationship with them that will change your opinion. This book would be especially good as an excellent summer read for someone in junior or senior high school who may be thinking of their future.

The older I get, the more I realize it's a big world out there and we're just a small part of it. This book makes me feel more militant in protecting our sea-going friends, the grandest of lives.

Chadwick does it again........2007-02-17

Once again, scientist/author Doug Chadwick has written a book that charms with its prose and intrigues with its message. One of the finest nature writers of our time, Chadwick has outdone himself with this book on whales and other cetacea. It provides a wealth of information on these animals that was previously hidden away in scientfic journals. Beyond that, it provides a very personal glimpse of how whale research is being conducted and of the researchers themselves -- how they relate to whales in ways that never make it into technical articles. Yet, best of all is Chadwick's exploration into the nature of whale societies or cultures. Careful not to slip into anthropomorphism, Chadwick deftly graples with some of the most compelling issues of our time, concerning conservation of highly intelligent wildlife. Conventional wildlife management focues on numbers of animals, thinking of each member of a species as being equal to every other member of that age-sex class, then striving to maintain optimal numbers in each class to maximize harvstable yield. Only recently, with in depth studies of known individuals, have scientists begun to glimpse how much chimpanzees, gorillas, bears, and yes whales differ as individuals and groups, and how this affects overall welfare of populations and species. There is no book on non-primate animals to equal this one in trying to look beyond humanity to understand 'minds within the skins of other kinds.'
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Stephen F. Stringham, PhD, Wildlife Biologist

The Grandest of Lives Indeed!.......2006-08-05

When I was very young (about five years old) in addition to insects I was in love with sea monsters- squid, octopi, manta rays, sharks and of course whales. What fascinating creatures! After I became a biologist, specializing in arthropods, I sill found sea life of major interest and so it was that I joined a whale-watching cruise to the Coronados Island off Tijuana, Baja California, that was offered as a side trip after a scientific meeting in San Diego. It was a great experience (we saw about 2 dozen gray whales, including one pod that swam right by us in the late afternoon). Until now I have been generally disappointed with books on the subject of whales as they somehow did not seem to capture the real experience of seeing a whale in real life and in the process express the actual atmosphere of it all.

Douglas Chadwick has changed all that. His book "The Grandest of Lives: Eye to Eye With Whales" is a labor of love and it shows. His descriptions of experiences with, and the biology of, five examples of the Cetacea- the blue whale, the humpbacked whale, the orca, the minke whale and the northern bottlenose whale are golden! He captures the whales, their environment, and the people who study whales, so that you can almost catch the smell of the sea and the cries of sea birds. Most importantly he explores the mysterious lives of his subjects in a way I have seldom seen in any book. This is the next best thing to actually going out on a whale watch and a excellent read in preparation for going out to sea or after you have returned.

Chadwick also investigates the "scientific whaling" industry in which whales are "harvested" for "scientific research" by some of the countries who are members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The meat usually ends up on store shelves, sometimes including meat from species that are not even allowed to be taken for "science." He is pretty accurate in his observations and presents the views of the people who are involved in whaling as well as the reasons against such practices. This activity, along with overfishing of other marine organisms, and pollution and bycatch problems, is rapidly leading to the depletion of ocean life in some areas. However, whales are increasing in numbers along the Pacific coast of the United States and Mexico and a few other places where the whales are better protected.

Whales are wonderful creatures and if, after you have read this book, you are not impressed by them and the need to protect them I would be very surprised. These are indeed, the grandest of lives!

Average customer rating:

Whale Hunting With Gun And Camera
Roy Chapman Andrews
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1428602526

Book Description

A Naturalist's Account Of The Modern Shore-Whaling Industry, Of Whales And Their Habits, And Of Hunting Experiences In Various Parts Of The World.

