STOOPS, Erik D(aniel) 1966-

PERSONAL: Born November 18, 1966, in Cleveland, OH; son of Sherrie L. Stoops (an author). Education: Attended Scottsdale College and Phoenix College; Arizona State University, B.S., 1991, master's degree candidate. Politics: Republican. Religion: Jewish.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Sterling Publishing, 387 Park Ave. S., New York, NY 10016.

CAREER: Metro Discovery Center, Phoenix, AZ, Discover Living Treasures zoological center, vice president of education center, 1989-93, museum director and curator of reptiles, 1990-92. Public speaker at schools for outreach programs.

MEMBER: American Zoological Parks and Aquariums, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

WRITINGS:

(With Annette T. Wright) Snakes and Other Reptiles of the Southwest, Golden West (Phoenix, AZ), 1992.

(With Annette T. Wright) Boas & Pythons: Breeding and Care, TFH Publications (Neptune City, NJ), 1993.

FOR CHILDREN

(With Annette T. Wright) Snakes, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1992.

(With mother, Sherrie L. Stoops) Sharks, illustrated by Jeffrey L. Martin, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1994.

Penguins and Seals (CD-ROM), Emerging Technology Consultants, 1994.

(With Debbie Lynne Stone) Alligators and Crocodiles, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1994.

(With Jeffrey L. Martin and Debbie Lynne Stone) Whales, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1995.

(With Jeffrey L. Martin) Scorpions and Venomous Insects of the Southwest, Golden West Publishers (Phoenix, AZ), 1995.

(With Jeffrey L. Martin and Debbie Lynne Stone) Dolphins, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1996.

(With Dagmar Fertl) Wolves and Their Relatives, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1997.

The Teiidaes, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 1997.

Skinks, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 1997.

Geckos and Their Relatives, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 1997.

Beaded and Monitor Lizards, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 1997.

Chameleons and Agamids, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 1997.

Iguanids and Their Relatives, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 1997.

(With Dagmar Fertl and Michelle Reddy) Bears, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 2000.

FOR CHILDREN; WITH KIMBERLY JOAN WILLIAMS

The Banded Penguins, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

Bat Basics, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

Bat Conservation, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

Bats That Drink Nectar, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

Bats That Eat Fruit, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

Bats That Eat Insects, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

The Brush-Tailed Penguins, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

The Crested Penguins, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

The Little Blue Penguins, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

Vampire Bats, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

The Yellow-Eyed Penguins, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2000.

The Large Penguins, Faulkner's Publishing (Benton Harbor, MI), 2002.

SIDELIGHTS: Author of thirty nonfiction books on animals and animal behavior for children and adults, Erik D. Stoops is a specialist in herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians. In addition to writing articles and books on snakes, he is an expert in the care of boas and pythons in captivity, and he has bred and raised them and many other species of reptiles. His book Snakes and Other Reptiles of the Southwest, coauthored with Annette T. Wright, was targeted at an adult audience, and has become a classic of its genre, already having gone through six editions. Working with Wright, Stoops thereafter helped pen Snakes, the first in a series of nature books examining many animal species and targeted for a juvenile audience. His books deal with species from bats to penguins, and blend photography with simple text—often in the form of questions and answers—to introduce young readers to the animal world.

Stoops was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1966. His mother, Sherrie L. Stoops, is an author, collaborating with her son on one title, Sharks. A graduate of Arizona State University, Stoops educates children about reptiles and their significance to the wildlife community. For several years, he worked at the Metro Discovery Center in Phoenix, Arizona, where he curated the "Discover Living Treasures" exhibit about reptiles and wrote articles for the museum's educational programs. In addition, he is involved with the Phoenix chapter of the Boy Scouts, helping youngsters earn merit badges by teaching them about wildlife conservation and proper care of neonates (newly born reptiles). Stoops has worked closely with registered nurse and coauthor Wright in propagating certain reptiles that may be challenging to breed, especially endangered species. Together, they strive to protect wildlife, working with zoological agencies nationwide and even volunteering their own facilities as a holding or rehabilitation center.

Since the early 1990s, Stoops has also worked as a children's book writer. His first publication, Snakes, set the formula for many books to follow. Here, he and Wright ask direct questions—such as 'How do you know if a snake is asleep?'—to get young readers thinking about the subject. Working with his mother, Stoops next published Sharks, which follows the same basic formula of photos, but with longer text and more diagrams. The authors present chapters on "How Sharks Live," "Sharks and People," and "Shark Reproduction," among others. Stoops continues to follow the interrogative approach, leading readers through each chapter by a question-and-answer format. Eileen Egizi, reviewing Sharks in Appraisal, felt that "middle school students should find this fascinating and informative to read." Also writing in Appraisal, James Knittle found the same title "concise and well written."

