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This emergent reader series introduces children to different animals, from all around the world. Readers will explore each animal's habitat, learn about their eating habits, and discover other fascinating facts. ... Read more

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With exciting brilliant photography readers discover the life cycle of living things.Learn how chicks grow up to become roosters or hens, how some sharks come from eggs while others do not, how some turtles' hatchlings find their way to the ocean, and much more. ... Read more

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More than twenty years have passed since Walter Auffenberg's monumental THE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY OF THE KOMODO MONITOR. In the intervening years the populations of Komodo dragons--native only to a handful of islands in southeast Indonesia--have dwindled, sparking intensive conservation efforts. During the last two decades new information about these formidable predators has emerged, and the most important findings are clearly presented here.

A memoir from Auffenberg and his son Kurt is followed by the latest information on Komodo dragon biology, ecology, population distribution, and behavior. The second part of the book is dedicated to step-by-step management and conservation techniques, both for wild and captive dragons. This successful model is a useful template for the conservation of other endangered species for, as Kurt and Walter Auffenberg note, "The species may well indeed survive in the wild for generations to come while countless other organisms are lost." ... Read more

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Evolution, population, distribution, habitat, & ecology
Collaboratively compiled and edited by James B. Murphy, Claudio Ciofi, Colomba de La Panouse, and Trooper Walsh, Komodo Dragons: Biology And Conservation is an impressive and informative collection of deftly presented essays by a variety of knowledgeable contributors about the evolution, population, distribution, habitat, ecology, of the great and unique carnivorous reptiles known as Komodo Dragons. A scattering of black-and-white photographs enhance these fascinating scientific analyses. Komodo Dragons is enthusiastically recommended reading and a seminal contribution to academic and professional Zoological Studies reference collections. ... Read more

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"Mad about dragons, the boy who narrates this picture book is pleased when his doting parents decide to take him to Indonesia, home of the Komodo dragon....[The boy] takes the road less traveled through the jungle, where he encounters the dragon of his dreams....Full of intriguing detail....picture book, original in concept and beautiful in design."--Booklist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Sis's masterwork
There are moments when you just have to tell the parent in yourself to shut up.As I read Peter Sis's spectacular "Komodo", I was finding myself switching into worry mode as I went through the text.The story, if you are unfamiliar with it, follows the obsession of a boy who loves dragons more than anything else in the world.Being the doting parents they are, the boy and his mom and dad take a plane trip to Indonesia to see some komodo dragons for themselves.While waiting for a dragon to appear for some tourists, the boy separates himself from the party and finds himself face to face with his own komodo dragon.

Now as I read this I found myself mentally berating Peter Sis.Saying things along the lines of, "Why isn't he telling kids how dangerous komodo dragons are?That a single bite could kill you with its bacteria?That they're not the cuddly lizards so imagined in this book?"At which point I suddenly realized how stupid I sounded.Let's face the facts.As Mr. Sis himself recounts, the komodo dragon is native to one, count `em, one country in the world.Children reading this book are not going to run into the street, find a komodo dragon, and try to make it a pet.So let's just settle back and admire Sis's illustrations and text for what they are.Thoughtful and meticulous.

If you've never viewed a Peter Sis illustration closely, I highly recommend it.It's a trip.Using the tiniest black pen strokes imaginable, Sis conjures up miles and miles of details in each thoughtful illustration.The very first double-page spread is of the narrator's class picture.He notes that it's very easy to locate him because of his dragon t-shirt.Anyone unfamiliar with this picture, however, will be stunned by the vast sea of children presented, our narrator wearing his trademark jaunty red cap and white dragon shirt.And what child wouldn't want to live in a house that's wallpapered in dragons?Or a bedroom chock full of everything from a dragon punching bag to a real skull.This kid's got it made.The book's colors shift slowly from the warm reddish tones of the boy's bedroom to the mysterious deep green foliage of Komodo Island.Keep an eye out for all the komodos hidden in the leaves, trees, grass, etc. too!A helpful fact section located at the back of the book is the perfect compliment to this gripping subject.

Kids need obsessions.They need animals that are cool but not done to death like dinosaurs or elephants.The komodo dragon offers the perfect combination of deadly abilities and cool looks.Now we have a book to encompass all the wonders and looks of this incredible animal.This book is truly a finely honed piece of work.

