Full Speed Ahead!

Full Speed Ahead!  (À toute vitesse)
How Fast Things Go
by Cruschiform


The seven year old prefers non-fiction and likes to know facts and more facts. So, when I brought home Full Speed Ahead! he was quite taken up with its simple format of showing how fast things go, in increasing speeds starting with Galapagos tortoise and Seahorses at 0.3 km/hr to a shooting star +100,000 km/hr.

Retro design with each double page spread showing the objects on the right side with the bare bones speed plus the name of the objects on the left hand page is easy on the eyes.

The French origins of the book explains some of the unfamiliar vehicles for the U.S. audience. Back of the book has more information about each of the objects.

[The blog post tells more about the book and has some lovely inside look]



Biggest, Strongest, Fastest
by Steve Jenkins

A permanent favorite in our house, Steve Jenkins' books are the perfect combination of visual artistry and nuggets of digestible facts.

As the title suggests, it lists fourteen members of the animal kingdom and their fascinating claim to fame, be it biggest or fastest, or like the anaconda which can swallow a deer or a goat whole.

With Jenkins' trademark cut-paper collage, plus minimum words that pack maximum impact, books like these are a must for every library.

Of course, we have many more books by Steve Jenkins on our bookshelf which are much loved even after a zillion reads over the last few years: Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest; Just a Second; The Beetle Book; Eye to Eye; Down Down Down... just about every book by Steve Jenkins is much enjoyed and appreciated.

[image source: multcolib.org]

Five Picture Books to Celebrate Patterns in Nature

Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails
Patterns & Shapes-- Naturally
by Betsy Franco
illustrations by Steve Jenkins


Author of Curious Collection of Cats and Dazzling Display of Dogs, Betsy Franco, has written over two dozen books for children, among other things. Plus, the kids and I are huge fans of Steve Jenkins. So, when we found this book in the library by two wonderfully creative and talented people, we had to bring it home to savor at our leisure.

In the day and the night,
on land and in flight,
tucked in hollows of trees,
in the tide pools and seas,
you'll find patterns and shapes--
from the snakes to the bees!

Thus starts this book which has Jenkins' trademark cut paper collage complementing the lyrical text.

We learn about Moth's kaleidoscopic shapes, spider's delicate tapestries, peacock's patterned train, and even the beautiful spirals on topshell snails. The text is elegant in its simplicity, highlighting the very aspect that is distinct and discernible in each creature.

Study a beehive and you will see
the mathematical genius of the bee.
The hexagons you'll find inside
fit side by side by side.
This math is passed mysteriously
from worker bee to worker bee!

Each page is a work of art, inspiring and stunning. Kids particularly liked the pufferfish page! The pages with ants marching diligently and the sea stars in a tidepool cannot be read in a rush.



Swirl by Swirl
Spirals in Nature
by Joyce Sidman
illustrated by Beth Krommes


From coiled up snake that is ready to spring, to chambered nautilus that grows bigger and bigger; from rolled up lady fern leaves ready to unfurl, to spiny sea horse's coiled tail that grabs on tight to seaweed so as not to drift away; and all the way to spiral galaxy, we are treated to the many aspects of spirals we see in nature.

A spiral is a snuggling shape.
It fits neatly in small places.
Coiled tight, warm and safe, it awaits...
For a chance to expand.

Full page scratchboard illustrations with just a hint of color from watercolor washes are gorgeous. Each example shows the many aspects of spiral shape that makes it unique and useful. With minimal text, the book conveys the idea gracefully - that no matter how we look at it, be it rolled up and full of potential or fully expanded infinite in the universe, spirals can be powerful and elegant.


Growing Patterns
Fibonacci Numbers in Nature
and
Mysterious Patterns
Finding Fractals in Nature
By Sarah C. Campbell

With photographic illustrations, Growing Patterns introduces Fibonacci numbers in nature - starting with the number of petals in Lyle-leaved Sage and Calla Lily to Crown of Thorns to Trillium to Vinca to Cosmos.

The back of the book has  More About Fibonacci Numbers where we learn about Fibonacci, the man, as well as the fact that this series of numbers was known to ancient Indian scholars even before Fibonacci spread the word about it. Glossary explains the golden ratio and the golden rectangle.

From Pinecones and Pineapple to Sunflower Centers and Nautilus we see the beauty of Fibonacci numbers. But the book also ends with the note that not all numbers in nature are Fibonacci numbers, and encourages us to look for spirals, Fibonacci numbers, and other patterns.

We know spheres (oranges, tomatoes) and cones (icicles and traffic cones), even cylinders (pencils and cucumbers). But what do we call the shape of broccoli or branch of fern leaves? We didn't have a name for them until 1975, when Benoit Mandelbrot noticed patterns in these natural shapes.

Mysterious Patterns is all about fractals. Using a drawing of a tree - starting with the bare trunk, add a 'V' branch, then add a 'V' branch to each arm of the first 'V' branch, and so on till we get the shape of a typical tree, or broccoli - we learn about identifying the smallest unit/pattern which when repeated, gives the complex shape for which we don't have a single precise name, but call them fractals.

Leaves' veins and flower heads of Queen Anne's Lace are simple examples of this repetitive pattern that makes up some of the natural shapes in nature. The pattern of small rivers and streams that feed into one larger river, the lightning bolt, human veins,even human lungs are fractals.

The book ends by showing what patterns are not fractals - even though they are repetitive - like skin marking on swallowtail caterpillar or the outside of the pineapple.

Make Your Own Fractal section at the back of the book was a big hit with both the nine and seven year old. The Afterword suggests that Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak would have been made of fractals!


Echoes for the Eye
Poems to Celebrate Patterns in Nature
by Barbara Juster Esbensen
illustrated by Helen K. Davie

Organized in five sections titled Spirals, Branches, Polygons, Meanders, and Circles, the book presents examples of natural geometry and repetition of shapes in nature in the most unexpected places.

