At Home with the Beaver - (Story of a Keystone Species) by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (Paperback)

About the Book

"Using their extremely strong teeth, beavers chop down trees to build a dam. The dam creates a pond that is habitat for everything from algae to giant moose. After creating the pond, the beavers build a lodge. The lodge is sometimes used by other animals besides beavers. Muskrats may live inside the lodge either with or without the beavers, or geese may build their nest atop the lodge. The dam itself is used as a bridge to cross the water by deer, ducks or any other number of creatures. The pond is home to numerous life forms. Lily pads grow in the pond and frogs sit on lily pads to catch flies. Learn about the pivotal role beavers play in making all of this life possible. "--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Did you know that beaver ponds provide habitat for hundreds if not thousands of life forms?

Using their extremely strong teeth, beavers chop down trees to build a dam. The dam creates a pond that is habitat for everything from algae to giant moose. After creating the pond, the beavers build a lodge. The lodge is sometimes used by other animals besides beavers. Muskrats may live inside the lodge either with or without the beavers, or geese may build their nest atop the lodge. The dam itself is used as a bridge to cross the water by deer, ducks or any other number of creatures. The pond is home to numerous life forms. Lily pads grow in the pond and frogs sit on lily pads to catch flies.

Learn about the pivotal role beavers play in making all of this life possible. Gorgeous photos and inviting text make AT HOME WITH THE BEAVER: THE STORY OF A KEYSTONE SPECIES a must have for young naturalists hoping to learn more about the interconnectedness of life.

Other Books in the Series: AT HOME WITH THE GOPHER TORTOISE: THE STORY OF A KEYSTONE SPECIES, AT HOME WITH THE PRAIRIE DOG: THE STORY OF A KEYSTONE SPECIES

Review Quotes

Named one of "The Best Children's Books of the Year" by the Children's Book Committee and the Bank Street College of Education

"By cutting down trees to make a dam across a creek, a pair of beavers create a pond. In its center, they build their lodge, a home where they can raise their young. Meanwhile, the beavers' two construction projects have changed their environment, creating a new network of small and large organisms within the pond and beyond it, where water seeps through the soil to support grasses and other plants that now have more sunlight, since the beavers have felled a number of trees. Because of its enormous impact in forming and supporting a diverse ecosystem, the beaver is knows as a keystone species. A zoologist who has written many fine science books for children, Patent explains the concept clearly, presents an overview of the pond, and introduces some of the wildlife in and around it. Whether showing a broad view of the pond or focusing on a particular bird, Runtz's color photos illustrate the text well. With a sense of immediacy and crisp clarity, each picture invites viewers to look closely at the animals and their surroundings. An enlightening companion book to Madeleine Dunphy's 'At Home with the Gopher Tortoise: The Story of a Keystone Species' (2010) and an informative addition to library collections." starred review-Booklist

"Up-close and personal with a critically essential wetlands animal. Beavers are known as a "keystone species" because the dams they build from logs, sticks, and mud create ecosystems--ponds--that provide habitats and sustenance for a vast variety of life forms that dwell in and around the ponds, including plants, insects, fish, snakes, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and other mammals. These sturdy rodents' gifts keep on giving even beyond the ponds: Pond water irrigates surrounding vegetation, and the spaces left by trees beavers cut down with their strong, sharp teeth allow for more sunlight to pour down on the greenery. How important are beavers? This biodiversity likely wouldn't exist without their hard labor. The author offers up these and other fascinating facts in clear, pithy, accessible prose, expressed in a conversational tone, including the tidbit that other animals may help themselves to beavers' own lodges--sometimes even when the beavers are still living in them. The well-written, economic text, presented on the recto of double-page spreads, is handsomely supported by excellent, high-quality color photos on facing pages; these feature close-ups of some of the plants and wildlife that inhabit a pond and its idyllic surrounding landscape. A fine browse for young animal lovers and a good, basic choice for report writers." (author's note, websites) (Informational picture book. 6-9)--Kirkus Reviews

"'At Home with the Beaver: The Story of a Keystone Species' is a nonfiction children's picturebook about much more than beavers. 'At Home with the Beaver' examines how the beaver's dam creates a pond habitat that a multitude of other plants and animals depend on for survival, especially those that need still water instead of rapidly flowing water. From frogs to ducks to plants, fish, snakes, and even fierce predators, all sorts of different living things are connected through the "keystone", dam-building beaver. Captivating, full-color photography of wildlife in its natural habitat distinguishes this treasure for school and public library picturebook collections."--Midwest Book Review

"While most kids know beavers are builders, they probably don't realize the enormous impact this busy animal has on the environment. But beavers create a place for 'thousands of living things of all sizes, shapes, and colors' to live, nest, and find food. That is why beavers are considered a keystone s