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WORK TITLE: Brown Bears
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WEBSITE: http://www.nickcrumpton.com/
CITY: London
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COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: English
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PERSONAL
Child: daughter.
EDUCATION:University of Leeds, BSc; University of Bristol, MSc; University of Cambridge, Ph.D.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Zoologist and writer. Lectures at University College London. Has worked for the BBC and Natural History Museum London.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Children’s Bookwatch, January, 2024, review of Everything You Know about Dinosaurs Is Wrong!
Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2017, review of The Amazing Animal Atlas; February 1, 2020, review of Why Do Dogs Sniff Butts?: Curious Questions about Your Favorite Pet; March 15, 2021, review of Why Can’t Horses Burp: Curious Questions about Your Favorite Pet; July 1, 2024, review of Brown Bears.
School Librarian, Spring, 2018, John Feltwell, review of The Amazing Animal Atlas, p. 46; Spring, 2022, Godfrey Hall, review of Everything You Know about Dinosaurs Is Wrong!, p. 55; Spring, 2024, Andrea Rayner, review of How to Chat Chicken, Gossip Gorilla, Babble Bee, Gab Gecko and Talk in 66 Other Animal Languages, p. 52.
ONLINE
Dr. Nick Crumpton website, www.nickcrumpton.com (January 7, 2025).
Hello 👋 I'm a children's book writer and zoologist based in lovely London.
I write books for children (and occasionally adults) about animals. You can find out about them in the Books section, or whizz on over to my Amazon author page or (preferably) take a trip to my Bookshop page - and support local bookshops by buying some books there!
I completed my PhD at Cambridge University before working as a scientist, professional science communicator, as well as a journalist and researcher for the BBC. Today, I work behind the scenes at the wonderful Natural History Museum, London.
In terms of sciencey stuff, I've worked at University College London (where I occasionally lecture) and the Zoological Society of London. I sit on the council of the Systematics Association, have studied extinct mammals, sensory systems, and have thought about small mammals that live in forests a lot. You can read more about that side of things on the Research section.
I'm represented by Veronique Baxter of David Higham. You can get in touch with me directly on the contacts page. 😁
Dr. Nick Crumpton
Nick grew up in the UK on a diet of David Attenborough documentaries and hand-me-down Sega games before reading ecology at Leeds University. He moved to beautiful Bristol to research the ancient mammals that lived during the time of the dinosaurs, before he wrote a PhD in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge.
He worked at the BBC Natural History Unit before science-ing at the Zoological Society London (on venomous mammals and Indonesian biodiversity) and University College London, where he occasionally teaches. He now works at the Natural History Museum, London. His favourite animals are lowland streaked tenrecs, and he has an aversion to cobras (after one very nearly bit him on his bottom when he wasn’t paying attention).
Nick Crumpton
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nick Crumpton
Nick Crumpton speaking in front of a public audience at the Hay Festival, 2018.
Born 12 April 1986, Bromsgrove, England
Alma mater University of Cambridge
University of Bristol
University of Leeds
Scientific career
Fields Functional Anatomy
Mammalian Evolution
Palaeobiology
Thesis Osteological correlates of sensory systems in small mammals
Website www.nickcrumpton.com
Nick Crumpton (born 1986) is a British zoologist and children's author.
Education and research career
Crumpton holds a BSc in ecology from the University of Leeds, and an MSc in palaeobiology from the University of Bristol, for which he was awarded the Geologists Association's Curry Prize. He gained his PhD from the University of Cambridge with research undertaken at the Department of Zoology.
He has held post-doctoral research posts at the Zoological Society of London and University College London and undertaken field work in Indonesia and North America. His research has centered on ecomorphology[1] and functional anatomy,[2] convergent evolution,[3] mammalian evolution during the Mesozoic era,[4] and recent mammal biodiversity in the Caribbean[5] and Indonesia.[6] He has helped describe three species of mammals new to science.[7] He sits on the council of the Systematics Association and is a Fellow of the Linnean Society.
