Friday, March 15, 2024

The Hole Truth and Nothing But...

 

This Book Is Full of Holes: From Underground to Outer Space and Everywhere In Between 
by Nora Nickum; illus. by Robert Meganck 
40 pages; ages 6-9
Peachtree, 2024

theme: emptiness, science, art

What is a hole? A hollow place. An empty space. A part of something where there’s nothing at all.

But wait, says author, Nora Nickum. There is something to these holes – and so many places to find holes. From indentations in your waffles to nesting cavities in trees, there are holes all around us. Think about holes in the ground, or in a wiffle ball. Holes in a sprinkler or holes in the ozone layer. Sock holes, worm holes, animal burrows, Swiss cheese … this book is filled with holes!

What I like about this book: It’s fun! Nora provides great examples of holes we can find in our everyday life, from man-made stuff to nature. For each example she provides a layer of explanatory text. The back matter is just as fun. There’s an entire section called “English is full of holes,” where Nora focused on idioms and phrases we commonly use: loophole; down the rabbit hole… And there’s a section about black holes which are not holes at all.

I reached out to Nora with a few questions…

Me: How did you come to the idea of writing about holes?

Nora: The first holes I found myself wondering about were the teeny tiny holes in airplane windows and big, beautiful blue holes in the ocean. As I wrote, it turned into a book about all different kinds of holes, and what makes a hole a hole. Then I went down a lot of rabbit holes doing research about all different kinds of holes, and picking my favorites to include in the book.

Me: Are donut holes really holes?

Nora: It depends. Some donuts do have holes, of course. Bakers probably first made a hole in donuts because the gooey dough in the middle wouldn't fully cook in the frier. Dough would be punched out of the center when the donut was made. But larger bakeries now have machines that shape donuts to be rings so there's nothing left over. The term "donut hole" these days is often used for a spherical mini donut which is not a hole--and which, fortunately, is much tastier than a hole would be. 

Me: Are you telling the hole truth here?

Nora: Well, this is a nonfiction book, so yes, the hole truth and nothing but the truth. There are no holes in my research, and you can't poke any holes in my arguments. Putting fictional things in this nonfiction picture book would be like trying to put a square peg in a round hole, so none of that. Just pure, not-silly-in-the-least nonfiction. Okay, maybe I found some room for some silliness.

Hole-some Beyond the Books activities:

Go on a hole-finding expedition through your house. You might find some clothes with holes, pots, a guitar, faucets, and more… How many holes can you find?

Look for holes in nature around you. Check for holes in trees, logs, in the ground, in leaves and flower petals. 

Make a pinhole eclipse-viewer. All you need are two index cards (or ½ sheets of cardstock) and a pushpin or very sharp pencil. Instructions in this very short video.

Nora is a member of #STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website. Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review f&g provided by the publisher.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Explore Outdoors ~ Who's hanging out in the Crocuses?

 

Last week I noticed crocuses popping up in yards down in town. Lots of crocuses. So I wandered over to see whether any insects might be checking them out. I expected bees - maybe early bumble bees, though to tell the truth, March 10 is very early for anyone to be waking up and heading outside.

I didn't see any bees, but I did notice flies. Some were tiny and dainty; others were like this stout fellow.

What flowers are blooming in your neighborhood?
And what insects are visiting them?

Friday, March 8, 2024

It's Raining, It's Pouring ...

 
A Place for Rain   
by Michelle Schaub; illus. by Blanca Gómez 
32 pages; ages 4-8
‎Norton Young Readers, 2024

theme: rain, problem-solving, environment

Plink. 
     Plip. 
        Plop. 
We watch the raindrops drop.

Children, warm and dry inside, watch the rain pour down, puddle, pool, and fill the playground and parking lot, flood sidewalks, and run off into the road where it mixes with grit and grease. From there, the stream of water runs into storm drains and eventually into creeks, groundwater, or the ocean. 

The kids begin to wonder if they could collect some of that rain for a droughty day. And maybe they could keep it from pooling on the playground. Their solution: build a rain garden.

What I like about this book: I love the language, the onomatopoeia of plink, plop, pitter-patter, splutter-splatter. I like how Michelle Schaub highlights an important environmental issue by showing one solution –  a solution many cities are embracing as they focus on mitigating stormwater damage. And I really like that the Back Matter shows how people of all ages can Make Room for Rain with step-by-step instructions on how to build a rain garden.


A couple weeks ago, I caught up with Michelle (via the wonders of email) and asked her a couple questions.

Me: What inspired you to write a picture book about building a rain garden?

Michelle: I’ve always been passionate about using water and land sustainably, and I planted my first rain garden over ten years ago to help solve the problem of stormwater flooding my driveway. As I worked on the garden with my own children, I thought that the process would be fun to explain in a picture book.

Me: Why do you think this is an important story to share with children?

Michelle: In the face of doom and gloom news about climate change, A Place for Rain provides children with positive, attainable actions they can take to make a difference, whether it’s planting a full rain garden, or simply adding a rain barrel to a downspout to catch and reuse water.

Me: I agree, Michelle! Now for my favorite part of my Friday picture book reviews …

Beyond the Books:

Next time it rains, observe how and where the rain collects. What do you notice?

How much rain falls in a rainstorm? You can measure your rainfall if you have a big bucket and a ruler. Put the bucket in an open spot in your yard or driveway – not under roof eaves or trees. Then, after the storm measure how much rain fell.

Collect rainwater that comes off your roof by putting buckets under the eaves or a rain spout. How much collects? What could you use collected rainwater for? (water flowers, wash your bike, flush toilets…)

Michelle has written many books for kids, including Dream Big, Little Scientists. You can check out my review here on this blog

Michelle is a member of #STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.