Day 222: The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--and Most Surprising--Animals on Earth

Steve Jenkins has become one of our favorite non-fiction authors since we first read Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest two summers ago.  We've read many of his books ever since, loving each one and learning all kinds of new animal facts and scientific tidbits along the way.  (Actual Size is a particular favorite of my kids!)  My children both love learning about nature, and my son is particularly obsessed with animals:  big ones, small ones, exotic ones, extinct ones -- you name it, he can probably tell you about it.  (And if he can't, he'll want to learn all about it.)  When my husband saw that Steve Jenkins was releasing The Animal Book this past fall, he knew just what to get our son for his 6th birthday.  What a fabulous book!

If your child loves learning about animals, this book is a must read.  It provides hours of educational entertainment and Jenkins' paper collage artwork is simply exquisite.  I can't imagine how many hours it must have taken him to create this book!  We recognized some of the artwork from other works (such as Prehistoric Actual Size -- another recent birthday book), and there are many fabulous diagrams throughout the book, as well:  an ecological pyramid (from producers up through apex predators), a comparison of animal sizes (both modern and extinct), and a timeline of animal lifespans, to name just a few.  I particularly love the pages about the forest food web (which inspired my son to draw his own food web the other day), comparative pie chart of types of species, and the timeline of life, including a history of the earth in 24 hours.  If the earth was formed at 12:00am, the first single-cellular life appeared around 5:00am, dinosaurs appeared around 10:50pm, and modern humans didn't enter the picture until 4 seconds before midnight.  Pretty cool, isn't it?

Just to clarify, The Animal Book isn't an animal encyclopedia, per se, but there are over 300 animals featured within its pages.  There is a glossary at the back and additional facts about all of the creatures mentioned, along with the pages on which they can be found.  I could go on and on about this amazing book, so to help wrap things up here, I'll highlight a few of my other favorite features about this book below:

• Its contents are sorted by themes rather than particular species or types of animals.  Categories include family, animal senses, predators, defenses, animal extremes, and the story of life.  I challenge anyone to pick up this book and not learn something new and amazing.

• Jenkins starts off by telling us about how his love of animals and art was formed.  He includes a picture of the first animal book he created -- 103 Favorite Animals -- on graph paper when he was 6 years old.  My son gets such a kick out of this, and I love that it lets him see that even famous animal artists once drew the way he does.

• The section at the back of the book about the history of life on earth, which includes simple yet thorough explanations and diagrams of such topics as natural selection and variation and mutation.  This would be great to use in an elementary school science class.

• The fabulous chapter at the end of the book about making books.  Here, we get to see how Jenkins creates his books, from how his initial ideas are formed, the research process, design stages, and ultimate publication.  Really interesting stuff, especially for aspiring young artists and illustrators!

It's obviously clear that we love this book and think you'd love it, too.  I'd say it's great for any animal lovers ages 5 and up.  I'll leave you with a few examples of some of the amazing animal facts we've learned while reading this book, many of which completely blow my mind.  We hope you love this book as much as we do!

• 97 out of every 100 known species of animals are invertebrates
• One out of every 4 living things is a beetle -- there are over 350,000 species of beetles out there!
• A termite queen may produce as many as 1,200 eggs an hour, laying them around the clock for 30 years or more
• Giant clams have 100s, even 1000s, of eyes
• For every species alive today, there are probably 1,000 that have died out or gone extinct

Day 219: On a Beam of Light

"The important thing is not to stop questioning.  

Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

~Albert Einstein

I've been on a bit of a "new books" kick lately, having discovered some fabulous new titles at our local library that I was lucky enough to snatch up and bring home.  In fact, later this morning, I need to make a library run to return them, since they are on hold by other eager readers and I'm unable to renew them.  
On a Beam of Light is one of these books, so I figure I'd better write about now while I can.

I have heard great things about this story, which was published a few months ago in April, 2013, so I was excited to finally track down a copy and read it.  It's a lovely, informative, and inspiring book about the life and work of Albert Einstein.  Author Jennifer Berne manages to tell his story in a way that is interesting and accessible to children; not easy, given that so many of his discoveries and theories baffle even adults.  Vladimir Radunsky's illustrations are a lovely match for the story, as well, especially those that accompany the thoughts of one of the most creative and brilliant minds the world has ever known.

Berne begins the story by telling us about the early life of young Albert:  about how he turned a year old and didn't say a word.  How he turned two and didn't say a word.  And how he turned three, and hardly spoke at all.  "He just looked around with his big, curious eyes.  Looked and wondered.  Looked and wondered."  We follow along as Albert grows older and begins asking questions; so many, in fact, that his teachers criticize him for being too disruptive and not behaving like all the other students.  "But Albert didn't want to be like the other students.  He wanted to discover the hidden mysteries of the world."

