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.

 

 

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.

These Spiders Served Their Country

 

The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid World War II Army    

by Penny Parker Klostermann; illus. by Anne Lambelet 

48 pages; ages 7-10

Calkins Creek, 2025 

This book had me with the title: The Spider Lady. I mean… who wouldn’t want to know more? Especially with the subtitle mentioning an “arachnid WWII army.” 

Like other entomologists, Nan Songer loved nature. In her case, it was butterflies and moths, beetles and caterpillars – even spiders. She loved learning about them, but didn’t love the idea of killing them and mounting them in collection boxes. Instead, Nan wanted to watch them move about, and she wrote down notes about what she discovered.

Her living insect collection grew, and soon she had jars of bugs all over her house. One day a friend told her that he had used spider’s silk to replace the crosshairs in his surveying scope. And that got Nan wondering… could she harvest spider silk and sell it?

Penny Parker Klostermann takes us right into Nan’s lab – ok, it was probably her dining room – where Nan is experimenting with different ways to collect silk. Nan has lots of questions: Which spiders produce the most silk? What size of silk is best? And most importantly, what’s the best way to raise spiders in captivity? Because some of them would definitely eat their roommates!

These were important questions, because World War II had broken out and the US needed silk for crosshairs in gunsights, periscopes, and range finders. And Nan wanted to furnish that silk.

We watch as Nan realizes that raising thousands of spiders means feeding them. And they like to eat crickets and flies, grubs and moths… and that means MORE jars of bugs! Her seemingly simple idea – to collect spider silk for crosshairs in scopes – began to grow into a huge project. 

I love how Penny shows Nan thinking through the research she needs to do. How can she test whether noise affects the quality of silk produced? Does the age of a spider affect the thickness of the silk strand? And how could she obtain threads that were thinner or thicker than what a spider spun?  Fortunately, she figured out how and by the time the US entered the war, Nan and her spiders were busy helping the troops. 

You can find out more about Penny and her book by dropping over to the GROG where, last month I hosted the 5th Annual Arthropod Roundtable. 

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 publishers.

The Big, the Bad, and the Ugly

Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants

by Ann McCallum Staats; illus. by Zoë Ingram 

144 pages; ages 8-12

‎ MIT Kids Press, 2025  

When plants face a problem, they can’t get up and move. Rooted to the ground, they have to find nutrition, fend off predators, and survive whatever conditions the environment throws at them. They thrive, writes Ann McCallum Staats, by “using brilliant – and bizarre – adaptations.” Some have thorns, others entice insects through the use of chemical signals.

With that in mind, Ann divides her book into four sections, focusing on The Big, The Bad, The Smelly, and The Exceptionally Strange. You probably know at least one really big plant: the giant sequoia. And you may have seen photos of cars driving through one, or many people holding hands to circle a tree. You may have even heard of the biggest of them all, General Sherman which stretches 275 feet into the sky. But did you know that a sequoia’s roots can stretch more than 150 feet from the base? 

Trees aren’t the only huge plants. There’s a water lily whose leaf is so big that you could use it for a raft!

What makes a plant “bad?” How about those that kill off animals nibbling their berries, roots, and leaves? Or those that, by simply touching their sap, could blind you. Certainly there are plenty more bad actors, and I’m sure we can each think of our “most despicable plant” (my vote goes to cholla cactus).

Then there are the smelly ones… the ginkgo which looks lovely but stinks up a storm! And skunk cabbage, one of the earliest plants to emerge in our snow-covered northeast, but carries a certain perfume. Of all the stinkers, the corpse plant whose name may be the most honest. It really does smell like a rotting carcass, and all for the sake of attracting flies to carry its pollen to another flower.

The plant kingdom is so diverse that you’re bound to find a few oddballs, and Ann shares three. One is a plant that’s turned the tables in a bug-bite-leaf world and dines on insects. Another disguises itself as a stone, and a third is a dainty orchid with flowers that look like flying ducks. Orchids are notorious tricksters, and have co-evolved some intricate partnerships with pollinators.

This is a fun book to read, and I wanted to know more. Ann graciously answered a couple of questions.

