by Elizabeth Thwing (Author)

Emus, the second largest birds in the world, can't fly, and maybe that's a good thing (Can you imagine the five-to-six foot creatures over your head?) One part of the problem stems from their weird feathers. But there's much more Read why these birds are stuck on the ground, and see the skills nature's provided to compensate for this glitch in their development. Mild mannered emus enjoy interacting with people, and if you're hanging out nearby, a bird might do its best to get you to join in its game of "tag" or horsing around. Emus are curious beyond words. They edge closer to the action, study you with their beady eyes and probe objects with their beaks, trying to understand what you're up to. Learn why Stanley, a Massachusetts farmer, raises the odd birds and loves this form of agriculture. He understands why his clever emus behave as they do in captivity, and he's learned techniques for outfoxing them and their tricks. He guides the reader through the fun and the science of emus. See how the female emu rules her roost-or does she? How does an unborn chick breathe? Learn what pipping, booming and grunting mean. And follow Stan's experiment that determines if his farm-raised birds can "remember" how their ancestors behaved in the wilds of Australia. Miraculously, these birds have survived, virtually unchanged, for millions of years and through drastic climate changes as the earth evolved. Today, the quirky critters thrive in wildly varying climates across most of the U.S. on some 5,000 farms and in many other countries too. Discover where they originated and how they arrived in their current destinations. Amazing Amusing Emus leads readers on a fun investigation of the birds' past and present and poses thoughtful questions about their futures.

Author Biography

Elizabeth "Beth" Thwing's diverse background includes a bachelor's degree in Nutrition from the University of Massachusetts, an associate's degree in Fine Arts from Northwestern Connecticut Community College, and a master's degree in Art Therapy and Creativity Development from Pratt Institute in New York. She has woven all three into a platform for working with children or for their benefit through 4-H and Girl Scouts, as an art/play therapist at a children's hospital, in a school setting and finally in a private practice. She and her family have also hosted exchange students from several countries. Beth's enjoyed a lifelong interest in nonfiction writing, especially for children, and has taken many courses to hone her writing technique. She has been published numerous times. Amazing Amusing Emus, the result of more than five years of working with Songline Emu Farm in Gill MA., is her first book. Beth and her husband, Lark, now live in Hawley, MA.

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