The New Year is starting with a bang with a big announcement and picture book giveaway at our sister blog, Growing with Science.
Want to hear more? The big news is that I’ve had a children’s picture book manuscript accepted by Millbrook Press, a division of Lerner™Publishing Group. If all goes well, the book should be ready sometime in late 2020.
To celebrate I’m holding a giveaway for two books from Millbrook Press in this post at Growing with Science. Let’s take a closer look at the two picture books here.
First up we have Love, Agnes: Postcards from an Octopus by Irene Latham and illustrated by Thea Baker.
This title is not traditional nonfiction. Instead, author Irene Latham combines solid information about the life cycle of an octopus with an imagined correspondence between a mother octopus and others living nearby, including a boy who lives on land.The combination unexpectedly gives both added emotion to a poignant story and also added layers of depth. (Be sure stop by Growing With Science where Irene reveals the story behind her story.)
The serious nonfiction comes to the fore in the back matter, which contains amazing facts about octopuses and lists of books and websites for further reading.
As you can see from the cover image, Thea Baker’s mixed media illustrations capture the life of Agnes the octopus in brilliant detail.
Love, Agnes will thrill young readers and educators alike. Pick up a copy and see if you don’t love it, too.
Suggested Activity:
This book begs to be accompanied with an activity of preparing and sending postcards to friends and family members. Finding some undersea stickers to decorate them would be an added plus.
(Public domain image from Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library.)
You can also sign up to receive a postcard from author Irene Latham here: http://goo.gl/forms/JmNeFvo7j4
Age Range: 5 – 8 years
Publisher: Millbrook Press (October 1, 2018)
ISBN-10: 1512439932
ISBN-13: 978-1512439939
The second book in the giveaway is an older title about plant dispersal, Plants Can’t Sit Still by Rebecca E. Hirsch and illustrated by Mia Posada.
“Plants don’t have feet or fins or wings,
yet they can move in many ways.
Look closely and you’ll discover that plants can’t sit still. “
So starts Rebecca Hirsch’s exploration of all the ways plants get from place to place. As she discusses in her “Author’s Note,” Hersch spent time watching plants, either in the wild around her neighborhood or through videos. Her attention to accuracy and detail really show.
As much as I enjoy the text, it is the bright, lush, and active cut paper collage and watercolor illustrations by Mia Posada that really sold me on this book. I just can’t get enough of the colors.
Plants Can’t Sit Still is a wonderful introduction to plant dispersal. Get on the move and check out a copy today.
Age Range: 5 – 10 years
Publisher: Millbrook Press (September 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1467780316
ISBN-13: 978-1467780315
And, don’t forget the Giveaway at Growing with Science.
Disclosure: I purchased these books for the giveaway. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.
Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.