Tornado and spirals? From cochlea to bighorn sheep's horns, we see some examples of spirals in nature. Snowflakes and turtle shells show us polygons in nature. Meanders talks about the winding curving esses in nature like the slithering snake and sliding glaciers.

Like a frozen white river
locked in time
the glacier
slides
slow
ponderous
inch by heavy
inch
powerful
grinding--
a heavy unfolding
ribbon of snow and ice.

Some knowledge of basic shapes and geometry is required to appreciate this book. The shapes are not explained, but the illustrations complement the poems to help the young readers get the idea.

[image source: multcolib.org]

Non-fiction Picture Books on Prehistoric Life

Since early this year, the younger child has been interested in all things prehistoric. Starting with what "pre-historic" means. And after explaining it and introducing "pre" and "post" prefixes with examples, he has started outlining the "post-historic" world. I am guessing he means "post-historic" to be "futuristic" but for now, "post-historic" is entirely a figment of his creative extrapolation.

Meanwhile, we read a lot of non-fiction books, to learn about Prehistoric Life. We used the web to find more information as needed.

First step was to get a handle on the geological timeline as agreed by archaeologists and geologists and paleontologists. Once we got familiar with the various eras and time periods, from Precambrian to Quaternary, we were happy to explore life in those times.

[image source: Britannica Kids]

What do we know about the early life on earth - before we humans came, before we started recording our observations for posterity? There was a time when we thought we were the beginning of all things important. But, now we have enough research to show a rich and diverse world that thrived without us, that predates our existence.

How far back did the first life on earth begin? What was this life form? How did it get there? And how did we evolve from these seemingly bizarre creatures that have nothing to do with the level of sophistication and predominance we command today?

Paleontologists are still discovering bits and pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, and we have enough information to piece together an overall slightly-blurry picture, but, not enough to get a definitive crystal clear unequivocal picture of what happened so far on earth.



Prehistoric Life: The Definitive Visual History of Life on Earth 
by David Burnie


The book. Comprehensive. Filled with pictures. Short, crisp information. Much-loved at home. A perfect reference book. Index makes it easy to look up.

Shows not just animals but plant life as well and other early forms. The one book that the kid wanted to have in his bookshelf, his own copy, to refer to and read at pleasure.

Starting at about 3.8 billion years ago, we learn about the earliest-known form of life on Earth, a bacteria that still exists today, and we continue through mind-boggling millennia during which this-can't-be-possible type of life forms evolved, and we also learn about the massive extinctions that wiped out entire species, lost to us forever.

[image source: Google Books]



Prehistoric Actual Size
by Steve Jenkins


Take any fun non-fiction topic for learning that kids might be interested in, and there sure is bound to be a book by Steve Jenkins, filled with succinct kid-friendly information and gorgeous cut-paper collage illustrations.

Having read every one of Jenkins' books, the younger kid easily recognizes the format and pictures. And, I was thrilled when I heard him say that he wants to make books when he is older, just like Steve Jenkins.

Anyway, about the book: as the title says, prehistoric creatures are shown in actual size. So, a double-page spread showing the face of an eight-foot terror bird indicates that is its actual size. A foot long double-page spread of a partial millipede lets us extrapolate and gauge its 6 feet long body.

The kid liked this book so much that he had it on his wish-list for his recent birthday. And he got it. Much like last year, when he got Jenkins' Down, Down, Down for his birthday - a book that still thrills him to read when I put it back on his bookshelf for circulation.

[image source: Steve Jenkins Books]



Paleo Bugs: Survival of the Creepiest

by Timothy J. Bradley

As the subtitle states, some of the creepiest inhabitants of early Earth are showcased in this book.

Each page shows one creature with its name, how long ago it lived and some information about its possible lifestyle in its time.

Among the Sanctacaris, Meganeura, Calymene and suchlike, the kid zoomed in on a handful that impressed him, one of which is Pterygotus, a ferocious 9-foot long "sea scorpion". Possibly because Walking with... series showed their amazing adaptations.

[image source: amazon.com ]



Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age

by Caroline Arnold
illustrated by Laurie A. Caple

The prolific Ms.Arnold has written countless non-fiction picture books about animals. This book walks us through some of the ocean dwellers in prehistoric waters.

Starting with early sea reptiles like Nothosaurs (kid's favorite) to fish-like Ichthyosaurs to gigantic long-necked Plesiosaurs and the top predator, the Mosasaurs, the book is packed with child-friendly information.

The focus is on the Mesozoic aquatic reptiles, sharing whatever information is agreed-upon at the time of writing the book. While one creature's diet and reproduction is known, another's size and predatory habits are known.

Our favorite section was about Mary Anning, the fossil-finder.

[image source: Caroline Arnold Books]



Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure

by Marfe Ferguson Delano

A companion book to National Geographic's film of the same name, the book fascinated the kid who is partial to prehistoric sea monsters much more than land animals.

Enchodus, Styxosaurus, Caproberyx... we learn about a lot of the fantastic creatures of the time. The photo-like pictures are amazing.

The story starts by saying how Kansas, so far away from any body of water, came to have fossils of the prehistoric ocean creatures.

We are introduced to "Dolly" (Dolichorynchops osborni) and the book follows along her story and ends with how millions of years later when the sea is gone and the land is part of the vast plains of Kansas, paleontologists will find our Dolly and figure out her story.

[image source: amazon.com ]



Giant Shark: Megalodon, Prehistoric Super Predator

by Caroline Arnold
illustrated by Laurie A. Caple

Megalodon has held a certain fascination for the kid for a while and this book showcases its ferocity and its world.