Me: How did you come across this idea for presenting a book about plants: the biggest, baddest, smelliest? 

 

Ann: I was staring out my office window one day and noticing the pattern of browns and golds (it was winter so no leaves). I decided to write about plants as a kind of challenge to myself. As a former teacher, I was often given a curriculum that could be boring--it was my job to make it engaging for kids and I enjoyed that task. I had low expectations for plants, but once I started a little research, I was astonished by some of the incredible adaptations plants use to survive. Seriously, some of the plants I showcase have seeds that explode, anti-fish armor, and berries so toxic that eating just a few is fatal. I was hooked. As for the structure of the book--the big, the bad, the smelly, and the exceptionally strange, that took some thought. I knew that the organization scheme was key. It couldn't be chronological or based on who, what, where. When I was brainstorming and finding fun facts, it came to me that this structure would work well for the topic. I wanted to highlight how amazing plants really are, once you ‘dig’ in.

Me: I love the "Be-Leaf it or not" features. How did those develop? Because I notice there are plenty of longer sidebars.

Ann: These recurring features focus on some cool fact that I wanted to include but that didn’t quite fit into the text of the chapter. I guess I'd call them breakout boxes. They provide an extension of the chapter and fun additional factoids. They are a little different from the sidebars which are more scientific in nature or offer a more in-depth explanation of something. The “Be-LEAF it or Not” pullouts ask a question and then share a little, fun tidbit that goes beyond the chapter. I really like the way they designed the book with these breakout boxes highlighted. 

Ann is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, annmccallumbooks.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 publishers.

Bird Fiction for Middle Grade

I recently read two middle grade novels that have bird watching at their core. The Secret Language of Birds, by Lynne Kelly is about a girl who discovers a pair of endangered birds nesting in an unusual place. And Bird Nerd, by Jennifer Ann Richter features a birding tournament between two schools that gets a bit more competitive than expected. 

While both books feature our feathery friends, they are also about and finding your own flock. So let’s crack open their covers and see what they’re about.

Bird Nerd 

by Jennifer Ann Richter 

240 pages; ages 8-12

‎ Holiday House, 2024

What happens when your fifth-grade teacher decides to enter your class in a birding competition – and the only other team is from a wealthier suburban school? Nyla Braun, a bird nerd, has high hopes of leading her City Birders to victory. All she needs is a place with trees where birds hang out, and to find a way to motivate her class.

While birdwatching draws her closer to her grandfather, her desire to win conflicts with a long-standing friendship. And her high expectations lead to disappointments along the way. Not only does her feeder design fail to win a prize, but squirrels invade! 

One of the things I liked about this book was the way the author, Jennifer sprinkled bird words throughout the book. The teacher perches on the edge of her desk. There’s a skirt that’s “goldfinch yellow.” But what I particularly love is that Jennifer included an author’s note at the back – YAY for back matter in fiction – where she lists resources for bird nerds (or the merely bird-curious) who live in cities or suburbs or anywhere, really.

Review copy provided by the publisher

The Secret Language of Birds 

by Lynne Kelly 

240 pages; ages 8-12

Delacorte Press, 2024

Nina has always felt like an odd duck, but she is determined to fit in at summer camp. Where she discovers a rare bird – a bird that hasn’t nested in Texas for over a hundred years. The problem… when she discovered this bird, she was in a place she was Not Supposed To Be. An old cabin that is off limits to the campers. So when Nina finally decides to report this bird to the wildlife folks, she has to reveal where she saw it.

The cool stuff: there is a mate. Where did he come from? There is a nest, and an egg. Nina definitely wants to watch developments, and figures out how she and her cabin-mates can keep an eye on the birds. There is, of course, trouble. And Nina does find her flock.

One of the things I like about this book is the authentic birding stuff. Nina uses a bird app (if you’re looking for one, Merlin is great) and squirrels and raccoons raid her feeder just like they do in real life. There’s also cool bird facts, like how jays and crows are related and how birds can recognize faces. And then there’s this quote that I want to hang over my desk: “…a 

This book is from my personal library

The seasons are changing. I see more birds at the feeder every day. So this might be the perfect time to put a birdy-novel in the hands of a middle-grader. If you’re looking for bird books for the littles, check out my post over at the GROG a couple weeks ago.

