Meet the Expert: Dr. Alison Pearce Stevens, biologist and children’s author

Alison Pearce Stevens has been chased by a trumpeter swan, bitten by a bronze-winged duck, and served as a climbing wall for geckos and baby bats. She used to be a beekeeper and still thinks pollinators are some of the coolest things on the planet. Once upon a time, she was Dr. Stevens, science professor, until life took her overseas, at which point she started writing about science and nature for kids, because she’s an educator at heart and had to find new ways to share cool things with the world’s most curious people. Some of these included working at museums developing exhibits and curriculum. And since the deep ocean both terrifies and fascinates her, Alison develops content for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s new Ocean Learning Hub from the safety of Nebraska.

Alison writes lots of fun nonfiction: articles, picture books, and middle grade books. All of her work is inspired by a love of science and nature. She a regular contributor to Science News for Students, Highlights, ASK, and other kids’ magazines, and has written for National Geographic Kids Books. Her latest book is Rhinos in Nebraska: The Amazing Discovery of the Ashfall Fossil Beds (Godwin Books/Henry Holt Books for Young Readers).

Here is an image of a photo of a barrel-bodied rhino skeleton like the ones found at Ashfall Fossil Beds

CC BY 2.0 File:Natural History Museum of LA Teleoceras.jpg Author: Ray Bouknight

CLICK HERE to learn all about the Ashfall Fossil Beds

YOU can even enter their contest to NAME the Rhinos!!

And watch this video to learn how the fossils formed and were discovered.

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Challenge:

Go outside and watch an animal, observe its behavior. What is it doing? How does it use the parts of its body to move, eat, or just participate in its surroundings? Then write it down in your journal.

Send us your information or share with us on our Twitter , Instagram or Facebook page!

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Highlighted book  for this episode!

Rhinos in Nebraska: The Amazing Discovery of the Ashfall Fossil Beds by Alison Pearce Stevens (Author), Matt Huynh (Illustrator)

Book List:

Fossils for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Dinosaur Bones, Ancient Animals, and Prehistoric Life on Earth by Ashley Hall

Where Do Fossils Come from? How Do We Find Them? Archaeology for Kids by Bobo’s Little Brainiac Books

Paleontology (A True Book: Earth Science) by Susan H. Gray