Dear Reader,

You must like nature if you’re reading JUST ONE BITE. Isn’t it fun to see the actual amount of food that these animals eat in one nibble, sip and gulp? And look at the real sizes of their heads and teeth! I never knew how long a giraffe’s tongue was until Geoff illustrated this book. I learn something new with each animal.

When I was a girl, I would get down eye-to-eye with animals to inspect them up close. It didn’t make any difference if it was a tadpole, a turtle, the neighbor’s cat, or one of my Uncle Merril’s pigs. I was fascinated, and still am, with everything about the natural world. My interest isn’t confined to only animals; I collect fossils, admire rocks and minerals, and enjoy hiking through streams, up mountains, and across fields.

Like most books that I write about the real world, JUST ONE BITE began with a series of questions. How much nectar does a butterfly sip with its proboscis? How much grass or bamboo does an elephant pull and eat in just one bite? What’s one of the largest bites of food that one animal swallows at once?

Since I never know the answers to my questions, I contact experts. For this book I worked with some scientists at universities, others at a butterfly house and even one the other side of the globe. The wonderful thing about scientists and experts is that they gladly share their knowledge with others. Since they are excited about their topics of study, they want others to appreciate them as well. After a few telephone conversations or emails, I generally have answers to all of my questions.

Research is searching once and again and again until you find information that satisfies your curiosity. What would you like to know? How far does a humpback whale migrate each year? How is marble made in the earth? How do islands form? One answer will lead you to another question and that answer will lead you to yet another question and on and on and on . . . for a lifetime – a lifetime of learning!

Enjoy the journey, and remember to READ! All great learning starts with just one book!

Download a copy of “Your Friend, Lola Schaefer ( A Letter to Readers)” HERE.

For more about Lola, visit her website HERE.