Books
Crumpton's first non-fiction book for children, Triassic Terrors,[8] illustrated by Isaac Lenkiewicz, was published by Flying Eye Books in 2012 and introduced readers to less commonly known non-dinosaur animals from the Triassic period. This was followed by The Amazing Animal Atlas[9] in 2017, illustrated by Gaia Bordicchia. The latter book presented an array of animals found on Earth, with an emphasis on lesser known species.
The first two books in a series of three, Why Do Dogs Sniff Bottoms[10] and Why Do Cats Meow,[11] were published in 2020 by Thames & Hudson, illustrated by Lily Snowden-Fine.
Media and public engagement
Crumpton was awarded a British Science Association Media Fellowship in 2012 and spent this time at the BBC Radio Science Unit and the Science and Environment news website[12] and has made film[13] and radio segments for the BBC. He has acted as scientific consultant on natural history television series,[14] BBC Bitesize online games and publishers including Ladybird, Lonely Planet and Phaidon. He has also appeared on BBC[15][16] and CBBC television programmes, BBC Radio,[17] the Naked Scientists podcast,[18] and has written for the Guardian newspaper.[19] He has spoken at the Cambridge Science Festival,[20] the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts[21] and the Bath Children's Literature Festival and worked as a professional science communicator at the Natural History Museum, London.[22]
Select publications
Crumpton, N. 2024. Brown Bears. Walker.
Bronner, G. N., Mynhardt, S., Bennett, N. C., Cohen, L., Crumpton, N., Hofreiter, M., Arnold, P., Asher, R. J., 2024. "Phylogenetic history of golden moles and tenrecs (Mammalia: Afrotheria)", Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 201(1), 184-213.
Crumpton, N. 2023. How to Chat Chicken, Gossip Gorilla, Babble Bee, Gab Gecko and Talk in 66 Other Animal Languages. What on Earth Books.
Crumpton, N. 2023. Everything You Know About Sharks is Wrong!. Nosy Crow.
Crumpton, N. 2022. Animal Super Powers: The Most Amazing Ways Animals Have Evolved. Walker Studios.
Turvey, S. T., Crees, J. J., Hansford, J., Jeffree, T. E., Crumpton N., Kurniawan, I., Setiyabudi, E., Guillerme, T., Paranggarimu, U., Dosseto, A. and Van Den Ber, G. D. 2017. "Quaternary vertebrate faunas from Sumba, Indonesia: implications for Wallacean biogeography and evolution", Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284, 1861.
Crumpton, N., Kardjilov, N. and Asher, R. J. 2015. "Convergence vs. specialization in the ear region of moles (Mammalia)", Journal of morphology, 276(8), 900-914.
Crumpton, Nick THE AMAZING ANIMAL ATLAS Flying Eye Books (Children's Informational) $28.95 10, 17 ISBN: 978-1-909263-11-6
A select gallery of world wildlife, grouped geographically.
The presentation is notable chiefly for the clean lines and harmonious coloring of Bordicchia's animal figures and simplified terrain maps. The world tour offers small, naturally posed portraits of several hundred creatures scattered across oversize (and in two cases, large, accordion-folded) leaves with terse accompanying notes highlighting distinctive physical features or behaviors. The maps are largely free of political boundaries and sparsely labeled with major habitat regions. The arbitrarily chosen geographical frames range from Australia ("three million square miles of zoological excitement") and other continents to Madagascar and the Arctic; the selected animals mix occasional unusual specimens like the raccoonlike olinguito of the Andes and a Pyrenean desman (a riverine mole) with the usual suspects. Aside from a tiny white bicyclist in one scene, humans are absent from the art--even on the "tree" (more like a graceful vine, here) of life at the beginning--but at the thematic center of closing spreads that focus on endangered species, environmental conservation, and the need for sustainable energy sources.
