Beatrix Potter Saves the Countryside

Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit 
by Linda Marshall; illus. by Ilaria Urbinati 
40 pages; ages 4-8
little bee books, 2020

theme: biography, environment, illustrator

On the third floor of a London town house, a young girl sketched pictures of her pet rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer.

That’s not all she drew. The girl, Beatrix Potter also sketched frogs and mice, turtles and salamanders and, later, detailed drawings of mushrooms. Beatrix loved nature and art. She also wanted to “do something” with her life, in a time when most women were expected to focus on their family. Beatrix also loved writing stories and ended up penning some of my favorites: Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny… and about 20 more. She painted gentle scenes of her English countryside – and took steps to preserve it for the future.

What I like about this book: I love how Linda Marshall focuses on the broader environmental accomplishments of Beatrix Potter. And I love the illustrations by Ilaria Urbinati that are so reminiscent of Potter’s, drawing us into a time of teas and bunnies and cottages and sheep grazing in the meadow.

Beyond the Books:

Sketch an animal living in and around you – it could be a pet, or the stray cat that hangs out by the garden, a bird or rascally squirrel raiding the feeder. After you’ve sketched it a few times, think about dressing it up in a jacket or vest. Beatrix Potter’s rabbit was her inspiration for Peter Rabbit.

Read a Beatrix Potter story and linger on the illustrations. What do you notice about her characters and her artwork?

Are there any land trusts or nature preserves in your area? If so, try to visit one. How does it contribute to your community?

If you have a backyard, ask for permission to let part of it “go wild” for the summer. Write notes and draw pictures about what you see there. 

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

On Wings of Words

 

On Wings of Words: The Extraordinary Life of Emily Dickinson
by Jennifer Berne; illus. by Becca Stadtlander
52 pages; ages 5-8
Chronicle Books, 2020

theme: biography, poetry, nature

 Soft moonlit snow draped the Dickinson house in white.

Emily Dickinson explored her world with her eyes and her ears and her thoughts. Bees, butterflies, birds … she found words for everything she discovered. And she wrote it down in poetry. She found words for the dark and scary things, too. She called her poems letters to the world. Some people thought Emily was weird, but she didn’t care – she just kept on scribbling poetry.

What I like about this book: I love the snippets of Emily’s poems lettered on the pages. And how, says author Jennifer Berne, in her poetry you can “hear Emily’s voice echoing through the years” and speaking to all of us who, with pen in hand, look deeply and write about what we discover.

Beyond the Books:

Read some more Emily Dickinson poems here and here.

Go on a poetry hike. When you see something you want to write about, take a few minutes to jot down some words. Emily Dickinson wrote about insects she saw, and birds tugging worms from the ground. Use all your senses - what you see, smell, feel (touch), hear – to write about your nature discovery.

Try writing different kinds of poems. Here’s one place to start.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

A Really Rotten Halloween Story

Rotten Pumpkin 
by David Schwartz; photos by Dwight Kuhn
32 pages; ages 3-5
Creston Books, 2013

theme: Halloween, nature, STEM

Here I stand, bright with light, proud and round. 

This is a tale of the demise of a Halloween pumpkin. Jack, the pumpkin, is the first of 15 voices to tell the tale. He begins with his glory days, as a bright Jack-o-lantern. But once that flame is spent, he’s tossed unceremoniously back to the garden.

From there, various animals – and fungi – take over the tale. A mouse, squirrel, and slugs tell how they nibble, gnaw, and scrape the pumpkin shell. Insects and mold continue their cheerful tale of how they do in the rotting pumpkin.

But not everything rots away. A single seed survives and, covered with soil enriched by the rotted goo, sprouts. 

What I like about this book: The photos that document Jack’s decomposition are amazing to look at. Dwight Kuhn helps readers see beauty where others might just see a moldy mess. And David’s use of the different voices to tell the story allows us to think about nature in a different way. There’s also Back Matter! A glossary and three investigations that a curious nature lover might want to do with their past-prime Jack-o-lantern.

Beyond the Books:

If you forgot a seed or two when scooping out the gloppity gloop from the middle of your pumpkin, now’s a good time to rescue them. Rinse them off, let them dry, and then put them in an envelope. If you know what variety of pumpkin you have, write that on the envelope. Otherwise “pumpkin 2020” will do. Next spring, plant them and see what comes up.

