A Bold Carnivore

Suggested ages:  3-6, 7-10

Summary:  
Each letter of the alphabet refers to a North American predator. Brief text explains where the predator lives, how it hunts, and the animals on which it preys. Accompanying illustrations show the predator as well as a variety of its prey.  

Tips for Reading:   
The words in this book may be read very simply, by just reading the letter and the predator’s name, or may be a bit more complex, by reading the brief description. For readers wanting more details, the glossary gives the names of all the prey species. Pre-readers can enjoy this book simply by looking at the letters and the illustrations, which contain a wealth of information.

Questions before reading:

• What is a predator?
• What is a prey?
• Why do animals need to eat? 
• What would happen if they didn’t eat?
• What kinds of animals have you seen where you live or explore? Is this animal a predator or a prey?
• Have you watched wild or tame animals eat?
• What have you seen them eat?
• What kinds of things do you like to eat?

Introduction to story:
This is a book about predators and their prey. Each letter of the alphabet introduces a different North American predator. Surrounding each predator are illustrations of a variety of its prey.

Another approach:
You are going to see many animals on each page of this book.  Some of them may be new to you and some of them you may know about.  Each letter of the alphabet will introduce a new predator and also show what it preys on.  At the end of the book we’ll talk about some of the new animals and some of the ones you are familiar with.

Questions after reading:   

• Do you know some of these predators? Have you ever seen any of them? Which ones?
• Do you know some of the prey? Have you ever seen any of them? Which ones?
• Why do you think predators eat the things they eat?
• Can you think of predators that are not shown in this book? 
• What is your favorite predator?
• Which of the predators live in this area?
   

RELATED ACTIVITIES

Art:   
Predators and prey are all around us. Make a list of what predators or prey are common where you live. Sketch some of these animals on your list. Make some of your sketches fast and loose; if the animal you are sketching is moving, then your sketch may need to be a wiggly, moving-type sketch. If your animal is holding still, you may be able to do a more detailed sketch.

Have each student choose a letter and have them sketch a predator of their choice and create your own book. 

Culture:   
What predators might you see if you lived in Australia? Africa? Asia?

Dramatization:   
Choose one of the predators in the book, and see if you can move and act like that animal so that others can guess what you are.
Now, choose one of the prey animals for your predator, and move and act like that animal, too.  

Math:        
Look at the boxes containing the prey animals. How many prey animals are shown for each predator? Are the same number of prey shown for each predator? Choose the letters that spell your name, then count how many animals (both predators and prey) are shown for your name’s letters.

Science:   

• What kinds of habitats (places where animals live) are shown in this book? Think about places like deserts, forests, grasslands, as well as water and air.
• Look through the illustrations of both predators and prey, and find the ones that are mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, or insects. Are there some that don’t fit into those categories?
• Can you find animals in the book that are both predator and prey?
• Can you identify the predators on the covers of the book?
• Look around your yard or neighborhood. How many predators do you find? Make a list of the predators, and if possible, what you may have seen them eating.

Writing:   
Create an acrostic poem: Choose a predator or prey animal, and write the letters of its name vertically (all the letter in a column, each below the previous one). Now, choose a word or phrase that starts with each letter, that somehow describes the animal. For example: FROG:
Four-toed
Ribbett
Outside
Green
If you have trouble thinking of a word that starts with a certain letter, take a dictionary off the shelf. Flip through the pages and snoop through the words that start with your letter. You will likely find an interesting word to use, and learn some other new words in the process.

Suggestions for English Language Learners:   

The basic letters and names of each predator are simple and straightforward for a non-English speaker to learn the alphabets and the names of 26 different animals.

Related Books:

• Waiting Alligators by William Munoz (Lerner Publications, 1998)
• Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats by Ann Earle (Harper Trophy, 1995
• Wild Dogs: Wolves, Coyotes and Foxes by Deborah Hodge and Pat Stephens (Kids Can Press, 1999)
• Damselflies of the North Woods by Bob DuBois (Kollath-Stensaas, 2005)
• Owls by Sandra Markle (Carolrhoda Books, 2005)
• Spiders and Their Web Sites by Margery Facklam
• Hawks by Wayne Lynch (Northword Press, 2004)
• Floating Jellyfish by Kathleen Martin-James (Lerner Publications, 2001)
• Kingsnakes by L. Johnson and Sherie Bargar (Troll Communications, 1997)
• A Water Snake’s Year by Doris Gove (Atheneum Books, 1991)
• Lynxes by Barbara Keevil Parker and Duane F. Parker (Lerner Publishing Group,  2005)
• Red-Spotted Newt by Doris Gove (Atheneum Books, 1994)