The Great Smoky Mountain Salamander Ball

by Lisa Hortsman

Children will delight in this fantastic tale of a young girl's vacation in the Smoky Mountains. Wandering from her tent late one summer's night, Sara finds an invitation she just can't resist! She watches the grand ball from safely behind a tree until suddenly she is discovered.

Author Lisa Horstman is the winner of the Dr.Seuss Picture Book Award for her first children's book Fast Friends . The Great Smoky Mountains Salamander Ball won the National Park Service First Place Award for Excellence.

Genres: Science, Picture Books, Animals, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1997

Reviews

[Ileana Lindner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: The Great Smoky Mountain Salamander Ball
Author:Lisa Hortsman
Grade:3-5th

This is a great literary book to start a science lesson on biomes. This book includes many examples of what animals are in the biome, it lists what the biome is, and it is an exciting book for students to read about a party. A fun activity to do with this is to list ways that creatures may "party" in different biomes. Then go around the room and talk about your biome, animals that live in the biome, weather/climate in that biome, and then make up a ritualistic party that certain animals do in the particular biome. FUN!!

[Ericka Fluellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

there is a little girl who visits the smoky mountains for a family vacation. She discovers that the salamanders of the mountains are having a ball. They invite her to be a human ambassador for salamanders. she grows up to be a ranger in the smoky mountain park. Great animal friendly book. It could be used for a science lesson and as a imagination booster for children. It could also be a great book to prompt students to think about what they want to be when they grow up or family vacations. It presnts an opportunity to talk about what an ambassador does and the role they play in government.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Great Smoky Mountain Salamander Ball by Lisa Horstman (GSMA 1997)(Fiction - Children's). This is a beautifully rendered kid's book featuring fantastic images of a hidden salamander celebration. This volume was awarded the National Park Service First Place Award for Excellence. My rating; 7.5/10, finished 2006.

[Tanika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a little girl who went on a camping trip to the Great Smoky Mountains and witnessed a salamander ball. Instead of attacking the young girl, the salamanders made her ambassador. She grew up to become a ranger and she protects salamanders. This would be a good book to read when teaching about wildlife preservation.

[Katie Pszczola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulous! I look everything about it. I could be used in a lesson about rhyming words. It would be a great opening to a lesson about national parks or salamanders. The end of the book reinforces handling salamander safety.
Great book recommendation for a student who loves lizards and salamanders.

[Ayana Mishelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to introduce science. Great Rhymes. The book can be used as a read aloud. You will want your own copy after reading it. You can use this book to find out what your students want to do when they are adults. It can be use for reading like writers also. I loved this book

[Alison Tripp · Rating 5 out of 5]

The girl finds out about a ball and see all kind of salamanders dancing and talking. This is a really cute story. Have the kids identify the fiction from the fact. It tells us how to take care of the enviroment and about lots of different types of salamanders.

[Jasmin Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story to teach children about camping at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the different kinds of salamanders they will see. Also a great way to introduce rhyming words to children. The author did a good job of using rhyming words to make the story so much more fun to read.

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely adorable. Loved it, plan on using it in my classroom.

[Katelyn Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Rhyming words
* Science- talks about different types of salamanders and their habitat
* Interesting art
* Could lead into discussions and inquiries about science/animals/reptiles

[Sarah Kiesche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. Informational while using poetry. Good way to use literacy in a science unit. Grades k-4

[Kamyshia]

a great book to discuss animals .

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this book in signage along a trail in the smoky mountains. Absolutely cute and easy for kids to understand.