Swimming with Orca: My Life with New Zealand's Killer Whales

Average customer rating:

A wonderful balance of science and emotion
A good source for learning about cetacean research

Swimming with Orca: My Life with New Zealand's Killer Whales
Ingrid Visser
Manufacturer: Penguin Global
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 014301983X

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful balance of science and emotion.......2007-01-16

This book strikes a wonderful balance between straight science and the more emotional stories of interaction with the orcas. She discusses her own work, researching the orcas of New Zealand and Antarctica under more rigid scientific situations. But at the same time, she also discusses the more emotional side of her fascination with killer whales. The stories she tells of coming face-to-face with killer whales in their own element are wonderful. It's also interesting to see her acknowledge the possibility that these interactions could affect scientific data, but then also look at what she's been able to learn because of them. This book can appeal to both the more scientific-thinking public as well as the laymen - it does a wonderful job of bridging the gap between the two, a critical factor in today's world of translational science. Highly recommended for anyone with a love of wildlife!

A good source for learning about cetacean research.......2006-09-02

Dr. Visser is obviously a person who loves her work. She is a scientist specializing in cetacean research. In particular, she studies the behavior of orca, or killer whales. If you have been lucky enough to meet Visser in her native New Zealand or on an expedition to the South Pacific or Antarctica, you know how passionate she is about the creatures to which she has dedicated her life.

The book, "Swimming with Orca," is semi-autobiographical, tracing the 40 years of Visser's remarkably rich life from that of a child growing up in New Zealand and sailing around the world with her father, to that of a scientist observing orca in their natural habitat. It is the story of a young woman with a dream and the obstacles she surmounts to attain that dream. As such, the book is both educational and inspirational. The writing is unpretentious, honest and easily accessible, and is illustrated by excellent pictures, in black and white and color. It is good reading for young and old alike.

The title of the book reflects Dr. Visser's courage in the face of animals with a reputation as the deadliest in the ocean. Even more so, it reveals the mutual trust that has come to exist between Visser and the orca who know her: she literally does swim with the orca, unafraid and without the use of protective devices. And individual orca do recognize Visser and her boat, and come to play, communicate, and seek affection. Dr. Visser lovingly describes these encounters.

Important issues of wildlife management also get their due. Dr. Visser addresses some of the situations which endanger orca and other marine mammals including industrial pollution; keeping animals in captivity; and irresponsible boat handling and fishing practices. She also describes efforts to protect the N.Z. orca, including an interesting discussion of the process of rescuing beached whales.

The book is a good resource for learning about cetacean research. It documents Visser's observations of orca behavior, and it describes the scientific methodology required to do work in this field. Additionally, Visser addresses the issue: should field research among animals be of the hands-off, observation-only kind, or can a more humane and interactive approach be as valid? Visser comes squarely down on the side of the humane and interactive, citing the work of Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey. This is fortunate for the reader: a tale about a whale named Ben is entirely more enjoyable and memorable than one about a scientific specimen labeled NZ101.

Although Swimming with Orca is her first book intended for a general audience, Dr. Visser has also helped produce a video for The Discovery Channel titled "Orca - Killers I have Known," has written several books for the children's market, and has published articles in scientific journals.

Whales With Fur: How to train any animal using dolphin training techniques

Average customer rating:

THE definitive book on animal training!
Author teaches how to stop being held hostage by your pet

Whales With Fur: How to train any animal using dolphin training techniques
Pete Davey
Manufacturer: Ocean Publishing (FL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0971764158

Customer Reviews:

THE definitive book on animal training!.......2006-12-13

Pete Davey has written, in my mind, the best animal training book there is. Davey, a professional animal trainer, shows how the common person can train ANY animal using the same techniques he uses when training dolphins. Even if all you want is to have your dog sit when asked you'll gain the knowledge how to effectively execute the behavior. You'll learn what terms like: bridge, positive reinforcement, stimulus, operant conditioning and many others mean. Bravo, Mr. Davey!

