Category: Animals

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Face to Face With Whales

Face to Face with Whales by Flip and Linda Nicklin lives up to its title and more so. The first photograph you see is that of the face of a humpback whale. When you learn the tiny eye in the middle of the page is actually is as big as a dinner plate, your imagination is captured.

Author Flip Nicklin is a nature photographer who has spent his life catching images of whales on film, often for National Geographic. The spectacular photographs in this book attest to his talent and dedication. They are truly amazing.

But it is the story of whales told with the Nicklins’ passionate voice that is sure to stick with you. On the first page Flip describes how being in the water with a singing humpback whale actually made his bones vibrate.  Wow, who would have guessed? Here is someone who was there when discoveries about whales were first being made, and tells us what he saw and heard while it was happening. His story is remarkable.

The book also comes packed with extras such as ideas how you can help whales, activities you can do to learn more about whales (such as a whale watching trip), and Facts at a Glance that include a map of the migration routes of common whales. I was particularly interested in the Research and Photography Notes, where Flip gives away some of his secrets to getting close-up photographs of whales.

Although Amazon list this as ages 4-8, placing it in the picture book category, I would say it was closer to middle grade based on density of text and content. Any child who is interested in the ocean and whales is going to love Face to Face with Whales.

Reading level: Ages 4-8 (Amazon)
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books (August 24, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426306970
ISBN-13: 978-1426306976

Also from this series is: Face to Face with Wolves

Books were provided for review purposes.

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 Anastasia Suen’s Nonfiction Monday page.

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Where Else In The Wild?

Where Else In The Wild? More Camouflaged Creatures Concealed and Revealed is a enchanting combination of poems by David M. Schwartz and his wife, Yael Schy, and photographs by Dwight Kuhn. It is a sequel to their award-winning Where in the Wild?: Camouflaged Creatures Concealed… and Revealed.

In each spread, on the right is a photograph with a creature or creatures hidden inside. On the left is a poem with clues as to the camouflaged critter(s) identity. The photograph page opens as a gatefold and underneath is the same photograph with the background faded to show where the animals are hiding, as well as a full page of information about the animal that has been revealed.

The photographs steal the show in this book. A lot of credit has to go to the photographer for locating interesting animals and finding appropriate backgrounds. That can’t have been easy. Some of the animals are definitely easier to spot than others, but they are all visually appealing.

The first book gathered numerous awards and the second isn’t far behind. Where in the Wild? won the 2008 SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, as well as the 2008 Animal Behavior Society Outstanding Children’s Book Award. It was also a 2008 Cybils finalist in the nonfiction picturebook category. Where Else In The Wild? More Camouflaged Creatures Concealed and Revealed has been nominated for a Cybils in 2010, and is an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12.

These books are gaining attention because they are not just fun and informative, they also encourage children to develop their observation skills. Teachers will find the books especially useful because they encompass both language arts and science. See if you can find where one is hiding today!

Where in the Wild?

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 44 pages
Publisher: Tricycle Press; illustrated edition edition (September 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1582462070
ISBN-13: 978-1582462073

Where Else In The Wild? More Camouflaged Creatures Concealed and Revealed

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 50 pages
Publisher: Tricycle Press (October 13, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1582462836
ISBN-13: 978-1582462837

If your children enjoy these books, they might also like the older book How to Hide a Butterfly and Other Insects by Ruth Heller.

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 Anastasia Suen’s Nonfiction Monday page. This week’s post is at Picture Book of the Day.

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Wild Wild Alphabet

Wild Alphabet by Dan Green, with design by Mike Haines and paper folding by Julia Frohlich, is a pop-up book of cool animals and fun information that is sure to be “pop”-ular as a gift book. wild-alphabet

Dan Green has chosen some common animals to highlight, like the elephant and the hippopotamus, but also a few unusual ones like the narwhal and wallaby. Each two-page spread has the name of the animal, a photograph of the animal, a few facts about the animal written in an engaging way, and then a big bold capital letter with a black-and-white image that pops up or interacts with the letter kinetically. My favorite is the dinosaur, Utahrapter, which requires you to actually open the letter to see what is underneath.

Of course this book is designed to be engaging to young children, but I noticed the older ones like to take a peek too. If nothing else they try to figure out, “how did they fold that?”

To get a better idea of the book, here’s a very well-designed trailer. Isn’t the music fun?

What child wouldn’t enjoy the thrill of Wild Alphabet?

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 52 pages
Publisher: Kingfisher; Pop edition (September 14, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0753464721
ISBN-13: 978-0753464724

nonfictionmonday

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. For more information, stop by Anastasia Suen’s Nonfiction Monday page. This week’s post is at TheBookNosher.

This book was provided for review.

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Ants for the Youngest Reader

Ants by Melissa Stewart is part of the National Geographic Readers series. That means the lucky author has access to the fantastic photographs available in the National Geographic archives. Right away I recognized a couple of photographs by ant specialist and National Geographic photographer, Dr. Mark Moffett. What a visual treat!Ants-stewart

The text is both spunky and age appropriate. Even better, all the information is current and accurate. In the margins are extremely silly riddles and puns, sure to catch the interest of young children.

Most of the different kinds of ants are identified, but the names aren’t central to the text. If the child is curious about the ants in the photograph, he or she can find out what kind of ant it is. Otherwise the child can continue reading without interruption.

In the back is a novel visual glossary showing a photograph of an ant colony, for example, with the word and definition below it. I really like the idea, although Stewart could have easily added more words. I expect she didn’t because space was a constraint. Inside of the back cover is an activity to do an “Ants Dance” to celebrate reading the whole book, which is a wonderful addition.

If you are looking for a beginning reader book about ants, I strongly recommend this one. It is excell-Ant. 🙂

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books (January 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426306083
ISBN-13: 978-1426306082

nonfictionmonday

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. For more information, stop by Anastasia Suen’s Nonfiction Monday page. This week’s post is at Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian.