Shirley Smith Duke's Blog, page 20
August 18, 2009
Ouch!
Ouch! How Your Body Makes It Through A Very Bad Day
By Richard Walker
Art by NIKID Design, LLD
DK Children's, 2007
Paperback, 2009
ISBN-10: 0756658136
NF ages 8-12
Right now there are thousands of things happening inside your body without you knowing anything about them. Did you know, for example, that as you read these words, your body's defense forces are busy battling marauding germs and bugs? Or are waiting on standby ready to tackle everyday hazards such as cuts, stings, burns, choking, or overh
August 11, 2009
Count Down to Fall
Count Down to Fall
By Fran Hawk
Illustrated by Sherry Neidigh
Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2009
ISBN #978-1-934359-94-5
Ten sweet gum leaves, orange, purple, and red,
look like bright colored stars as they fall on earth's bed.
Told in simple rhyme, this reminder of fall beautifully illustrates the colors and changes that take place during this brilliant season. The reader sees the variety of leaves falling from trees in autumn as they land around the flora and fauna of each area with its specific tree. The
August 4, 2009
The Day-Glo Brothers
The Day-Glo Brothers
The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors
By Chris Barton
Illustrated by Tony Persiani
Charlesbridge, 2009
ISBN #978-1-57091-673-1
NF picture book; ages 8-12
Even if they'd wanted to, the ancient Egyptians couldn't have painted their pyramids a green that glowed in the desert sun. Back in 2600 BCE, there was no such color.
Later in the book:
By accident, Joe and Bob had invented a totally new color. To their amazement it glowed in both daylight and ul
July 28, 2009
Out of this World
G is for Galaxy
An Out of This World Alphabet
By Janis Cambell and Cathy Collison
Illustrated by Alan Stacy
Sleeping Bear Press, 2005
ISBN #158536-255-7
NF picture book
"Y is for Year—the time it takes to go'round the sun. For every planet, the measure is a different one."
G is for Galaxy is an outer space themed alphabet book in the Sleeping Bear Press series. A simple rhyme sets up the letter for the younger readers and a fact-filled sidebar provides additional information for the older ones. A variet
July 22, 2009
Why Is Snot Green?
US UK
Why is Snot Green? And Other Extremely Important Questions (and Answers)
by Glenn Murphy
Roaring Brook Press, Flashpoint, 2009 (US printing, UK, 2007) MacMillan
ISBN #978-1-59643-500-1
NF paperback grades 4-7
How big is the universe?
Big. Really big. Crazy big. Billions of times bigger than the biggest thing you can imagine.
The book goes on to say: If you drove a tunneling car straight through the middle [of the Earth:], you'd get t
July 14, 2009
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
By Alvin Silverstein, Virginia Silverstein, and Laura Silverstein Nunn
21st Century Books, Lerner Group
Revised edition, 2009
Nonfiction, grades 6-8
Details abound in this well-researched narrative about the inner workings of the Earth and its resulting volcanoes and earthquakes. It covers information from history of the planet itself to actions of the moving plates to the future of quake detection. Two chapters are devoted to the specifics of volcanoes and earthquakes and thei
July 6, 2009
Moose and Magpie
Moose and Magpie
By Bettina Restrepo
Illustrated by Sherry Rogers
Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2009
ISBN # 978-1-934359-97-6
PB with sidebar facts
Moose lived where the willow trees touched the ground and the lily pads floated on the water.
Moose's head itches and Magpie provides answers and puns galore about moose in this life cycle story of two friends and the changes Moose experiences through a year. Filled with jokes and puns, the story entertains while sidebars provide accurate scientific facts about
July 1, 2009
On Vacation
Hello SimplyScience Readers,
I am on vacation in the cool Jemez Mountains of New Mexico and I had planned on previewing Bettina Restrepo's new book, Moose and Magpie. I didn't get to it this week, so I will blog about it next week and hope you'll check back then for some more fun ways to enjoy the book and learn some fabulous new facts. It's an appropriate title for me to do here in the wilderness. Thank you for your interest in SimplyScience.
See you next week.
Shirley
June 23, 2009
Really Weird Science!
How Weird Is It?
A Freaky Book All About Strangeness
Ben Hillman
Scholastic, 2009
ISBN# 0-439-91868-5
Nonfiction
You think some of your relatives are weird? You have no idea.
Well, for a start, let’s talk about your Cousin Toadstool and Aunt Puffball. Yes, you are related to the whole Fungus Family!
Huge, bizarre photographs illustrating the unusual or odd facts of various scientific principles dominate each spread in this book. The doctored photos vividly and literally present the idea behind the
June 16, 2009
Birds of a Feather
Birds
By Kevin Henkes
Illustrated by Laura Dronzek
Greenwillow Books, 2009
ISBN #978-0-06-136304-7
Picture book
In the morning, I hear birds singing through the open window.
This simply told, imaginative story expresses in few words the wonder and delight of birds and lets the reader’s imagination soar. This deceptively simple book is perfect for preschoolers and anyone who likes to let their imagination soar.
The activities for today are geared toward the preschool set. The book also lends itself
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