Published Works

nature inspired contraptions_covI am the author and/or illustrator of scores of trade and educational novelty books, early readers, picture books, nonfiction, middle grade fiction, and classroom supplemental materials for K-12. In addition to writing and illustrating for the children’s book market, I have published articles in National Geographic’s Extreme Explorer, Harrowsmith, KNOW, Ruralite and Bats magazines.

I was an active member and volunteer for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Oregon region, serving as their Regional Advisor from 1994-2012. I retired and left volunteer service in order to catch up on my life and career.

You can purchase all of my Rourke titles directly through their website. Most of my other books are available through Amazon; and a few from Powells Books in Portland, Oregon. Please contact me about out-of-print or autographed titles as well as original artwork.

HARDCOVER, TRADE PAPERBACK, and E-BOOKS
Recent and Upcoming Book Titles:

The Skeleton Key Mystery: The Boxcar Children Mysteries, Book 156
Boxcar Children Mysteries – September 2020 Albert Whitman – Author

DISCOVERIES AROUND THE WORLD: Great Minds and Finds in Australia
Rourke Publishing – August 2020

DISCOVERIES AROUND THE WORLD: Great Minds and Finds in Antarctica
Rourke Publishing – August 2020

DISCOVERIES AROUND THE WORLD: Great Minds and Finds in South America
Rourke Publishing – August 2020

Sir Pants-a-Lot and Squire Mousekins: The Girl With the Golden Hair
Sterling Publishing – June 2020

INVENTION OF ROBOTICS (It Changed the World)
Rourke Publishing – January 2020

INVENTION OF ELECTRICITY (It Changed the World)
Rourke Publishing – January 2020

BUG!
Sterling Publishing – Spring 2019

CARLSBAD CAVERNS (Natural Laboratories: Scientists in National Parks)
Rourke Publishing – April 2019

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (Natural Laboratories: Scientists in National Parks)
Rourke Publishing – April 2019

BUILDING A WOOD-FRAMED PANELIZED YURT
YurtYaks Publishing – October 2018

BIO-MIMIC BUILDING AND DESIGN (Nature-Inspired Innovations)
Rourke Publishing – September 2018

BIO-INSPIRED TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION (Nature-Inspired Innovations)
Rourke Publishing – September 2018

ANIMAL-INSPIRED ROBOTS (Nature-Inspired Innovations)
Rourke Publishing – September 2018

NATURE-INSPIRED CONTRAPTIONS (Nature-Inspired Innovations)
Rourke Publishing – September 2018

BIOMIMICRY IN MEDICINE (Nature-Inspired Innovations)
Rourke Publishing – September 2018

NATURE’S ENERGY (Nature-Inspired Innovations)
Rourke Publishing – September 2018

DISASTER PROOF! (Define Design)
Rourke Publishing – August 2017

FROM HERE TO THERE (Define Design)
Rourke Publishing – August 2017

THINK LIKE AN ENGINEER (Science Alliance)
Rourke Publishing – August 2017

GREAT DANES (Dog Applause)
Rourke Publishing – March 2017

FRENCH BULLDOGS (Dog Applause)
Rourke Publishing – March 2017

WHY DO ANIMALS HIDE?
Rourke Publishing – August 2016 – Author

WHY DO ANIMALS SOUND LIKE THAT?
Rourke Publishing – August 2016 – Author

ROBOTICS IN THE REAL WORLD
Abdo – January 2016 – Author

POOP IS POWER!
Rourke Publishing – August 2016 – Author

OUR PLACE IN SPACE
Rourke Publishing – August 2016 – Author

WHAT WAS HURRICANE KATRINA?
Grosset & Dunlap – August 2015 – Author

LEARNING ABOUT AFRICA
Lerner Classroom – August 2015 – Author

THE SCIENCE OF A SINKHOLE
Cherry Lake Publishing – August 2015 – Author

THE SCIENCE OF A TSUNAMI
Cherry Lake Publishing – August 2015 – Author

ENTOMOLOGISTS (Scientists in the Field)
Rourke Publishing – August 2015 – Author

MARINE BIOLOGISTS (Scientists in the Field)
Rourke Publishing – August 2015 – Author

