Turn this Book into a Lever!

 Every now and then I come across a book that is more than a book. This one turns into a catapult - at least part of it does! That makes it a perfect gift for young knights-in-training...

 

 Mighty Models: The Legendary Life Story of the Lever 
by Christine Van Zandt; illus by Lesley Breen 
32 pages; ages 4-8
Union Square Kids, 2025

theme: physics, history, hands-on

 

This is a lever. It doesn’t look like much, but it is one of the world’s mightiest machines.

A lever is basically a rigid beam and a fulcrum. From teeter-totters to robotic arms, levers have been used to move things. People have used levers to hunt mammoths, build Great Walls, print books, produce movies – even defend the Crown Jewels of England!  Over the span of ten spreads, this book invites readers to discover the science – and the history – of this simple, yet important machine. 

 

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 What I like about this book: I like the visual table of contents. I also like the fun lever sidebars on each spread. But what I really like is how part of the book is a hands on build-it-yourself catapult model that allows kids to discover the power of a lever in action. 

 

  

I asked Christine if she had constructed the model catapult. "Oh yes!" she said. "The cats love it!"You can watch author Christine Van Zandt demonstrate her model catapult in this video at her website, christinevanzandt.com/models

Beyond the Books:

 
Check out this short video about levers and some simple machines you might use that incorporate levers. 

Make your own lever using a ruler (or similar flat wood piece) and a marker or other item (dowel, block) as a fulcrum. Use your lever to lift a flat stone or can of tuna. What happens when you move the fulcrum closer to the load? Or farther away?

Go lever-looking. How many kinds of levers do you find around your house and yard? Make a list of what you find using words or pictures. One of the levers we have around our house is a T-post puller.

Christine is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her at her website christinevanzandt.com. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM at www.steamteambooks.com

We'll be joining Perfect Picture Book Friday after the holidays. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review pdf provided by the author.

Explore Outdoors ~ a prickly tree!

 

Sometimes when you get up close to a tree, you decide that maybe you don't want to shake it's hands! What sort of prickly trees do you have where you live?

Let it Snow!

We still have a couple weeks before the official “first day of winter” but it can snow any time, so I want to share these fun books today.

theme: snow, snowflakes, STEM

Flurry, Float, and Fly!: The Story of a Snowstorm 

by Laura Purdie Salas; illus by Chiara Fedele 

40 pages; ages 4-7

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025

Clouds lie heavy, gray, and low. From down below, just one wish: Snow!

The kids are waiting, and waiting… they pull out the sled and sit on it and wait some more. Above, the sky is dark with clouds that look like they might bring snow. And above those clouds, the air currents, cold from the north and damp from the south, mix and swirl. “Water vapor clings to dust, begins to build a slushy crust.” From the endpages – autumn leaves at the front, snow at the back – to the rhythmic, rhyming language, this is one fun read-aloud!

What I like about this book: there’s a ton of science in this book, beginning with cloud formation. Readers will learn how a drop freezes and how water vapor clings, forming branches, and how those crystals begin to fall and collect into flakes. Back matter all about The Science of Snow, from the ingredients you need for a snowstorm to flake formation, accompanied by snowflake photos. 

Hello Snow (Board Book)

by Katherine Pryor; illus. by Rose Soini 

24 pages; ages 0-3

Schiffer Kids, 2025

Flakes flutter. Wind swirls.

Parents help two youngsters zip up into their outdoor clothes so they can greet the snow. They slip and slide, make snow angels, and roll snow into a friend. There is so much to explore outside in the cold.

What I like about this book: The rhymes are short and focus on sounds and action. Boots crunch, ice cracks. Activities are perfect for toddlers (and their adults!), and the bright colors bring life to a snowy page.

Beyond the Books:

Go snowflake watching. Make sure you’re dressed warmly and then go outside to watch snowflakes fall. What do they look like when you watch them looking straight ahead? What do they look like when you look up into the sky? Come up with words that show what you see.

Catch snowflakes. You’ll need to put some dark colored paper in the freezer a couple hours before. Then head outside and let flakes land. Some things to do: look at flakes through a magnifying glass; catch flakes at the beginning of the storm and later on to see if they have changed shape and size; try to count how many land on your paper in 10 seconds. 

