Smithsonian Readers: Seriously Amazing Level 2

Brenda Scott Royce is a lifelong lover of beasts and books—and whenever possible her work combines the two. For more than a decade, she served as editor of Zoo View, the award-winning magazine of the Los Angeles Zoo. Her books include the comedic novel Monkey Love, about a New Yorker who becomes the temporary guardian of a mischievous monkey. She also wrote several episodes of the children’s television series Chuggington. Brenda likes to say that she majored in monkeys in college (she earned a bachelor’s degree in primatology and anthropology from California State University, Fullerton) and that some of her best friends are chimpanzees (she worked as a chimp keeper at a wildlife sanctuary). She lives in Covina, California.Emily Rose Oachs is a graduate of the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. She currently works as an editor at a Los Angeles-based educational company. In her spare time, she writes nonfiction books for elementary readers.Stephen Binns is an education writer at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. For ten years, he was writer and editor of Smithsonian in Your Classroom, a publication sent free of charge to all elementary and middle schools in the United States. His work has also appeared in the Atlantic Monthly and the National Catholic Reporter.Ruth Strother is an award-winning writer and editor whose work has touched children around the globe. From running editorial departments at publishing houses to freelance writing and editing, Ruth has immersed herself in the creation of books for both children and adults. Her latest written works for children include W is for Woof: A Dog Alphabet and the NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children B is for Blue Planet: an Earth Science Alphabet. Ruth lives in Southern California with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.Courtney Acampora holds a B.A. in art history from San Diego State University and a M.A. from the University of Arizona. Currently working in publishing, Courtney's lifelong love for both art and books fused together and gave her the opportunity to write and create engaging books for kids. Courtney lives in San Diego, California.