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.

A Deep Dive into the Scopes Trial

 

A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight over Science in Schools 

by Debbie Levy 

288 pages; ages 10-14 

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025 

This is a book about a science teacher who was simply doing his job when someone pointed out that teaching what was in the text book was now illegal.

This is a book about two lawyers whose words could sway public opinion.

This is a book about a simple idea: that living organisms change over time, in response to environmental pressures, and those changes are passed on to their offspring.

This is a book about an idea so dangerous that it threatened to rip apart the fabric of society, pitting devoutly religious (but scientifically uneducated) people against scientifically literate (and in many cases devoutly religious) people.

And it all started with a meeting at the soda fountain in Robinson’s Drug Store in Dayton, Tennessee on a warm afternoon in May. The mayor wanted to put his town on the map. Two months earlier, the governor had signed into law the Butler Act, which barred teachers from teaching evolution. John Scopes, hired to teach physics and math and – especially – coach football, was filling in for the biology teacher who’d been sick. And the folks at the soda fountain wanted to know: have you been teaching evolution? When Scopes said yes, they asked whether he’d be interested in standing for a test case to challenge the law. With that, the local constable arrested him (then let him go to finish playing tennis with his students), and the rest is … 

... history. Author, Debbie Levy weaves facts gleaned from extensive research and primary sources into a gripping tale that makes you wish all history books were this fun to read. She shows the evolution of Clarence Darrow from baseball player to lawyer to defender of unions and freethinkers. She shows the development of William Jennings Bryan from studious child to debate team to brilliant orator and lawyer. She shows the evolution of the idea of natural selection, highlighting that even though scientists at the time of Darwin were fuzzy on the details (Mendel’s work came to light two years after Darwin’s death), they “were not fuzzy about the fact that evolutionary change happened” and that inherited traits played a role.

Levy pulls together history and science for this deep dive into the 1925 Scopes Trial. She provides insights into the various party’s motivations and also addresses interrelated topics of racism, white supremacy, and eugenics. I particularly like the final chapters. She examines the evolution of thought about Evolution, tracing it through the national politics of 80s up to now. I’ve been asked many times whether I “believe” in evolution – but not once has anyone asked me whether I “believe” in gravity. She also examines the persistence of resistance to science. “Is it because scientific theories aren’t well understood?" she asks. "Is it because they make people uncomfortable?” Is it the same thing that makes people resistant to historical facts?

Back matter includes a timeline, source notes, and an index – all of which make this an extremely handy book to have in your classroom or library. I give it 5 trilobites!

 

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.

Up into Space!

Who doesn’t love adventure! And where can you go for the most wild, far-out adventure these days? Up, up, up into the sky … maybe even into space. These three books explore themes of space, exploration, and biography.

Up, Up High: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere

by Lydia Lukidis; illus. by Katie Rewse 

40 pages; ages 8-11

Capstone Editions, 2025

Where does the sky end and space begin? This is one of the questions author Lydia Lukidis sets out to explore in her newest book about the atmosphere. 

Written in poetry, she looks at what is beyond the tallest trees and biggest buildings. 

To find out,

squeeze into a space suit.

Strap yourself

into a spacecraft.

Hang on tight.

Five, four, three, two, one …

      blast off!

What I like about this book: It’s a journey. As we rise into the sky we wave at a climber atop a mountain, pass through tumultuous clouds, and watch as meteoroids streak by.  Higher than the space station! Higher than a satellite! And then it’s time to turn around and head back to earth. Text boxes on each spread explain some of the phenomena we see on our journey, and back matter presents the layers of our atmosphere in an easy-to-understand graphic.

Up, Up High is the companion book to Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench which I reviewed a couple years ago. Check out Christy Mihaly’s interview with Lydia earlier this month at the GROG blog. Lydia is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, www.lydialukidis.com

Reaching for the Stars: A Mission to Space 

by Roxanne Troup; illus. by Amanda Lenz 

40 pages; ages 4-8

Schiffer Kids, 2024   (August 28)

For years, NASA planned and exciting new mission. Just a few more minutes until ignition. 