Full of information - from its replaceable teeth and its babies, to theories about why the Megalodon disappeared, the book was a good read for all of us.

The only thing that bothered him about the book - at least the edition we borrowed from our library - is that on page 8, where we learn about ancient and modern sharks with a timeline showing when Megalodon lived, the text says "Invertebrates (animals without bones)". Is it animals without bones or animals without back bones?

[image source: Caroline Arnold Books]



Pterosaurs: Rulers of the Skies in the Dinosaur Age

by Caroline Arnold
illustrated by Laurie A. Caple

Another informative book by the same team, which shows the prehistoric skies criss-crossed by the flying giants.

Pterosaur fossils have been found in all continents and paleontologists are still trying to learn all they can about these magnificent avian creatures that went extinct with their terrestrial kin at the end of Mesozoic era.

As a result, the drawback of any such book is that the information is only current up to the time of publication. Naming schemes change, new fossil evidence uncovers or invalidates earlier conclusions.

However, this exceptional 40-page book takes us back to the times when Pterosaurs ruled the skies. The illustrations don't just show the details of each of the nearly two dozen creatures, but also lets us peek at what the world might have looked like at that time.

Although organized as a chapter book, this picture book with its large font and brilliant illustrations has a flowing narration that makes it an absorbing read. We learn about distinguishing features of each pterosaur, as well as its possible dietary preferences and behavior.

[image source: Caroline Arnold Books]



How Whales Walked into the Sea 
by Faith McNulty
illustrated by Ted Rand

Prehistoric sea creatures being the top favorite, Dorudon easily became a household name right along with Basilosaurus and Mosasaur and Pleisiosaur.

And, while digging deeper into Dorudon, we learnt about Ambulocetus ("ambulo" = walking, "cetus" = whale"); and came upon rhodocetus.

While searching for picture books on the topic, I came upon this absolutely wonderful book that combines scientific discoveries and facts with the story of how a four-legged mammalian creature eventually turned into a purely aquatic whale as we now know it.

Why was this so fascinating? Well, most cases we've encountered till then indicated that life originated in the oceans and finally walked out of the water to occupy the land. Whereas, this particular case shows that a land mammal walked into the ocean.

The author describes the adaptations in physique and diet for each of these stages in evolution that possibly resulted in the creature we know as whale now.

Each of the large, colorful, full-page illustration shows the ancestor of our whale with slow adaptations like shorter legs, broader feet, fusing of fingers/toes turning to flippers, broader jaw, wider tail for propelling and directing motion...

As with such books, the information is only current at the time of writing. Since its publication, through DNA studies, in addition to fossils, scientists believe the oldest known ancestor is not Mesonychid (as in this book), but is Anthracotheriidae.

This is a one-of-a-kind book, as it traces the incremental changes of just one species (whales as we now know them) while providing scientific discoveries/studies/evidence that led to this conclusion.

[image source: amazon]



National Geographic Prehistoric Mammals

by Alan Turner
illustrated by Mauricio Anton

Dinosaurs have fascinated one and all, and have been the poster-child for the prehistoric drama of life - their heft, their variety, their unchallenged reign, and their sudden extinction all adding to their enigma; and the small mammals that hid from the thundering lizards remained obscure.

This book showcases not just the well-known mammalian stars of the time, like Smilodon (sabre-toothed cat) and Mammoths (woolly, pygmy, imperial, Columbian, Jeffersonian...),  but also the massive rhino-like Indricotherium and elephantine sloth Megatherium among other megafauna.

The pictures are carefully constructed from available fossil evidence - these well-researched artist's rendition has to suffice for now as we have not enough evidence to state much about their looks and behavior for certain. The text does seem to suggest a lot of speculation, and the information is mostly superficial, but enough to get us interested in learning more about our mammalian roots.

[image source: amazon]



After the Dinosaurs: Mammoths and Fossil Mammals

(I Can Read Book 2)
by Charlotte Lewis Brown
illustrated by Phil Wilson

Perfect for Kindergarten through Lower Elementary Prehistory fans, this book introduces a variety of mammals and mammoths after the dinosaurs went extinct.

The pronunciation guide is handy and the information is presented in a child-relatable way. The detailed watercolor illustrations with each spread devoted to one animal makes it easy to flip through the pages and land on a particularly interesting one and read without feeling overwhelmed.

Browse Inside at Harper Collins

[image source: Harper Collins]


Mammoths on the Move
by Lisa Wheeler
illustrated by Kurt Cyrus

Two of my favorite people in the picture book world, not that they know me or anything, were teamed up to make this brilliant book.

Fourteen thousand years ago
the north was mostly ice and snow.
But woolly mammoths didn’t care-
these beasts had comfy coats of hair.

Thus starts this book with upbeat rhythm and catchy refrain that tell the story of these herds of woolly mammoths that traveled to warmer pastures over winter braving predators and slippery ice; only to reach there and turn back and do the trek all over again.

Crafted with wit and wordplay, the book is a pleasure to read aloud, foot-tapping optional. The illustrations are stunning, with snow and cold creeping from page to page, putting us right in the ice age, leaving us reaching for our woolly sweaters. Much like Mr.Cyrus did while creating these pictures, as the back flyleaf informs us.

Captured from various angles, especially low ones, the mammoths tower over us on the pages as they trek purposefully along, while also holding some comic postures with their trunks held high as they cross deep icy waters; their protective circle during a smilodon encounter and their jaunty motion are all rendered brilliantly to a story within a story, that Mr.Cyrus is well-known for.

[View more images at Kurt Cyrus website]

[image source: amazon]


Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age

by Cheryl Bardoe

Relating the true story of how a well-preserved baby woolly mammoth was found by two Nenet brothers, Kosti and Edik, of northern Siberia, in 2007, the book intersperses the scientific process of studying the animal using modern technology with facts and relevant information as we learn more.

