Author Profile
Sy Montgomery
6 Books
Sy Montgomery is an award-winning naturalist and author celebrated for her immersive nonfiction books for both adults and children. Her engaging, deeply researched works often explore the complex minds and lives of animals, fostering a profound appreciation for the natural world. She is especially well known for her extensive contributions to the "Scientists in the Field" series, including titles like "The Great White Shark Scientist" and "Saving the Ghost of the Mountain."
School is not the only place to find a teacher. Sometimes a teacher has fur, feathers, scales, or a very different way of seeing the world.
Becoming a Good Creature is a warm picture book about the lessons animals can teach us. Adapted for young readers from Sy Montgomery and Rebecca Green’s How to Be a Good Creature, it explores friendship, compassion, and how people can learn from the animals they meet.
With gentle wisdom and full-color illustrations, this book invites children to notice other living beings with care and curiosity. It is a thoughtful read-aloud for families, classrooms, and young animal lovers learning what it means to be kind in the world.
6-8 Years
43 Pages
A turtle may look slow and quiet, but inside that shell is a creature full of surprises.
The Book of Turtles introduces you to turtles with soft shells, long necks, bright personalities, ancient histories, and amazing ways of surviving. You’ll meet remarkable turtles such as Lonesome George and Myrtle while discovering how different more than 300 kinds of turtles can be.
With warm, fact-filled writing and detailed illustrations, this nonfiction picture book invites curious readers to ask questions about reptiles, evolution, habitats, and conservation. It celebrates turtles as living wonders: patient, tough, strange, beautiful, and in need of care from the people who share their planet.
6-8 Years
9-12 Years
40 Pages
A baby hummingbird begins life impossibly small, yet it belongs to one of the most astonishing families of birds in the sky.
Brave Baby Hummingbird follows the early life of a hummingbird and shows how these tiny creatures make their way into the world. Alongside the story of a vulnerable new bird, young readers discover remarkable facts: hummingbirds can fly backward, dive at incredible speeds, and beat their wings more than sixty times a second.
Gentle, vivid, and full of wonder, this nonfiction picture book is a beautiful introduction to birds, animal life cycles, and the courage hidden inside even the smallest creatures.
6-8 Years
46 Pages
For many years, one snapping turtle traveled between his summer pond and his winter pond, following the same route through the world he knew.
The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle tells the true story of that turtle’s extraordinary journey and the people who helped him when one October day changed everything. With detailed illustrations, back matter, and photographs, the book introduces readers to snapping turtles, conservation, and the real care involved in helping injured wildlife.
Tender and hopeful, this nonfiction picture book is a story of resilience, second chances, and the surprising lives of turtles. It is well suited for young readers who love animals and true stories from nature.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home
Inky the octopus was curious, clever, and not meant for a small world.
Inky's Amazing Escape tells the true story of the octopus who became famous after leaving a New Zealand aquarium in 2016. About the size of a basketball, Inky slid across the floor, found a long drainpipe, and made his way back to the sea. Along the way, readers learn fascinating facts about octopuses, including their intelligence, camouflage, and need for exploration.
With lively storytelling and colorful illustrations, this nonfiction picture book turns a real escape into an inviting look at one of the ocean’s most surprising animals. It is perfect for young readers who love clever creatures and true animal stories.
6-8 Years
32 Pages
One afternoon in a quiet New England harbor, a seagull landed on the back of Captain Ellis’s family schooner. Soon, the bird was eating crackers from his hand.
The Seagull and the Sea Captain tells the true story of Ellis and Polly, a wild seagull whose visits became an unusual friendship over several summers. With bright illustrations and gentle nonfiction storytelling, the book shows how trust can grow between a person and a wild animal without turning that animal into a pet.
Warm and quietly memorable, this picture book invites young readers to notice birds, harbors, and the small connections that can happen when people treat wildlife with patience and care.
6-8 Years
38 Pages