Build a snowflake using materials at hand: legos, twigs, straws, or cut one out of paper. Remember the two rules of snowflakes: they have six rays and they are symmetrical. Here’s a video showing one way to cut a paper snowflake.

Make a list of five more things you can do to play with snow! Then go do them.

We'll be joining Perfect Picture Book Friday when it resumes after the holidays. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ Frosted Leaves

 Fall is a beautiful time where I live: leaves of all colors cling to the trees, shining like stained glass in the early morning sun. They can also be beautiful once they've fallen - especially when frost outlines the ribs and margins.

What frosty beauty do you see where you live?

From Soup to ... Tortillas!

 Theme: food, traditions, family

Everyone has Day-after-Thanksgiving traditions. In my family it is making soup and putting turkey meat into freezer containers to use in chili and burrito mixes later. So… I thought today would be the perfect day to share two books about Food and Traditions. Let’s start with soup, because some of us already have the turkey carcass in the pot simmering away!

Soup's On Around the World (Taste the World) 

by Denyse Waissbluth; illus by Chelsea O'Byrne 

40 pages; ages 4-8

‎Greystone Kids, 2025

Soup’s on. A tasty treat. Fill your bowl. Time to eat!

Page by page, readers travel around the world sipping soups from different regions and cultures. Hot soup from Thailand, cold soup from Spain. Soup as orange as pumpkin or as red as beets. Sweet soup, bitter soup, soup made from clams – and chicken soup to cure whatever ails you.

What I like about this book: Rhyming language introduces the different soups, but not by name. On one page we’re invited to bring veggies ~ it’s for minestrone, a thick vegetable soup that has no rules! Just toss in any vegetables you have, along with some pasta. (It sounds a lot like my “refrigerator” soup). There are other soups that are cooked in a large communal pot – enough for all! Back matter includes a bit of soupy history and the favorite recipes of the author and illustrator. Yum!

Some of our turkey meat goes into the soup, but some is frozen to make meals later. My favorite is black bean & turkey burritos. But before we can roll up the burritos, we need to make tortillas. Maybe this next book will help?

Tia Sofia and the Giant Tortilla (Mi Hermosa Familia/My Beautiful Family) 

by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz; illus by Carlos Vélez Aguilera 

32 pages; ages 3-7

‎Gibbs Smith, 2025

My name is Luna, and I want to tell you about my Tia Sofia and the giant tortilla.

Tia Sofia is an artist with a wild streak. She also wants some help rolling out the tortilla dough, so Luna and her little brother, Sol, roll out the masa to some music. It’s messy, and bits of dough and flour end up in the oddest places. But it’s Tia Sofia who gets carried away and rolls out a tortilla SO big it could be used as a superhero’s cape!

What I like about this book: Luna and Sol have great imaginations and come up with at least half-a-dozen uses for a giant tortilla. This will certainly inspire kids to think about what they might do with a giant tortilla. Or a giant cookie, biscuit, or pancake – depending on what they might make in their home. I also like how Spanish words are integrated into the story. Back matter includes a seek-and-find challenge and a recipe for Tia Sofia’s flour tortillas.

Beyond the Books:

Make your own turkey soup, starting with the left-over turkey. First thing we do is take the meat off the bones and pop the carcass in a big pot – along with onion, celery, carrots, and herbs – to simmer for 3 or 4 hours. Meanwhile, we sort the meat into some for sandwiches, some for chili and burritos, and some for the soup. Homemade turkey soup recipe here.

Make your own tortilla (giant or regular size). Here’s a recipe that’s easy to follow. They use it to make a nut butter and jelly sandwich – or maybe a quesadilla (grilled cheese).

Everyone has a favorite kind of soup. Ask your family and friends (or classmates) what kind of soup they like the best. Then make a chart showing how many people like each kind of soup. My favorite: bean soup with ham or kielbasa in it.

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 copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ what's THAT under my blueberry leaf?

 

I love the way my blueberry leaves turn brilliant red in the fall! So the other day I was trying to capture the color when I noticed this egg sac sheltered beneath a leaf. Someone more knowledgeable about spiders than I am suggested that it was a yellow garden spider, Argiope aurantia - which makes sense since there were many of them inhabiting my garden this summer.