Baby Lyuba, the baby woolly mammoth, who died about 40,000 years ago, finally put an end to speculation and allowed us to know about these lumbering giants of the ice age. And, learning about them could help us keep our elephants from going extinct.

Colorful charts, diagrams, Proboscidean family tree, illustrations, and photographs, along with information boxes and glossary makes this an engaging read for the Upper Elementary kids.

[Activities based on the book]

[image source: amazon]

[This post written for Saffron Tree's CROCUS 2014: Prehistoric Life and Ancient Civilizaions]

Ten Picture Books of Animal Poems

I was planning to write separate post for "Picture Books of Bird Poems", then decided that they are animals too, so, why not just be inclusive here...

The animal poetry books are listed here in no particular order. Some are for the older readers while others are easily enjoyed by all.


Feathers
Poems about Birds
by Eileen Spinelli
illustrated by Lisa McCue

Eileen Spinelli needs no introduction. Her Polar Bear, Arctic Hare is a firm favorite in our bookshelf.

The poems in Feathers are short and lyrical, and most a quite humorous, plus all of them are delightfully entertaining and educational - we learn a little about each bird as we chuckle at the apt titles. And, we might learn a bit about the various poetic forms from Haiku to Limerick to Cinquain.

The illustrations by Lisa McCue are bright, colorful and the birds are shown quite realistically in their natural habitat.

We learn about the somewhat unfamiliar lyrebird of New Zealand and plover, the wading bird of Egypt, as well as the familiar favorites like the crow and woodpecker and weaverbird.

[image source: Eileen Spinelli's website]


Birds of a Feather
by Jane Yolen
photographs by Jason Stemple

Jane Yolen has written such a wide range of children's books from Owl Moon, How Do Dinosaurs... books, Child of Faerie, Child of Earth, to Dragon's Blood, but her poetry collections seem to be lost in the mix somehow.

In Birds of a Feather, 14 stunning up-close photographs of birds are accompanied by creative and playful poems, and a brief paragraph of facts about each bird.

Haiku for a Cool Kingfisher

Hey, girl, fish lover,
Sitting on the dead gray tree,
Love the blue Mohawk.

With clever titles like Solitary Wood Duck, terns Galore, Regal Eagle, Cedar Waxwings Unmasked, we learn about the birds as much from the facts box as from the poem itself.

The poems probably will appeal to older children better as they can probably get some of the nuances.

[image source: google books]


Omnibeasts
Animal Poems and Paintings
by Douglas Florian

It looks like anything we get interested in, we invariably find a book by the prolific Mr.Florian!

As always, the illustrations are appealing. The poems are short and funny and quirky and weird at times. To give an example, there is one about Jaguarundi (a.k.a eyra cat native to Central and South America)

The jaguarundi hunts by day
Then sleeps inside its lair
And when it wakes it likes to play
In jaguarundi-wear

Sure to incite peals of laughter in the young. How can one go wrong with the "underwear" motif :)

Of course, not all of the poems are as silly. We learn about each animals as we take the poems in, one by one, wondering, Are these for real? 

Between the Jaguarundi, the Skink, and the Blenny, the fairly uncommon animals are covered. We also encounter the usual suspects like the cheetah, the porcupine, the armadillo, the bat, the tiger, the boar; and, some of the unusual like the mayfly, the daddy longlegs, and the chihuahua.

All in all, a fun read. The kind of book that brings joy to adults and kids alike. (At least in our household. And, at least for this adult.)

Also by Florian that we enjoyed: Mammalabilia, Beast Feast, and On The Wing.

[image source: scholastic]



National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry
200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!
edited by J.Patrick lewis

Essentially, this is a photo book. Full of breathtaking animal photos that we've come to expect from National Geographic.

And, it is also a magnificent poetry book. From thoughtful to playful, from silly to evocative, from classic to modern, the book presents poems by such poets as Emily Dickinson, Rober Frost, Lord Tennyson, J.Patrick Lewis, Jane Yolen, X.J.Kennedy, Georgia Heard, Jack Prelutsky, John Ciardi, to name a few.

The book starts with a section called "Welcome to the World."  The rest of the book is presented in sections titled "The Big Ones," "The Little Ones," "The Winged Ones," "The Water Ones," "The Strange Ones," "The Noisy Ones," and "The Quiet Ones," the book showcases a wide array of animals that naturally fit in each category. A section called "Final Thought" concludes the book.

Not all poems in an anthology can appeal equally. We pick and choose and relish what resonates with us. Considering there are 200 poems in this anthology, at least a few are sure to leave a lasting impression in the young minds.

[image source: National Geographic]


Animal Poems
by Valerie Worth
illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Twenty-three poems by Valerie Worth are presented in this posthumous collection of free verses that capture the qualities of each of the animals featured - from wasp to wren, jellyfish to star-nosed mole, porcupine to tiny snail, humming bird to blue whale.

The poems are rather sophisticated and may elude the very young. But, what might hold their attention is Steve Jenkins' stunning trademark cut-paper collage art work. That's the primary reason the younger child reached for this book, not the poems themselves as his leanings are towards Kenn Nesbitt's style.


[image source: MacMillan]


A Gopher in the Garden, and Other Animal Poems
by Jack Prelutsky
illustrations by Robert Leydenfrost

The Snake

Don't ever make
the bad mistake
of stepping on snake

because
his jaws

might be awake.

The Multilingual Mynah Bird, The Bengal Tiger, The Giggling Gaggling Gaggle of Geese, Do Not Confuse the Brindled Gnu are some of the teasing titles; and there are the usual The Owl, The Ostrich, The Rabbit etc.

Scramble was an instant favorite as the first stanza probably indicates why:

If the zebra were given the spots of the leopard
and the leopard the stripes of the zebra,
then the leopard would have to be renamed the zeopard,
and the zebra retitled the libra.

