Nonfiction Monday Review Archives - Page 33 of 40

September 18, 2011September 19, 2011

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Caldecott-winner Beth Krommes is a lovely new book celebrates all the places you can find spirals in nature; some you would expect, others unexpected.

Newbery honor-winning poet Joyce Sidman’s verse gently leads the reader from spiral to spiral in a paper bound nature walk. Adults will recognize this is an introduction to Fibonacci, and there is an explanation of the Fibonacci spiral in the back materials.

Visually, this book is a treat. Beth Krommes’ scratchboard illustrations have darkly-defined lines with colorful watercolor to brighten it up. You can preview the look in this book trailer:

The book will be sure to intrigue both poetry fans and nonfiction fans, as well as art fans.

The buzz has already started for Swirl by Swirl, with starred reviews in all the usual places. Although the official release date is October 4, 2011, I found this one at my local bookstore.

The accompanying Reader’s Guide has excellent discussion questions and activities.

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 054731583X
ISBN-13: 978-0547315836

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 Tales from the Rushmore kid.

September 5, 2011September 6, 2011

Growing Good Kids Book Award 2011

Today I have a couple of books that may not be strictly nonfiction, but they are the “pick of the crop” from the Junior Master Gardener’s Growing Good Kids ™ book awards in 2011.

The Junior Master Gardener program promotes learning and service through gardening. Each year a committee of teachers and librarians pick a selection of relevant children’s books for recognition. They also maintain a list of gardening/growing “classics.”

And the winners are:

	Water, Weed, and Wait By Edith Hope Fine and Angela Halpin, illustrated by Colleen M. Madden
	Nibbles By Charlotte Middleton
	In the Garden with Dr. Carver By Susan Grigsby and illustrated by Nicole Tadgell

Although in the Northern Hemisphere many of you are looking at the end of the gardening season, here in Arizona our fall gardening will be starting soon. In any case, it is never too early to start thinking about gardening, and particularly gardening with children!

I have a full review of Nibbles: A Green Tale by Charlotte Middleton.

This week’s post is at Playing by the Book.

December 13, 2010December 14, 2010

The Bat Scientists

Mary Kay Carson’s new book The Bat Scientists with photographs by her husband, Tom Uhlman, is a stand out in the wonderful Scientists in the Field series. Even if you are only mildly interested in bats or find bats off putting, this is a fascinating book.

Carson follows bat scientist Merlin Tuttle into a cave in Texas to find out what studying bats in like. Immediately we learn that this field is not for the squeamish. Wading through bat guano teeming with insects, while breathing through a respirator in a smelly cave at temperatures of 100° F isn’t for everyone. Thank goodness that Dr. Tuttle and his colleagues (and Mary Carson) are willing to do it, because it turns out that bats are pretty important in the scheme of things. By learning more about them, hopefully we can protect these fragile and misunderstood little creatures before it is too late. Carson discusses some of the disturbing recent threats to bats at the end of the book.

Our family became intrigued by bats years ago through two great fiction picture books: Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and wonderful The Bat in the Boot by Annie Cannon. This great nonfiction middle grade book is keeping that curiosity alive and well, as we learn the current bat facts and research techniques. As my son says,”The Bat Scientists is a really good book!”

This book was nominated for a Cybils in middle grade nonfiction.

For more information and reviews, see Mary Carson’s The Bat Scientists page.

For bat science activities, see Growing With Science.

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0547199562
ISBN-13: 978-0547199566

Beautiful Oops is Just Plain Beautiful

What a fabulous book! Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg is sure to make you smile. Barney also has a great message: it okay to make a mistake. Use the “Oops” moments in your work (and your life) to stimulate your creativity and make something more exciting, innovative or just plain “more” than you originally planned. And Beautiful Oops has such fun hands-on appeal, you can’t wait to discover what is next.

Take a look for yourself:

You know what is sweet? Barney Saltzberg wrote the song for the video, too. Talk about a multi-talented person.

As an art masterpiece volunteer for many years, I wish I could give a copy of this book to every student I ever taught, but especially the intense little boy who tore up his art projects in first grade. But let’s face it, Barney’s message is wonderful for people of all ages in all sorts of situations. Beautiful!

Reading level: Ages 4-8 (and up!)
Hardcover: 28 pages
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; Pop Ill edition (September 23, 2010)
ISBN-10: 076115728X
ISBN-13: 978-0761157281

This book is nominated for a Cybils in the nonfiction picture book category.