Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity With Hands-on Science Activities for Kids

2025 Nature Generation Green Earth Book Award Recommended Reading

A hands-on project book about the keystone species keeping habitats healthy!

Who’s keeping the ecosystem healthy?

In any ecosystem, every species has a role to play. From towering trees and ginormous whales to the smallest microorganisms, plants, fungi, and insects, each species is important to the overall health of the ecosystem. But some of those species play such vital roles that without them, the ecosystem might collapse. These are called keystone species.

In Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids, readers ages 9 to 12 are introduced to several different types of keystone species from around the world as they discover the crucial roles these animals play in their ecosystems. Meet the predators, herbivores, ecosystem engineers, mutualists, and foundational species that all play a keystone role in regulating an ecosystem. Investigate how these ecosystems function, learn about threats to wolves, sharks, beavers, alligators, flying foxes, bees, wildebeests, bison, and coral, and dive into what happens when these species disappear. Throughout the book, find stories about science-based conservation practices that inspire kids to do their part in protecting their own environments.

Keystone Species includes hands-on activities and critical thinking exercises to help readers gain a deeper understanding of ecosystems and the role of every species. STEM activities, a narrative writing style, fun facts, words-to-know, and links to primary sources, videos, and other relevant websites take readers on an exploration of keystone species around the world.

Additional materials include a glossary, a list of media for further learning, a selected bibliography, and index. All books are leveled for Guided Reading level and Lexile and align with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

All titles are available in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats.

Laura Perdew is an author, writing consultant, and former middle school teacher. She is the author of The Fort (Page Street Kids, 2020) and over 50 books for the education market including Biodiversity: Explore the Diversity of Life on Earth (Nomad Press, 2019) which is on the Booklist editors’ list of the Top 10 Books on the Environment & Sustainability for Youth 2020. Laura lives in Boulder, Colorado.

Website: lauraperdew.com

Micah Rauch is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator from the beautiful state of Montana. He received a BFA in graphic design from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana and has illustrated several books for Nomad Press, including Kitchen Chemistry, Fairground Physics, and Crazy Contraptions.

Website: micahrauch.com
Instagram: instagram.com/micahrauch