Too limited for reference but easy on the eyes and well-suited for browsing and sharing with younger animal lovers. (index) (Picture atlas. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Crumpton, Nick: THE AMAZING ANIMAL ATLAS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2017, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A509244168/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7cbfd323. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Crumpton, Dr Nick and Bordicchia, Gaia
The Amazing Animal Atlas
Flying Eye Books, 2017, pp52, 25 [pounds sterling]
978 1 909263 11 6
The living world is a very biodiverse place and there have been many attempts to review the world's wildlife, habitat by habitat, as in this reviewers Animals and Where They Live (Templar, 1988), and The Animal Atlas (Dorling Kindersley, 1992). However, this is a refreshing view dealing with continent by continent and the different habitats where animals are found. Undoubtedly there are the key animals that occur in all books and all expected species are present, birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates. To interest and enlighten children there are 'Did you know' boxes. It is a large book (375x274mm) which has pull-out pages of seven pages as a concertina.
This will excite children and go some way in introducing them to the huge diversity and amazing colours of animals around the world. All the artwork has been done by Gaia Bordicchia, an established children's illustrator from Italy and the text is written by Dr Nick Crumpton from Universities of London and Cambridge. An index, references and extra reading complete the book which is recommended for all libraries and for all ages up from six.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
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Feltwell, John. "Crumpton, Dr Nick and Bordicchia, Gaia: The Amazing Animal Atlas." School Librarian, vol. 66, no. 1, spring 2018, p. 46. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532654318/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4b44faf0. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Crumpton, Nick WHY DO DOGS SNIFF BUTTS? Thames & Hudson (Children's Informational) $16.95 3, 17 ISBN: 978-0-500-65223-7
Bits and bites about our canine co-dependents, from lore to behavior, breeds, and care.
Loosely following a Q&A format, zoologist Crumpton scatters blocks of pithy comments about why dogs do what they do on broadly thematic spreads amid winsome painted portraits by Snowden-Fine of diverse official breeds, mostly drawn to scale, at work or play. Along with explaining what the titular sniffing as well as tail-wagging and yelps ("a canine version of texting") communicate, the author introduces famous dogs from Cerberus and Rin Tin Tin to internet celebrity Boo the Pomeranian, tucks in perfunctory notes on proper diet and care, and mentions dozens of breeds. Most of these are depicted nearby, though sometimes in distant or indistinct views. Readers with vision issues will also struggle with passages of narrative that are printed on dark green or other low-contrast backdrops. Sometimes Crumpton rambles, as when he follows up "Why does dog poop smell so bad?" with three feces-related factoids (including the importance of scooping) before answering, kind of. Andy Hirsch's entry in the graphic Science Comics series, Dogs: From Predator to Protector (2017), digs deeper into the topic, but this once-over has plenty to chew on. Occasional human figures in the art display a range of skin color and style of dress.
Not particularly systematic, but young dog lovers will wolf it down. (glossary, index of breeds) (Informational picture book. 7-9)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Crumpton, Nick: WHY DO DOGS SNIFF BUTTS?" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A612619258/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=12f4003e. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Crumpton, Nick WHY CAN'T HORSES BURP? Thames & Hudson (Children's None) $16.95 4, 20 ISBN: 978-0-500-65230-5
Horse facts, basic and obscure, fill this oversized illustrated book.
Following Why Do Cats Meow? and Why Do Dogs Sniff Butts? (both 2020), this latest volume in a series on animals turns to horses of all kinds. Each spread focuses on one question, such as “How long have there been horses?”; “Why do horses wear shoes?”; and “Can a horse speak with its ears?” Short paragraphs responding with answers are spaced throughout each spread, around painted illustrations of horses against white backgrounds, in action scenes, or in portrait frames. Readers will learn the names of horses’ colors, the names of older and younger members of a herd, the relationships between humans and horses, the jobs horses do, which breeds are strongest, which are most easily trained, and, of course, why horses can’t burp, among other things. While the title implies that the book will be filled with quirky, unusual facts, most of the information is fairly basic—enlightening for beginner horse enthusiasts but less so for those who have already been delving into equine affairs. The writing style is plain, and bolded headings make browsing easy. The delicate watercolor illustrations are realistic enough to be informative but also playful in places, depicting horses with eyebrows to exaggerate their emotions in one spread, for instance. A number of famous horses from history are featured as well. Humans are pictured in a variety of skin tones.