Suit up for a lyrical space adventure that heads beyond the moon to where stars are born, comets zip, and galaxies come in all shapes. This book celebrates the return to space exploration beginning with the Artemis mission to the moon.

What I like about this book: It's a fun way to encourage kids to imagine themselves going to space. Actual NASA photos are incorporated into the illustrations, making it even more realistic. At the back is a glossary of words that are "out of this world" as well as notes from the author and illustrator. 

She Went to Space: Maine Astronaut Jessica Meir

Fran Hodgkins  

32 pages, ages 5-8 

‎Down East Books, 2025 (earlier this month!)

The sky was black. It wasn’t the sky, really. It was space. And Jessica Meir was stepping out into it.

Jessica Meir hails from Caribou, Maine, the second-largest city in Aroostoock County and just 12 miles from the Canadian border. The county itself is huge, about the size of Rhode Island plus Connecticut, and well-known for potatoes, timber, tourism and – now – birthplace of an astronaut. Not just any astronaut, either. In 2019, Jessica and her partner-in-space Christina Koch made history completing the first spacewalk made solely by women. They spent more than seven hours outside the International Space Station replacing a broken power unit.

What I like about this book: The biography is compelling, but Fran adds more. There’s a checklist of requirements to be an astronaut - do you qualify? And there’s a side-by-side comparison of ocean and space… to help explain why Jessica studied the ocean in order to eventually (she hoped) reach her dream of becoming an astronaut. 

Back in October I interviewed author, Fran Hodgkins about why she wanted to write Jessica’s biography. You can read that interview here.

Beyond the Books:

Where does the sky end and space begin? How far do you think you'd have to go up, up, up to get out of our atmosphere? And does space start before that point or after? Here's how a NASA scientist explains it.

You can find some fun activities in Lydia's educator's guide. One of them is to compare how a rocket (or any object) falls - with and without a safety parachute. Check it out at her website here.

Was an astronaut born in your state? Find out here at this NASA link. Then find out more about them… and write your own Local Astronaut story!

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. 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 copies provided by the publishers.

Getting to Know Crows

This is the time of year when I see crows – lots of crows – gleaning grains from the cornfields and gathering in trees. I hear their caws in the morning, sometimes a single bird and sometimes a ruckus of noise. Crows are brilliant and brainy and worth getting to know. Here are two recently published books to help get your crow study started.

theme: birds, animal behavior, nonfiction

Crick, Crack, Crow!

by Janet Lord; illus. by Julie Paschkis 

32 pages; ages 4-8

Margaret Quinlin Books/Peachtree, 2024

Crow lives with his noisy family high in a treetop.

He is curious and loves to have fun … but mostly Crow likes to stir up trouble! He gets into some thieving trouble, some tricky trouble, and some trapped-in-the-dark trouble. With his ability to use tools and solve problems, Crow can usually get out of trouble. Until he finds trouble too big for one bird…

What I like about this book: I love the couplets of “Crick, crack, crow! Ready to go!” The words change throughout the book, depending on the situation, and kids will love anticipating the repetition. I appreciate the accuracy of how the author and illustrator depict crow behavior on the page. And I love the back matter, “Crick, Crack, Crow! So much to know!” Lots of great crow facts and resources for expanding the story and learning more about these brainy birds.

How to Know a Crow: The Biography of a Brainy Bird 

by Candace Savage; illus by Rachel Hudson 

120 pages; ages 9-12

Greystone Kids, 2024

This book takes you into the world of the American crow, starting in a crow’s nest … where, with a tap-tap crunch, one tiny bird breaks free from the egg. Readers will get an inside look at the family life of crows. It’s not just mama and papa bird, but brothers and sisters from previous years help take care of the babies. Good thing, too, because there are SO many jobs to do! There’s feeding, and nest maintenance, and taking out the trash, and protecting the nest. Plus, there’s an up-close look at the life of a teen-aged crow!