Write a letter to – or from – your pumpkin about it’s very short life. Feel free to pull in some local animals to tell their side of the story.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

A Stone Sat Still

A Stone Sat Still
by Brendan Wenzel
56 pages; ages 3-5
Chronicle Books, 2019

theme: nature, perception

A stone sat still / with water, grass, and dirt
and it was as it was / where it was in the world.

The stone was dark, light, smooth, rough, red, green, purple, blue – at least to the different animals that come upon the stone. Each perceives the stone based on how they interact with it.

What I like about this book: I love how Brendan Wenzel looks at a stone from so many points of view. For an ant following a pheromone trail, the stone is part of a map. For a tiny red mite surrounded by a slimy snail trail, the stone becomes a maze. I like how time passes, and the stone – once a landmark for migrating birds – is worn by age, surrounded by water, adopted by an ocean.

Beyond the Books:

Find a rock or stone on one of your travels. Maybe it is in a park, or your back yard. Sit with that stone and explore its texture, its size. If it is big, are there small creatures climbing on it? Are lichens or plants growing on it?

Get to know the rocks in your backyard. Here’s a good place to start.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Badger's Perfect Garden

Badger’s Perfect Garden
by Marsha Diane Arnold; illus. by Ramona Kaulitzki
32 pages; ages 4-8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2019

theme: gardening, nature, friendship

One spring morning, Red Squirrel found Badger surrounded by dozens of jars.
The jars were filled with seeds. The seeds looked hopeful, just like Badger.

Badger wants to plant a perfect garden. That means getting the soil perfectly smooth. And planting perfectly straight rows. All of this takes a lot of time, but finally Badger’s garden is planted. All he needs is rain…. but then a HUGE storm washes away the seeds.

All is lost. Or is it?

What I like about this book: I love the idea that Badger is planting seeds that he has collected from local plants. And that his friends help him plant the garden. (As a gardener, I have yet to plant perfectly straight rows or get my soil perfectly smooth.)  Having your garden washed away by a severe storm is becoming a more likely event these days, but I was a bit astonished that Badger didn’t head back out and replant.

That doesn’t matter, though, because what happens is even more fun. As most of us know (when we stop to think about it) seeds will grow wherever they find themselves. But what I really liked was that "the seeds looked hopeful!"

Beyond the book

Plant a garden. One year a skunk dug up a section of our yard (searching for beetle larvae). My kids turned the now grassless area into a flower garden. Here are some resources for gardening with kids: How to Plant a Garden, and Gardening Basics (with lots of info).

Seek flowers that are native to your region. Check with your local county extension, or find a list of native plants at National Wildlife Federation and Xerces Society

Go on a flower walk to learn more about what’s growing in your neighborhood. Here’s a list for a scavenger hunt.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website . Review copy provided by publisher.

I Just Like You

I love books that lift up my spirits and make me feel positive about the world. Here's a recently released picture book by one of my favorite authors - and (only a few towns away) neighbor.

Themes: friendship, diversity, acceptance

I Just Like You
by Suzanne Bloom
32 pages; ages 3-7
Boyds Mills Press, 2018

You don't look just like me.

An elephant and cat contemplate each other... turn the page and there's a pig and a llama imagining shapes in the clouds. They don't see the same thing. Over the next two pages we meet creatures that don't walk or talk like each other. But the cool thing:

You just like me!

What I like about this book: The idea is simple enough - we're all different from each other, but we like each other. We can be friends! As Suzanne Bloom shows, there are so many different ways to move, dress, think, and be. And yet, there we are, sharing meals and playing on the playground. And even though some of us may be turtles and some may be giraffes, we can embrace and celebrate what we appreciate about each other.

Suzanne visited our Ithaca-area SCBWI Shop Talk last month, bringing her portfolio filled with sketches for I Just Like You. It was really fun to see how the characters changed over time, and how the ideas in the book evolved as the animals became part of the story. Should the chickens be on the table? Where should the crocodile go? And how did that five-layer cake sneak past the skunk?

Beyond the Book:

How are you different from your friends? Do you do the same things? Find a way to celebrate the ways you are different and alike. Maybe you'll paint a picture, write a list, or build something that you can share with your friends.

How do writers and illustrators get their ideas? Great question. Visit Suzanne's webpage "Watch me Work" where she shares photos and a video about how she gets ideas onto the page.

We're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday today. It's a weekly event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy from publisher. 

Flip the Bird & author interview

Flip the Bird
by Kym Brunner
368 pages; ages 12 & up
HMH Books for Young Readers, 2016

Mercer Buddie wants two things in life: a girlfriend, and the chance to show his father that he is serious about becoming an apprentice falconer. But on the day he and his master-falconer dad set out to capture a juvenile Red-tailed hawk, 14-year old Mercer screws up. He had one job to do: remember the mouse.

