By Nina Schuyler, The Children’s Book Review
Published: June 12, 2012
It’s summertime with its big bowl of a blue sky. Outside becomes another room, with open fields and the whir and buzz of bugs and baseball, and the voice of the water and the touch of sand.
Day One of summer, my son asks, “Now what?” So we ride our bikes to the library and load our backpacks with books about summer. Here’s a list to fill up the baggy pockets of summertime.
Summer and the Outside World
Oceans: Making Waves!
Created by Simon Basher, written by Dan Green and Dr. Frances Dipper
Oceans: Making Waves! created by Simon Basher and written by Dan Green and Dr. Frances Dipper (independent marine consultant) takes kids underwater to discover mountains taller than anything on dry land, and trenches deeper than Mount Everest is high. Green personifies the aspects of the ocean. Here’s the Tide talking: “I’m a bit of a lunatic! As the Moon passes overhead, the water in the ocean feels a tug toward it. That’s gravity. In fact the whole planet feels this force of attraction…” Filled with interesting facts that make you see the world of the ocean with new eyes (the giant kelp grows up to 20 inches (50 cm) per day!)
Ages 10-15 | Publisher: Kingfisher | March 27, 2012
The Secret World of Whales
By Charles Siebert; illustrated by Molly Baker
You’ll learn in The Secret World of Whales by Charles Siebert, illustrated by Molly Baker that the human brain and the whale brain are surprisingly similar and the sperm whale has the largest brain on earth, weighing more than 19 pounds (8.6 kilograms). Siebert explores the history, legends stories and science of whales. By the end, as the author did, you’ll want to have your own face-to-face encounter with this amazing creature.
Ages 8-12 | Publisher: Chronicle Books | April 20, 2011
Citizen Scientists
By Loree Griffin Burns; photography by Ellen Harasimowicz
Summer means getting outside and Citizen Scientists by Loree Griffin Burns, photography by Ellen Harasimowicz shows you how to engage with the natural world in a scientific way. You’ll discover how to capture and tag a Monarch butterfly without damaging its wings, and you’ll learn to distinguish be
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Thanks, I just had a Rainy Day storytime. This book is too small (in size) to read with a group, but it would make a great flannel story. Have you seen My Red Umbrella by Robert Bright? It would work great for a movement activity b/c the little girl with the umbrella is visited by different animals. I could picture one little one with an umbrella and all the others dancing like animals!
Hi, Miss Courtney. Although I love the size of this book, I can see how it wouldn't be the best for storytime. I hadn't heard of My Red Umbrella, but I just looked it up and it looks charming. Another out-of-print rain book I love (but one for very young children) is The Way the Storm Stops by Michelle Meadows--about a mother comforting her young child during a thunderstorm. Cute rhyming text and gorgeous illustrations. Thanks for stopping by!
WHO LIKES RAIN sounds wonderful, I will have to look for this. It made me think of, SPLASH! POEMS OF OUR WATERY WORLD by Constance Levy. It has poems about rain and dabbles in snow and fog as well.
oooooh! I am going to check out Who Likes the Rain? It sounds like just the type of book I love! The other two selections by the same author look interesting too. Thanks for introducing me to this writer.
Hi Kerry! What a fabulous collection you shared with us here today. I haven;t borrowed anything by Wong Herbert Yee yet but I shall definitely check out his books from our library. I have a feeling that his picture books would fit in quite nicely with our next bimonthly theme which we would be launching in a week's time. Thanks for sharing all these. :)
All of these sound like books I want to check out. I think my grandchildren would love them! Thanks for telling us about them.
Hi, Betsy. I have so many rhyming picture books but really need to grow our home library of poetry books. The book you mention by Constance Levy sounds like it would complement our "rain" picture books really well!
Thanks for stopping by! Another rain book for toddlers that I really love (though it is out of print) is The Way the Storm Stops by Michelle Meadows :)
Hi, Myra! Oh, now you have my curiosity peaked about what your theme will be next week. Rain? Weather? Seasons? I will have to visit your blog for sure!
What a lovely post! Thank you.