Conrad J. Storad (along with his illustrator: Nathaniel P. Jensen) has done a great service to elementary teachers by combing a good story with academic content.

In the story, Storad explains how animals have rules to live by, just as we humans do. The author spins a good story but includes factual information about rattlesnakes. For example, the mother describes the rattlesnake: "We have bodies long and lean. Our heads look like the Ace of Spades. We have keen eyesight."

Students come away with the knowledge that rattlesnakes fear us as much as we fear them. If we heed their warnings, we both will be safe.

What makes this book extra special is the curriculum guide that comes with the book. Any teachers doing a unit on snakes (or even just rattlesnakes) has much of the unit planned for them, and a good plan it is.

Many young students will come away with the idea that all creatures on earth have a rightful place, and we need to learn how to coexist with them—even rattlesnakes.