Karen GoatKeeper's Blog - Posts Tagged "botany"
Another New Venture
Several years ago I started a botany book on plants for middle grades. It morphed into "The Pumpkin Project."
Then my mother got sick. Then other projects hijacked my time. "The Pumpkin Project" languished.
Finally I am picking up the pieces to finish this science book. It isn't in need of much. But the hiatus hurts as the pictures I need are harder to get now.
It will be fall before everything is done on this manuscript. But I don't want to wait until fall.
So I will release the book in a series of PDF pieces by subscription so kids can enjoy doing the projects and investigations over the growing season this year. The completed book will be mailed out in the fall.
This plan may solve three problems at the same time. One: The book will get finished. Two: I will get feedback to make any necessary adjustments to the Investigations before finishing the book. Three: I get to enjoy growing lots of pumpkins this summer.
Will this plan work? Like the giveaway, I anticipate delays and disasters to descend. [The day after the giveaway began, I got snowed in with no Internet.] But it will be nice to have an old manuscript off my computer.
I hope many children get to grow pumpkins this summer and learn some botany from them plus learn to cook with the recipe section. At least "The Pumpkin Project" by subscription can give them the option this year instead of next.
Then my mother got sick. Then other projects hijacked my time. "The Pumpkin Project" languished.
Finally I am picking up the pieces to finish this science book. It isn't in need of much. But the hiatus hurts as the pictures I need are harder to get now.
It will be fall before everything is done on this manuscript. But I don't want to wait until fall.
So I will release the book in a series of PDF pieces by subscription so kids can enjoy doing the projects and investigations over the growing season this year. The completed book will be mailed out in the fall.
This plan may solve three problems at the same time. One: The book will get finished. Two: I will get feedback to make any necessary adjustments to the Investigations before finishing the book. Three: I get to enjoy growing lots of pumpkins this summer.
Will this plan work? Like the giveaway, I anticipate delays and disasters to descend. [The day after the giveaway began, I got snowed in with no Internet.] But it will be nice to have an old manuscript off my computer.
I hope many children get to grow pumpkins this summer and learn some botany from them plus learn to cook with the recipe section. At least "The Pumpkin Project" by subscription can give them the option this year instead of next.
Sorting Pictures
It's November. I'm supposed to be writing a novel draft.
Instead I am sorting out plant pictures. There are thousands of them neatly filed under plant names.
The pictures for each plant must be looked over. Pictures are chosen to show the plant, the front and side of the flower, the top and bottom of the leaf, the stem and the fruit or seed capsule. Each chosen picture is cropped and resized and filed away in yet another file to wait for being included in pages about that plant.
Killing frost has put an end to adding to the picture stockpile. Perhaps I may work my way through it over the winter.
In the meantime the pictures make an excellent excuse to not work on my novel draft. Both do need to get done. The draft has a deadline.
Priorities can be difficult at times.
Instead I am sorting out plant pictures. There are thousands of them neatly filed under plant names.
The pictures for each plant must be looked over. Pictures are chosen to show the plant, the front and side of the flower, the top and bottom of the leaf, the stem and the fruit or seed capsule. Each chosen picture is cropped and resized and filed away in yet another file to wait for being included in pages about that plant.
Killing frost has put an end to adding to the picture stockpile. Perhaps I may work my way through it over the winter.
In the meantime the pictures make an excellent excuse to not work on my novel draft. Both do need to get done. The draft has a deadline.
Priorities can be difficult at times.
"Animal Alphabet Antics", "anything" and "Plants That Never Ever Bloom"
An eclectic collection this week.
Plants That Never Ever Bloom
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Ruth Heller
Although some of the plants in this book are not really considered plants, this is a wonderful look at plants that do not make flowers. It covers the fungi (mushrooms), mosses (lichens and liverwort) and gymnosperms (pines).
The author is a botanical illustrator so the illustrations are superb. There are other creatures included in them making them more like what you would see when you found these plants. My one regret is that the different ones are not named.
Anywhere
5 stars
Author: Rebecca Stead
Illustrator: Gracey Zhang
A little girl has just moved with her father to a new apartment. It's her birthday and the zero birthday of the apartment. She can have three wishes.
The illustrations are bare bone line drawings with color added. Even though they are so sparse, they work well with the text.
Animal Alphabet Antics
3 stars
Author/Illustrator: Pat Lampe
This is an illustrated book, not a picture book for young children.
For older readers the book is a fun look at paint colors, dances and fantastic poses of animals. It goes through the alphabet with a description somewhat alliterative and has an alliterative saying for each letter.
The biggest points of interests are the various colors (zaffir, teal, heliotrope etc.) and dances (gigue, elance, ye ye, volta etc.).
Plants That Never Ever Bloom
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Ruth Heller
Although some of the plants in this book are not really considered plants, this is a wonderful look at plants that do not make flowers. It covers the fungi (mushrooms), mosses (lichens and liverwort) and gymnosperms (pines).
The author is a botanical illustrator so the illustrations are superb. There are other creatures included in them making them more like what you would see when you found these plants. My one regret is that the different ones are not named.
Anywhere
5 stars
Author: Rebecca Stead
Illustrator: Gracey Zhang
A little girl has just moved with her father to a new apartment. It's her birthday and the zero birthday of the apartment. She can have three wishes.
The illustrations are bare bone line drawings with color added. Even though they are so sparse, they work well with the text.
Animal Alphabet Antics
3 stars
Author/Illustrator: Pat Lampe
This is an illustrated book, not a picture book for young children.
For older readers the book is a fun look at paint colors, dances and fantastic poses of animals. It goes through the alphabet with a description somewhat alliterative and has an alliterative saying for each letter.
The biggest points of interests are the various colors (zaffir, teal, heliotrope etc.) and dances (gigue, elance, ye ye, volta etc.).