A fun gift or reference book for the newer horse enthusiast. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 5-9)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Crumpton, Nick: WHY CAN'T HORSES BURP?" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A654727436/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4f4cddb6. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
HODGSON, Rob with Nick Crumpton. Danny Dodo's Detective Diary: Learn All About Extinct and Endangered Animals. illus. by Rob Hodgson. 48p. Thames & Hudson. Jun. 2021. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9780500652077.
Gr 1-3--Readers can learn about extinct and endangered animals in this cute diary-like guide as Danny Dodo travels around the globe introducing animals like black rhinos, moas, parrots, frogs and toads, Tasmanian tigers, and more. Each animal is addressed by name (Madam Mayleen, Small Paul, etc.), and their environments, activities, food sources, and the cause of their devastation is presented. The book includes a glossary of terms and an index as back matter, and an interesting table of contents that features every animal displayed with their names and page numbers scattered over the page. The illustrations are colorful and reminiscent of the work of Eric Carle. The text also includes information about the differences between endangered, extinct, and vulnerable species. A short guide on how to help the planet covers the topics of habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and more. VERDICT A cute addition to nonfiction sections where books on animals are popular.--Kristin Joy Anderson, Lewis Univ., Romeoville, IL
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Anderson, Kristin Joy. "HODGSON, Rob with Nick Crumpton. Danny Dodo's Detective Diary: Learn All About Extinct and Endangered Animals." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 8, Aug. 2021, p. 98. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A670398034/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1e235201. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Crumpton, Nick Everything You Know about Dinosaurs Is Wrong
Illustrated by Gavin Scott Nosy Crow
2021, pp64, [pounds sterling]12.99
9781788008105
Science. Prehistoric Creatures. Dinosaurs
Yet another book on dinosaurs maybe, but this one definitely comes with a twist as it sets out to challenge many of our preconceived ideas about these prehistoric creatures.
Designed on the premise that experts can sometimes be wrong, it looks in depth at a number of facts about dinosaurs and sets out to uncover the truth. These range from the statement that dinosaurs only lived on land and weren't that smart, to the fact that they were all were all green and scaly. Using current technology and research, Crumpton investigates many of the currently held opinions about these creatures. Suitable for older primary children, it will provide a starting point for lengthy debate about these amazing creatures which at one time roamed the world. A fascinating insight into modern research, I am sure it will be a great hit with young palaeontologists everywhere and be an asset for any library.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
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Hall, Godfrey. "Crumpton, Nick Everything You Know about Dinosaurs Is Wrong." School Librarian, vol. 70, no. 1, spring 2022, p. 55. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A698621497/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dbd8d0a9. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
The Science Shelf
Everything You Know About Dinosaurs is Wrong!
Nick Crumpton, author
Gavin Scott, illustrator
Nosy Crow
https://nosycrow.com
9798887770147, $19.99, HC, 64pp
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Know-About-Dinosaurs-Wrong/dp/B0BTY6T5ZD
Synopsis: Do you know all there is to know about dinosaurs? If you think they are mean, green, and not very smart you are WRONG! But don't worry, even the experts can't be right all the time.
From fossilized feathers to long-necked look-alikes, "Everything You Know About Dinosaurs is Wrong!" is an ingenious picture book that is packed from cover to cover with amazing dinosaur discoveries. Young readers will become paleontology pros as they are introduced to jaw-dropping research that will debunk many myths about all kinds of prehistoric creatures __ and they will never be able to look at a pigeon the same way again!
