





Pollen | NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
by Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Peter Willis
32pp, 8.5" x 8.5", AD840L
Regular price
$8.99
Sale price
$9.99
Unit price per
-
Junior Library Guild selection
- Starred Kirkus Review
- 2020 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
- Eureka! NonFiction Honor Book (California Reading Assn.)
“POLLEN is extraordinary! What a great story that encapsulates so many important concepts in science - pollination, structure and function of living things, and how scientific discoveries take time. It is so well written and will make a wonderful read-aloud.” Emily Morgan, co-author of Picture Perfect Science
Elementary Science – POLLENHow long does it take for science to find an answer to a problem?
On January 25, 1862, naturalist Charles Darwin received a box of orchids. One flower, the Madagascar star orchid, fascinated him. It had an 11.5” nectary, the place where flowers make nectar, the sweet liquid that insects and birds eat. How, he wondered, did insects pollinate the orchid? It took 130 years to find the answer.
After experiments, he made a prediction. There must be a giant moth with a 11.5” proboscis, a straw-like tongue. Darwin died without ever seeing the moth, which was catalogued by entomologists in in 1903. But still no one had actually observed the moth pollinating the orchid. In 1992, German entomologist, Lutz Thilo Wasserthal, Ph.D. traveled to Madagascar. By then, the moths were rare. He managed to capture two moths and released them in a cage with the orchid. He captured the first photo of the moth pollinating the flower, as Darwin had predicted 130 years before.
Backmatter includes information on the moth, the orchid, Charles Darwin, Lutz Wasserthal. Also included is Wasserthal’s original photo taken in 1992.
Customer Reviews
FAQ
CUSTOM-PRINTED IN AMERICA
- Hardcover or paperback
MIMS HOUSE is a U.S. boutique publisher of children's books. When you order a Mims House book, it is custom-printed just for you in North Carolina. We create your custom book by printing and binding it with the highest quality materials.- Custom Printing for each book
- FSC certified environmentally safe paper
- Environmentally safe inks
- No waste or warehousing of thousands of books printed overseas

Our custom process means a longer wait time to read your book.
We don't apologize! The quality is worth the wait. And the environment is worth the wait.
(But we can suggest an ebook if you want to read something, like, RIGHT NOW!)
T-shirts are also custom printed in the United States.
BOOK SHIPPING
We could hire a super-hero or super-heroine to fly these books directly to you! Instead, we lovingly custom print and then ship as quickly as possible. When you check out, you’ll have a choice of two shipping methods:
- Mail - 7-10 days delivery. $4.99, or $9.99 for orders $50+
- Priority Shipping - 5-7 days delivery. $9.99 for orders under $25; $11.49 for orders $25-49; $15.99 for orders 50-$149. $19.99 for orders $150+
STOP THE PRESSES! REFUNDS POLICY
We can't yell, "STOP THE PRESSES!" Each book, T-shirt or sticker is created just for you, so please be sure you've ordered the correct item. We guarantee 100% satisfaction. If your book, t-shirt or sticker has been misprinted in some way or damaged in shipping, please send a photo to suefoster@mimshouse.com We'll immediately order a new custom printing to ship to you. For returns, please email suefoster@mimshouse.com for instructions.
Choosing the right book for the right reader.
Our books are appropriate for elementary or middle school students ages 5-14. Lexile reading levels appear on each book page. Read this post for more information on helping your student choose a great book.
Purchase Orders & Volume Discounts
Please contact SueFoster@mimshouse.com for a quote.
#MimsKids -
Follow us on social media with the hashtag, #MimsKids.eBOOKS and AUDIOBOOKS
Our digital books are delivered by Bookfunnel.com, a company that specializes in making sure you can read or listen to your book on the device of your choice. They own a copy of each of the 100 or so ebook readers ever made. And they’ve tested delivery of ebooks and audiobooks on each of them. They are friendly and happy to help you to move the ebook or audiobook onto your device. If you're not satisfied, we'll gladly refund ebook and audiobooks for three days after purchase. Orders older than three days will not be refunded. Contact SueFoster@mimshouse.com