According to what I've read, there can be hundreds of eggs inside, and they hatch in late fall or early winter. But rather than dispersing, the spiderlings go into diapause (a dormant state) and emerge the following spring. If they all live (which they won't) I'll have plenty of pest-munching spiders in my garden! Bug Eric has a great post about them here. 

Do you have any spiders hanging around your yard? 

Scales and Tails and long, flicking tongues!

 

Flick! The Truth About Lizards 

by Annette Whipple

32 pages; ages 8-12

‎Reycraft Books, 2025

theme: animals, lizards, nonfiction

The flicking tongue. The color-changing skin. The watchful eyes…

Geckos, iguanas and skinks are just some of the reptiles that scientists have grouped into a category they call “lizards.” In this book, Annette introduces readers to lizard secrets: why they flick their tongues, where they live, and what they eat.

What I like about this book: I like the way Annette begins each section with a question, like “what good are lizards’ toes?”  I love the photographs that capture lizards at their scaly-est. And there are extra facts on each spread under “scales & tails” where we can discover things like how geckos can hang upside down. Back matter includes caring for a lizard as a pet, an introduction to some scaly superstars, a hands-on exploration of how chameleon tongues work, and a glossary. 

Beyond the Books:

Make a 3-D paper lizard with a roly tail – it’s fun to make. Here’s a video showing how 

Check out the lizard and reptile hands-on STEM activities at Growing With Science blog – including one about how lizards warm up in the sunshine.

Do lizards live in your backyard? Here are the most common lizards that live in the United States. If you can’t find any living around your neighborhood, maybe a nearby zoo has a reptile house with lizards.

Could gecko feet help us walk on slippery surfaces?  Here’s how gecko feet work (a National Geo Kids video). Inspired by gecko footpads, some scientists are developing a material that could be used in shoe soles to prevent slips and slides. What feature of lizards inspires you to create something?

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

 

 

Explore Outdoors ~ after rain

 I walk in all kinds of weather, but taking pictures in the rain is tough. So I like to wait until the rain stops, and then capture those elusive raindrops. These photos were taken last month in Boston. 

Go on a Raindrop Walk in your neighborhood!

 

White House Secrets are Not a New Thing!

 

White House Secrets: Medical Lies and Cover-Ups (Medical Fiascoes) 

by Gail Jarrow 

288 pages; ages 10-17

Calkins Creek, 2025

Given all the political goings-on this year, this seems like a perfect time for a book about White House secrets to hit the shelves. And a perfect time to reflect on the medical fiascoes that have occurred during past presidencies. With that in mind, let’s head up to Capitol Hill – or at least open the cover of the book and dive in.

Did you know that eight US presidents died in office? And that more than a third of our presidents became seriously ill during their term in office? “Yet,” writes Gail Jarrow, “Americans were deliberately kept in the dark… Lies were told. Cover-ups were orchestrated.”

Gail writes from the position that Americans have a right to know whether their elected leader is healthy enough to perform the duties of his office. But sometimes family members hide health problems. Sometimes it’s presidential aides hiding their leader’s infirmities. And sometimes it’s the president himself – whether out of self-preservation or denial.

When James Garfield died of an infected gunshot wound, his vice president, Chester Arthur took over. Unfortunately, he had a kidney disease that resulted in fatigue, among other issues. Meanwhile, he staged photo opportunities to show himself as a hale and hardy outdoorsman, writes Gail.

Gail also examines the presidencies of Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, FDR, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Regan, and Joe Biden. The first page of each chapter includes fast facts: dates elected, biographical information, and their term in office. Within the chapter, Gail discusses the politics surrounding their presidencies, their health issues, legal and political ramifications, and what happens when a president is incapable of making decisions. 

I particularly liked the last chapter, in which Gail talks about the influence of a president on the American people, and reasons why they hid their health problems. “Grover Cleveland feared his cancer diagnosis would trigger a financial crisis,” she notes. Others have kept serious illnesses secret to “maintain power and prevent the vice president from taking over.”