Time is ticking as they stop by a pet store to get a replacement mouse - bait for the trap that will humanely snare the hawk (and allow the mouse to be released into the woods). Will the hawk still be there when Mercer and his dad and brother arrive? And how long does it take to buy a mouse anyway? Turns out - when the girl of your dreams is in the pet store - it can take too long.

Mercer's dad is a demanding falcon master. He also runs a wildlife rehabilitation center, and is constantly impressing upon Mercer the need to do things correctly, so he doesn't lose his license (and livelihood). Mercer's older brother is working his way toward master-level. And the girl of his dreams? She's a member of HALT - a fanatical animal rights group that opposes mistreatment of animals including keeping hawks in cages. Shades of Romeo and Juliet...

Mercer tries to keep his hawk (named Flip) and his dad's rehabilitation center secret, but eventually the two worlds collide. When HALT members vandalize the center and release the birds, Mercer realizes he needs to take responsibility and do what's right.

I love the tidbits of falconry history and lore scattered throughout the book - like that people have been hunting with falcons since 2,000 BC! I loved the description of the mews, and crafting the hoods and leashes, and the training that Mercer and Flip shared.
So I just had to ask author, Kym Brunner Three Questions:

Sally: What inspired this story?

Kym: I went to a dinner show at Medieval Times, and near the end they had a falconry demonstration. I remember thinking, Wow! I never knew you could train a hawk to fly around and come back to you on command! I came up with the idea of a time-travel story of a modern kid going back into medieval times - and then found out I'd have to do a ton of research for medieval times AND for falconry. Eeek! So.... I decided to write a contemporary story about falconry.

Sally: You have so much authenticity in the story. What kind of research did you do?

Kym: I knew I wanted a story that revolved around falconry, but wasn't sure what the plot would be. So I took falconry lessons - six or more seven-hour apprentice lessons at SOAR (Save Our American Raptors). The master falconer told us a story about how they were once scheduled to do a demonstration at a forest preserve and animals rights demonstrators showed up. They made so much noise that the falconers had to cancel the event. When I asked about going on a hunt with a group of falconers, the SOAR leaders (George and Bernadette Richter) connected me to Troy, a falconer who lived in my neighborhood. Troy was extraordinarily helpful. He let me study his mews, and go on a couple hunts. Later, he read my manuscript to check for accuracy.

If I had one wish it would be that I could convey how dedicated falconers are to these majestic birds, and how fragile the relationship is between bird and prey. There are no guarantees; may the best bird - or prey - win.

Sally: I love the "Romeo/Juliet" aspect of the story. How did that evolve over the writing?

Kym: At first I thought about having a random group of protesters mess things up for Mercer and his family. But then a wonderful "what if..." question popped into my mind. What if, instead of being a random protester, the ones responsible for causing grief to Mercer's family business ended up being the parents of the girl he was hot for? The more I thought about it, the more I realized what a quandary that would be. I once dated a guy in high school who had a motorcycle - something my parents had forbidden me to ride. But this guy was cute and mysterious... so we met at the end of the block so my parents wouldn't know that he had a bike. I think being in love can override a lot of rational thought... and that's exactly the turmoil I hoped to portray in Flip the Bird.

If you'd like to learn more about falconry, here are two sites you might find interesting:

NY state regulations and a falconry exam study guide - check your own state for licensing regulations and examination requirements
the North American Falconers Association. 


Review copy provided by publisher.

Night Sounds and Birds

I'm always on the lookout for picture books that are inspired by nature. Here are two recently published books filled with lyrical prose that will leave your heart singing.

theme: nature, animals

Cricket Song
by Anne Hunter
32 pages; ages 4-7
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016

As the sun sets, what sounds does the summer breeze carry into your room? Is it the sound of  crickets singing? The kreck kreck of frogs, or the call of a poorwill from beneath the trees?

The lyrical text carries us away from the house and along the stream to the edge of the sea. Then carries us on the tide westward, following the sun, to another place where a child dozes, listening to the sound of crickets. (listen to cricket sounds here.)

What I like (besides the wonderful noises of insects and amphibians) is the illustration that lies across the bottom of each spread. It's like a footer on a document, and shows parts of the story that words only allude to. Some reviewers call this a bedtime book. It could be - but it also could be a book that you use to begin a night of exploration (just save the last couple pages til you get back home and climb into bed). What could be more fun than sitting outside listening to crickets, frogs, and other critters of the night?

