3 Weeks in the Rainforest: A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon

by Jennifer Swanson

A women-led team of scientists save the Amazon rainforest from destruction as readers get a firsthand account of real-life fieldwork in action.

A compelling, nonfiction, photo-illustrated STEM read for 8-12-year-olds who aspire to be future scientists, environmentalists, and conservationists!

Over 22 years, a team of scientists from the Field Museum in Chicago has helped conserve 28.9 million acres of the Amazon rainforest. Follow the team as they race to gather data over three precious weeks in the field.

During rapid inventory, information is gathered in two

Biologists trek through mud and rain and count every animal and plant they see, recording everything that flies, swims, crawls, slithers, or walks. They then look at key plant and animal groups to assess the health of the ecosystem.
Social scientists visit villages, speaking with local people about their desires and goals for the land, as each community has developed its own way of taking care of its environment.
The team then makes a compelling, evidence-based case for conservation.

Developed in partnership with the Field Museum, this action-packed book focuses on Rapid Inventory 30, which is conducted in Colombia with the help of local and Indigenous scientists and community members.

Photographs from the scientists themselves give readers a glimpse into real-life fieldwork in the Amazon that will captivate STEM readers and the next generation of scientists.

Genres: Animals

80 pages, Hardcover

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Science Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers, Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival (twice), the Atlanta Science Festival (twice) and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival in 2019. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.

Reviews

[Martha Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I have lived not far from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and never knew about their absolutely essential world wide work! The scientists from Chicago, from Columbia and from amongst the local population, via 2 separate teams biological and social, inventory species (birds, plants, fish, mammals) and ask local indigenous folk and local farmers about their aspirations for their land. In the end, the whole team alongside indigenous leaders working with local farmers make recommendations to the very highest levels of government. This particular trip documented in this book visits Columbia on their 30th expedition (Rapid Inventory 30 or RI30). Social and biological scientists and learn quickly but deeply about the Amazon Rainforest between 2 national parks, La Paya National Park and Serrania de Chiribiquete National Park. Turns out, animals migrate regularly between the 2 parks. And some endangered species that need large ranges, like Tapirs and Peccaries, utilize the space to survive. Also the local people, both indigenous and farmer, treat the land well, with respect, and want it to be their home forever. Kids will be (I was!) thrilled with learning about the life of scientists in the field collecting species and documenting the health of the rainforest as well as working with local leaders.
A winner of a book and many, many thanks to STEM leader Jennifer Swanson for proposing, investigating and writing it!

[Ann Staats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get ready for an exploration adventure in Colombia’s rainforest! This book shares what happens during the critical three weeks of a Rapid Inventory in the region. Teams of scientists and other personnel set out to conduct research. They want to identify and catalog the many plants and animals found here so that others can understand what’s there and work to preserve these precious resources. Included in the inventory is a meeting with the indigenous peoples who live in the area. These people provide valuable insight and can also help with conservation efforts. Teams start by setting up the campsites which include generators for laptops and electronics and temporary latrines. The scientists then set up camera traps to capture photos of elusive animals. They collect specimens and, in the case of plants, they dry these and send them back to museums and research facilities. This book takes readers on a fascinating and important journey. It reads like an adventure while sharing the critical message of conservation. Definitely an engaging read!

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

To monitor the health of the Amazon rainforest, it takes a village—and that’s just what this book shows us. Young readers (and adults, too!) will enjoy embarking on this journey with a variety of scientists who spend their days and nights sloshing through mud, shining spotlights snatching up reptiles, tossing fish nets, filling field journals, and more. And what makes the endeavor even more impressive is that this massive undertaking has to be completed in just THREE weeks.

Swanson’s text, along with fabulous photos from the actual excursion, paint a detailed picture of this important mission. It’s a great choice for classrooms, libraries, and young readers who aspire to become scientists. Don’t miss this one!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative encapsulation of what happens when a rapid survey team explores a section of the Amazon rain forest.

This is very text dense, almost like a text book. I read this with my 5 year old kid and liked that the concepts were broken down enough for them to understand but it took a few days to get through. It does a great job of talking about all roles of the research team and the bits that they do to work together to gather data.

I think a read-along version for ebooks would be a great way for the book to reach a larger audience.

[Elizabeth Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Jennifer Swanson makes you feel like you’re right there alongside the talented and intrepid team from the Field Museum as they embark upon an important inventory of the Bajo Caguán-Caquetá region of Colombia. Working side by side with local scientists and community members, they conduct an extensive biological survey and social survey of the region with the dual goals of preserving the natural habitat, but also the way of life for people living there. Join the team as they press plants, net fish, dodge anacondas, and keep an eye out for peccaries. You’ll be glad you did!

[Lisa Varchol Varchol · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating book! I loved learning about the work of these field scientists in the Amazon and their collaboration with local leaders. The biological and social teams recognize the interconnectedness of humans and environment, and their work exemplifies conservation efforts that value and respect local cultures. Photographs allow for an even deeper connection with the places and people introduced in the text. I highly recommend!

[Crissi Brandhuber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the use of real photos! Unfortunately, I feel there is too much information to appeal to my elementary students. This book could have been made into two.