The thing is, Gail points out, that there is no law that requires a candidate or sitting president to take a physical or cognitive test to prove that they are capable of performing the duties of the office. And asking for transparency about a president’s health raises a lot of questions. For example, is the president’s right to privacy more important than the public’s right to know medical details? Should certain medical conditions be disqualifying?

This book is a great resource for teachers and school libraries, offering jumping-off point for discussions and debates about history, politics, health, and ethics. I give it a rating of 5 stethoscopes. 

The Medical Fiascoes series includes Blood and Germs, which follows the advances in medicine during the Civil War and American Murderer about the parasite that haunted the south, which I reviewed here.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ Home, from a leaf's point of view

 The other day I got to wondering: what does a fallen leaf think? So I got down to the level of an oak leaf and looked at the world from its point of view. What was it looking at? 

Home! Or at least the home it used to have before the big wind storm... 

 

 

 

What do you discover when you look at the world from the vantage point of the leaves (or flowers) in your yard?

Bam! Ka-boom! Bu-u-urp! The Carbon Cycle

 

From BAM! to BURP!: A Carbon Atom's Never-Ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU 

by Melissa Stewart; illus. by Marta Alvarez Miguens 

40 pages; ages 5-8

‎Charlesbridge, 2025

themes: atoms, carbon cycle, science

You’ve probably heard of atoms. They’re the tiny particles that make up almost everything we know in the Universe (including you).

Here’s the thing about atoms: they never disappear. They just keep moving from one thing to another, from one creature to another … from leaves to dinosaurs to fish to … us!

Melissa Stewart takes readers on a journey through the carbon cycle, beginning with a big crash (that’s the BAM of the title) – when a small rocky planet crashed into Earth. Bits of that planet melted, and the atoms (including carbon) rearranged into new molecules – like carbon dioxide spewed out of the cone of a volcano during eruption. In her book, Melissa shows that molecule eventually getting sucked up by a leaf. Once the carbon dioxide is broken down, that carbon atom is used to make glucose – hooray for photosynthesis! And carbon is happy – whoops! I spoke too soon because a long-necked dinosaur just came by and ate that leaf!

What I like about this book: I like how Melissa makes the journey of a carbon atom seem like such an adventure. And how she asks readers to think about where a carbon atom they exhale or burp might go next. I like the “Wonder Wall” she has at the end of the book – a wall full of post it notes with questions (and, thankfully, answers). Additional back matter explains more about the carbon cycle, fossil fuels, and climate change.

After reading this book, I had One Question for Melissa:

Me: In your author note you mention that a kid's question inspired you to trace the path of a carbon atom from us all the way back to dinosaurs and beyond. And this isn't the only time a kid's question has inspired a book (I think aardvark started that way?) - can you talk about the value of listening to the questions kids ask and how they've inspired your own curiosity?

Melissa: I like your question a lot! Yes, my book Can an Aardvark Bark? was inspired by a question from my nephew, Colin. Key aspects of Thank You, Moon and Summertime Sleepers also trace back to experiences with my niece, Caroline, and my nephew, Emile, respectively. Since children are my audience, I always pay close attention to their opinions and ideas. What excites them? What makes them curious? What leaves a lasting impression? I want to understand how they see the world and their place in it, so that my books will truly resonate with them.

Beyond the Books:

Make a list of things you find in your house and around your yard that have carbon in them. (hint: living things have carbon, some rocks have carbon)

Experiment with Fizzy Drink science! You need some fizzy drinks (diet cola works) and some mints (mentos work) and a place where it’s okay for messy science to happen. Here’s a video about carbonation science.

Got rocks? Some rocks, like limestone, have carbon atoms in their make-up. You can test whether rocks have carbon in them by dropping some hydrochloric acid – or even strong vinegar – on them. If they have carbon, they will fizz or foam. Those hard water deposits on your tea kettle are probably calcium carbonate. Go ahead – toss vinegar on them to test. Another good source to test for carbon: baking soda!

Melissa is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her at her website melissa-stewart.com. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM at www.steamteambooks.com

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.

Explore Outdoors ~ Wandering Caterpillars

 Maybe you saw some cute, furry caterpillars wandering across your yard a few weeks ago? They look so fuzzy and cute - but don't pick this one up! Unlike the friendly woolly bear, this hickory tussock moth's hairs will sting. The hairs contain a mild venom that can cause an itchy rash on your skin. Those irritating hairs help protect the caterpillars from predators such as birds and bats. 

