Do you want to know more about the woodchuck? Then this book packed with information about groundhogs (who are also called woodchucks) is for you! Margot the woodchuck reveals all her secrets. She describes how groundhogs are born, what they look like and who is in their family. She talks about how they fill their tummies in summer and autumn, to store fat for the long winter months. Even medical … medical doctors and scientists study the groundhog’s hibernation. Find out why in this fascinating illustrated book.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book about groundhogs and learned so much new information in the process. For example, I was unaware that groundhogs and woodchucks are the same. I didn’t realize that groundhogs hibernate, nor could I imagine the intricacy of their tunnel passageways that can extend five feet below the ground. It’s strange to think that groundhogs crave sodium and often get it by eating the snow plowed against the side of the road.
The author’s beautiful photographs and book design add another dimension to the work. Readers learn about the physical characteristics of the groundhog, their diet, their tunnels, mating practices, and communication. They belong to the class of marmots which live in the Northern Hemisphere. Snellings gives a brief account of the marmots related to the groundhog such as the black, squirrel, gray squirrel, red squirrel, and chipmunk.
Doctors study the hibernation habits of the groundhog and hope to be able to use this information to help humans undergo surgery without anesthesia one day. Young readers will learn so much in this charming tale, narrated by Margot the Groundhog. I highly recommend this book for parents, teachers, and young animal lovers ages six through twelve.
From the moment Serafine the Postwoman swoops down with a personal letter from Margot’s human friends Marie and Lowieski, Margot is inspired to write her life’s story. If you’ve read “Margot Gets an Unexpected Visit,” you know how precious their friendship is, and how important it is for Margot to impart precisely every fascinating detail of a groundhog’s life, habits and distinguishing characteristics.
But if this is your first encounter with nature photographer and author Lieve Snellings darling woodchuck, you are never left with any questions about what came before. The exquisite detail, the up close and personal photos of Margot and her Sciuridae cousins (squirrels, chipmunks, etc.), and the educational components are all presented in an entertaining narrative.
With Snellings remarkable photography as the backdrop, Margot sometimes goes au naturel, other times she is chic and cheeky with bonnets, hats and scarves which give a hint as to her playful personality. But make no mistake, Margot and her marmot species are brilliant in their use and adaptation of nature’s gifts, especially as architects of very complex underground habitats. This is a book for parents, teachers, and children who will be rewarded with a rich reading experience, a treasure trove of scientific information, and a new respect for the amazing creatures known as groundhogs.
Told through the eyes of Margot the woodchuck, Lieve Snellings uses marmot photos with embellishments to explain some basic behaviors and life cycles of the marmot, commonly called the groundhog. Children who are interested in nature would enjoy the photos and story. Parents may have to help younger children read the story or read it to them.