Page 2 - Kind News, Jr. Parent Guide, September/October 2023
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ANSWER KEY





           Critter Clues FROM PAGE 7

           Our mystery critter is the porcupine. There are about 25
           species around the world, each with a protective coat of quills.
           The North American Porcupine lives in forested and scrubby,
           rural areas. These slow-moving, gentle herbivores like leaves,
           twigs, and plants.
           Porcupines are rarely aggressive and don’t shoot their quills, but the
           spikey, modified hairs detach easily when touched as a defense
           mechanism against would-be predators. When threatened, porcupines
           may stomp, hiss, or swing their quill-covered tails. You can keep pets safe
           from a “quilling” by not letting them roam at dusk or after dark. While they
           sometimes forage during daylight, they are mostly nocturnal. Keep pets from
           exploring caves, hollow trees, and logs which are popular denning sites for
           porcupines during bad weather. If your dog gets “quilled,” keep him as still as possible to
           keep the quills from moving deeper into the skin, and get to a veterinarian right away! The tiny
           barbs on quills make quill removal a painful procedure that requires anesthesia.
           Porcupine quills served as the earliest material for Native American embroidery.
           Women of the Great Plains, for example, used quills to decorate shirts,
           moccasins, and other materials. Quills continue to be used in basketry by
           various tribes to this day.


              BOOK NOOK
    COVER: REDROVER; THIS PAGE: NATALIAVO/BIGSTOCKPHOTO.COM.

           Hens for Friends
           Written by Sandy De Lisle  |  Illustrated by Amelia Hansen
           Recommended for preschool through grade 3

           This book from the RedRover Readers program provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss animal needs
           and the human-animal bond with students. When Aarón and his family decide to adopt six hens, they learn
           about the responsibilities that come with raising backyard hens. Aarón develops a close friendship with a
           Rhode Island Red hen he names Margaret, and charmingly shares their favorite activities and the behaviors
           he has observed in the whole flock. Through delightfully detailed illustrations and a heartfelt story, readers
           learn interesting facts about hens and hen-keeping and the benefits of having them for friends.

           HENS FOR FRIENDS  © 2015 BY THE GRYPHON PRESS




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