Why Are Animals Purple?

by Melissa Stewart

Enslow, 2009

for Grades 1–3

ISBN 978–0‑76603–254‑5

Purchase this book at your local independent bookseller or Amazon.com.

Animals come in all colors of the rainbow—and with good reason, too. Being purple helps purple herons and crowned wood nymphs, purple emperor butterflies and crab spiders survive in their habitats. This book clearly explains the science behind animal coloration with easy-to-read text and stunning full-color photographs that are sure to delight and educate young readers.

Honors and Awards

National Science Teachers Association Recommended Title

Reviews

“… vibrant colors and fun facts take readers through the world and explain how color helps creatures survive. They are introduced to a variety of animals, from finned to feathered. [Then] readers are introduced to two new animals and get to see if they can figure out how the animals’ color helps them survive in their environments. [W]orld maps show where each animal lives … and would make a nice starting point to discuss affects of environmental changes and how they might affect the animals. Each volume provides a beautiful introduction to animal adaptations … High-interest content, bright color, and controlled vocabulary will draw readers in.” (NSTA)

“The world is a rainbow of animals, and these books set out to explain why … This unusual, appealing series is easy to read and will be a solid selection for reluctant readers.” (School Library Journal)

Behind the Book

“Before researching and writing this group of books, I enjoyed the vast variety of animal colors, but I never really thought about their importance as adaptations for survival. An animal’s color can help it blend with its surroundings, warn predators to stay away, or let a mate know its whereabouts. Color makes the natural world more beautiful to us and they send other creatures all kinds of important messages.”