On Bird Hill
by Jane Yolen; illus. by Bob Marstall
32 pages; ages 3-5 years
Cornell Lab Publishing, 2016

"...on Bird Hill I saw a tree,
As light and bright as it could be."

This book reminded me of a song we used to sing when we were kids about a tree in a bog and a branch on that tree and a nest on the branch and a bird in the nest. You can listen to it here.

In this book it's a boy and his dog heading off to Bird Hill. In rhyming couplets, Jane Yolen shows them finding a tree, and a nest, and a bird in that nest. It was hard not to sing the lines as I read along.

What I like - besides the fun rhymes, is Bob Marstall's fanciful artwork. He evokes a Seussian habitat with brightly colored insects and a wild-feathered chick.

Beyond the books ~

Listen to night sounds. What do you hear: frogs? crickets? night birds? cats? coyotes? If you can, put red cellophane over a flashlight and sit outside to listen. (but make sure you are protected from mosquito bites).

Draw some fanciful, Bob Marstall-inspired trees. A whole forest, or maybe just one that would be a perfect place to make a nest. Or a bird, cricket, frog.... have some fun.

Today we're joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.

Review copies provided by publishers.

Sounds of the Savanna

Sounds of the Savanna
by Terry C. Jennings; illus. by Phyllis Saroff
32 pages; ages 4-8
Arbordale, 2015

 "Dawn kisses the grasslands of the savanna, A lion roars." So begins a day on the savanna. His roar carries through the early morning air, to a lake miles away where a lioness hears him and roars her reply.

As the sun rises, we glimpse elephants at the watering hole, vervet monkeys skittering through the tall grass, and baboons coming down from the rocky cliffs.

Mid-afternoon sun beats down on the savanna, baking the land and the animals living there. Author Terry Jennings paints a complex web of interactions within the landscape: predators and their prey, youngsters learning to hunt, parent and young ... all within the context of a day on the savanna.

Animals make sounds for a lot of reasons. If they are in danger, they might give an alarm call to alert others to danger or to bring help. Males make sounds to warn others "this is my territory", and babies make sounds when they are hungry. Since this book is all about sounds, Jennings includes four pages at the back that are full of explorations for curious minds: experiments with sound and vibration, a predator/prey sorting game, and more details about sounds that animals make.

Listen to sounds of the savanna here. And if you're looking for educational materials, check out these teaching activities from Arbordale. Today we're joining the roundup over at the Nonfiction Monday blog where you'll find even more book reviews. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Water is Water

Water is Water
by Miranda Paul; illus by Jason Chin
40 pages; ages 6-10
Roaring Brook Press, 2015

theme: nature, water cycle, friendship 

Drip.
    Sip.
Pour me a cup.
Water
   is
     water unless...
it heats up.

There are many books about the water cycle - but I don't remember reading one nearly as fun, nor as lyrical, as this one. Author Miranda Paul takes us on a poetic journey from raindrops to clouds, from snow to swamp.

What I like LOVE about this book: The language. It's spot on. So is the science. I love how we start with one state of matter - rain - and, with a page turn - it changes into vapor. Later it becomes solid (snow, ice). Paul plays with the water cycle: we see the rain, the clouds, the fog, the snow. But we also see steam rising from mugs of hot cocoa, snowball fights, apple cider. These are also part of the water cycle.

I always hope for back matter, and Paul does not disappoint. She highlights states of matter, concepts of evaporation and condensation, and then points out that we are mostly water. There's a list of further reading and a short bibliography for curious naturalists.

Beyond the book: water, water everywhere.

Water mapping: where is the water around you? Is it falling out of the sky? Low clouds? Puddling in the driveway? Gurgling along in creeks and streams? Rushing over rocks and into rivers? Make a list of all the water you can find as you walk through your neighborhood or a park.

Where does water go? When it rains, the water rushing down my road collects in a small stream that feeds into a creek that joins the Susquehanna River that empties into the Chesapeake Bay that opens into the Atlantic Ocean. Where does your water go? Get a map. Ask someone from the local water conservation district.

Who uses the water? Plants and animals depend on our streams and pools. Some, like frogs and dragonflies, lay their eggs in pools and their young grow up in the water. How do animals and people depend on water where you live?

Conserving water. During the hottest days of summer, it might not rain for a month. So we try to not waste our water. When it does rain, we collect water in buckets, to pour on the plants in our garden. After washing dishes, we use the rinse water to clean the kitchen floor. What sort of things can you do to conserve water? 