Ilustrations not too impressive
I was very happy to find a childrens book about the Komodo Dragon! However, the illustrationa and the story itself was dissapointing. I give it the 2 stars for the subject matter, but I actually considered returning it.

A book to be enjoyed by parent and child
I like Peter Sis' illustrations a lot and I keep buying his books and this one did not disappoint me. The illustrations are delightful and it is fun to explore them with your child. And the whole story has a secret wink for the reader and nudges you on for more explorations.

A moment of thrill
Peter Sis is a fine artist whose distinct style of soft outlines works well for this lush book. It tells the story of a young boy whose favorite thing is dragons. When he learns that there are real dragons on the island of Komodo (which is in fact true - huge monitor lizards inhabit the island) he takes a plane there. Distressed by the many tourists, he takes off on his own for a very private, magical, fleeting moment of discovering a Komodo dragon in the wild. The book has bits of subtle humor in it - for example, the text deadpans that "it is always easy to find me in a crowd because of my dragon T-shirt" - while the illustration shows a huge crowd of kids that actually demands a lot of searching to find our hero! Preschool/1st grade nature lovers and explorers will enjoy this gently exciting tale. A brief postscript talks about real Komodo dragons.

Real dragons. Really.
Komodo! is about a boy who collects dragon memorabilia. So his parents take him to the Indonesian island of the Komodo dragon. While his parents get the family's place in line for the Dragon Show, they let him wanderaway from the crowds of tourists for what turns out to be the best ofadventures. The pen and ink and watercolor drawings are delightfullydetailed, with the left-handed boy going from duller colored beginningpages for his city life to lusher green colored pages for visiting the wildworld of his dreams. Peter Sis includes some facts about dragons by drawingtwo pages from the scrapbook the boy has gotten together for his trip andalso by including an afterword. Like Fire Truck and Rainbow Rhino (also byPeter Sis) Komodo! relies on sparse text and emphasizes telling a storythrough the drawings. I feel the book fits well in the tradition of suchclassics as And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss. ... Read more

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Komodo, The Living Dragon
Dr. Edward J. Maruska states (in the forward of this book) "The Komodo Dragon is one of the most Charismatic of living reptiles." Unfortunately little information is available to the adult layman, likemyself, about this interesting being. "Komoto, The Living Dragon"helps nibble away at this absence and offers a well written expose on thislarge predator. The book is written in very understandable pose and relatesmany facts for those of us that like a little more than a picture andcaption. The Komoto dragon, like many of Earth's creatures, is threatenedby man's expansion across the globe. The book chronicles how the IndonesianGovernment and captive breading programs around the world will help protectthis treasure for all of us. "Komoto, The Living Dragon", willhelp a lot of interested people better understand one of Earth's mostamazing creatures. ... Read more

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An introduction to Komodo dragons including a description of their appearance and information on where they live, what they eat, how they produce young, and the dangers that komodo dragons face. ... Read more

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Ages 6 to 12 years. The Komodo dragon is a creature of wonder. It is the world's largest lizard, and it has a deadly bite. Perhaps the hardest thing to believe about this huge reptile is that it may vanish from Earth forever. Find out more about Komodo dragons in this full-colour, fact-packed book, which includes topics such as: the island habitats of the Komodo dragon; hunting, eating, and the deadly dragon bite; the life cycle of a Komodo dragon; why Komodo dragons are in danger; how people are working to save Komodo dragons. ... Read more

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The naturalist team travels to the island of Komodo, Indonesia, to bring young readers a close-up view of this endangered and little-seen creature. Index. ... Read more

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The island-dwelling Komodo dragon, being mistaken for a lady tourist in a green hat, has a chance to see the "jewels" of the mainland at closer range. ... Read more

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This colour guide takes the reader to 31 diving and snorkelling sites around Bali, including Lombok, Rinca and Komodo islands. Details for each site include: depth; visibility; required expertise; bottom terrain; currents; marine life; safety tips; and history, geography and climate. ... Read more

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great.we followed it for our month in Bali
We took Tim's advice to heart, and spent a great month in Bali.We toured the island anti-clockwise and dove and photographed all the sites Tim highlighted.We dove with the operators he suggested, as well as someothers, and found that his suggestions were always always best. ... Read more