[image source: personal photograph]


Animal Mischief Poems
by Rob Jackson
illustrations by Laura Jacobsen

Words made up just to rhyme are tricky especially for the young whose vocabulary is still growing and they are trying to figure out if it is a "real" word or not. At the same time, thanks to Dr.Seuss' bold approach, such new words do work when done right, in a funny context.

The poems in this book are delightful and informative. Take for example Camels:

Consider now the dromedary,
Domesticated desert ferry
Piled high with heavy crates
It loses up to half its weight
Especially when dinner's late.

So far so good, but the next two lines are visually entertaining as the letters are arranged to show two humps in the first line and one hump in the second lines:

While other camels have two humps on their bactrian
The dromedary has just one, an interesting factrian.

"bactrian" and "factrian" is easily a giggle inducer for the 7/8 year olds who probably know this fact by now.

The one I liked, titled What's in a Name? wonders if the animals were named by men? Take for example the penguins - why are they King Penguins and Emperor Penguins and not Queen and Empress? And what about Gentoo - can we rename it in the sense of the ladies and not the gents?

Sidewinder was another appealing one because of its concrete/shape poetry format - the words are arranged on the page resembling the snaky zigzags of the creature stating, "If you've never seen a side winder, its track in sand will help you find her."

The illustrations complement the light-hearted poems well.

[image source: amazon.com]


Animal poems of the Iguazú poems
by Francisco X Alarcón
illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez

This bilingual poetry book is a treat to read, with side by side placement of Spanish original and English translation. The indigenous Guarani people have been fascinated with the Iguazú waterfalls in the northeastern part of Argentina. The author shares that he wrote these poems in a small notebook during his visits there - many of the plants and animal species are in serious danger of extinction and he hopes that these poems will motivate us to take action to protect and preserve the wild Iguazú  area.

The English version is simple, not heavy on rhyme or meter, mostly free verse, short and yet with a refreshing take. Example, Yacaré (Caiman):
on the rocks
of the Iguazú river
I'll always lie
under the sun
a smiling happy
caiman.

[Preview on Google]

[image source: Powells books]



There's a Babirusa in my Bathtub
Fact and Fancy about Curious Creatures
by Maxine Rose Schur
illustrated by Michael S. Maydak

You've heard of cats and you've heard of bats / And giraffes and zebras, of course.

Starts the book. And goes on to say, But outside the zoo what would you do / with an animals you didn't know? / Do you think you'd be frightened? / Or want to be enlightened? / If so... turn these pages and go!

And on page one, we encounter Babirusa. With the poem in one column and facts in the other, each page is a treat to read. And the picture accompanying it is realistically presented in the animal's natural habitat. Plus, there is a short paragraph of Fabulous Fact. "To prove who is the strongest, male babirusas stand on their hind legs and box each other."

Babirusa, Civet, Colugo, Jerboa,Kinkajou, Matamata, Tamandua, are some of the featured animals! Fairly uncommon and easily interesting.

Back of the book has activities based on the book. The popular one at home is the Hidden Picture challenge. Each page of illustration has something concealed in it - something alluded to in the poem. There's also a phonics and phonemic awareness activity. Also, an exercise to pick an animal from the list given, research them, and write an acrostic poem about its characteristics.

This is easily my top favorite so far for the format, the choice of animals, and the supplemental activities at the back. It is geared towards slightly older children, possibly Upper Elementary level.

[Preview at Dawn - click on the cover to look inside]

[image source: Dawn publications]


Alphabestiary (anthology)
collected  by Jane Yolen
illustrated by Allan Aitzen


As Jane Yolen shares in her blog, it is a labor of love - a collection 72 of kid-friendly animal poems from A to Z.

From Robert Louis Stevenson, Lilian Moore, Jack Prelutsky, John Ciardi, to Hilaire Belloc, Christina Rosseti, Ogden Nash, we encounter many familiar poets whose works we admire as adults and are eager to introduce to our kids.

In any A to Z presentation, it is tough to find something for Q, X, Y, Z, but Jane Yolen has rounded up quite a few for us.

[image source: Multcolib]

Also shared earlier:

Hotel Deep

Around the World on Eighty Legs

Cat Poems

Imaginary Menagerie

Bird Picture Books

A few picture books about birds came our way recently from the library.


Animals in Flight
by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

The stark cut paper illustrations, meticulous attention to detail, simple and direct kid-friendly text packed with information are what set apart Steve Jenkins' books. This one is no exception.

We learn that insects were the first animals to fly, even before the dinosaurs. Why did animals have this adaptation - the ability to fly? The most obvious answer is survival - to escape predators and go in search of new food sources.

Along the way we learn about birds and insects, and of course the only flying mammal - the bat. We also learn about gliders like Flying Squirrel, Flying Frog, Flying Fish, Flying Lizard, even Flying Snake.

The book ends with a glimpse into human endeavors for taking to the air.

as always, back of the book has a Notes section which provides more information about some of the animals

[image source: goodreads.com]


About Hummingbirds
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill

We have enjoyed many of Sills' books. The husband and wife team have written many books in the About... Series, of which we sampled About Birds and About Raptors for the bird study, besides the About Hummingbirds book.

Each plate has gorgeous detailed illustrations by John Sill of almost photographic clarity. Simply amazing. The text is easy for preschoolers to follow along - simple, straightforward and packed with interesting information about the hummingbirds.

We learn that most hummingbirds cannot walk, their feet are used for perching. And that hummingbirds can be found in different habitats like desert, mountains, wetlands/grasslands, and forests.

Each double-page spread has text on one side and a full page color illustration on the other. The caption clearly indicates the bird we are looking at in each page.

