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Nature and ScienceBackgrounds - STEAM Icons - Multicolor
February 2026

Tigers Between Empires: The Improbable Return of Great Cats to the Forests of Russia...
by Jonathan C. Slaght

In conservation biologist Jonathan C. Slaght’s Tigers Between Empires, he describes a coordinated effort between Russian and American scientists to rescue the wild tigers of the Amur River basin -- a forested area straddling Russia and China -- from unchecked hunting and habitat loss. After decades of work, the population of these magnificent predators is robust and growing.
In Trees: An Exploration by Robert Moor
In Trees: An Exploration
by Robert Moor

From the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller On Trails comes a wondrous new journey through the wilds of nature and the gnarls of history, exploring how trees--from the mightiest sequoia to the tiniest bonsai--can teach us to grow wise. 
The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind
by Simon Winchester

Author and journalist Simon Winchester presents a celebration of wind. Drawing fascinating references from science, engineering, and literature, Winchester is clearly enraptured by this natural force, evidenced by his vivid depictions of its role in civilization’s destruction (typhoons, tornadoes, wildfires) and salvation (wind-powered energy solutions). This is a captivating ode to elemental nature...
When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy by Beronda L. Montgomery
When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy
by Beronda L. Montgomery

This stunning cultural and personal reclamation of Black history and Black botanical mastery offers up lessons from the natural world shared through the stories of long-lived trees. The histories of trees in America are also the histories of Black Americans. 
Nature Guide to Acadia National Park by Ann Simpson
Nature Guide to Acadia National Park
by Ann Simpson

This information-packed field guide dedicated to wildlife of Acadia National Park includes full-color photos and easy-to-understand descriptions. With full cooperation from the park association, this book will appeal to anyone interested in nature.
The Last Extinction: The Real Science Behind the Death of the Dinosaurs by Gerta Keller
The Last Extinction: The Real Science Behind the Death of the Dinosaurs
by Gerta Keller

In geologist Gerta Keller’s debut book, she shares her groundbreaking theory that the extinction of the dinosaurs did not stem from an asteroid colliding with Earth, but rather from extreme volcanic activity in present-day India. At first facing widespread criticism and now widely accepted as fact, her work is accessibly presented in a book that foregrounds women scientists and the difficulty of overturning entrenched theories.
Time's Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature by Robert M. Hazen
Time's Second Arrow: Evolution, Order, and a New Law of Nature
by Robert M. Hazen

A distinguished geoscientist and rising-star astrobiologist offer a stunning new theory upending 150 years of established science--and an inspiring new vision of our universe.
Birds and Birding
How Birds Fly: The Science and Art of Avian Flight
by Peter Cavanagh

Author, photographer, and pilot Peter Cavanagh is uniquely suited to the subject of How Birds Fly, his illustrated exploration of this amazing natural phenomenon. [It is] filled with fascinating facts about bird anatomy and aerodynamics as well as the author’s gorgeous photographs of various species in every stage of flying.
Starlings: The Curious Odyssey of a Most Hated Bird
by Mike Stark

Even bird lovers have a love-hate relationship with the European, or common, starling. They are an extremely invasive species that were introduced in the late 19th century and quickly spread across North America, competing with native birds for food and nesting space. Yet these clever creatures are skilled mimics and hypnotic to watch in flight, wheeling in enormous, agile flocks called “murmurations.” 
The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne
by Chris Sweeney

Journalist Chris Sweeney's richly detailed debut profiles pioneering forensic ornithologist and Smithsonian Institution taxidermist Roxie Laybourne (1910-2003), who utilized her avian expertise to solve murders, investigate poaching activities, and inspect bird-related plane crashes, the latter of which led to aircraft safety reforms.
Turning to Birds: The Power and Beauty of Noticing
by Lili Taylor

Award-winning actor Lili Taylor first became a birdwatcher and nature advocate about 15 years ago during a break between film projects. She noticed how observing the sparrows and jays outside her house awakened her senses, especially her ability to listen, a skill she prizes in her acting work. Today she goes birding whenever she can, in the city and country, and will inspire her readers to rediscover the gift of noticing the world around them.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Harford County Public Library
1221-A Brass Mill Rd
Belcamp, Maryland 21017
410-273-5600

hcplonline.org