Wildlife in the Balance: The Species that Shape Earth's Ecosystems

Ages 7 to 9, Grades 2 to 4

Meet some of our planet’s most important animals and discover the remarkable ways they are helping save our planet.

Learn about 25 keystone species around the world from elephants to wolves, honeybees to beavers. Keystone species are animals or plants that play a crucial role in different habitats and have a huge effect on the environment around them. Entire ecosystems can depend on a single species, and they act as a glue that holds the ecosystem together.  The book will introduce readers to keystone animals across all the five major biomes (aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra) with facts about wildlife, habitats, and modern conservation practices to protect these species.​

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About the Author

Dr Sharon Wismer is a scientist, children's book author and mother who enjoys sharing her passion for wildlife and science. She is currently funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and leads a science communication project at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Sharon obtained her PhD in 2017. As a marine biologist, her research focused on the behavioural ecology of reef fishes and the impacts of mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef. Her scientific work has been published in many peer-reviewed international journals, while her children’s books, Keepers of the Reef and When Nature Runs Wild, aim to make emerging science accessible and exciting for children.

Terri grew up in hong Kong and studies illustration at the University of Edinburgh, and now lives and works from a wooden cabin in the countryside. She likes drawing anything blobby, including but not limited to: brains, intestines and liverworts.