Marta Writes
Books and Other Publications
Kid Lit
Children’s Books That Explore Nature
Marta’s expertise in literacy along with her love for children and interest in nature has produced several award-winning children’s books about wild animals. She has also written children’s books for the educational market as well as articles and short stories for adults.

Bee Catastrophe:
We’ll Miss Them When They’re Gone
Written by Marta Magellan
illustrated by Mauro Magellan
This beautifully illustrated book touches on several causes leading to the collapse of the bee population, especially the new super-pesticides. Children will learn how connected humans are to the natural world through one little insect.
Published January 1, 2023
Fourth book in the Pollinators and Garden Helpers Series
Eifrig Publishing

JUST WILD ENOUGH: MIREYA MAYOR, PRIMATOLOGIST
September 2022, Published by Albert Whitman & Co.,
Illustrations by Clementine Rocheron
A picture book biography of Mireya Mayor, who traded her pom-poms as a cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins to explore wild places as a primatologist. She even discovered a brand new species.
Green Earth Award 2023
Long ListForward Indies Book Awards 2022, Juvenile Nonfiction
FinalistRussell Freedman Nonfiction Award for a Better World
Long List
“Beautiful, luminous illustrations depict the beauty of the wildlife and places Mayor explored, with magical bursts of color conveying her unique personality and love of the wild. Enthusiastic text makes this a great biography to read aloud, with the dangers faced by Mireya—along with her many accomplishments—making this a fun and exciting read. An inspirational story that shows how an explorer and a scientist don’t look one certain way.” — Booklist
Teacher’s Guide and Activities:
Teacher’s Guide: JUST WILD ENOUGH.pdf
Video: The real Mireya Mayor interview
Curriculum Tie-ins: primates, lemurs, conservation, endangered specie

FLYING JEWELS, A HUMMINGBIRD STORY
May, 2021,
illustrated by Mauro Magellan
Eifring Publishing
Fourth book in the Pollinators and Garden Helpers Series
Follow one of these glittering gems, a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird, as it makes its way south for a long journey to its winter home in Mexico, encounters dangers, gets lost, and finds a home at a garden in Florida.

DRAGONFLIES: WATER ANGELS AND BRILLIANT BIOINDICATORS
July, 2020, Eifrig Publishing, with cartoon illustrations by Mauro Magellan, for children 4-8 years old.
A nonfiction book written to bring out the fun of science by using kid-friendly language and cartoon dragonflies mixed with photographs of the real ones.
Purple Dragonfly Honor Award Bronze Medal Florida Book Award Green Earth Award 2020 Long List

PYTHON CATCHERS: SAVING THE EVERGLADES.
April, 2020, Rowman and Littlefield/ Pineapple Press Imprint.
For 5-12-year-olds on the Burmese python invasion in the Everglades.
Green Earth Award 2020 Long List
An easy-to-read, colorful, and entertaining natural history, Python Catchers is about the Burmese python invasion in the Florida Everglades. The book offers detailed information on the risks these giant constrictors pose to other animals. What young conservationists can do to prevent the introduction of invasive species as well as the issues concerning exotic pets are also included.
Read an interview about the writing of PYTHON CATCHERS at this blog.

AMAZING, MISUNDERSTOOD BATS
May, 2019, nonfiction for grades 5-9, with photographs by the renowned Merlin Tuttle, launched in July, 2019 at the Nature Detectives workshop in Ponte Vedra, Florida.
Bronze Medal Florida Book Award
This extraordinary work of non-fiction captures the essence of what these small, but remarkable creatures can do. Amazing, Misunderstood Bats contains a plethora of interesting and original knowledge about bats. It’s effectively convincing and a far cry from being dry and encyclopedia-like. Graphic, vibrant pictures accentuate the text, and an array of boxes filled with fun facts are included that help break up the flow of the words throughout the book. Elementary school science teachers may find this book a useful resource for their classrooms, and it’s ideal for libraries in both public and private elementary schools to shelve or display. The overall quality is great, and the content is truly exceptional.
Reviewed by Jennifer Padgett, M.Ed.
Education Specialist (from San Francisco Book Review)
Read full review by clicking on the link below.

ANOLE INVASION
May, 2018, on the non-native backyard lizards displacing the native Carolina anole for grades 5-9.
Eureka! Silver Medal, 2020, California Reading Association Nautilus Silver Medal, 2018 Picture Book
Anole Invasion is a wonderful story that will inspire young lizard lovers and science students who care about our fragile eco-system. I liked learning about how anoles keep our plants and gardens healthy and I loved the eye-catching art.
Lori Dubbin
5.0 out of 5 stars Anoles help our environment!

THE NUTTY LITTLE VULTURE
January, 2018, fiction picture book for ages 3-5 based on facts of the different services vultures provide for our environment.
Nautilus Silver Medal, 2018 Picture Book
“Marta Magellan’s charming, intelligently written book THE NUTTY LITTLE VULTURE, beautifully illustrated by Mauro Magellan, takes on the symbiotic cycle of life …Great message! It’s a short book with a brilliant educational and social message, perfectly illustrated to attract and keep total attention and fascination on message. I love this book for adults and kids of all ages.”
Excerpt of Amazon Review by Micaela Amateau Amato, Illustrator




OTHER CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Monkey and Rabbit
The Singing Wolf
The Donkey and the Farmer
in Shared Reading series, Fountas and Pinnell, 2017, Heinemann.
Only available through their educational market
Those Colossal Cats 2009, Pineapple Press
Those Lively Lizards 2008, Pineapple Press
Those Voracious Vultures 2008, Pineapple Press

Book an Author Presentation
I’m happy to sign my books for your visitors
Happy READers
Don’t Just Take My Word For It


SHORT STORIES
Read one of my stories for older readers:
“The Chupacabra“, Orange Blossom Review, A Journal of Creative Arts, Issue 6 | Summer 2021



ARTICLES
Marta has also written fiction and travel articles on exotic places for magazines and newspapers.
“How to Write the Mixed Bilingual Picture Book” Children’s Book Insider Monthly. June 2022.
“The Chupacabra” Orange Blossom Review, Issue 6, Summer, 2021
“Jaguar Safari in the Wilds of Brazil” Travel Section The Miami Herald August 18, 2013, page J1
“Rio to Hialeah, Latin Lifestyle Sprung Anew” Miami Stories, Neighbors The Miami Herald September 23, 2012, page 10SE
“Danger in the Jungle” May, 2010, Appleseeds magazine
“Student Life at La Selva: Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in the Middle of a Rainforest” Spring, 2007, p. 26 Transitions Abroad’s Student Guide
“Neglected Lawn Makes Believer of Garden Skeptic” Neighbors, The Miami Herald November 24, 2002, page 12H
“Swimming with Piranhas & Gators” December 3, 1995 Travel section, The Miami Herald, 1-A
“The Blowfish” Oct. 29, 1995 Tropic Magazine Sunday magazine, The Miami Herald
“No Teen is Old Enough to be Left Alone for Long” May 8, 1994 Safe Parties, Safe Teens, The Miami Herald
“Getting the Picture” Nov. 28, 1993 Tropic Magazine Sunday magazine, The Miami Herald
“Somebody’s Husband” November, 1992 Linden Lane magazine
“The Big Bang” Dec. 20, 1992 Tropic Magazine Sunday magazine, The Miami Herald
“Bugged” April 14, 1991 Tropic magazine Sunday magazine, The Miami Herald
“Poor Richard” Sept. 4, 1984 Tropic magazine Sunday magazine, The Miami Herald

Book an Author Presentation
I’m happy to sign my books for your visitors