Author teaches how to stop being held hostage by your pet.......2004-07-22

Whales with Fur

As a dog lover, I am proud of what my beagle hound Shadow can do. He can do regular dog things like roll over, say hello, and stay. It was not easy teaching him these skills, and I have failed in a number of other efforts.

For instance, if I throw a tennis ball, he will pursue it, but he will not yield it up, preferring instead to slurp it, chew it, and toss it in the air for himself. As a hound, he is a prisoner of his nose. So efforts to convince him to refrain from smelling our guests, with emphasis on certain sensitive areas of their bodies, have been equally unsuccessful. As a result, when visitors come, he must be leashed. Although he sits agreeably by me during visits, it is a little embarrassing that I can not let him loose. He sometimes barks when gullible people are eating, because he enjoys people food. He will steal it if we turn our backs on him.

Had I been able to read Whales with Fur prior to teaching Shadow some manners, I would have had an easier time of it. This book is written by an expert on animals, but it is written in an easy-to-understand manner. For instance, on the matter of fetching, I immediately saw the error of my ways.

Like many other owners, I always threw the ball and when my dog ran towards me, I would offer him a bit of doggie biscuit. Of course, as soon as Shadow saw the biscuit, he dropped the ball, ran to gobble the treat, almost choking himself with enthusiasm, and then ran back to pick up the ball and take off for parts unknown.

Author Pete Davey sheds a great deal of light on this matter by explaining that instead of teaching the dog to run after the ball, an owner must first teach the dog to release the ball in a backward training approach. Davey uses terms like "bridge" for the stimulus that communicates to the dog what you want him to do so that he will get the "reinforcer" or reward. Davey explains that you actually begin the training with the goal. He writes, "Think of training the behavior backwards. The last thing in the sequence of events you want Laddie to do is hand you the Frisbee. Right? So put the Frisbee in Laddie's mouth. Then, at the same time your hand is holding the Frisbee and Laddie holds the Frisbee in his mouth, bridge (whistle) and reinforce (hot dog piece)."(pg. 49)

That advice makes so much sense to me now, but until I read this book, it never occurred to me. Whales with Fur is full of such advice. It is more than a book, it's a complete system for teaching an animal good behavior. The foreword is by Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo, and also host of TV's "Animal Adventures." Author Pete Davey, Director of Training for Marineland of Florida, has been involved in advanced animal training and care for 16 years. He's worked with whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals, tigers, birds, and many other species.

If you want your horse to jump higher, or your dog to quit falling apart as soon as he sees the vet, this book's for you. Davey covers cats that scratch, dogs that dig, and teaching animals how to perceive that "good" means the behavior is what you want them to do.

Davey's writing style is peppered with humor, and that's a nice touch that makes solid information more user-friendly. Consider this passage about taking your pooch to the vet: "Most people will claim Skipper KNOWS when he is going to the vet. In reality it is far more likely that he knows the car ride is going to end in something negative. It is very unlikely that Skipper's brain comes up with, "Wow, that lady is getting her purse, putting the children in the car, and now is coming towards me...my goodness, we must be embarking to the veterinary office, where I might be stuck upon the rump with a sharp needle. I know...I'll run away!"(pg. 127)

The photographs and illustrations in the book enhance the reader's experience. There's one photo of a large marine animal with a human foot protruding from the animal's mouth. Apparently, the trainer hadn't read Whales with Fur.

In our home, we'll be trying Davey's techniques on our beagle hound. Maybe one day, we?ll be able to leave a turkey sandwich unguarded. I'll definitely be buying some copies for my family and friends, with several unruly pets in mind. Hopefully, loved ones will learn to get the dog or cat to do what the humans want instead of being held hostage by their pets.

Average customer rating:

Highly recommended for 3-4 year olds
A classic, beautiful book
I simply fell in love with the artwork and its young hero.

