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| Children have a natural interest in their world and how it works. As parents and teachers we all want to encourage a young child's curiosity and fascination with science. The Let's Read-and-Find-Out Science series is a great way to do just that. Available in a variety of topics and titles, and in two stages, Stage 1 for preschoolers and kindergartners and Stage 2 for children in the primary grades, each book in the series is checked for accuracy of text and illustration by an expert in the field. Two recently published titles, both Stage 2, are: |
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 The title An Octopus is Amazing speaks for itself.
Patricia Lauber has collected interesting octopus facts - the common octopus lays up to 200,000 eggs, each the size of half a grain of rice, after feeding the octopus cleans up its den by tossing out shells and spraying the area clean with its siphon. There could even be some good math lessons - let's see . . . if a common octopus has 240 suction cups on each of its eight arms, how many suction cups does each octopus have? Let's Read-and-Find-Out Science series (ages 5-9,
pb)
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  The companion to Backyard Birds of
Winter, Backyard Birds of Summer describes the most commonly found feathered visitors of the season. Author/illustrator
Carol Lerner provides full-color paintings plus descriptions of distinguishing characteristics, range maps, information about feeding habits and preferences, and suggestions for attracting birds to your own backyard. Excellent books for children interested in birds and bird watching, in urban or rural environments, in any part of the country.
(all ages, hc)
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 Proving that any child can garden,
Kids Garden! The Anytime Anyplace Guide to Sowing & Growing Fun teaches children about soil, house plants, worm farming, growing bulbs, attracting butterflies, and so much more. There are even some recipes for post-harvest enjoyment.
Avery Hart and
Paul Manell include projects and activities for the city-dweller as well as the suburbanite, emphasizing all the while the wonder and rewards of working with Mother Nature.
(ages 4-10, pb) |
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 An excellent guide to talking with children about a sensitive subject,
When Dinosaurs Die, A Guide to Understanding Death, is written and illustrated by the husband/wife team of
Laurie Krasny Brown and
Marc Brown. Their previous Dinosaurs books, including
Dinosaurs
Divorce, Dinosaurs Alive and Well!,
Dinosaurs
Travel, and Dinosaurs to the Rescue! have been highly acclaimed by parents and educators for their effectiveness in dealing with topics that may cause children anxiety and confusion. Sections on "Why Does Someone Die?", "Feelings About Death", "Saying Good-bye", "Keeping Customs", and "What Comes After Death?" acknowledge a range of emotions and reactions, and explain various religious and cultural viewpoints.
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 Since spring training is well underway, it's high time your young fan had his or her own
Kids' World Almanac of Baseball. Filled with facts, records, teams, history, fun quotes, and stories, as well as scientific explanations for why runners slide into second base, how curve balls and knuckle balls are thrown, or how to throw a ball farther. An indispensable companion to the baseball season, your Little Leaguer (or major league fan!) will want to read it all. Written by
Thomas G. Aylesworth, with an introduction by Cal Ripken, Jr. In his introduction, Cal reminds kids of the importance of practice, hard work, and education. He concludes his introduction by saying
"Included in The Kids' World Almanac of Baseball are many heartwarming stories of players who triumphed over handicaps, and anecdotes on what made the MVPs and Hall of Famers so great. The sections on records, quotations, and trivia are fun to read aloud. I know how much you will enjoy this book. Read it. . . and allow yourself a chance to laugh, cry, dream, and learn."The Kids' World Almanac of Baseball
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