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Jess Keating

    Jess Keating is an author who explores the world through compelling narratives. Her work often draws from her background as a zoologist, blending scientific insight with literary creativity. Keating's writing spans diverse genres, from fiction to nonfiction, always offering readers a unique perspective on the world around them. Her prose is noted for its curiosity and ability to spark an interest in the natural world.

    Birdlore
    Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray (Elements of Genius #1)
    Nikki Tesla and the Traitors of the Lost Spark (Elements of Genius #3)
    Cute as an Axolotl
    What Makes A Monster?
    Shark Lady
    • Birdlore

      The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey

      • 40 pages
      • 2 hours of reading

      Florence Merriam Bailey emerges as a pioneering scientist whose passion for birds sparked a national interest in bird-watching. Her dedication not only inspired countless individuals to appreciate avian life but also fueled her relentless efforts in conservation, highlighting the importance of protecting our feathered companions. The narrative celebrates her contributions to ornithology and environmental advocacy, showcasing her impact on both science and society.

      Birdlore2025
      4.3
    • Big as a Giant Snail

      • 48 pages
      • 2 hours of reading

      Go big or go home! Meet the biggest weirdos on Earth in this colosally cool collection from the team that brought you Pink Is For Blobfish .It's a big wide world, full of critters that are larger than life! Sure, there are the usual blue whales, polar bears, elephant seals . . . but others will take you by surprise. The giant snail, for instance, or the ginormous Atlas moth. Like Pink Is for Blobfish and Cute as an Axolotl, Big as a Giant Snail will cover a wide variety of species, while subtly delving into misconceptions and stereotypes associated with size. Best of all? These tall tales are totally true!" Awe-inspiring... This work fits into so many lessons, from endangered species to climate change and habitat preservation, that it’s hard to imagine a collection that would not benefit from having it on its shelves." — School Library Journal

      Big as a Giant Snail2022
      4.3
    • The inspiring tale of a seamstress-turned-scientist who invented the world's first aquarium at a time when women in STEM were startlingly rare. The daughter of a seamstress and a cobbler, Jeanne Villepreux-Power began her career as a dressmaker, sewing beautiful gowns for the Parisian aristocracy. But her heart longed for more, and when she moved to the seaside, she became fascinated by the ocean's mysteries. She filled her pockets with seashells and specimens, and filled her notebooks with oservations about coral and crustaceans and all manner of marine life. The argonaut interested her most of all, but Jeanne's observations of this shy creature were confounded by its tendency to swim away when approached. Jeanne wanted a way to bring a piece of the ocean home with her, and that's she came to build the world's first aquarium—an invention that would pave the way for countless scientific discoveries in the years to come... Jess Keating (Shark Lady) and Michelle Mee Nutter (Allergic) bring Jeanne's story vividly to life with lively text and vibrant artwork that captures the curiosity and perseverance this pioneering woman in science brought to everything she did.

      The Girl Who Built an Ocean2022
      4.2
    • Have fun learning about some odd but true animal facts with Dr. Sugar Glider and her patients! Zoë Zebra is troubled. Why do flies crash into her? A visit from Dr. Glider can solve the mystery. Our gliding doctor also helps a sloth stay awake, a sneezing iguana, a leaderless clownfish, a lovesick egret, and many more creatures with some peculiar problems. This hilarious and fun picture book by author and zoologist Jess Keating ( Pink Is for Blobfish ) and New York Times bestselling illustrator Pete Oswald ( The Couch Potato ) is packed with entertaining animal stories and unbelievable true facts on every page that are sure to fascinate curious young readers. Scientific vocabulary appears throughout each medical adventure, and there's a glossary and a list of species at the end. And for more laughter and nonfiction fun, read about the weird but true problems among Dr. Glider's first group of patients in Eat Your Rocks, Croc!

      Set Your Alarm, Sloth!: More Advice for Troubled Animals from Dr. Glider2021
      4.2
    • Best friends Bunbun and Bonbon go hunting for some luck in this adorable young graphic novel. A bad-luck day turns into an epic quest in the second book in this graphic novel series starring a chipper young bunny and a fancy talking candy. Featuring zany text and heartwarming artwork from acclaimed author-illustrator Jess Keating, Bunbun & Bonbon: Hoppy Go Lucky will delight emerging readers who are eager to dive in to graphic novels. Graphix series are ideal books for even the youngest readers. With funny, simple text, unforgettable characters, illustrations that support comprehension, and approachable story lengths, these books grow newly independent readers' confidence and turn them into lifelong book lovers!

      Hoppy Go Lucky: A Graphix Chapters Book (Bunbun & Bonbon #2)2021
      3.9
    • Dr. Sugar Glider, a small Australian possum, travels around the world (even underwater) dispensing good advice to animals with problems, including a crocodile with a stomach ache, a stressed out meerkat mom, and a male praying mantis looking for a date--while avoiding being eaten.

      Eat Your Rocks, Croc!: Dr. Glider's Advice for Troubled Animals2020
      4.2
    • A deadly virus threatens humanity, orchestrated by a mysterious figure known as "V." Nikki Tesla and her friends from the Genius Academy, recently discredited due to an international incident, must race against time to identify the villain, who is surprisingly close to them. As they navigate this perilous mission, Nikki faces the ultimate sacrifice in their quest to thwart the impending biological disaster.

      Nikki Tesla and the Traitors of the Lost Spark (Elements of Genius #3)2020
      4.3
    • Nikki Tesla, a brilliant inventor, struggles with boredom at school and the mystery of her missing father. Her inventions, often dangerous, lead to her enrollment at the Genius Academy, where she meets other exceptional students. However, her concerns about fitting in escalate when her powerful death ray goes missing, prompting a thrilling investigation into its theft and the intentions of the culprit.

      Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray (Elements of Genius #1)2020
      4.4
    • Ocean Speaks

      • 34 pages
      • 2 hours of reading

      Meet Marie Tharp (1920-2006), the first person to map the Earth's underwater mountain ridge, in this inspiring picture book biography from the author of Shark Lady. From a young age, Marie Tharp loved watching the world. She loved solving problems. And she loved pushing the limits of what girls and women were expected to do and be. In the mid-twentieth century, women were not welcome in the sciences, but Marie was tenacious. She got a job at a laboratory in New York. But then she faced another barrior: women were not allowed on the research ships (they were considered bad luck on boats). So instead, Marie stayed back and dove deep into the data her colleagues recorded. She mapped point after point and slowly revealed a deep rift valley in the ocean floor. At first the scientific community refused to believe her, but her evidence was irrefutable. She proved to the world that her research was correct. The mid-ocean ridge that Marie discovered is the single largest geographic feature on the planet, and she mapped it all from her small, cramped office.

      Ocean Speaks2020
      4.3
    • Bunbun & Bonbon: Fancy Friends

      • 64 pages
      • 3 hours of reading

      A lonely bunny named Bunbun meets a fancy candy named Bonbon in this young graphic novel.Bunbun has it all: a delightful Bunbun nose, a winning Bunbun smile, a ridiculously cute Bunbun tail, and not one, but two adorable Bunbun ears. But Bunbun doesn't have a friend -- until Bunbun meets Bonbon. Learning how to be fancy and eating donuts for lunch are two of the duo's many adventures in this young graphic novel.

      Bunbun & Bonbon: Fancy Friends2020
      3.9
    • The creators of Pink Is for Blobfish are back, and they've brought 17 of their most revolting friends: there are slippery, slimy snot otters, gulls that projectile-vomit on command, fish that communicate via flatulence, and chipmunks that cultivate healthy forests by pooping a trail of seeds wherever they go. But there's more to these skin-crawling creatures than meets the eye, and as zoologist Jess Keating explains, sometimes it's the very things that make us gag that allow these animals to survive in the wild.

      Gross as a Snot Otter2019
      4.3
    • Cute as an Axolotl

      • 48 pages
      • 2 hours of reading

      "Cats of Instagram" meets National Geographic in this hilarious picture book about nature's cutest weirdos from the author of Pink Is for Blobfish! The Internet pretty much runs on cute animal photos, but "cute" is so much more than clickbait kittens and insta-pups. Cute is for feathery-gilled axolotls (pronounced: ax-uh-LOT-ulz), shy pygmy hippos, poisonous blue dragons, and armored pangolins. All of these animals are cute, but they've also adapted remarkable ways to survive in their unique environments. With her signature blend of humor and zoological know-how, Pink Is for Blobfish author Jess Keating shows how cute animals can be more than just a pretty face in this latest installment of the World of Weird Animals.

      Cute as an Axolotl2018
      4.4
    • What Makes A Monster?

      • 48 pages
      • 2 hours of reading

      Monsters are real—and they're everywhere in nature! Animal Planet meets Godzilla in this nonfiction picture book that puts the "Ack!" into backyard science. Some people think monsters are the stuff of nightmares—the stuff of scary movies and Halloween. But monsters can also be found right in your backyard. Animals like aye-ayes, goblin sharks and vampire bats may look scary, but they pose no threat to humans. Others, such as the prairie dog, seem innocent—cute, even—yet their behavior could give you goose bumps. What makes a monster? Read this book to find out, if you dare. . . . Jess Keating and David DeGrand, the author illustrator team behind Pink Is for Blobfish will have readers shrieking with laughter at this latest installment to the World of Weird Animals series.

      What Makes A Monster?2017
      4.4
    • Shark Lady

      • 38 pages
      • 2 hours of reading

      This picture book has been written especially for the braille reader. This is the story of Eugenie Clark, a woman whose passion for sea life and whose scientific contributions led to her being nicknamed 'Shark Lady.'

      Shark Lady2017
      4.5
    • Pink Is For Blobfish

      • 48 pages
      • 2 hours of reading

      It's Pinkalicious meets Fear Factor in this nonfiction picture book introducing the weirdest, wildest, pinkest critters in the animal kingdom! Some people think pink is a pretty color. A fluffy, sparkly, princess-y color. But it's so much more. Sure, pink is the color of princesses and bubblegum, but it's also the color of monster slugs and poisonous insects. Not to mention ultra-intelligent dolphins, naked mole rats and bizarre, bloated blobfish. Isn't it about time to rethink pink? Slip on your rose-colored glasses and take a walk on the wild side with zoologist Jess Keating, whose other books in the World of Weird Animals series include What Makes a Monster? and Cute as an Axolotl. A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, 2016 "The 2016 Ambassador to Young People’s Science and Nature books is unquestionably the blobfish." —Shelftalker "Readers will never look at pink the same way." —Publishers Weekly

      Pink Is For Blobfish2016
      4.2
    • What would middle school be like if you lived in a zoo?Ana didn't ask to be named after an anaconda. She didn't ask for zoologist parents who look like safari guides. And she definitely didn't ask for a twin brother whose life goal seems to be terrorizing her with his pet reptiles. Now, to make matters worse, her parents have decided to move the whole family INTO the zoo! All of which gives the Sneerers (the clan of carnivorous female predators in her class) more ammunition to make her life miserable-and squash any hope of class tennis stud, Zack, falling in love with her. Ana tries to channel her inner chameleon and fade into the background, but things are changing too quickly for her to keep up.

      How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied2014
      4.0