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ABOUT CHRISTINE.

Christine Petersen is a critically acclaimed author of more than 70 nonfiction books for children and young adults. As a former bat biologist and middle school science teacher, Christine is especially interested in natural, earth, and environmental science themes.

Christine was published in John Murray's anthology, American Nature Writing 2003. She is a contributor to Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, Odyssey, Bay Nature, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Her book Preserving the Living Earth (Benchmark Books) was short-listed for the 2012 Green Earth Book Award. Other works have been listed by the Junior Library Guild, selected for use in curriculum by the U.S. Department of Energy, and named by Booklist Online and Science Books & Films (a publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science) as "Best Books" or "Best Series" for children and young adults.

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PRAISE FOR CHRISTINE'S WORK.

"Petersen relies on her science and education background as well as her storytelling skills. 'It's amazing the amount of content she's able to fit into a... book,' says [ABDO editor Megan] Gunderson. 'The reader almost doesn't realize how many facts and concepts have been introduced because it's delivered in a conversational tone, the chapters flow logically, and the information is broken down into simple concepts without becoming vague.'"

 - "Writing the Universe: Have Fun Showing Kids the Physics Behind How Things Work,"
in Children's Writer (Patricia Curtis Pfitsch, June 2013)

LEARNING ABOUT ANTARCTICA and LEARNING ABOUT NORTH AMERICA (Lerner Searchlight, 2015)

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"...every aspect of these titles conveys the basic themes of geography to introduce the continents. VERDICT Solid choices for elementary collections." - School Library Journal

Best Series Nonfiction, Junior Library Guild, Winter 2016

THE SMART KID'S GUIDE TO EVERYDAY LIFE (series from The Child's World, 2014)

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"In what might be the most poignant entry in the Smart Kid’s Guide to Everyday Life series, Petersen takes on the unavoidable—and unavoidably sad—topic of pet death." - Booklist (title in The Smart Kid's Guide to Everyday Life series, listed in Booklist Online's Top 10 Series Nonfiction: 2015)

GENETICS (ABDO Publishing, 2014)

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“'Have you ever heard that you look like family members?' The concept of familial resemblance introduces a less familiar one, inherited traits, in this appealing overview of genetics."
- Junior Library Guild (Best Series Nonfiction, Summer 2014)

ENVIRONMENT AT RISK (series from Benchmark Books, 2010 and 2011)

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* including Preserving the Living Earth, short-listed for the 2012 Green Earth Book Award from Newton Marasco Foundation/The Nature Generation 

"This rewarding series provides extensive coverage of compelling environmental issues. The comprehensive discussions include historical background and information on scientific advances, social progress, and legislation.... the books encourage readers to use these as a wake-up call and act. A valuable, succinct series."          - School Library Journal


COLONIAL PEOPLE (series from Benchmark Books, 2010 and 2011)

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* including The Printer, a Junior Library Guild selection for May 2011

"...these lively texts and colorful reproductions and photos will engage casual readers and researchers alike. Petersen explain[s] how the fledgling nation related to Europe, Africa, and the American Indians. ...These are must-have titles for all public and school libraries." - School Library Journal

"The Colonial People series brings immediacy to the lives of early settlers by viewing a skilled tradesperson's role in his or her community at large." - Booklist

"Highly recommended." - Library Media Connection


ROCK ON! A LOOK AT GEOLOGY (series from ABDO Publishing, 2010)

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"...turns to reader involvement and offers a way to examine and experiment.... This technique is sure to generate interest for further reading.... [Super Soils] and others in the series offer an excellent way to supplement science lessons and to get students interested in learning more about geology." - Children's Literature


THE IRAN CONTRA SCANDAL (Children's Press, 2005)

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"Petersen makes a complex tangle of secret activities clear enough for students to understand, spelling out who did what and why as well as who knew what was going on, with evidence worthy of a detective thriller."
- School Library Journal


SOLAR POWER, WATER POWER, WIND POWER, and ALTERNATIVE ENERGY (Children's Press, 2003)

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* named "Best Books for Children" for 2004 in the Engineering category by Science Books & Films

"As the demand for energy continues to escalate, these books can help students familiarize themselves with ideas on how wind, the sun, and water were used as energy sources and how they could be used in their lifetimes."
- Science Books & Films