From there, we learn about Albert's quest to learn and understand, and the many ways in which his ideas forever changed science and the what we know about the world.  He asked questions about simple things like why sugar dissolves in hot tea, and set out to find answers by doing what he loved best -- "imagining, wondering, figuring, and thinking."

While the story starts out telling us about Einstein's young life and progresses to teach us about his work and discoveries, I love that it also explains about what he was like as a person, as well.  So often, we learn about important historical figures in a factual, contextual way, so I enjoyed learning about the more ordinary traits of such an extraordinary man.  For example, Albert did some of his best thinking in his sailboat or while playing his violin, or while wearing his favorite combination of baggy sweaters, comfy pants, and shoes without socks.  I just love that!

Most importantly, though, I love the way this story encourages children to ask questions, imagine, and dream.  The book ends by reminding young readers that while Einstein found many answers, there are still many unanswered questions about our world... questions that someday they may go on to answer.

On a Beam of Light is a wonderful way to bring science and biography into your child's reading repertoire. My 5 1/2 year old son enjoys this book, though it didn't quite capture the attention of my 3 year old daughter.  I think she's still a bit young to fully appreciate this story.  In my opinion, this is a perfect book to use in early elementary classrooms to get children excited about science and physics and introduce them to one of the world's most brilliant thinkers.  Curiosity is a wonderful thing, and this book celebrates that in the most marvelous of ways.

Day 213: Where Fish Go in Winter

A few years ago, my mom gave me a big bin of books that she had saved from my (and my brothers') childhood.  Some of them were classics that we already knew and loved, but others, like this gem here, we had never read or heard of before.  The very first time I read this book, I knew I had to feature it on this blog.  My son fell in love with it the first time we read it, too, and it's truly a wonderful book.  It was first published over 25 years ago in 1987, so the hardcover copy that I have seems rather hard to find now.  

Fortunately, however, an easy reader paperback version was published in 2002 -- that's the one shown at the very beginning of this post -- which, as far as I can tell, has the same text as the original but with different illustrations.  Plus, it's only $3.99!  Can't beat that!

If you can ever get your hands on a copy of this book either at the library or your local bookstore, please do.  It's a fabulous collection of questions and answers that inquiring minds everywhere will love.  I smiled as I read through the questions that are the topics of each page, all of which are the very types of questions my curious, nature-loving son loves to ask (often at the most surprising of times.)  Where do fish go in winter?  How do birds fly?  Why do leaves change colors?  What is the sound in a seashell?  How do seeds know which was is up?  How do cats purr?  How does popcorn pop?  Why do snakes shed their skin?  Do islands float?

The answers are given in rolling, rhyming reply in a way that explains why scientifically, yet simply.  I definitely learned a few things reading this book, too, which I always love.  Did you know that not all of the strands in a spider's web are sticky, or that the noise we hear when we hold a shell up to our ear is caused not only by the sound of blood rushing through our ear, but also by both air molecules bouncing around?  I'll share an example so you can get a taste of just how informative and lovely this book really is.

What do clouds feel like?

Would clouds feel fluffy, 

Soft and grand,

If I could touch them

With my hand?

To clutch a cloud

Inside your fist

Would be like holding

Morning mist.

Clouds are not

The way they seem.

They weigh no more

Than fog or steam.

They're made of tiny

Water drops,

So light they float

Above rooftops.

I'd say this book is best suited for preschoolers and elementary students, but would make a fabulous addition to any child's library.  It's a must for any classroom, too.  As I mentioned earlier, the easy reader version (Level 3) seems easier to come by, but there are a bunch of the original hardcover versions available used on Amazon starting at only $0.01 (plus shipping.)  However you track down a copy of this book, I hope you love it as much as we do.

Easy reader paperback:     Hardcover (original version):

       

Day 210: Actual Size

We're on a bit of a Steve Jenkins kick here in our house lately, so I thought I'd feature another one of his books that also happens to be my son's current favorite:  Actual Size.  We first came across Jenkins' work with Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest, and later discovered Living Color, both of which we all loved.  After renewing Living Color from the library 4 times, we finally returned it and brought home Actual Size, instead.  In this fun, informational book, Steve Jenkins uses his impressive paper collage art to show animal features in their real size:  the 2-inch-long pygmy shrew, the 12-inch-wide eye of a giant squid, and the 4-inch long tooth of a great white shark, to name a few.  My son particularly loves the 12-inch wide Goliath birdeater tarantula and 2-foot long giant anteater tongue.  (I love the fold-out picture of the saltwater crocodile's head and the African elephant's foot, myself.)  My little guy and I both love learning about animals, but what makes this book so great is that it depicts, in actual size, right there on the page, the very facts we are learning.  It's one thing for him know that an atlas moth has a 12 inch wing span, but another for him to see just how big that really is.  The back of the book contains additional information about each featured animal, as well, making this another fabulous read for any young animal lovers out there.

