Today we continue the series
in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of
the research process with an essay by Jennifer Ward. Thank you, Jen.
My
most recent nonfiction picture book, Just You and Me: Remarkable
Relationships in the Wild, illustrated by Alexander Vidal (Simon &Schuster/Beach
Lane Books), hit bookshelves in September 2021. Years in the making, finally
out in the world!
With a starred review from School Library Journal, Just You and Me
introduces young readers to symbiotic relationships among plants and animals in
the wild—symbiosis being an interaction between two different organisms
living in close approximation that is sometimes advantageous to both.
Many
of the symbiotic relationships I selected to write about were new discoveries
for me (discovery is fun!), while a couple of them, such as the Gila Woodpecker/saguaro
cactus and the Nile crocodile/Egyptian plover bird, were iconic in my mind. I’d
heard about them again and again over the years. Still, I did my due diligence as a researcher,
consulting sources like The Birds of Africa Volume II (Academic Press,
1982) to fill in gaps in my personal knowledge.
Fast forward several years to book release day (yay!). A savvy librarian contacted
my publisher and said there is zero credible documentation for the symbiotic
relationship between the croc and plover; that it’s a myth.
I
was shocked, and so was my editor. After all, in addition to my research
efforts, the manuscript had been reviewed by a skilled fact-checker prior to
publication. But my surprise soon turned to curiosity. I needed to make
certain I was not sharing misinformation with my readers. It was time to dig
deeper.
When
facts turn fuzzy and black and white suddenly turns gray, it’s time to summon
an expert. I decided to track down the authors of The Birds of Africa Volume
II. But unfortunately, I discovered that Kenneth Newman, a renowned painter
and ornithologist, had passed away in 2006, and his colleague Emil Urban, a
scholar of African birds, passed away in 2014.
Next,
I tried framing questions to identify ways of gathering new information.
Q:
Who studies crocodiles?
A:
Herpetologists specialize in reptiles and amphibians and work as zoologists and
lab researchers. They do field studies and teach at universities.
Q:
What college degree is obtained to study crocodiles?
A:
A degree in Biological Sciences.
Through
a quick internet search, I discovered that Texas Tech University offers degrees
in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in herpetology. Perfect.
I
contacted Professor Llewellyn D. Densmore, Department of Biological Science, Associate
Program Director for Research, Center for the Integration of STEM Education and
Research (CISER) at Texas Tech. It happens that Dr. Densmore’s research focuses
on crocodiles.
According to Professor Densmore, evidence of the croc-plover relationship is lacking. However,
he noted that Colonel R. Meinertzhagen reported observing Egyptian plovers as
well as Spur-winged lapwings eating insects from Nile crocodile mouths in Pirates
and Predators: The Piratical and Predatory Habits of Birds. He also pointed
out that a croc and plover are shown on the cover of Evolution by Association: A History of
Symbiosis by Jan Sapp (Oxford University Press, 1994). Unfortunately, neither
Dr. Densmore nor I were able to obtain a copy of the book or access the pages
that describe the crocodile-plover relationship.
Is
this author living? I
asked myself. Can I go straight to the source?
The
answer was . . . Yes! Dr. Jan Sapp is a Professor of Biology and History at
York University in Toronto, Canada. And he was happy to share his tremendous
knowledge of symbiosis with me. In response to my query, he replied: “To my
knowledge the relationship is not a myth.”
I
did a bit more digging and discovered other field studies and scholarly publications
that document the symbiotic tooth-cleaning/meal gleaning relationship. But they
were not very current.
I’d
love nothing more than to do my own field study along the Egypt’s Nile River,
but for now, I’ll have to rely on the sources I tracked down.
Jennifer Ward has written numerous
award-winning picture books, including How to Find a Bird, illustrated
by Diana Sudyka; Round, illustrated by Lisa Congdon; and Mama Built a
Little Nest and Mama Dug a Little Den, both illustrated by Steve
Jenkins. Her most recent picture book, Just You and Me, illustrated by
Alexander Vidal, celebrated perfect partnerships in the wild. Jennifer volunteers
with wild bird rehabilitation and writes full-time from her home in IL.
Most Popular Posts
Resignation
Re-thinking “E” Is for Everyone
We Need Diverse Nonfiction
The 5 Kinds of Nonfiction
Behind the Books: Does Story Appeal to Everyone?
10 STEM Picture Books
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Melissa Stewart
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Deborah Heiligman
Is It Fiction or Nonfiction? A Twitterchat
5 Kinds of Nonfiction, Book Lists
Topics
10 Responses
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing your research efforts, Jennifer. I'm pleased to say that Just You and Me:Remarkable Relationships in the Wild is on the 2022-2023 Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award list.
oh my gosh – this is so fascinating! Love the inside look at the deep deep dive into fact checking! Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful post, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm currently doing some sleuthing for a nonfiction pb, and your process is enlightening! I can't wait to get my hands on this beautiful book!
Colonel R. Meinertzhagen was into some pretty shady stuff. He allegedly stole museum specimens and then presented them elsewhere as his. I wouldn't trust his observations.
I use the Nile Crocodile and Egyptian Plover relationship to teach my 4th grade students the importance of deep research. We report what we learned and share holes in our findings.
Thanks for this insight, Doug. He sounds like quite a scoundrel.
That's a great lesson idea. The next time you teach it, you can show that it's authentic by sharing Jen's essay.
Wow, very fascinating. Great information. Thank you for your efforts in tracking down information.
Amazing! Nonfiction writers dig deep to share accurate information with their readers.
Thank you for writing books that kids love to read, Jennifer & Melissa.
Suzy Leopold
Thank you for sharing your personal journey!