"Petersen provides readers with a lucid picture of the sun and the wind as natural forces..." - Booklist


VERTEBRATES and INVERTEBRATES (Franklin Watts, 2002)

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* Vertebrates was listed among the 2003 "Best Junior High and Young Adult Books" in the Zoology category by Science Books & Films

“…a surprisingly in-depth look at the two main branches of the animal kingdom… with enough weird and icky detail to draw in even the reluctant reader. These books are not items that will fly off the bookshelf but will patiently wait for the report writer, the presentation giver, or the extra credit seeker to discover the wealth of information contained within.” - VOYA


 BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS.

2017
Purple Toad Publishing
  Walk on the Wild Side: America's National Parks series
    Yosemite


2016
The Child's World

  The Spark of Invention series
    Inventing the Hybrid Car (January 2016)


2015
Lerner Publications

  Searchlight Books - Do You Know the Continents? series (Junior Library Guild Best Series Nonfiction, Winter 2016)
    Learning About North America
    Learning About Antarctica

Core Library/ABDO Publishing Company

  How the U.S. Government Works series
    How the Judicial Branch Works
    How the Legislative Branch Works


2014

The Child's World
  The Smart Kid's Guide to Everyday Life series (Booklist Online: Top 10 Series Nonfiction: 2015)
   
The Smart Kid's Guide to Moving
    The Smart Kid's Guide to Manners
    The Smart Kid's Guide to Divorce
    The Smart Kid's Guide to Losing a Pet

ABDO Publishing Company
 
The Science of Life series
    Genetics
(Junior Library Guild selection, summer 2014)
Cavendish Square Publishing
  Dangerous Drugs (series 2)
    Ecstasy
    Caffeine and Energy Drinks
    LSD and Other Hallucinogens

Purple Toad Publishing
  Man Versus Mountain series
    Mount Kilimanjaro


2013
ABDO Publishing Company

  Earth's Treasures series
    Diamonds
    Gold
    Jade
    Pearls
    Silver
    Turquoise

Cavendish Square Publishing
  Colonial People series
    The Wheelwright
  Dangerous Drugs series
    Inhalants
    Vicodin and Oxycontin


2011
Benchmark Books

  Environment at Risk series
    Preserving the Living Earth (short-listed for the 2012 Green Earth Book Award)
  Colonial People series
    The Tanner
    The Glassblower
    The Miller
    The Tailor

Rosen Central
  Frequently Asked Questions About Vaccines and Vaccinations

2010
Benchmark Books

  Colonial People series
    The Printer (Junior Library Guild selection, May 2011)
    The Blacksmith
    The Surveyor
    The Apothecary

  Environment at Risk series
    Protecting Earth's Food Supply
    Controlling Earth's Pollutants
    Renewing Earth's Waters
    Earth's Changing Climate

Rosen Central
  South Dakota: Past and Present
Mitchell Lane Publishers
  A Project Guide to Earth's Waters
  A Project Guide to Mammals

ABDO Publishing Company
  Rock On! A Look at Geology series 
    Fantastic Fossils
    Groovy Gems
    Mighty Minerals
    Outrageous Ores
    Rockin' Rocks
     Super Soils


2008
Cherry Lake Publishing
  Flowers
  Plants Need Sunlight
  Trees
  Plants We Eat


2006
Franklin Watts

  Does Everyone Have ADHD? A Teen’s Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
  The Microscope

2005
Children’s Press

  Rosie the Riveter
  The Iran-Contra Scandal


2004
Children’s Press

  True Books series
    Solar Power (Science Books & Films: 2004 "Best Books for Children - Engineering")
    Wind Power (Science Books & Films: 2004 "Best Books for Children - Engineering")
    Water Power (Science Books & Films: 2004 "Best Books for Children - Engineering")
    Alternative Energy
    Conservation
    Land Preservation

2002
Franklin Watts

  Vertebrates (Science Books & Films: 2003 "Best Books for Young Adults - Zoology")
  Invertebrates

2001
Children’s Press

  True Books series (with David Petersen)
    Italy
    Greece
    Cuba
    United States of America
    The Pacific Ocean
    The Atlantic Ocean


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