Tooling Around

Dig these crafty creatures!

We all use tools every day: a pen to write a story, a paint brush to illustrate a book, a fork to eat dinner. But it's not just humans who use tools. 

Chimpanzees often poke sticks, straw, or blades of grass into termite mounds to draw out insects for a tasty treat. Veined octopuses have been observed carrying coconut shells—they crawl inside them and hide from predators when they need a rest. A New Caledonian crow can even bend a twig with its beak to use as a hook to dig out bugs. 

Scientists don't all agree on what counts as a tool, but young readers will be inspired to observe the animals that live around them and how… Keep Reading