• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7
• Reading age: 8 to 12

Think humans are the only intelligent creatures? Think again. The unique smarts of all kinds of creatures are on display in this intriguing exploration of animal intelligence!

Sure, humans are smart. But scientists are discovering that many other animals have smarts that might surprise us. For example: Some birds can store seeds in thousands of different places and then remember where they are months later. Octopuses can camouflage themselves as rocks, plants or other animals to avoid predators. And fireflies can communicate with one another by flashing light signals from their abdomens. Covering four broad categories of intelligence - communication, social learning and cooperation, problem-solving and memory, and emotional intelligence - this fascinating book explains and celebrates animal intelligence in all its many varieties!

Lisa Deresti Betik's innovative and highly readable resource about the intelligence of all kinds of critters is sure to delight animal lovers of every stripe. With lively, fun text presented in bite-size chunks, and playful illustrations by Alexander Mostov, including infographics and charts, the book is accessible and easy to read. Other topics covered include evolution and natural selection, ethology and distinctions between instinct and learning. The message is one of respecting other animals and recognizing we can learn a lot from how they solve problems. The high-interest topic has many life science curriculum links, including characteristics of living things, diversity of living things, and growth and changes in animals. The content is supported by a glossary, an index and suggested sources for further reading.

Lisa Deresti Betik used to spin wild tales about invisible, blanket-eating alligators in her room, and now she writes fun, fascinating nonfiction books for children, including In the Dark: The Science of What Happens at Night. Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Lisa grew up surrounded by majestic lakes and forests that encouraged her curiosity. She now lives in Waterloo, Ontario, with her family, where she keeps a Little Free Library on their front lawn.

Lisa Deresti Betik's profile page

Alexander Mostov is an illustrator whose work has been featured by Google, Amazon, the New York Times and in several children's books. He lives with his partner and their mischievous little dog in Seattle, where he can be found snowshoeing and motorcycling around when he's not making art.

Alexander Mostov's profile page

• Short-listed, Forest of Reading; Yellow Cedar Award, Ontario Library Association
• Short-listed, 2024/25 Red Cedar Book Award, Young Readers' Choice Awards Society of British Columbia
• Long-listed, Science Writers and Communicators of Canada Book Awards, Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC)

... this book will surely amaze the reader and stir a sense of wonder in them.

Children's Literature

... this book will surely amaze the reader and stir a sense of wonder in them.—Children's Literature

... Betik provides more than enough far-out facts to keep readers engaged.—Quill & Quire (Praise for In the Dark)

Readers are sure to find something new and intriguing among these accounts, arousing curiosity about the animal world, from ants to elephants ... an engaging and entertaining book! Highly Recommended

CM Magazine