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. We're also joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  Advanced review copy from the publisher.

Toad Weather

Toad Weather
by Sandra Markle; illus. by Thomas Gonzalez
32 pages; ages 4-8
Peachtree, 2015

OK, I'll admit it... I chose this book by the cover. I mean, how can anyone resist those boots? Or a toad?

theme: animals, nature
In the gloomy gray
of a March day
 the spring rain keeps falling.

Ally wants to go outside but it's wet out there. Umbrella and boot weather. But Mama has seen something important, so off they go, splish-splashing their way down the city sidewalks. There are reflections in the puddles, colors swirling on the water, and the sound of raindrops drumming on their slickers. And a surprise: a sign that says TOAD DETOUR.

What I like about this book:
Lots of sounds. Lots of rain. And TOADS! Everywhere! Hopping, plopping, trying to make their way to their pond. Which means crossing the road. Will people help them? 

Beyond the book:

What kind of toads (or frogs) live around you? I always find American Toads in my garden, hiding in the shade. Sometimes in the lawn. Take a field guide with you and see who's living in your neighborhood.

How far do toads travel in a single hop? Not far. If you have some toads hanging around your yard, you can measure how far they hop by placing stones or sticks on the ground. Then get a ruler to measure. Compare toad jumps to the jumps of frogs or grasshoppers or crickets - or even you. But to make it fair, compare jump distance to body size.

Is a toad a frog? And how can you tell? (some hints here)

Go on a night walk. Around here, spring peepers can get pretty noisy late in the day. Once the sun falls the night can be positively noisy with frog and toad songs. Here are some of the calls you might hear of you go for a night walk or leave your windows open at night.

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. We're also joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  Review copy from the publisher.

You Nest Here With Me

You Nest Here With Me
by Jane Yolen & Heidi Stemple; illus. by Melissa Sweet
32 pages; ages 4-8
Boyds Mills Press, 2015

theme: bedtime, family, home, nature




Pigeons nest on concrete ledges,
Catbirds nest in greening hedges,
Tiny wrens, in shoreline sedges.
You nest here with me.

From grackles to eagles, plovers to killdeer, Yolen and Stemple describe different places that birds nest in spot-on rhyme. They end each stanza: "You nest here with me". Combine that with Sweet's gorgeous illustrations and you've got a book that you'll want to read every night.

What I like LOVE about this book: let me count the ways:

• The birds ~ such a diversity of species and nest types
• Introduction of new words: tor
• Diversity of habitat
• Unlovely birds ~ cowbirds, for example
• Repetition ~ You nest here with me
• A feeling of safety 
• Spot-on illustrations
• Texture~ you can almost feel the twigs
• Vibrant color
• Collage
• Back matter! (everyone knows I love back matter)

Beyond the book activities: Build a bird nest. Go outside and gather materials that you think a bird might use in making a nest. You might find twigs,dead grass, fur or feathers, mosses, lichens, pine needles, and mud. Now try constructing a nest. How does it compare to the real thing? Find out by...

... going outside on a nest hunt. Take your journal and a camera along, because you might want to take some photos of how birds have built their nests - and jot notes about what you discover. This time of year you're likely to find old nests, unless you live where birds have already started their spring construction projects. Take a good look at where the nests are placed. Will they be well-hidden when leaves cover the trees? How high are they from the ground? And are the birds using all natural materials? Or have they incorporated bits of man-made stuff?

Help your backyard and neighborhood birds out. Give them some nesting materials - but choose things that are natural and degrade (not plastic or foil). Drape bits of string, thread, yarn, or natural fiber fabric over trees and shrubs. Or loosely fill a suet cage with strips of newspaper, broom bristles, mop strings and other natural things that could be used for a nest. Then hang it where birds will find it.


Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. We're also joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  Review copy from the publisher.

Sounds of Spring!

I know that spring doesn't officially arrive until the 21st. Heck! We're still buried up to our (check appropriate box:   __knees,  __ belts, __ neck) in snow... but I can't stand it anymore. So I'm pushing spring. Now. Today. Because any week now, you'll begin to hear the sounds of ice breaking up.

Crinkle, Crackle, CRACK: It's Spring
by Marion Dane Bauer; illus. by John Shelley
32 pages; ages 4-8
Holiday House, 2015

theme: seasons, friendship

"Have you ever awakened on a late winter night to a peculiar noise? Something like rap, bap, tap, and then crunch, scrunch, followed by crinkle, crackle, crack?"

