Hands-on lessons can be fun and compelling, but when it comes to life science, they aren't always possible, practical, effective, or safe. Children can't follow wolves as they hunt elk, visit a prehistoric swamp, or shrink down to the size of a molecule and observe photosynthesis firsthand.

Melissa Stewart is an award-winning author of more than 150 science-themed nonfiction books for children and the coauthor of Perfect Pairs: Using Fiction & Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2. She also maintains the blog Celebrate Science (http: //celebratescience.blogspot.com) and offers school visits and teacher inservice programs that focus on nonfiction writing, using children's books to address curriculum standards, and creative ways to integrate science and language arts instruction. Her website is www.melissa-stewart.com.

Nancy Chesley was an elementary teacher for twenty-six years and a K-5 science and literacy specialist for six years. She won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Elementary Science Teaching in 2001 and the Milken Foundation National Distinguished Educator Award in 2002. She received a BA in elementary education and an MSEd in literacy education from the University of Southern Maine. Nancy is the coauthor of Perfect Pairs: Using Fiction & Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2.