Afterword has further information about each of the plates in the book. Again, just about all the books by the  Sills are amazing.

[image source: Peachtree]



Bring On The Birds
by Susan Stockdale

This is one of the oft-read favorite of the 5 year old, especially because of crisp lyrical text and bright illustrations.

Swooping birds, whooping birds, birds with puffy chests.
Dancing birds, diving birds, birds with fluffy crests.

Swooping bird - Great Horned Owl, whooping bird - Whooping Crane, puffy-crested bird - Victoria Crowned Pigeon. Each page has just one phrase showing one type of bird.

Back of the book has more information on each bird along with the thumbnail image of the bird.

I have tremendous respect for author-illustrators who excel in writing and artwork which makes their books quite a treat to behold. (Another of Susan Stockdale's books shared here before is Carry Me)

[image source: susanstockdale.com ]



Bird Talk: What Birds are Saying and Why
by Lita Judge

Many birds, if not all, talk and sing a lot. Why do they do that and what are they saying/singing?

Bird Talk shares some of the things birds say. Like, male songbirds sing in spring to get noticed, they are saying, "Pick Me!"

We learn about some of the other bird behaviors and strategies that can be noisy. Like the male Sage grouse puffs up his feathers and make "loud popping noise by blowing up air sacs and rubbing their wings across." 

Palm Cockatoo is like a "one-man rock band"  whistling and bobbing and drumming against a tree.

Whether it is to attract mate, defend the territory, raise an alarm, or to train their chicks to fly birds sure have a lot of ways to communicate. We learn about 28 of them in this book. "About the Birds" sections at the back of the book gives further information about each of the birds


[image source: macmillan.com/]



The Eagles Are Back
by Jean Craighead George
paintings by Wendell Minor


There was a time when the majestic bald eagles were on the verge of extinction. Through dedicated efforts, they have made a comeback. This books shares the success story in a heart-warming and kid-friendly way.

A little boy works to get a pair of bald eagles to adopt an egg and incubate it. Alaska, the eaglet, is born. Slowly but surely she learns to fly.

At the end, a little boy tells his dad how he read all about the return of the eagles on the Internet and how a little boy helped. Turns out that little boy at the beginning of the book is the dad at the end.


[image source: http://www.minorart.com/child/eagles/eagles.html]

My First Day

My First Day
What Animlas Do on Day One
by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page


Unlike humans, many animals are born ready to move, and even care for themselves. Their survival depends on it.

Whether they plop to the ground from a few feet above or jump out of their nest into the cool water below; ride piggyback or trot along with the herd, newborn animals can do amazing things.

In their characteristic style, Steve Jenkins and Robin Page present 22 animals, focusing on the first few hours on the day they are born. The cut-paper illustrations are stunning, as always. 

Some of the  double-page spreads showcase how different the first days are for a few of the animals. For example, in one double-page spread, on the left side, the golden snub-nosed monkey says, "On my first day I went everywhere with my mother. I clung to her fur as she slept, ate, and swung through the treetops." whereas on the right side, a muntjac says, "But my mother had to leave me to look for food, I stayed very still..."

"What did you do on your first day — the day you were born?" The book asks the young reader to think about it even as it explains how some animals are born pretty helpless like humans whereas some others are on their own from the very start.

Back of the book has thumbnail pictures with a paragraph of information about each animals

[image source: npr.org]

Kids Books: Ocean Non-fiction

Skip to the Books

Kid: I am thinking of an animal that lives in the ocean.
Me: What does its name start with?
Kid: Starts with an O, but can be M also.
Me: ??? Octopus?
Kid: Nope, it is a fish I am thinking of.
Me: How many words in its name?
Kid: Two
Me: What does the first word end with?
Kid: N, or A
Me: ??? Give me a clue
Kid:  It lives in the Sunlight Zone, not the Twilight or Midnight zone.
Me: Give me another clue
Kid: It is the heaviest bony fish.
Me: Starts with O or M? Really?
Kid: Yup. It has two different names.
Me: I give up.
Kid: It is Ocean Sunfish. Its other name is Mola Mola!

Indeed! We've been studying fish and other sea creatures for the last few weeks.

I spent a good few decades blissfully unaware of Mola Mola and Portuguese Man-of-war and Hatchett Fish and Viper Fish and Siphonophore and Loosejaw Stoplight Fish and Black Swallower and Vampire Squid and Snipe Eel and Oarfish and Hairy Angler and Tripod Fish and Giant Tube Worm and such...

Since we did come across many interesting books, I wanted to list them here for future reference. Some are part of a series and we are working our way through the series.

Without further ado, here are a few of the non-fiction picture books about ocean creatures listed in no particular order.

Down Down Down
by Steve Jenkins

I have tremendous respect/awe/admiration for Steve Jenkins. Many of his books are a huge hit with the kids and an inspiration for me.

And sure enough, Steve Jenkins' Down Down Down became an instant favorite with us thanks to the amazing art work and simple yet rich text.

Moving from the top Sunlight zone to the Twilight zone to the Dark zone to the Abyssal plain and Hydrothermal vents to the deepest Marianas Trench, the book showcases creatures that have adapted to living in these zones and co-existing with others.

Jenkins' trademark cut-paper collage work and choice of creatures to showcase are brilliant as always.

[image source: carlemuseum.org]
[view gallery at stevejenkinsbooks.com]

Partners in the Sea (Undersea Encounters)
by Mary Jo Rhodes & David hall
photos by David Hall

Undersea Encounters is a series of books by Mary Jo Rhodes. Partners in the Sea is particularly fascinating as it explains symbiosis - mutualism and commensal relationships and other partnerships among the ocean creatures.

Not just the classic sea anemone and clownfish, but, many such curious relationships are showcased in child-friendly text and gorgeous photographs. A small shrimp cleaning the inside of a grouper's mouth, Coleman's shrimp riding on the back of sea urchins, not to mention sponges and corals and the animals they host and hide...