Over the course of the story, a pajama-clad boy heads off with a bear to find spring. They're joined by other animals: rabbit, squirrel, beaver.... and eventually, deep in the woods, discover the secret of spring (I won't spoil it for you).

What I like about this book: The language is playful and fun. Lots of end-of-winter noises that you might hear around your house: creaks, snaps, raps and taps, crackle-crack, slaps and whacks. I also like how the boy and bear walk "hand in paw, paw in hand", and the most excellent description of the end of winter: mud, rotten snow, and trees shivering in the dark.

Beyond the book: What does the end of winter look like / sound like around your house?
Go on a night walk, like boy and bear. Look at the stars, listen to night noises, sniff the night air.
How does the snow melt in your yard? Measure snow depth and keep track of daily temperatures. Graph the shrinking snow piles. Where does it puddle when it melts? Where does it run off in tiny rivulets?
Take photos of one particular place every day for the next six weeks. What happens?
Map the changing season. If you like to draw treasure maps, maybe you can find the X that marks the spot where spring comes first to your yard. Note where snow melts fastest, where the sunny spots and shady spots are, and where the squirrels and crows tend to hang out.

Today is PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) over at  Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  Review copy from the publisher.

The Prairie that Nature Built

Before I introduce my book of the day, I'd like to announce the book giveaway winner from last week: Merry won a copy of "Can I Come Too?". Congratulations, Merry, and now on to ...

  

  

 The Prairie that Nature Built
by Marybeth Lorbiecki; illus. by Cathy Morrison
32 pages; ages 4-10
 Dawn Publications, 2014

 Themes: nature, habitat, ecological relationships

"This is the prairie that nature built." Starting with the critters that worm and squirm under the prairie, and the diggers that burrow, to the plants and insects, birds and beasts... all playing essential roles in maintaining the prairie.

What I like about this book: it's fun to read. Everyone has a role: tunneling, rooting, providing food, hunting to keep the population in balance... every part is important to the whole. I also like the detailed illustrations, and the way Cathy Morrison uses the page. Sometimes you need to turn the book to get the full length of it all, from root to sky. I also like how, in the end, author Marybeth Lorbiecki brings the prairie home to us, as a place where a child and her dog could roam and explore.

As with all Dawn books, there is great back matter. This book ends with a "Prairie Primer" and some more detailed notes about the soil partners, grazers, flowers and other life essential to the prairie ecology. There's a page full of Prairie Fun activities, and some resources: books, websites and more.

Beyond the book - if you live near a prairie, get out and explore! What plants, animals, and bugs can you find? Take along your nature journal so you can sketch what you see. If you don't have a prairie nearby, see if there's a botanical garden nearby with some prairie grasses and flowers.

Plant some prairie seeds. Even if you don't live near a prairie, you can plant some prairie flowers in your yard - or in a paper cup. Here's a list of some of the flowers found on prairies: larkspur, purple coneflower, black-eyed susan, goldenrod, asters, anise hyssop, blue lobelia, milk vetch... you can find prairie seed mixes here and here. Fall is a good time to plant prairie seeds if you want to turn a patch of your back yard into a habitat for birds and butterflies. 

Read an interview with author Marybeth. She talks about growing up on the prairie, and her efforts to restore prairie landscape.

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. We're also joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  

On Monday, we'll join the roundup over at the Nonfiction Monday blog where you'll find even more book reviews. Review copy provided by publisher.

Dandelion Seed Dreams

The Dandelion Seed's Big Dream
by Joseph Anthony; illus. by Chris Arbo
32 pages; ages 4-10
 Dawn Publications, 2014

 Theme: nature, life cycle

"Once a little seed took to the sky. It had a dream..."

The tiny seed soars, filled with possibilities. But the wind shifts, it nearly loses its fluffy parachute, and it ends up in the wrong place. But it would not let go of its dream

What I like about this book: While the text tells the universal story of hanging on to one's dream - a bit philosophical for any seed - the illustrations tell the "true" story of seed flight, overwintering, and germinating in the spring when conditions are just right. They also show the story of children and their adult friends coming together to clean up a bit of trash-strewn land and turn it into a community garden. I especially like the ending - and the underlying thought that dandelions are beautiful and have a place in our world.

There's also good information in the back: a detailed introduction to dandelion plant parts, and short discussion on "flower or weed" as well as some history, and some things to do.