Teaming up with Jeffrey L. Martin and Debbie Lynne Stone, Stoops next wrote Dolphins, an introductory look at these intelligent and human-friendly animals and a work that Booklist's Lauren Peterson praised for "its accessible format." The same formula of question-and-answer format paired with numerous photographs makes this an "attractive volume," according to Peterson. The information is once again arranged under subjects such as anatomy, eating habits, reproduction, and how the animal reacts to and relates with humans. Donald J. Nash, writing in Science Activities, called the book a "nice introduction to the world of dolphins." Nash further commended the thoroughness of the title and praised the authors for presenting scientific data "clearly and accurately." Lisa Wu Stowe, writing in School Library Journal, similarly lauded the "skillfully employed" question-and-answer format and the "well-organized text."

Whales is another collaborative effort with Martin and Stone, an "interesting book," according to Appraisal's Melinda Cote. While Booklist's Hazel Rochman praised the "chirpy question-and-answer format," Cote also noted that such a format allows the writers to "discuss many aspects of cetacean biology in a conversational style." Peg Ciszek, also writing in Appraisal, called the same title "a colorful, attractive book that provides some good information on whales." Writing in School Library Journal, Frances E. Mill-houser found Whales "a clearly written and well-organized introduction to and overview of whales." Working with Stone, Stoops gives the same treatment to that favorite of the Florida swamplands in Alligators and Crocodiles, a book that Susan Oliver, writing in School Library Journal, felt was a "compendium of trivia on crocodilians of all sorts."

Wolves and Their Relatives, written with Dagmar Fertl, is a "winner," according to Appraisal's Augusta Malvagno. The book's eight chapters, once again employing the question-and-answer format, deal with life cycle, behavior, and related topics, and look at various types of wolf relatives, from the coyote to the dingo and jackal. Stowe, however, reviewing the same title in School Library Journal, was less impressed with this work, suggesting that it "may confound more than clarify readers' knowledge." Patricia Braun, reviewing Wolves and Their Relatives in Booklist, was more positive in her evaluation, calling the book "a well-rounded view." Again in collaboration with Fertl and with Michelle Reddy, Stoops coauthored the year 2000 title, Bears. Arwen Marshall, writing in School Library Journal, lauded the "conversational and lively" tone of this overview.

Stoops has also worked solo and with Joan Kimberly Williams in the "Young Explorer" series for Faulkner's Publishing, offering numerous titles dealing with bats, penguins, and a wide variety of lizards. Stoops again uses a series of basic question and answers to make the information more appealing for young readers. Karey Wehner, in a review of Bat Basics for School Library Journal, found the text to be overall "clearly written."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Stoops, Erik D. and Annette T. Wright, Snakes, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1992.

Stoops, Erik D. and Sherrie L. Stoops, Sharks, illustrated by Jeffrey L. Martin, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 1994.

PERIODICALS

Appraisal, winter-spring, 1996, Eileen Egizi and James Knittle, review of Sharks, p. 59; summer, 1996, Peg Ciszek and Melinda Cote, review of Whales, p. 35; fall, 1998, Deborah Lymer and Augusta Malvagno, review of Wolves and Their Relatives, p. 25.

Booklist, January 1, 1995, Mary Harris Veeder, review of Alligators and Crocodiles, p. 820; December 1, 1995, Hazel Rochman, review of Whales, p. 630; May 1, 1997, Lauren Peterson, review of Dolphins, p. 1492; November 1, 1997, Patricia Braun, review of Wolves and Their Relatives, p. 469.

Horn Book Guide, spring, 1997, Danielle J. Ford, review of Dolphins, p. 128.

School Library Journal, October, 1994, Frances E. Millhouser, review of Sharks, pp. 140-141; March, 1995, Susan Oliver, review of Alligators and Crocodiles, p. 220; January, 1996, Frances E. Mill-houser, review of Whales, 126; July, 1997, Lisa Wu Stowe, review of Dolphins, p. 88; January, 1998, Lisa Wu Stowe review of Wolves and Their Relatives, pp. 132-133; May, 2001, Arwen Marshall, review of Bears, p. 141; January, 2002, Karey Wehner, review of Bat Basics, pp. 127-128.

Science Activities, spring, 1997, Donald J. Nash, review of Dolphins, p. 45.*