Knowing how much I love to piggy-back on themes I’ll be recommending some great environmental titles and poetry books that you can check out at your local library.
Title: The Monarch’s Progress: Poems with Wings
Author & Illustrator: Avis Harley
Publisher: Word Song of Boyds Mill Press
I thoroughly enjoyed this book of poems about Monarch Butterflies. Ms. Harley uses clever poems to explain monarch butterfly development, behavior and their impressive migration flight. At the end of the book, she elaborates on the butterfly lifecycles. I especially like the cross-disciplinary potential of the book. She uses over a dozen poetic styles that are easy to read and entertaining. It is also a great book to for literacy and language arts. Ideal for students in grades 2-5.
Title: Our Three BearsAuthor: Ron Hirschi; Photographer: Thomas D. Mangelsen
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
Can you name the three species of bears that call North America home? They are the Black bear of the United States and Canada, the Grizzly Bear of the Pacific Northwest including Canada and Alaska, and the Polar Bear of the Arctic regions of Alaska and Canada. Our three bears – black, brown, and white – are apart of our shared national heritages. They are the largest land predators of their respective environmental systems. What I like best about this book is how the author presents a compare and contrast picture of the three bears in this photograph-rich trade book. Ideal for students in grades 3-5.
Title: Marvels in the Muck: Life in the Salt Marshes
Author: DougWechsler
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
Wetlands are very important environmental systems that are home to beautiful waterfowl, reptiles, mammals, invertebrates, and lots of biting insects. If you live in Florida, Louisiana, or any place with “Bay” or “Gulf” in the name, then this an introductory ecology book about your home – coastal wetland communities. Each of the four chapters introduces readers to the animals, plants and climate changes of the progressing seasons. The book details food chain and web dynamics, animal behavior, bird migration, and relationship between the ocean and fresh water systems. I wish I had this book as a younger student. Ideal for students in grades 6-8.
Finally, I want to say that it is purely coincidence that I reviewed three titles published by the same company. However, I do want to say that this publisher has greatly impressed me with their ability to consistently publish quality children’s science books. I like most of their books I read for the Animal Behavior Society Outstanding Children’s Book Award.
Children's books like these are very important. Maybe if kids can learn a little about nature at that early age, it will stick with them when they grow up. Speaking of grownups, these books can also be entertaining for them sometimes.
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