You can find out more about the hickory tussock moth at What's That Bug.

Are there any late fall caterpillars still wandering around? 

Go on a caterpillar hunt (remember to leave them alone, though. They're looking for a place to spend the winter!)

A Rainforest Expedition!

 

3 Weeks in the Rainforest: A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon 

by Jennifer Swanson 

80 pages; ages 8-12

‎Charlesbridge, 2025

Imagine a place where you’re surrounded by trees that soar to the sky, writes Jennifer Swanson. A place where large, glossy leaves block sunlight, and heavy, damp air is filled with the aroma of flowers. Where the chatter of monkeys and toucans drifts down from the canopy.

That place exists – it is the rainforest of the Andes-Amazon, home to an incredible diversity of plants and animals. In this book, Jen takes us on a three week field expedition into the rainforest, with a “rapid inventory” team of scientists from the Field Museum of Chicago. Together, with their partners from the Andes-Amazon region, they survey the wildlife and learn as much as they can about the people who live there. The goal: to develop a plan that will protect the rainforest and the inhabitants.

Individual chapters take readers into the field with the fish team, the bird watchers, plant collectors, or the night crew surveying snakes and frogs. Put on your boots and make sure your headlamp has fresh batteries because you’re not returning to camp until you’ve counted and recorded everything that slithers, hops, flies, or crawls.  Meanwhile, other teams are tracking elusive mammals and talking with the locals about how they use and care for the land.

What I like about this book: It feels like an adventure. We travel to the first camp by canoe, and set up tents. Each team gets a chapter that takes readers deep into the field with the scientists. Sidebars add details – sometimes about science technology. Did you know that there’s a fish DNA database called the Fish-Barcode of Life? Another explains why birds don’t like to fly when it’s raining. And the photos! Did I mention them? They are gorgeous! I have to admit that I am smitten by the sweet face of the Southern tamandua. 

photo from the Smithsonian

Turns out, it's an arboreal anteater!

The last two chapters focus on the human connection and making a plan for the future. There’s a brief report – 790 species of plants and 706 species of vertebrates, included some species that may be new to science – and what happens next. You can find out more about this expedition at their website: https://www.rapidinventories.fieldmuseum.org/ri-30

In her author’s note, Jen says that she was inspired by an exhibit at Chicago’s Field Museum seven years ago. I wanted to know more!

Me: When did you know you had to write a book about the Inventory Project?

Jen: I spent about an hour or more walking through the rest of the very informative and descriptive exhibit – and during that entire time I just kept thinking, why haven't I heard about this? This needs to be a book for kids! Then I was hit by an overwhelming feeling of excitement, I knew then that I wanted to be the one to tell this story. Less than a week later, I reached out to Dr. Corine Vriesendorp, the head of the Rapid Inventory Project at the time, to request a meeting. 

A few months later, I went back to the museum and met with four of the scientists for interviews and also the PR person to ask if they would support me writing this book. Thankfully, the PR team was very excited about the book.

Jennifer Swanson is an award-winning author of over 50 nonfiction books for children, and founding member of STEAMTeamBooks. You can find out more about her at her website, jenniferswansonbooks.com 

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ Fungi from the tree tops

 

 

 

Last month the wind blew lots of branches down from the trees. I'm always curious to see what's growing up in the sky... so I look at them all before tossing them into the brush pile. And one branch had this very bright and sunny lichen. It's got a bright and sunny name: sunburst lichen! I love the little cups. They are the fruiting bodies, and release spores.

 

What's growing on trees in your neighborhood? 

Your Body’s Goops, Juices, and Hormones

The Gland Factory: A Tour of Your Body’s Goops, Juices, and Hormones 

by Rachel Poliquin; illus. by Clayton Hanmer 

80 pages; ages 8012

‎Greystone Kids, 2025

Another fun book about the human body by the same team who gave us The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers a couple years ago. I love the table of contents: a map of the Gland Factory so we know where to begin our tour. First stop: the mouth machine. You may want to put on a poncho and a hardhat, because things can get messy on the factory floor. The Mouth Machine has teeth that can crush you dead, and saliva glands that could drown you in spit. 