What I like about this book: So Many Things! There’s the pie chart showing the kinds of things crows eat, and the relative quantities thereof. There are “Crow Lab” sidebars with activities, such as a check list to determine whether your bird is crow or not-crow, and an experiment involving a nut and a string. There are mini-features, which focus on a particular aspect of crow life. For example, “Cawing 101” is all about how to understand crow language. There’s a list of ways you can help crows (and other birds) stay healthy. There’s a great book turn so you get a vertical page showing “high rise living” crow style. And throughout, the author raises intriguing questions, like: do crows have “culture?” Oh yeah, there’s an entire chapter devoted to “bird braininess.” Organizational features include a table of contents, a glossary, resources for curious kids (and adults), and an index. I give this book 5 feathers!

Beyond the Books:

Play a game of “I Spy a Crow” – keep track of where you see crows, and how many different kinds of behaviors you see them doing. You might see a group of them chasing a hawk, or a single crow on a telephone pole acting as lookout. Or, as in our neighborhood, a flock walking across harvested fields looking for leftovers.

Fold an origami crow. All you need is some black paper. It's not too hard - you can follow the video here.

Think about your neighborhood – or your yard – from a crow’s point of view. Draw a map showing large trees that might provide nesting spots, lawn or gardens for foraging, and snacking opportunities (pet food, compost bin). Here’s more info about crows from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Learn how to speak in Crow. Check out these recordings from CLO and see if you can make crow sounds.

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. And 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 copies provided by the publishers.

Look Up - Stars Are Falling!

 The annual Orionids meteor shower has been happening this week, and is predicted to peak this weekend. Just how many meteors are we talking about? According to the Washington Post, meteorologists are expecting about 23 meteors to shoot across the sky every hour. I can't think of a better time to check out this book!

The Meteor Shower: Kaleidoscope Club  

by Marie Mazas; illus by Joëlle Passeron 

128 pages; ages 7-10

‎Blue Dot Kids Press, 2024

This is book two in this fun, STEAM adventure series and Nour and August, best friends and tree-house engineers, are at it again. This time they are drawing up plans to build something cool for watching the meteor shower. But first, they need to convince the Mayor to turn off the lights so they can have a dark-sky night. There’s already a law on the books that requires public lighting – street lights, public buildings, monuments – to be off between 1 and 7 am in an effort to reduce energy consumption. But nobody is enforcing the law, and the Mayor isn’t interested in pushing the issue.

So Nour and August engage in a flyer campaign: Keep the Stars Bright! Turn off Your Lights! This is a bold initiative for August, who is afraid of the dark. 

Just as the community seems to rally around the Dark Night idea, a fair moves into town. People have been waiting for the carnival rides and the games for a whole year – but the carnival lights threaten Nour and August’s efforts for stargazing. And an unlikely friendship threatens the Kaleidoscope Club.

What I like about the book is that it focuses on problem-solving and includes lots of STEM stuff: 

• designing and building a model space capsule using recycled materials (engineering, art);
• migration and light pollution (biology, conservation science);
• meteors and constellations (astronomy); and
• kitchen chemistry

I also like the back matter, which discusses in more depth how light pollution disrupts animal ecosystems, wastes energy, and even affects human health. And there’s a list of “what you can do” about it.

Thanks for dropping by today – and remember to watch for the meteor shower this weekend!. 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.

In this corner ... Climate Change

 

Animal Climate Heroes

by Alison Pearce Stevens; illus. by Jason Ford 

104 pages; ages 8-12

‎Godwin Books, 2024

Just as every story needs a hero, every hero needs a supervillain. In this book that supervillain is Climate Change. “It’s not a living, breathing supervillain,” writes Alison Pearce Stevens, “but it acts like one just the same.” Every year the effects of climate change worsen: record-breaking disasters; wilder wildfires; more severe storms bringing floods – or no rain at all.

It’s time to call in the superheroes! And just who might these heroes be? You could be one. Your voice and actions are your superpowers. But you – and your human friends – are not alone. There are already superheroes out in the wild working to help keep our climate in check. They are the great whales, sea otters, forest elephants, and echidnas, each a hero in their own way. 