Incidentally, along similar lines is Steve Jenkins' book How To Clean A Hippopotamus: A Look At Unusual Partnerships, which covers a wide variety of animals, not just in the ocean dwellers.

[image source: Mary Jo Rhodes website]

Sea Jellies: From Corals to Jelly Fish
by Sharon Sharth

Animals In Order series of books by Children's Press (also Rookie Read-About series) has a collection of non-fiction books that go one step further in helping children understand the classification of living things.

The Order of Living Things section explains the Kingdom, Phylum and Class for the creatures presented in the book. Sea Horses, Pipefishes and Their Kin by Sara Swan Miller is another in this series that we liked.

Each double-page in this book has a photo of a particular creature on the right with the Family, Common Example, Genus and Species information on the left, along with a page of details about that particular specimen. And it is further grouped - for example, Sea Jellies are grouped as Open Ocean Sea Jellies, Rocky Shore Sea Jellies, Coral Reef Sea Jellies, and Swamp Sea Jellies.

The book also talks about what affects their existence and the conservation efforts needed to preserve the bio diversity.

[image source: amazon.com]

Sea Horse
by Christine Butterworth
illustrations by John Lawrence

For a long time, no one was sure what kind of animal the sea horse was. Its scientific name is Hippocampus, which means "horselike sea monster".

The inside of front and back covers used to be Ana's favorite in this book when she was about five - primarily because it shows the differnt kinds of sea horses from Dwarf to Short-snouted to Barbour's to Pacific to Pygmy to Zebra to Long-snouted, to name a few.

The mixed media artwork illustrations are lovely in this book which tells the story of sea horses in quite an engaging and entertaining manner, focusing on Barbour's sea horse.

[image source: amazon.com]

How to Hide an Octopus & Other Sea Creatures
by Ruth Heller

Along the same vein as How To Hide A Parakeet & Other Birds and other such books in this series, I love the presentation - the illustrations and text.

Octopus changes its color to camouflage and hide from predators, much like a chameleon.

As quick as a wink, it turns to pink
or green or blue or any hue,
...
This creature is an octopus and very often hides
by changing to the color over which it glides.

With lilting text and starkly beautiful illustration, the book comes alive with various sea creatures in their natural habitat, from cuttlefish to sargassum fish, sea dragon to decorator crabs (a favorite from Partners in the Sea book), we learn how these creatures can hide in plain sight and thus escape predators.

[image source: better world books]

The Usborne Big Book of Big Sea Creatures
and Some Little Ones too
by Minna Lacey
illustrated by Fabiano Fiorin

With four giant foldouts, there is plenty to see in this book. Illustrations of the sea creatures is accompanied by a short few sentences about them. The relative sizes of the creatures are well presented.

Besides the usual whales and other massive mammals, the soft-bodied octopuses and jellyfish and squid, and the ever-fascinating sharks, we learn about other creatures too, like the Humphead Wrasse, Goliath grouper, Ornate Wobbegong, Conger Eel, Beluga sturgeon and Atlantic Sailfish, to name a few.

Right along with Steve Jenkins' Down Down Down, this book was quite an obsession for the kid.

[image source: usborne.com]

Oceans
Dolphins, sharks, penguins, and more!
by Johnna Rizzo
introduced by Sylvia A. Earle

Large square book with an adorable photograph on the cover is packed with tidbits about dolphins, sharks, penguins and more, as the title says.

Introduction by Sylvia A. Earle was a pleasant surprise when we encountered this book just after reading a biogrpahy of Ms. Earle (see biographies below).

"Layers of Life" section lists 50 sea creatures arranged in the various zones in the accompanying picture.

Interesting creatures we learnt about from this book include Moonfish, Barrel-eye fish, Bell jelly, Comb jellyfish, Black seadevil, Vampire octopus, and Fangtooth.

The attractive feature for me was the "Ocean Extremes" pages which have to be held up vertically to behold the full glory. From the Bizarre Creatures of the Deep to Wild Wonders like the Mid-Atlantic Range of mountains, Hydrothermal vents, and Marianas Trench, and cool advances like the JIM suit and ROVs and Ice Buckets and Super Subs... a lot to learn about not just the creatures but how to get to where they are and study them.

"20 Ways You Can Protect The Ocean" section is practical and motivating for the young reader.

[image source: google books]

Turtle Tide: The Ways of Sea Turtles
by Stephen R. Swinburne
illustrated by Bruce Hiscock

The best part of this book was how it impressed upon the young mind (and the adult reader) the laws of nature and the survival struggle that many animals face.

A female Leatherback sea turtle makes the exhausting journey, hauling herself to the beach she was born in, to lay her eggs, digging and burying a 100 of them.

A few eggs are stolen and eaten by raccoons. Now there are only 64 out of the 100.

The eggs hatch and hatchlings scramble out of the sand and head towards the ocean.

On the way, a few hatchlings are eaten by Ghost Crabs and now there are only 22 out of the 100.

As the remaining hatchlings scramble faster and faster to the ocean guided by an internal compass, a few more are eaten by a waiting blue heron. And now, there are only 10 of the 100.

The ten manage to plunge into the relative safety of water only to be eaten by a cruising sand shark. What was 100 is now only 2.

A pair of laughing gulls out hunting for fish for their own hatchlings grab the two remaining, but one of them drops a hatchling who disappears in a wash of breaking waves.

And out of the 100, only ONE hopefully survives!

A gripping drama unfolds in this narration as we root for the hatchlings to head for safety and simply survive. This made the kids appreciate what a privileged position humans have in terms of survival - we have plenty of food, relative safety, and very little threat from natural predators...

The illustrations are simply amazing!