Beyond the Book (activities and more)
Take a Sock Walk. Get a pair of old white socks that no one will miss - and that are big enough to fit over your shoes. Moth-eaten wool socks work well, too. Pull the socks on, and go for a walk through tall grass and weedy places. Seeds from dandelions and other plants may stick to your socks. When you come back home, gently pull off the socks. Take a close look at the seeds using a magnifying lens. Draw them. Can you figure out what plants they came from?

Turn your sock into a garden. National Wildlife Federation has great instructions for how to turn a seed-full sock into a living garden. Have fun!

How far do seeds travel? If you can find some parachute-topped seeds (asters, dandelions, milkweed) collect a few. Then release them and try to measure how far they float or ride the breeze. You might need a friend to help - and skip the ruler; use the length of your stride to estimate distances. Alternatively, you could use a stopwatch (or watch with a second hand) to determine how long a parachute-topped seed can stay aloft.

Check out this interview with author Joseph Anthony.

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. We're also joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy provided by publisher.

Celebrating Swamps

Two fun books arrived in my mailbox recently - both about swamps and gators. And food chains.
Theme: animals, nonfiction

Swamp Chomp
by Lola M. Schaefer; illus by Paul Meisel
32 pages; ages 4-8
Holiday House, 2014

Opening: "In the swamp... water ripples. Mosquitoes flit. Sit. Dragonflies swoop. Dip..." Animals flit, glide, and swim through the swamp in search of their next meal. But look out - because the alligator is always ready to chomp. The language in this book offers a full-course meal of active verbs that will have children gulping, chomping, and swallowing their next meal at the dining room table.

The Swamp Where Gator Hides
by Marianne Berkes; illus by Roberta Baird
32 pages; ages 3 - 8
Dawn Publications, 2014

Opening: "This is the algae that carpets the swamp where Gator hides.
This is the duck who paddles in ooze under the algae that carpets the swamp...." This is the book that shows you the food chain made up of the animals in and around the swam where Gator hides. Why is Gator hiding? Because he's camouflaged, lying in wait for prey - and when his dinner shows up he'll attack!

What I like about both books: What a FUN way to learn about food chains. In Swamp Chomp it's the active language that breathes life into the predator/prey relationship. The Swamp where Gator Hides builds cumulatively like "the house that Jack built" - until the surprise at the end. Both books have end-notes to help parents (and older siblings) answer the endless stream of questions that always comes when reading about alligators.

Beyond the books: Act out the verbs in Swamp Chomp. Pull a sock over your hand and turn it into an alligator - then have fun gulping and munching your way through a swampy food chain.

Make a Snake out of the letter S. This is a fun way to explore the alphabet - and might lead to some discussion about what other animals start with "S".

Make a paper plate tortoise - you can find instructions here.

 Drop by STEM Friday to see what other science books and resources bloggers are sharing. Today's review is also part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copies provided by publishers.

A Year with the Beavers

A Beaver's Busy Year
by Mary Holland
32 pages; ages 4-8
Arbordale (formerly Sylvan Dell), 2014

Natural historian Mary Holland takes us into the lives of beavers through a year of seasons. We learn about their teeth - and how they use them to gnaw down trees for their building projects. We learn about their special see-through goggly eyes and their strong webbed feet. We see them get ready for winter and emerge with kits in the spring. And we even learn the secrets of how beavers get wood splinters out from between their teeth.

There's plenty of additional material for curious naturalists. Holland includes a section about "beaver signs". Just because you don't see beavers doesn't mean they aren't there, she says. You might find bite marks or tracks or other signs that they've been about. She also has a section about beavers as "habitat engineers" and gives a closer look at how they build their dams. And though some people think of them as pests, beavers play a role as a "keystone species" in an ecosystem.

When not writing books, Mary Holland is out with her camera observing nature. Check out her awesome website, Naturally Curious. And remember to drop by STEM Friday to see what other science books and resources bloggers are sharing. Review copy provided by publisher

The Cuckoo's Haiku

The Cuckoo's Haiku and other Birding Poems
by Michael J. Rosen; illus by Stan Fellows
64 pages; ages 5 and up
Candlewick Press, 2009

Themes: animals, nature, poetry 

wild turkeys' snow tracks

their arrows point us one way

they go the other 

This book is better than a bird guide! It's a haiku field notebook in which Michael Rosen captures the essential characteristics of twenty-four common North American birds. His spare observations are complemented by the gorgeous watercolor illustrations by Stan Fellows - who details everything from field markings to habitat.

