Reptiles! and a give-away

I love reptiles. So I was doubly excited when National Geographic sent these two books my way last month.

Ultimate Reptileopedia: The Most Complete Reptile Reference Ever
by Christina Wilsdon
272 pages; ages 7-10
National Geographic Children's Books, 2015

 How can you resist opening a book with the face of a Tokay gecko plastered on the cover? Cute, right?

This hefty guide begins with an overview: what a reptile is (contrasted to an amphibian); diversity of reptiles; reptile basics (scutes and scales); behavior; and life cycle. There are short sections on camouflage, reptile homes, what they eat and what eats them.

Then Wilsdon dives right into the different groups of reptiles: lizards and snakes; turtles and tortoises; crocs and alligators; and a funny little group called tuataras. Each two-page spread includes a detailed photo of the featured creature, a description about their life and behavior, a "facts" box and additional cool things to know. For example: did you know that Australia is minting a set of coins featuring reptiles? And that there really are dragons? And there are lizards that look like worms?

There is also an interview with a herpetologist - that's a scientist who studies reptiles - and a discussion about what you can do to help save reptiles from extinction.

Mission: Sea Turtle Rescue
by Karen Romano Young
112 pages; ages 10 & up
National Geographic Children's Books, 2015

 This is one of the Mission: Animal Rescue series that focuses on saving animals in danger. Habitat loss, hunting, and other human activities are threatening many animals - but this book points to ways children can help turtles and other animals.

Learning about sea turtles means getting wet, so the author takes us into the ocean to show us how they live and grow. If sea turtles had a superpower it would be flying through the water. They are built for speed. But they can get tangled up in nets and debris.

Young highlights different kinds of sea turtles, and shows how people are protecting hatchlings. Throughout the book we meet sea turtles that have been rescued and explorers who work with them. There are also "Rescue Activities" - things kids can do to learn more about sea turtles and increase awareness about sea turtles in their communities. The last two chapters focus on human-turtle interactions and what's being done to save sea turtles. A page of resources provides links for people who want to learn more about sea turtles, adopt a sea turtle, or go visit them.

Give-Away! Win a copy of Sea Turtle Rescue. Just leave a comment about reptiles or sea turtles before Feb 10. I'll choose a winner by random drawing and let you know on Feb. 12. (Limited to addresses in the US)

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copies from the publisher.

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Chill a piece of dark colored paper in the freezer. Then take it outside when snow is falling - and catch some snowflakes. Look at them with a magnifying lens. Capture what you see in colors, words, a song, or movement.


Remember to take your sketchbook or journal with unlined pages, something to draw and write with, and something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

Numbers in Nature

What in the World? Numbers in Nature
by Nancy Raines Day; illus. by Kurt Cyrus
32 pages; ages 4-8
Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster), 2015

What in the world comes one by one? 
A nose.
   A mouth.
      The moon.
         The sun.

So begins this innovative counting book. From one to ten, in rhyming couplets, Nancy Day explores sets of things in nature: legs, arms, flowers. I love how she uses three parts of a bee's body (head, thorax, abdomen) to invite readers to look more closely at insects. There's another reference to insect legs (6) but when she gets to 8 it's not spider legs she's counting, but octopus limbs.

The language is soft, lyrical. The illustrations are warm, full of details that pull you into the scene. And on every page: What in the world comes grouped in ____? Until the end, when Day asks, "What comes in sets too big to count?"

This is a perfect book for engaging children in counting and observing the natural world around them. Why not head out on a counting walk? How many legs on a bird? How many wings? Where can you find five of something in the natural surroundings of your neighborhood?

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Look at needles on different evergreens around where you live. Notice whether they are in groups or single, what their shape is, how sharp or soft they are. Bite them and experience their flavor and aroma. Then capture them using colors and words.

Remember to take your sketchbook or journal with unlined pages, something to draw and write with, and something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

Saving Lives of "Blue Babies"

Breakthrough! How Three People Saved “Blue Babies” and Changed Medicine Forever
by Jim Murphy
144 pages; ages 10 & up
Clarion Books, 2015

If you have a young reader who loves mysteries, technology, invention, science  - a kid who thinks that someday she will want to be a doctor, put this book in her hands! Or his hands.

Author Jim Murphy tells the story of one of the first successful heart operations ever performed. It's about the medical breakthrough that not only saved the lives of tens of thousands of children but also opened the way for future heart surgeries.

And it took place in 1944. An unlikely team performed this high-risk surgery: surgeon Dr. Alfred Blalock; pediatric physician Dr. Helen Taussig; and African-American lab assistant Vivien Thomas. Blalock received the fame, but it was Thomas who developed and perfected the surgical technique to repair the hearts of children born with "blue baby" syndrome. In fact, he was the only person who had ever carried out the surgery successfully on a research animal.

Most of the people working at Johns Hopkins had no idea of Thomas's genius - many of them thought he was a janitor. Indeed, during that time of segregation, he was often treated as such. In one instance the director refused to order equipment that Thomas needed to conduct research. And yet, without his guidance, Blalock would not have been able to do the surgery.

Had history gone in a different direction, Thomas might have attended medical school. But the depression swallowed his meager savings. Desperate for a job, he landed in Blalock's lab. Fortunately, Blalock was looking for an assistant who could learn quickly and even suggest avenues for investigation. Often, Thomas would have to invent the tools he and Blalock would use in their surgeries.

Murphy touches on many topics as he tells this story, including the debate on using animals in medical research, how women and blacks were treated in the medical/research field, and the role of innovation in developing technology. But mostly, he tells a compelling story.

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. On Monday we're joining the folks at Nonfiction Monday. Review copy provided by the publisher.
 

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Start a list of nearby plants, animals, birds that you already know and live around you. Add to this list as you see more. Capture their colors, shapes, movement...


Remember to take your sketchbook or journal with unlined pages, something to draw and write with, and something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

About Polar Regions

About Habitats: Polar Regions
by Cathryn Sill; illus. by John Sill
48 pages; ages 3-7
Peachtree, 2015

What a great addition to the Sill's "About Habitat" series - and a perfect read for winter. Like other books in the series, Polar Regions highlights the diversity of the icy places on either end of our planet. Each spread focuses on a single aspect of a polar region, with simple text on one page and detailed illustration on the other.

I love the contrast between north and south poles. The area at the North Pole is made up of frozen ocean with land all around, writes Cathryn, while the South Pole is made up of a huge area of frozen land with ocean all around. I've looked at maps and globes since ... forever, and never really paid attention to this difference.

Each spread features a different animal, telling whether it lives in the Arctic or Antarctic:  penguins (Antarctic), Polar Bears (Arctic), seals, narwhals and more. Plants and animals have adaptations that allow them to live in these cold and windy regions. But most animals don't even live on land; they live in the ocean.

What I love about these books is the back matter - six pages of additional information that deepens our understanding of polar regions. That's where you find out more about the auroras, how thick the Antarctic ice is, what permafrost is, and why it's important to protect these harsh, yet fragile habitats.
 

This book is best when paired with a steaming mug of cocoa. Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copy provided by publisher.

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

It's a new year and I'm going to try something different. On Wednesdays I'll introduce a "five-minute field trip" or activity that will get you outside to experience nature AND connect with your creative side.

Things you'll want to have on hand:

• a sketchbook or journal with unlined pages
• something to draw and write with
• something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers

 Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Go outside and look at all the colors around you. Capture them on your page using colored pencils (or crayons or paints) and words.