[image source: Bruce Hiscock website]

DK Ocean: Inside Guides
An extraordinary look from the inside out
written by Miranda MacQuitty

Ever wonder what the inside of a sea urchin looks like? Or the inside of a Moon Jellyfish's tentacles? How about a look at the ink sac and the brain and the gills of a squid?

That's what this book tries to do: give an "inside" look at ocean creatures and ocean features with photographs of wonderfully constructed models.

From Ocean Zones to Kelp Forest, Clicks & Whistles for communication to the sophisticated poisoning Mechanism of  some of the unusual creatures, the book is filled with information about the ocean life. Various types of shark teeth, the efficient filter feeding of baleen whales, the powerful lobster claws that can deliver a nasty pinch... the book is best enjoyed in small doses as there is so much to take in.

[image source: personal photo]

W is for Waves
by Marie and Roland Smith
illustrated by John Megahan

Quite wordy and for older readers, this book is one of a series of books by Sleeping Bear Press on various themes, like S is for Shamrock, G is for Galaxy, W is for Wind.

For the younger reader, the short rhyming verses and the pictures were interesting enough. For example, the page on bio-luminescence has this simple verse
L is for Lights,
some creatures have their own.
Great to have if the lights go out
at night when you're all alone.

M is for Mollusks.
This popular group
often end up
in somebody's soup.

[image source: Sleeping Bear Press]

Biographies: William Beebe and Sylvia Earle

Biographies are inspiring and heart-warming. Very few picture book biographies manage to present the essence of the person without distorting the image to fit the narration. One of my favorites is Manfish, The Story of Jacques Cousteau (reviewed for Saffron Tree).

Into The Deep: The Life of Naturalist and Explorer William Beebe
by David Sheldon

Biggest attraction in this book was Beebe's Bathysphere and the mysterious creature he encountered. The little guy simply cannot let go of the fact that no one may ever know what the mysterious creature was that Beebe encountered during his deep sea dive.

[image source: charlesbridge.com]

Life In The Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia A. Earle
by Claire A. Nivola

The happy discovery in this book for the kid was that Sylvia A. Earle was inspired by William Beebe and his Bathysphere and constructed her own deep sea diving one-person submersible and went deeper than anyone had done until then. Alone!

And then, not satisfied with a visit, she managed to make an extended stay of two weeks in a deep sea station, just studying and observing the life in the ocean deep.

[image source and view more images at Macmillan]



Just for Fun:

Trout, Trout, Trout! (A Fish Chant)
by April Pulley Sayre
illustrated by Trip Park

April Pulley Sayre is one of my favorite authors for non-fiction animal picture books. Some of her books we liked are shared in the Non-fiction Animal Picture Books post. Her commitment to accuracy of facts and her talent with lyrical text makes many of her books popular with the kids, especially for read-aloud sessions.

With caricature-like illustrations and lilting chant the book has been a fun read for the soon-to-be-5 year old.

Threespine Stickleback, Freshwater Drum.
Lake Chub, Creek Chub, Chum, Chum, Chum.

The book is filled with freshwater fish names some of which are quite silly - makes one wonder how they got their names. The illustrations capture this silliness of the names while not straying far from what the fish really look like.

Paddlefish, Flagfish, they're all real.
Mosquitofish, Sunfish, Eel, Eel, Eel!

[image source: April Pulley Sayre Website]

Usborne 1001 Things to Spot in the Sea
by Katie Daynes
illustrated by Teri Gower

'I Spy' style of books are always popular with the kids. Each page in this book presents a scene and lists the number of a certain type of creature/thing to find. For example, in the Underwater Forest spread, amid the sea kelp are a host of creatures swimming about. We are asked to identify 10 Garibaldi fish, 5 Black rock fish, 8 Kelp bass and so on.

While the 4 and 11/12ths kid was fascinated with the book, I found the illustrations a bit confusing. There were other creatures not listed among the items to find and not much info was given about them.

[image source: usborne catalog]

Into the A, B, Sea: An Ocean Alphabet

Into the A, B, Sea: An Ocean Alphabet
by Deborah Lee Rose
illustrations by Steve Jenkins

Ages 0-4

Scholastic Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2000)

There are quite a few abecedary books featuring animals. Our all time favorite is Alphabeasts by master artist Wallace Edwards.

Steve Jenkins is no stranger in our house. His cut-paper collage work has inspired me enough to try a few with my kids. So, it was only a matter of time before I got down to sharing A, B, Sea here.

Swim the ocean waves with me
and dive into the A, B, Sea

Thus starts this oceanic adventure showcasing exquisite sea creatures using simple rhyming sentences. Not just large or cute creatures. There is the much-ignored Barnacles for B and the typically forgotten Zooplankton for Z, making this a useful book for discussing food chain and ecosystems of the sea.

Brief notes at the back of the book add some information about each of the animals.

There is always this irrepressible curiosity in me, even today, to see what is presented for some of my favorite letters - viz., Q, U, X and Z - especially X, in the alphabet books. I'll just have to leave it to you to find out what A, B, Sea offers. Suffice it to say I was eXpecting Xanthareel or even the ubiquitous X-ray fish and found something different.

One of the aspects that attracts me to animal books is the suggestion of movement, of dynamic activity and flux, without clobbering. A, B, Sea offers crisp and beautiful verbs for the animals: Manatees lumber, Rays swoop low, Dolphins spin. The spin part particularly caught our attention since we recently learnt about Spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) from A Whale of a Tale!(Cat in the Hat's Learning Library).

The illustrations are breathtaking as we've come to expect from Steve Jenkins' books.

All in all a visually stimulating, informative, delightful book that has scored repeat reads from the pre-schooler every night for over a week now, and has inspired the kindergartner to explore further.

[image source: paperbackswap.com]