Wait, Rest, Pause

Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature
by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
32 pages; ages 4-8
Millbrook Press, 2020 (released fall 2019)

theme: dormancy, nature, waiting

If you were dormant, you would pause—
waiting,
resting,
huddling,
curling,
napping.

When conditions get tough, some animals head elsewhere. But others – they tough it out by going into a dormant stage: estivation, hibernation, diapause, torpor. Plants go dormant as well. You’ve watched deciduous trees lose their leaves when days grow shorter and colder. The trees hunker down for the winter, waiting for the right condition to break dormancy and produce flowers and leaves.

What I like love about this book: I love the lyrical language that Marcie Atkins uses to show plants and animals going dormant – and then reawakening. The pages are filled with verbs that kids can act out. They are filled with engaging photos of buds and bugs, worms and wildlife. And there is awesome back matter: descriptions of different kinds of dormancy, suggestions for further reading, and websites to explore. If I gave stars, I’d give ‘em all to this book!

Beyond the Books:

Have you ever wondered where worms go in winter? Here’s a place to learn more. And if you’re wondering about what happens to ladybugs, Dr. Laura Levine has the answers.

Download this free Winter Ecology Teacher’s Guide from Glacier National Park for great information about how plants and animals survive the winter. Get PDF.

Meet Marcie Atkins! Next Wednesday I’m interviewing Marcie over at the GROG blog. Please drop by and join us! You can find out more about her at her website.

Today we're joining other book bloggers over at STEM Friday, where you can discover other cool STEM books. And we'll join Perfect Picture Book Friday over at Susanna Leonard Hill's website once it gets back onto its regular schedule. Review copy provided by the publisher.