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Komodo Dragon is a collection of eight short stories, several of which have been ublished elsewhere, and some of which are published here for the first time. Brown's work has appeared in short fiction anthologies in Canada and Denmark. He was shortlisted for the CBC Literary Award. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Unique Scientific Study
from the perspective of an ecologist interested in komodo monitors thsi book provides both interesting stories and a comprehensive scientific overview of the species.if you are interested in komodo monitors or you plan on doing research involving the lizards, auffenberg's book is the bible you need to read.auffenberg's study is especially good at

(1) describing the macro- and microhabitats of the komodo monitor
(2) habitat usage by monitors
(3) cataloguing the prey eaten by monitors and foraging patterns
(4) general behavior and communication between monitors
and (4) quantifying competition between monitors and other predators and cannibalism of young lizards by older adults.

auffenberg's study provides qualitative data that is ultimately not supported quantitatively on:

(1)reproductive behavior
(2)cognition and intelligence
(3)home range and migration/emigration patterns between populations
(4)habitat preference (as opposed to WHAT habitats they choose, WHY they choose each and WHICH do they prefer first)
(5)community ecology involving monitors

many of the issues with auffenberg's book are purely scientific in nature - while his study provides a solid foundation for hypothesis generation and future research, it does not give quantitative answers to many questions behavioral ecologists have.because it was the first major study done on komodo monitors, in fact one of the first major behavioral studies done on any lizard, many questions are unanswered or left unaddressed.auffenberg's later publications show an improvement in methodology (1988, 1991), but nevertheless "the behavioral ecology of the komodo monitor" is a priceless resource for any person conducting research on komodo monitors.any publication that deals with komodo monitors is sure to cite "auffenberg (1981)."

from a lay perspective, auffenberg's book is an enjoyable, if sometimes dry, read.auffenberg's passion for these animals shows through his scientific writing, which is clear and straightforward.auffenberg doesn't often use scientific jargon when compared to other scientists, but he still requires patience while reading (especially his sections on skull kinetics).

i personally love auffenberg's book because i feel that while presenting very ground-breaking, interesting, and still useful information on one of the most interesting organisms on the planet, he captures a psuedo-scientific charm about komodo monitors that can almost be described as cultural.his writing is aware of its shortcomings but at the same time captures a wordless quality about an organism so different that science can only begin to describe it.perhaps this is my bias as a scientist, but i found auffenberg's book very inspiring for both science and elsewhere.

if you are interested in learning more about komodo monitors you should look at "komodo dragons:biology and conservation," which is a smithstonian press publication.auffenberg's study was conducted during a period in ecolog that has been replaced more than once by developing trends in the field.while modern ecology certainly has its flaws, it is much more holistic and multidisciplinary."komodo dragons" (2002) includes much more information on higher end cognition, metapopulation dynamics, and conservation biology.there are many different indonesian ecologists who conduct research on komodo monitors presently, but the majority of the modern publications accessible to nonindonesians are published by claudio ciofi and tim jessop.

A perfect piece of work
This book is not a novel.It is a detailed description of almost all aspects of the Ora (the Komodo inhabitant's name for the Komodo monitor), not permitting the some anatomical details of the monitor.As the title implies, the Ora's behavior is magnified greatly.The book is a leading authority on the behavioral aspects of the book.Morphology, grow analysis, predator-prey coactions, and ecology information is also included and is very complete and well recorded (as is everything in the book).This is a must have for any person interested in this lizard, but is serious reading.

A superb monograph, mixing hard science with great reading.
Perhaps biased by a fascination for really large lizards, I was enthralled by this book.Walter Auffenberg, wife, kids, and various others spent almost a year on Komodo Island in 1970 doing the first comprehensive study of Komodo Dragons.The depth is awesome, everything from detailed morphology to studies of prey species to inventories of flora.Mixed in with the tables and charts are wonderful accounts of sharing a photo blind with an 8-foot lizard looking for shade, and how to measure a Dragon's maximum speed (chase him with a motorcycle).Sixty dollars and well worth it ... Read more

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Nick Forbes, the young surgeon volunteers as an aid worker following a tsunami in Sumatra, Indonesia. Entering a disaster zone that is rife with dishonesty and deceit, his moral code would not accept the awful reality set before him. He risks his life to expose a child prostitution ring which involves a tangled web of corruption at the highest level of power. Having embarked on a personal crusade, he must draw on all his ingenuity and courage to survive. Once more, he fought with the demons within him, knowing his mental reserves had started to run low. Survival was nothing more than a mind game ... Read more

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Komodo Dragons is a Capstone Press publication.

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