Shirley Smith Duke's Blog, page 22

Ocean’s Child

Ocean’s Child

Christine Ford and Trish Holland

Illustrated by David Diaz

Golden Books, 2009

ISBN # 978-0-375-84752-3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This ocean lullaby in lyrical language is told by a mother on a kayak with her child as they bid goodnight to the animals sleeping beneath and beyond them on their ocean journey. Otter, walrus, whale, and polar bear are among the many animals and their babies told good night, and each animal spread ends with a good night refrain. The final spread contains glowing norther

Honk, Honk, Goose!

Honk, Honk, Goose! and Trout Are Made of Trees

By April Pulley Sayre

Illustrated by Huy Voun Lee

Henry Holt and Company, 2009

ISBN #0-8050-7103-2

NF picture book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The roles of male and female goose provide the impetus for this simple story that reveals the life cycle of Canada geese. As the female made and prepares the nest, the male protects his home, eggs, and emerging offspring with onomatopoeic, goosey sounds that make the book a fun read-aloud story. The final spread provides further i

Simply Dandy!

 

Dandelions

By Robin Nelson

Lerner Publications, 2009

ISBN #978-0-7613-4069-0

First Step Nonfiction

Life Cycle Series

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This early reader traces the life cycle of a dandelion from flower to seeds and back to flowers again. The simple text is supported by photos and diagrams and the book includes additional dandelion facts, a simple glossary, and short index. The bright colors of the yellow dandelions on the front cover are appealing and invite early readers to trace the familiar seed pod through

It’s Electric

Wired

By Anastasia Suen

Illustrated by Paul Carrick

ISBN #978-1-57091-599-4

Charlesbridge, 2007

Nonfiction PB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using poetry and facts, this book explains in simple language and great detail how electricity is generated and then moved through wires to power the appliances and outlets in our homes. The poetry provides the simple text and each line of poetry is supported by facts explained in an easy to understand way. I especially liked the concept of explaining electrons as “dancing in

A Tall Tail

Little Skink’s Tail

By Janet Halfmann

Illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein

Sylvan Dell Publishing, 2007

ISBN# 9-780976-882381

Picture book

 

 

Little Skink starts the day looking for breakfast, but after a hungry crow attacks from above, Little Skink is fortunate to be alive. Unfortunately, she’s missing her lovely blue tail. Happy to be alive, Little Skink wishes she had another tail, and goes about the forest trying on tails of other animals. Finally, when none of them will do, she discovers that her tai

Nature’s Footprints

Wild Tracks

By Jim Arnosky

Sterling, 2008

ISBN# 1-4027-3985-0

Nonfiction picture book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using life-sized paintings of animal tracks, this book reveals not only the sort of animal that makes the tracks, but ways to identify what the animal might have been doing when the tracks were made. A page of information describes the track characteristics and explains details about the family of animals on the spreads. Four fold-out pages open to show the actual size of the tracks in a side by side compari

Cover It With Green

Wangari’s Trees of Peace

By Jeanette Winter

Harcourt, 2008

ISBN #978-0-15-206545-4

Nonfiction picture book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based on the true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, this simply worded picture book tells of the power of one woman who made a difference in the environment of her native Kenya. After returning home from studying in the United States, she sees now barren land where trees were cut to make room for new buildings. Starting with nine seedlings, she encou

Flip, Float, Fly

Flip, Float, Fly

Seeds on the Move

By JoAnn Early Macken

Illustrated by Pam Paparone

Holiday House, 2008

ISBN# 0-8234-2043-4

Nonfiction picture book

 

Vivid illustrations add depth to this book that traces the wide variety of ways seeds move about. In simple, sparkling language, the movements by seeds as they spread are shown and explained as they complete their life cycle. Back matter includes more seed and plant facts and a final page adds notes about why seeds must move.

 

Tumbleweed plants grow as rou

Tweet! Tweet!

United Tweets of America

50 State Birds Their Stories Their Glories

By Hudson Talbott

G.P. Putnam’s Sons

ISBN #978-0-399-24520-6

Nonfiction

 

A factual and funny book, this collection of state birds includes interesting tidbits of information along with hilarious art, state mottoes and capitals, and asides from the birds themselves. One of my favorite spreads features the mockingbirds of Tennessee and Texas bickering about mocking one another. The light storyline of competition is answered when the bir

Shhhh! I’m Sleeping

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please Don’t Wake the Animals

By Mary Batten

Illustrated by Higgins Bond

Peachtree Publishers, 2008

ISBN #978-1561453931

Nonfiction picture book

 

 

Please Don’t Wake the Animals, A Book About Sleep, introduces the sleeping habits of a variety of animals. In an easy-to-read style, it details information about when and where the animals sleep, beginning and ending with children. Included are facts about the unusual ways some animals sleep. The illustrations are realistic and lush, and inset sideba