VOLCANOLOGISTS (Scientists in the Field)
Rourke Publishing – August 2015 – Author

WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT MISSOURI?
Lerner Classroom – August 2015 – Author

MYSTERY OF THE MISSING DINOSAUR BONES
Boxcar Children Mysteries – Spring 2015 Albert Whitman – Author

THE SCIENCE OF A PANDEMIC
21st Century Skills Library – August 2014 – Author

HOW IT WORKS – TV Remote, Binoculars, Computer Mouse
Rourke Publishing – August 2014 – Author

MYSTERY OF THE WILD WEST BANDIT
Boxcar Children Mysteries – Spring 2014 Albert Whitman – Author

MYSTERY OF THE FALLEN TREASURE
Boxcar Children Mysteries – Fall 2013 Albert Whitman – Author

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Rourke Publishing – Fall 2013 – Author

YOUR FAMILY TREE
Rourke Publishing – Fall 2013 – Author

LIGHT IN THE REAL WORLD
Core Library – January 2013 – Author

LITTLE BIRDIE BOOKS:
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox; Run…It’s a Bee!;
Robin Hood and the Three Merry Hikers; Rumpelstiltskin
August 2012 Rourke Publishing – Author & Illustrator

AMAZING ANIMAL SKILLS!
LEAPS AND CREEPS – How Animals Move to Survive – Animal Behavior Society’s Outstanding Children’s Book Award Finalist – 2012
SPITS AND SQUIRTS – How Animals Squirt to Survive
SNIFFS AND STINKS – How Animals Use Odor to Survive
SCREAMS AND SONGS – How Animals Communicate to Survive
MOVERS AND MAKERS – How Animals Build and Use Tools to Survive
Fall 2011 Cavendish Square – Author & Developer

LITTLE BIRDIE BOOKS: (the first six I illustrated):
The Three Billy Goats; The King’s New Clothes; Lizzie Little;
Goldie Duck and the Three Beavers; The Three Little Recyclers;
Old McDoggle Had a Farm; Jill and the Beanstalk; Cinderella Zelda
August 2011 Rourke Publishing – Author & Illustrator

WATER GOES ROUND: The Water Cycle & HIDE AND SEEK MOON: The Moon Phases
Spring 2011 Picture Window Books – Author & Illustration Consultant

BUILDING A SMALL CABLE SUSPENSION BRIDGE – with the Cable Locking System
Spring 2011 Madenmark Publishing Co. – Co-Author and Designer

OUR AMAZING STATES: Six nonfiction early readers
Summer 2010 Rosen/Powerkids – Author

PICK A PERFECT PUMPKIN: Learning about Pumpkin Harvests
Summer 2010 Picture Window Books – Author & Illustration Consultant

APPLES, APPLES, EVERYWHERE! Learning about Apple Harvests
Summer 2010 Picture Window Books – Author & Illustration Consultant

FURLOCK AND MUTTSON MYSTERIES: Six early readers – fiction
January 2010 Abdo Short Tales – Author & Illustrator

ANIMAL DIFFERENCES – Butterflies and Moths IRA Teachers Choice Award 2010
Summer 2009 Picture Window Books – Author