Storm Boy
Paul Owen Lewis
Manufacturer: Tricycle Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1883672961

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended for 3-4 year olds.......2007-06-19

I orginally bought a copy of this book for my eldest son in 1997 on a visit home to Vancouver Island. My younger son, aged 3, discovered it in the bookshelf and absolutely loves this story and wants to read it nearly every night. It has all the elements of a great children's storybook - the illustrations are lush and vibrant, with great attention to historical, cultural and artistic detail. The story is simple, with minimal text - half of the story is alluded to via the illustrations. The boy accidentally finds himself in a parallel supernatural undersea world, and eventually returns to his own village bringing spiritual gifts to his people. I will definately be buying a copy of Frog Girl. More please...

A classic, beautiful book.......2001-12-04

People will be framing the artwork from this book fifty years from now. And it's one of my son's favorite books. Great for reading aloud, one of the books you keep reaching for. A classic story, well told and beautifully rendered with images that are faithful to the actual traditions and styles of the Haida and Tlingit people. So it's not just "mind candy" -- it's an introduction to a culture.

I simply fell in love with the artwork and its young hero........1998-01-03

Paul O. Lewis does a great service to children by using a scholarly approach to his young hero. Giving us not only rich and evocative artwork but portraying the ancient tale of the mythic hero with fresh and innocent eyes is a wonderful gift. Readers seeking the beauty of a children's book that provides an uplifting experience and faithful cultural feeling will fall in love with this book just as I have. -V.S.

Davy's Dream: A Young Boy's Adventure With Wild Orca Whales

Average customer rating:

"Davy" brings back my dreamlike days in the San Juan Islands
Encourages kids to believe in their dreams
Dreams come true for a young sailor

Davy's Dream: A Young Boy's Adventure With Wild Orca Whales
Paul Owen Lewis
Manufacturer: Tricycle Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1582460019

Customer Reviews:

"Davy" brings back my dreamlike days in the San Juan Islands.......2001-02-24

While this is an inspiring story to encourage kids to "follow their dreams," what attracts me back to this book are the illustrations.

As a native of Washington State, I spent my youth attending summer camp on Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands, near the Canadian border. While at camp, we sometimes experienced "Killer Whale" sightings, which the counselors used to enjoy frightening us with.

We spent many lazy days on the beach, or boating to neighboring islands, where we would campout, hike, go clamming and crabbing on the beach or build rafts. Although we didn't spend any time in a sailboat at camp, I spent a good deal of time sailing with my older brother on Lake Washington during those carefree days of summer.

Paul Owen Lewis' paintings in "Davy's Dream," with the predominance of greens and blues, contrasted against the black and white of the orcas, vividly captures the essence of the San Juan Islands and the dreamlike state one can experience in this breathtaking environment. To his credit, Lewis lets his pictures tell Davy's dream for several pages, without the help of words.

I guess I just want to say that this book rings true to my experiences as a youth in the Pacific Northwest.

Whenever I read this book aloud to students in my elementary school library, they always listen with awe and then line up to check it out.

Encourages kids to believe in their dreams.......1999-11-06

Davy's Dream, written by my brother, Paul Owen Lewis, has inspired many school children over the years. It takes Davy on a journey of believing in what he knows to be true, in spite of the nay-sayers in his life. Your children will love the illustrations and even notice Paul's cat, Guenivere on every page! Your whole family will enjoy the amazing things that happen to Davy and especially if you are Keiko fans. Enjoy!

Dreams come true for a young sailor.......1999-05-19

Davy dares to pursue his dream of sailing among the orca. He turns a deaf ear to pessimistic adults and sets out. But -- his dream is illusive and avoids him. A quick "refit" and he makes contact with the whales. Well drawn / illustrated, a story from and for the heart. [ I had the privilege of hearing the author tell about making the book -- his first -- to an audience of elementary school students. ] A great story of inspiration, better than the Little Engine that Could's "I think I can" -- this one says "I'll go do it!"

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