Oh, and if you're looking for a fun activity to do with your child after reading this book, trying having him create his own "Actual Size" book.  After reading this a few times, my son excitedly said, "Hey!  I have an idea!  Let's make an "Actual Size" book about dragons!"  And he got right to work.  He's invented many species of dragons in the past few months, so has had lots of fun drawing pictures of their claws, wings, teeth, footprints, and eyes in his art journal.  I just love it when my kids think up their own fun, creative activities!

Day 209: Living Color

A few days ago, a follower of the blog asked me for some nonfiction suggestions for 5-8 year olds.  As I searched through some past posts to see what titles I could share, I realized that I haven't featured many nonfiction titles on here.  Making nonfiction appealing to little ones can be tricky, but there are some gems out there that my kids and I absolutely love.

Living Color is one such book.  In fact, it's the kind of book for which I knowingly and willingly pay overdue library fines, because my son loves it that much and we've already renewed it as many times as we're allowed.  (I plan on sneaking it back to the library tonight so that it will be there for him to take out again tomorrow.)  Time to add another title to our must-own list!

We found this book on the library shelf in the nonfiction section about animals, and it was love at first read for my little nature lover.  In Living Color, author and illustrator Steve Jenkins has created a fabulous book that "takes a look at color in the animal world and some of the ingenious ways it is used."  Creatures of all kinds are sorted by color within its pages -- birds, spiders, snakes, fish, lizards, mammals -- each with an informative little description about what makes this animal unique.  The end of the book features an illustrated glossary of each animal mentioned within, including more information about the creature's size, habitat, and diet.  There is also an interesting page spread about why animals are different colors, how their colors are created, and how their colors have evolved through natural selection.  It's fascinating, colorful, and full of information for curious little minds.

If your child loves animals, science, or nature, be sure to look for this book the next time you are at the library.  My daughter (almost 3) loves looking at the pictures with us and learning about the animals, though doesn't have the attention span to sit through the reading the whole thing.  My 5 1/2 year old son, however, asks me to read this to him from cover to cover on a regular basis.

I've learned that Steve Jenkins has some other fabulous nature books out there, too, so am eager to look for more of them when we go to the library tomorrow.  In fact, I just realized that he also wrote Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest, another great nonfiction book that we've read and loved.  If we're lucky, perhaps we'll find ourselves coming home with more than one of his books tomorrow.  If the others are as good as these ones, we'll be sure to let you know.

Day 173: The Water Hole

Graeme Base is one of the most amazing children's illustrators I know.  His artwork is simply stunning, with beautiful, intricate detail that gives his drawings a truly magical feel.  We love Animalia, and recently found The Water Hole at our local library.  We brought it home because my son wants to read any book about animals, but mostly because I'm always fascinated by Base's illustrations.  I briefly flipped through the pages and noticed that it was a counting book, and that each page had a cut-out area for a watering hole which kept getting smaller and smaller as the book went on.  Cute, I thought.  A nice little counting book about animals (with gorgeous illustrations, of course.)  My son took to the book immediately and enjoyed looking at it throughout the afternoon, but it wasn't until the next day that I really sat down to read the book with him.  We've read it many times since, including for an hour together this morning, and each time we pick it up we discover new gems hidden within its pages.

This book is a classic example of a picture being worth a thousand words.  There are so many amazing things about this story that I really don't know where to begin.  You can tell just by looking at the cover illustration that the artwork in the book is incredible, but there is so much more to this wonderful book! Each page features wildlife from various parts of the world, such as India, Australia, South America, the Galapagos Islands, and the Himalayas.  Hidden within each drawing itself are a variety of other native creatures, whose silhouettes appear in the borders of each spread.  We love finding all of these hidden animals, and I am always blown away by the artistry and creativity involved in crafting such elaborate illustrations.  As more animals come to drink at the water hole (that's where the counting element comes in), the level of water gradually goes down... until there is none left!  By weaving in the themes of seasonal change and migration, Base creates wonderful opportunities for further learning and discussion within his pages, as well.  You can see why the geography teacher in me absolutely loves this book!

My son's favorite page is the one for Europe with all of the ladybugs, but I think my favorite is actually the one where, after the water hole has dried up, "All the animals went away."  This page features a beautifully eerie and desolate image of a barren land, with 10 extinct animals hidden within.  It is the least colorful image in the book, but is positively brilliant in every way.  I also love the page shortly thereafter where the rains come, forming shimmering puddles in the shapes of the earth's continents as the world slowly comes back to life.   Yes, I think it's safe to say we've added yet another book to our "Must own someday" list!