Make sure you hold on tight as we climb the ladder up to … the nostrils and inner nose. Hmmm, looks like the floor supervisor is doing a safety inspection of the nasal glands…

 After a quick stop at the eyes we get to Main Control in the hypothalamus. No gloop here! This is a messenger gland, a control station that sends and receives a continuous stream of chemicals from endocrine glands. Together they coordinate the body’s vital systems: circulation, digestion, sleep, metabolism, temperature control, and more. These important messages are sent through the bloodstream, similar to rolled up notes stuffed in a bottle and sealed and tossed into a stream. Unlike notes in a bottle, the messages are read and responded to. 

Upon receiving a message, the worker in charge runs it through the hormone decoder machine and then releases the appropriate response hormone from the hormone storehouse. At least that’s how it works in the gland factory. In real life it’s all about body chemistry and receptor cells that ensure the correct hormone message connects with the correct body part.

The tour exits through the waxy ear holes, but before you go, please fill out a visitor survey. (And leave your hardhat and protective gear.) Back matter includes a glossary, suggestions for further reading, and an index.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ Aging flowers

 Day by day we're growing older. But for some of us, the process of aging comes more quickly - especially if we're a plant! As the flowers in my garden age, they produce seeds and the petals fall away. But there's that in-between time when they look like they're having a "bad hair day." This is especially true with calendula.

 

Aren't those textured seeds cool? 

This week, check out what the flowers are doing in your neighborhood! 

 

Going nuts for books about acorns and their trees

Themes: trees, growth, nature … and, of course, acorns!

Back in 2020, author Barbara Ciletti and illustrator Cathy Morrison teamed up on The Tiny Giant, a story about how tiny acorns grow into mighty oaks. Now they’ve got a board book coming out in a couple weeks – with text beautifully revised to perfectly suit this new format. 

The Tiniest Giant (board book)

by Barbara Ciletti; illus. by Cathy Morrison 

20 pages; ages baby-3 years

‎Schiffer Kids, 2025 

Greatness begins in the tiniest places.

It always amazes me that seeds contain within them entire plants. I mean … pumpkins! And trees! This summer I watched acorns form on the oak shading our driveway and they start of so small – just a bunch of buttons hanging onto a twig. And I ask the same thing Barbara does in her book, “Is there a tree inside?”

What I like about this book: I like how the simple, yet not simplistic, text works with the illustrations to show the seasons of an oak tree’s life. The acorns ripen, and then “Seeds drop.” Simple language, right? But using the word “seed” for acorn helps build the expectation of future growth. Illustrations show the acorn sinking beneath the snow and, in the spring, germinating into a sturdy seedling. 

Oh, and do you notice anything about this first spread? If you said "book turn," you're right. You have to turn the book so you get this nice verticality of the tall, tall oak tree. Review copy provided by the publisher.

 

Mighty: The Story of an Oak Tree Ecosystem 

by Henry Cole 

48 pages; ages 4-8

‎Peachtree, 2025 

Sometimes things happen by chance. A blue jay drops an acorn, and a tree’s life begins.

With luck, and enough sunlight and rain, that acorn germinates and grows into a seedling. A year later it has become a sapling. Over the years, the tree grows taller and provides nesting spots for birds. The leaves provide food for caterpillars which, in turn, provide food for songbirds. When they die and fall to earth, the leaves provide food for worms and other decomposers. Over time, people move into the area and what was once a forest becomes a town. Still the oak thrives.

What I like about this book: It seems such a simple thing, an acorn growing into an oak. But as the tree grows and ages, Henry Cole’s detailed black-and-white illustrations show the important role it plays in the ecological community around it. I like that Cole provides information visually, for those who want to look more carefully at details. At the back, he shows how to build an ecosystem in four easy steps. Cole writes and draws with the authority of someone who has studied trees and forests. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Looking for some fun fall read-alouds? Here are a couple more acorn-related stories that I found at my library:  

Acorn Was a Little Wild 

by Jen Arena; illustrated by Jessica Gibson 

‎Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2022

Imagine an acorn – the first of his generation – leaping from the tree and heading off for a wild adventure. There are ferocious animals! Raging streams! Dark places…. but eventually, like every wild child, acorn puts down roots.

