Two new National Geographic Readers

My kids loved listening to stories, and picture book read-alouds were our favorite time of the day. But there came a time when they wanted to find out stuff on their own – to read about bugs and animals that live nearby or far, far away. That’s one reason I love sharing books from the National Geographic Readers series. The other reason: they are filled with gorgeous photos that will have kids poring over the furry, fuzzy, or scaly details.

So here are two recently released titles.

In the Desert, by Michaela Weglinski is a short (24 page) book perfect for kids who are “ready to read.” The book features animals – and a few plants – from dry places around the world. It’s more than camels: there are fennec foxes, lizards, big cats, small birds. The text is large, with each sentence focusing on a specific fact. For example, “The cactus stores the water in its thick stems.” That photo features a diversity of cacti in the Sonoran Desert (USA), with an example pointing out where the stems are. This is helpful, since cactus stems look nothing like rose stems, despite them both being rather prickly.

What I like about this book: Did I mention the photos? Well, let me mention them again! They are filled with textures, from grainy sand to needle-sharp cactus spines to the fluffy coat of a snow leopard. Wait! What’s a snow leopard doing in the desert? That is one of the cool things kids will learn about. I also like the Vocabulary Tree at the beginning – with lists of words for Things in the Desert and How Deserts Feel.

Rainforests, by Andrea Silen is a 32-page book that is perfect for kids who are reading independently (but need occasional help with new words). Rainforests may cover only a small amount of the planet, but they have more unique plants and animals than anywhere else on Earth. And the photos in this book show some of those amazing flowers and frogs, birds and butterflies that inhabit the layers of a rainforest.

What I like about this book: There’s a table of contents, so kids can see what topics are included at a glance. And there’s a fun quiz at the back. There are those amazing, detailed photos full of color and texture. And there are plenty of text boxes that share information, show how to pronounce a word, or contain a joke. What do you call a clouded leopard on a rainy day?

Thank you to Tracey Daniels at Media Masters Publicity for review copies.