Previous Publications:
JEWELRY MAKING FOR FUN!
Summer 2007 Capstone Books
TAI CHI FOR FUN!
Summer 2007 Capstone Books
UP ALL NIGHT COUNTING – A POP-UP BOOK
Spring 2006 Little Simon
CREEPY CRAWLY COLORS – A POP-UP BOOK
Spring 2006 Little Simon
EROSION: CHANGING EARTH’S SURFACE
August 2006 Picture Window Books
COMPOSTING: NATURE’S RECYCLERS
August 2006 Picture Window Books
ON HER WAY — STORIES AND POEMS ABOUT GROWING UP GIRL edited by Sandy Asher
“The Story Quilt” Author
January 2004 E.P. Dutton (middle grade)
IT TAKES THREE by Linda Hayward, illustrated by RMK
Spring 2003 Millbrook Press
HOW IS A MOOSE LIKE A GOOSE?
Fall 2002 Millbrook Press
WHY A DOG? BY A. CAT
Spring 2000 Cartwheel Books, a division of Scholastic
THE COMPLETE BACKYARD NATURE ACTIVITY BOOK
Spring 1998 Learning Triangle Press, a division of McGraw Hill
CHICAGO AND THE CAT: THE COUNTY FAIR
ipicturebooks.com (ebook) 2002
CHICAGO AND THE CAT: THE FAMILY REUNION
Fall 1996 Cobblehill Books (early reader)
ipicturebooks.com (ebook) 2002
CHICAGO AND THE CAT: THE HALLOWEEN PARTY
Fall 1994 Cobblehill Books (early reader)
ipicturebooks.com (ebook) 2002
CHICAGO AND THE CAT: THE CAMPING TRIP
Spring 1994 Cobblehill Books (early reader) 1994 Junior Library Guild Selection
ipicturebooks.com (ebook) 2002
CHICAGO AND THE CAT, A Little Chapter Book
Spring 1993 Cobblehill Books (early reader) 1993 Junior Library Guild Selection
ipicturebooks.com (ebook) 2002
MUSIC IN THE NIGHT, Summer 1993 Cobblehill Books
(picture book) by Etta Wilson, illustrated by RMK
I SEE SOMETHING YOU DON’T SEE, A RIDDLE-ME PICTURE BOOK
Spring 1992 Cobblehill Books
IN A CABIN IN A WOOD, 1991 Cobblehill Books (picture book)
by Darcie McNally, illustrated by Robin Michal Koontz
1992 International Reading Association Children’s Choice
PUSSYCAT ATE THE DUMPLINGS, 1987 Dodd, Mead and Co.
(picture book) also Michael O’Mara Books, 1989
THIS OLD MAN, 1988 The Putnam Group (picture book)
also published by Houghton, Mifflin text division, 1992
1988 Junior Library Guild Selection and NCTE Notable Trade Book for Language Arts
DINOSAUR DREAM, 1988 The Putnam Group (picture book)
VICTORIA FLIES HIGH, 1990 Cobblehill Books
by Becky Ayres, illus. by Robin Michal Koontz (picture book)

ACTIVITY BOOKS, ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY RMK
WHALES
2004 Sopris West (Marilyn Sprick)
ALPHABET EXPRESS
1995 School Zone Publishing Co. (Interactive CD)
I KNOW IT!
1995 School Zone Publishing Co. (a series of 12 math workbooks for K-6)
I KNOW IT!
1995 School Zone Publishing Co. (a series of 12 Math and 12 English and Phonics
workbooks for K-6)
IS IT ALIVE?
1994 Creative Teaching Press (easy reader)
WHO’S HIDING?
1994 Creative Teaching Press (easy reader)
I DON’T LIKE PEAS
1992 School Zone Publishing Co. (easy reader)
WHOOPS!
1992 Scott-Foresman Publishing (easy reader)
THINK BIG BOOKS
1987-1988 School Zone Publishing Co. (a series of 24 workbooks for K-3)
LIFT OFF BOOKS
1990 School Zone Publishing Co. (a series of 24 workbooks for K-2)

4 Comments Add yours

  1. afzal says:

    Can i use your text “Drones to the rescue” with reference of course for my e-learning?

    1. Robin Koontz says:

      Of course! “Drones to the Rescue,” on the Kid’s Discover site, is intended to be a teacher’s resource. Here’s the link: https://www.kidsdiscover.com/teacherresources/drones-uavs-rescue/

  2. Tatiana Pineda says:

    Hi! I am a literacy coach, wondering if your book Erosion can be found in Spanish?

    1. Robin Koontz says:

      Thanks for your comment! Alas, it doesn’t appear that Picture Window Books has issued this book in Spanish! I’m sorry. Many of my Rourke Publishing early readers are translated into Spanish, if you have need of fiction books for younger ones.

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s