Critique: With a simply fascinating, thoroughly 'kid friendly', and easy-to-understand text written by zoologist Dr. Nick Crumpton, supported and enhanced with the amazingly detailed color artwork by Gavin Scott on every page, this beautifully large format (10.15 x 0.45 x 11.65 inches, 1.6 pounds) hardcover edition of "Everything You Know About Dinosaurs is Wrong!" is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, middle school, and community library paleontology (dinosaur) picture book collections for young readers ages 8-12.
Editorial Note #1: Nick Crumpton is a writer and zoologist based in London. He received his PhD in zoology from the University of Cambridge, has appeared as an expert on radio and television programs and has worked for the BBC and the Natural History Museum London. He acts as a biological consultant for numerous publishing houses and lectures at University College London. He is active on twitter as @LSmonster, and more about him can be found on his website www.nickcrumpton.com
Editorial Note #2: Gavin Scott (https://www.gavin-scott.co.uk) is an illustrator based in Somerset in England. He has been a freelance artist/illustrator since 2007 having originally studied Illustration, specializing in natural history. He works in a range of styles, from traditional watercolor to collage and digital work. He is also passionate about introducing young children to nature and the wildlife around them.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"The Science Shelf." Children's Bookwatch, Jan. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A783034067/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=39d7c7a1. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Crumpton, Nick BROWN BEARS Candlewick (Children's None) $18.99 9, 24 ISBN: 9781536238778
A mother grizzly teaches her cubs how to be bears.
Zoologist Crumpton has written about everything from sharks to horses; here he focuses on a family of Alaskan brown bears. The tale begins with the mother bear emerging from her den with her two young cubs. Over the next two years, the youngsters learn skills that will help them survive on their own: to climb trees, to leave their scent for other bears, to forage for different kinds of food, to catch salmon in a fast-running river, and to avoid danger. At one point, the bears forage in a garbage can; Crumpton warns readers how perilous situations like this can be for bears and humans alike. The two-level text includes a smooth narrative ideal for reading aloud as well as further facts in a smaller font, all without personifying the animals. Larmour's mixed-media illustrations show the bears in their natural environment, focusing especially on the young bears' antics throughout the year. A double-page spread with an aggressive adult male comes as an impressive surprise. This is an ideal offering for youngsters just beginning to delve into nonfiction; helpfully, it ends with some simplified backmatter, including an author's note, a map, a website link to further information, and a short index.
An appealing introduction to a widespread species. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Crumpton, Nick: BROWN BEARS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A799332751/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=42e64117. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Crumpton, Nick
How to Chat Chicken: Gossip Gorilla, Babble Bee, Gab Gecko and Talk in 66 Other Animal Languages
Illustrated by Adrienne Barman
What on Earth Books, 2023, pp.128, [pounds sterling]12.99
9781804660423
Animals. Science. Interactive
How to Chat Chicken is a book that tells us about the behaviours and communication of a variety of animals, including chimpanzees, chickens, horses, bees, dolphins, and meerkats. The book is separated into sections covering species in various groupings, such as primates, sea animals, insects, and birds. Each double-page spread contains a paragraph about behaviour, followed by the various noises an animal makes and their meanings, for example, gorillas saying 'AAEEEIII' means 'Stop being annoying!' At the back of the book, there is a glossary, index and selected sources as well as an explanation of 'The Science Behind the Sounds! The clear and informative text is accompanied by colourful and humorous illustrations which bring the animal characters to life. The author communicates the science of animal languages in an extremely enjoyable way. Finally, the animal sounds have been researched using recordings and data from scientists in the field.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
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Rayner, Andrea. "How to Chat Chicken: Gossip Gorilla, Babble Bee, Gab Gecko and Talk in 66 Other Animal Languages." School Librarian, vol. 72, no. 1, spring 2024, p. 52. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A800693832/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b8a9f744. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.