August 2011

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Extreme Weather

August 28, 2011 in Nonfiction, Nonfiction Monday Review by Roberta | 1 comment

With all the weather in the news over the weekend it might be time to pick up a book like Extreme Weather (Navigators series) by Margaret Hynes.

When you think of extreme weather, an image of tornadoes or hurricanes usually comes to mind. Many more aspects of weather can be extreme, however, from temperature (both hot and cold) to rainfall (drought versus the extreme rains of monsoons). Hynes tells the story of all these kinds of weather, rightfully pointing out that all our weather is powered by the sun.

With a very modern look, this book has large color photographs overlaid with smaller glimpses of particular events, along with sidebars and keys to explain some aspects in more detail.

One thing I really like about this book is that the last section describes some things that are being done to mitigate the effects of extreme weather. In the back are suggestions for ways to investigate weather defenses, as well. From building hurricane shelters to planting trees on hillsides, the fact that a few things can be done to make things better gives children some sense of control. Who knows, maybe someday one of the children who read the book will come up with an even better way to help protect us from natural disasters due to extreme weather.

Related hands on activity:  Build a weather station

Chapter Book of the Day has another review

Reading level: Ages 9 and up
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Kingfisher; First Edition (June 21, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0753465787
ISBN-13: 978-0753465783

nonfictionmonday

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by the new Nonfiction Monday blog to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s post is at Capstone Connect.

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Ant Antics

August 26, 2011 in STEM Friday, Science, Science Books For Summer Reading by Roberta | 4 comments

As some of you may know, I am wild about ants, so naturally I had to pick up Ant Antics by Deborah Lock. This DK Reader is full of the fabulous full color photographs you have come to expect from DK, and it is told in a lighthearted way using the point of view of the ants that is sure to pull in young readers.

Deborah Lock has done her research and her portrayal of the six types of ants she chose is accurate and realistic. Although she does move into some mild sensationalism as times (“…we each use our lethal weapon- a poisoned stinger!”), her text is for the most part balanced and is thoroughly readable.

A note to those of you with sensitive children:  there is one photograph of a dead lizard with ants crawling on it that could be disturbing.

According to the DK scale, Ant Antics is level 3, which means it is meant to be read alone. The vocabulary and sentence structure are more complex than a beginning reader, and it contains a full glossary and index.

Overall, Ant Antics is definitely a book that will interest young scientists and naturalists. Although I picked up the book I reviewed at the library, I will be on the lookout for a copy for my personal ant book collection.

Reinforce learning with some ant-related hands-on activities

Reading level: Ages 7 and up
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: DK CHILDREN (August 1, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0756689325
ISBN-13: 978-0756689322

Stem Friday is at Picture Book of the Day today. Click through for links to more excellent STEM books.

If you would like to participate in STEM Friday in the future, go to the new STEM Friday blog for more information.

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Children’s Author Trivia Volume 36 Answers

August 24, 2011 in Children's Author Trivia by Roberta | No comments

Both of the authors today have fun, wacky websites.

1. Our first author started out as a cartoonist at an early age. Some of his most famous books are based on a character he developed in second grade. Now that he’s an adult, he is both an author and illustrator. His book, The Paperboy, won a Caldecott Honor. Do you know who this author is?

Dav Pilkey is the author who channels his childhood self in his books. Best known for two series that make some parents and educators cringe, Dumb Bunnies and Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey’s website warns that it is, “too silly for grown-ups.”

The Paperboy, however, is seriously a great book. Listen to it read by Forest Whitaker.

2. Our second author has everything from celebrity photographs of a yellow stuffed creature named “Peepy” to videos of trained goldfish on her website. She’s a Chinese-American author born in 1959. Any ideas who she might be?

Lisa Yee is the author who has gathered photographs of many prominent children’s book authors posing with Peepy, including such celebrities as Julie Andrews and Henry Winkler. You should go see how many you recognize.

Are you familiar with any of Lisa Yee’s books?

Bonus question:  Do you know who the current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is?

Katherine Paterson is serving as the Ambassador for 2010-2011.

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Can We Save the Tiger?

August 22, 2011 in Nonfiction, Nonfiction Monday Review, Picture book- nonfiction by Roberta | 2 comments

Can We Save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins and illustrated Vicky White is a gorgeous picture book with a powerful message and already has won an award as a 2011 Boston Globe – Horn Book honor book for nonfiction. Jenkins introduces the reader to several interesting animals that have gone extinct and others, like the tiger, that are on the verge of extinction due to human activity, while engaging in a dialogue about how complex conservation issues are.  

Starting with the dodo, which was last seen in 1665, Jenkins first names a few animals that have gone extinct. He then showcases the story of the tiger, an animal most children recognize from experiences at zoos. He goes into quite a bit of detail, showing many sides of the story of why there are so few tigers left in the world today and how they could easily go the way of the dodo. Jenkins doesn’t stick to the tiger, however, he also discusses less familiar or spectacular animals, such as the partula snail and the white-rumped vulture. He mentions the kakapo parrot, the subject of the recent Kakapo Rescue. Unfortunately, he has far too many examples to choose from.

Vicky White’s illustrations are what makes this book so special. She has captured the style of a nature journal, combining simple pencil sketches with a few breathtaking, photo-real full color pieces. It would be worthwhile to pick up the book to share the beautiful illustrations and the facts that accompany each animal.

Although the text is simple and straightforward enough for children, the overall message is disheartening. This brings up a question:  Is this book for children or adults? Have you seen this book yet? What do you think?

Reading level: Ages 5 and up
Publisher: Candlewick (February 22, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0763649090
ISBN-13: 978-0763649098

nonfictionmonday

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by the new Nonfiction Monday blog to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s post is at Ana’s Nonfiction Blog.

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Planes (from National Geographic Kids)

August 19, 2011 in STEM Friday, Science, Science Books For Summer Reading by Roberta | No comments

Planes by Amy Shields

Series:  National Geographic Readers

Reading level: Beginning/Easy Reader (Ages 4-8)

Summary: Narrator Pilot Nic tells about the smallest plane, the biggest plane, the fastest plane, and all other sorts of planes.

Illustrations: Color photographs

Comments: Planes will be a fun book for children interested in the topic. The formatting is perfect for the age group. The photographs are clearly labeled and laid out well. The book has a pictorial glossary at the end.

Related activities:

  • The book suggests pretending you are an airplane
  • Visit an airport to watch the planes taking off and landing
  • Fold and fly a simple paper airplane

Jeff at NC Teacher Stuff has another review and a lot of good ideas for using this book

Compatible fiction: Mr. Putter & Tabby Fly the Plane by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Arthur Howard

Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books (September 14, 2010)

ISBN-10: 1426307128
ISBN-13: 978-1426307126

Stem Friday is at Simply Science today. Click through for links to more excellent STEM books.

If you would like to participate in STEM Friday in the future, go to the new STEM Friday blog for more information.

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