I suppose I've gone on enough about how fabulous a book I think this is, so I'll leave you with this tidbit from the author himself about the inspiration behind the story.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!  "The Water Hole was inspired by a four-week sight-seeing safari through Kenya and Tanzania.  I had in mind a simple story about the cycle of season on the African plains, but the idea gradually expanded to embrace other countries and their wildlife, in the process giving the central image of the water hole a certain metaphorical significance -- and, of course, providing me with the perfect excuse to draw lots of animals from other parts of the world, as well!"

Day 172: A Leaf Can Be...

We've reached that magical week in New England where, all of a sudden, I look around and realize that the leaves are turning vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red.  I love summer as much as anyone, but fall is my favorite season.  It is the reason why I can't imagine living anywhere other than New England:  the crunch of leaves underfoot, cool days and even cooler nights, the crisp smell of the air, the crackle of the first fire in our fireplace.  I love experiencing four distinct seasons and seeing the natural world transform in all its wonder all around us... even when it means my husband and I spend hours raking thousands of oak leaves from our lawn.  Our kids are always more than happy to "help" us with this, jumping in and racing through the piles of leaves in a state of pure childhood bliss.  I raked our first official leaf pile today (solely for my son's jumping entertainment), and realized that it would be a perfect day to feature this wonderful book!

My children love nature, so when I saw this book on the "Staff Recommendation" shelf at the library a few weeks ago, I knew I had to bring it home.  Thank you, Fran the librarian, for introducing us to this beautiful story!  In A Leaf Can Be, author Laura Purdie Solas takes us on a "poetic exploration of leaves throughout the year," from the gently unfurling new leaves of spring, to the frost tipped leaves of winter.  In her lovely, lyrical way, Solas reminds us that leaves can be all kinds of things depending on the time and place:  "Sun taker.  Food maker...  Air cleaner.  Earth greener...  Wind rider.  Lake glider..."  And of course my son's favorite:  "Pile grower.  Hill glow-er."  The verses are simple but perfect, and Violeta Dabija's illustrations are gorgeous!  Her use of color and light magically brings the pages to life, and I always find myself stopping and staring at the pictures longer than usual before I turn to the next page.  We also love the additional information featured at the back of the book, which explains in more detail how leaves serve their many purposes highlighted throughout the story.  A Leaf Can Be... is a perfect book to share as part of a preschool or elementary nature unit, or simply to snuggle up and enjoy with your child at any time of year.

Day 81: Little Cloud

Anyone who has ever gazed up at the clouds and seen different shapes and creatures among them is sure to adore this book.   We just love it!  Like so many wonderful Eric Carle stories, Little Cloud excites the imagination while teaching us a little lesson in the process.  The curious little cloud ventures away from his friends, touching the tops of the houses and trees, then turning into all sorts of shapes -- a sheep, a plane, a shark, trees, a rabbit, a hat, a clown -- before finally joining his friends to do what all clouds are supposed to do... rain!  I love Carle's choice of objects the cloud becomes and its reasons for doing so.  ("Little Cloud changed into an airplane.  Little Cloud often saw airplanes flying through the clouds.")  It's a simple, lovely story that intrigues young minds and is a perfect book to read on a summer day.  After reading it, of course, you'll have to go out and do some cloud gazing yourself!  Be sure to read Carle's letter to the reader on the inside cover, as well.  I always love when authors do this, especially when it provides a bigger sense of why they wrote the story and what they hope the reader takes away from the book.   Happy cloud watching!

Day 72: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Of all of Eric Carle's fabulous titles, this one might be the most famous of all.  What child doesn't absolutely adore the story of the hungry little caterpillar who eats his way through the days of the week?  This story has just about everything you could ask for in a children's book.  It's educational (we learn about the metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar to butterfly, the days of the week, and even that eating too much junk food gives you a stomach ache!), is fun, tactile and interactive (with little holes chewed through each piece of food, just perfect for little fingers), and is full of simple, bold, colorful illustrations.  My son can't wait to turn each page to see what the caterpillar eats the next day, anxiously awaiting Saturday and its glorious selection of treats.  My daughter loves staring at the bright pictures and is always sticking her fingers into the little holes.  I also love that the book is conducive to so many other creative activities, from food and science to arts and crafts.  We had to make a caterpillar fruit plate for dessert tonight to ward off the requests for "chocolate cake, an ice cream cone, a lollipop, a slice of salami, and a cupcake!" Carle is a master of engaging little minds and readers of all ages, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar is definitely one of our favorites.  Oh, and if you do not yet own the book and are interesting in buying it, we highly recommend the lap board book edition.  In my opinion, it is much better than the smaller board book version and makes reading a fantastic book even more fun.  Enjoy!