What I love about this book: I like the way it is structured - by the seasons. It opens with spring, and the Eastern Bluebird.

on a staff of wires

blue notes inked from April skies

truly, springs first song

In addition to haiku, Rosen includes field notes: the chestnut throat and breast; the males are darker and brighter blue; that bluebirds are thrushes, related to robins. Fellows paints them perched on electrical wires like notes on a staff which, if I could read music, I could play on my recorder. What tune has he hidden in this illustration?

a summer spread, featuring the Pileated Woodpecker and insect prey

I like the details in the artwork - from showing the insects that the woodpeckers seek to wing bars, crests, and feather details. Each spread becomes a field trip into the world of that bird. At the back of the book, Rosen includes five pages of notes about the birds he features: their mating behavior, food preferences, flight and other things that curious bird-watchers will want to know. 

Beyond the book: Write some bird haiku of your own. Spend time watching the birds at your feeder, or perched on a clothesline, or sipping water from a puddle in the parking lot at the grocery store. Start by drawing or jotting notes on the things you notice about this bird: feathers, crest, color of its beak or feet, whether it has a chin strap, eyebrows or wing bars. What is it doing? Where is it? What is the season and the weather? 

Check out more haiku activities here. And head over to Archimedes Notebook today to check out a brand-new book about feathers and do some hands-on science activities. Drop by STEM Friday to see what other science books and resources bloggers are sharing. 

Today's review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.

On Monday we'll fly over to join the Nonfiction Monday round-up, where you'll find all kinds of great nonfiction for children and teens.  Review copy borrowed from a library.

Hide-and-Seek Science: Animal Camouflage

Hide-and-Seek Science: Animal Camouflage
by Emma Stevenson
32 pages; ages 6 - 10
Holiday House, 2013

Children play hide-and-seek for fun. But for animals, it's not just a game. For some, writes Emma Stevenson, it's a matter of life and death.

Why do animals need to hide? Some hide from predators that want to eat them. Predators hide so they can sneak up on their prey. In her book, Stevenson includes 293 animals hiding in diverse habitats. Your challenge, should you decide to accept it, is to find them.

Stevenson shows how animals use camouflage in seven different ecosystems: the Florida Everglades; the Sahara desert in North Africa; the Amazon rainforest in South America; an East African savanna;  an English forest; the Arctic; and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Each ecosystem receives a full spread and is crowded with animals one might see in that place - if they weren't well hidden!

Fortunately, she follows each spread with a picture-key that shows where each animal is, and how it uses camouflage to blend in with its environment. The Everglades swamp, for example: Alligators' eyes and nostrils are high on their heads so they can hide underwater. You have to look closely to find all four in the picture.

Animals in a deciduous forest blend in with the greens and browns, while those living in the Arctic have to blend in with the frozen landscape. Even zebras, with their black-and-white stripes that look so obvious when you see them in a zoo, blend in with their grassland habitat.

This is a fun way to sharpen skills of observation, learn about animals, and gain an appreciation for the ecological diversity on our planet.

This is part of the STEM Friday round-up. Check out the other science books and resources reviewed this week.

Then, on Monday, find us celebrating Nonfiction Monday with a round-up of reviews over at Wendie's Wanderings. Review f&g provided by publisher.

Noisy Frogs!

Noisy Frog Sing-Along
by John Himmelman
32 pages; ages 4 - 9
Dawn Publications, 2013

If you think frogs only sing during the spring... just head to the nearest pond, close your eyes, and listen. Ignore the whine of hungry mosquitoes...

Even though it's late summer, frogs are still active. And they're still noisy.

Author-illustrator John Himmelman takes you on a musical tour of frog calls, from peepers to mink frogs and toads. Frogs don't even have to open their mouths to sing; they fill up their "big, bulgy throat pouches" and let loose with squeaks, quacks, chirps, plunks and more. There are toads that sound like angry sheep and tree frogs that "meep".

Himmelman includes some wonderful information about the noisy frogs at the back of the book, and some links to hear frog calls.You can hear the frogs in the book at https://soundcloud.com/dawn-publications/sets/noisy-frog-sing-along-frog - and listen to more frog calls at LEAPS http://www.leaps.ms/soundpage.htm.

Himmelman also shares the secrets of "taming the wild frogs" (hint: it takes patience and worms) and gives directions for building a house for a toad - which is great because slugs eat garden veggies and toads eat slugs...

Why I like this book: for years I've been singing with the frogs. Now, finally, a songsheet!

This is part of the STEM Friday round-up. Check out the other books and resources reviewed this week.
Review copy provided by the publisher.