The Nut That Fell from the Tree 

by Sangeeta Bhadra; illustrated by France Cormier 

Kids Can Press, 2020

You can tell from the title that this is a cumulative tale infused with the rhythm and rhyme of the House that Jack Built. It begins with a treehouse where Jill plays … a tiny house tucked into the branches of an oak, from which an acorn drops and – I’m going to let you imagine the possibilities, but seriously, check it out and read it because it’s plain fun.

Beyond the Books:

Make some handprint acorns. Even one-year-olds will get into painting their hands and making a print! Here's how. 

Use mini-cookies and chocolate kisses to make edible acorns (this recipe uses peanut butter cookies – but for those of us with allergies we can find non-peanut alternatives!)

For older people: make a whistle using an acorn cap. I have yet to master this! Here's how.

Plant an acorn (or two or three) in a pot and leave it outside or on an unheated porch all winter. You might get a baby oak sprouting in the spring!

Get to know an oak tree. Collect some leaves and make some leaf prints. Do bark rubbing. Lay down underneath it and look up – what do you notice?

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. Picture books from my local library.

Explore Outdoors ~ one last look at garden spiders

 My garden is a great habitat for spiders. I pile dried grass and straw on the beds to help keep them from drying out - and spiders love to hide in the mulch. I grow flowers between the tomatoes and peppers, and spiders love the web-building opportunities tall stems provide. And some plants have big leaves that create a shade for spiders looking for hiding spots. Here are a couple end-of-season spider pictures.

 

 

Some animals are Just Plain Rude!

 

So Rude!: Animals Behaving Badly 

by Jessica Fries-Gaither

32 pages; ages 4-9

Millbrook Press, 2025

theme: animal behavior, nonfiction, STEM

You’ve heard grown-ups say it again and again. Mind your manners. 

Be polite. 

Be on your best behavior.

Good advice for humans. Maybe not so much for animals, says Jessica Fries-Gaither. Because for some animals, what we think of as “bad manners” is just a way of life. For example, some animals don’t “tell the truth.” They use deceit to capture prey, disguises to hide from predators, and fake their own death to get out of … mostly getting eaten.

What I like about this book: Jam-packed with bad behavior – cowbirds cheat, crows call out fake news, and vultures poop on their feet – and filled with photos, this book is a fun tour of how animals use rudeness to survive. Or at least what looks like rudeness to us. Each example reminds us to not judge other animals by our standards (or lack thereof). There is back matter, with more information about animal behavior, a glossary, and list of resources for further reading. 

Jessica is one of my critique partners, and I watched this book “grow up” from outline to draft to revision to … yay! It’s a book! And in all that time I never asked her this One Question:

Me: What made you want to write this book? Were you inspired by behaviors you saw in the school lunchroom? Or, was this something you wanted to write for your students for any particular reason?

 

photo by Kollmer Photography

Jessica: I can't point to a specific incident that made me want to write this book! But we spend a good amount of time in my elementary science classes talking about animal behaviors and how we can't necessarily interpret them through the lens of human behaviors and norms. At some point I thought it could be a fun and funny window for kids into learning about animal behavior.

Beyond the Books:

Watch for backyard bullies at your bird feeder this winter! Which birds take over the feeder and scare off other birds? And how do they intimidate other birds? With calls? With wing displays? At our feeders it’s the jays who act badly!

What animal thieves hang out in your yard or neighborhood? Squirrels steal our bird seed and suit from the bird feeders! And a meadow vole took bites out of eight (8!) squash this summer. Crows often take shiny things, and even cats will pick up small toys and carry them off. Who's making mischief in your yard?

Jessica is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, www.jessicafriesgaither.com

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.

Explore Outdoors ~ Smell the Leaves

Last week I was scuffling through the fallen leaves (on a country road in Vermont) - listening to the rustle and crunch - and I noticed that the air smelled sweet. Maybe it was all the sugar maple leaves?

 

 

This week pay attention to the leaves that have fallen:

• what do they sound like?
• what do they smell like?