Author Loree Griffin Burns’s enthusiasm is infectious as she describes four different projects involving citizen scientists, with an emphasis on how children can be participants in ongoing scientific research projects through work in their own communities—sometimes even literally in their own backyards. The four projects profiled are butterfly tagging in fall, bird counting in winter, frog-call monitoring in spring, and ladybug counting in summer. Each project is featured in three parts: a photo essay describing field work and the associated research project, a profile of one or more kids involved in the “citizen scientist” work, and a “When You Go” section offering practical tips for kids interested in heading out into the field. End matter includes additional resources (books and webites) for each project, a glossary, and index. (Ages 6–10)