They aren’t the only climate heroes in nature. Indeed, there’s a whole bunch of unsung climate-fighters, from algae to trees. But these four are the ones Alison focuses on because of the impact they have on maintaining carbon balance on our planet. Each animal superhero gets its own chapter that details how it captures carbon through its life cycle. There’s also a section in each chapter that shows how we humans can help these animal heroes.

At the end there’s a section on how you can be a climate hero, with practical actions kids – and other humans – can take. They range from the simple (turning off lights and electronics not in use) to those that take more planning, such as planting gardens and trees. The book is illustrated throughout with cartoon drawings, which help keep the Superhero Vibe going.

I wanted to know more about how Alison came up with her idea, so I asked her a question:

photos: Images for a Lifetime

Me: How did you come to the idea of casting climate change as the supervillain instead of, say, fossil fuel corporations? And by doing that, how did it structure the story you wanted to tell?

Alison: Interesting question. No one has asked that before! I honestly never considered casting the fossil fuel empire as the villain, so your question really made me stop to consider why not. It comes down to the spark behind the idea for the book—I heard someone say their favorite fact was that sea otters help fight climate change. Right off the bat, that set up the clash as it’s described in Animal Climate Heroes—animals taking on climate change, itself. As for structure, I initially set it up like a boxing match, with the opponents in opposite corners of the ring, but it morphed into a superhero book during the writing process.

I really don’t know that I could have recast the supervillain as anything else, because animals can’t fight the fossil fuel empire. There simply isn’t a direct interaction there, at least not in a way that animals can have any kind of impact. They can and do, however, help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps us fight climate change. These animals (and others) really are superheroes, and we need to protect them—and other natural spaces—if we want to keep our planet from warming too much.

Thanks, Alison. Alison is a science writer and award-winning children’s author who is also a member of STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website.

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 copies provided by the publishers.

Earth Out of Balance

 Themes: climate, environment, immigration

A couple years ago I put this book aside to review for an Earth Day post. Then things piled up… after this summer of disasters – wildfires, floods, storms – it’s abundantly clear that our Earth is out of balance.

Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do
by Andrea Minoglio; illus. by Laura Fanelli
72 pages; ages 8-12
Blue Dot Kids Press, 2021

The book opens with an explanation of global warming and why we should stop it. So many reasons! Among them: rising sea levels that threaten communities, loss of forested land, urban heat islands, displaced wildlife, and extreme weather events. The book is broken down into 15 chapters, each one explaining a specific environmental problem related to climate chaos. Included in each chapter is a “how you can help” section and one on “how people are helping.” The book ends by focusing on actions readers can take and how they can be part of the solution. One person seems so small when you’re looking at a huge problem. But every small action you and your friends take adds up to make a difference. There’s also a list of community science projects kids and their families can get involved with.

 

Where Can We Go? A Tale of Four Bears
By Dai Yun; illus. by Igor Oleynikov
40 pages; ages 4-8
Greystone Books, 2023

One orange and purple evening, Papa comes home with only one small fish in his paws. He says, “We are moving tomorrow.”

Papa isn’t sure where they are going, but it will be a place where seals abound. Except … when they get to a place with food, it’s not seals they end up eating. It’s scraps from the garbage dump. And when they get tired, Papa looks for a place to sleep.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the three bears had invaded Goldilocks’s house? Only, in this story it’s not curiosity that drives them to try out the beds, the chairs, the bowls of food. It’s climate change.

What I like about this book: I like how the illustrator brings us right into bear culture. Papa and Mama wear necklaces of bones and Mama has ear piercings. I like how the bears explore the house, find a bed that is “just right,” and later decide they need to find something more suitable for bears. It has a wee feeling of cynicism – perhaps something lost in translation? – but it is a good book for opening a discussion about climate change, refugees, immigration, or even sparking ideas for putting a new spin on an old story.

Beyond the Books:

Think of three things you can do to make the Earth a better place for trees and animals. If you live in a drought-stricken area, you might think of ways to cut wasteful use of water. If you’re concerned about melting sea ice (which makes it hard for polar bears to hunt) you might come up with ways you can get from one place to another without using a car.

Do you know of any animals in your area that are being forced out of their home by climate change or habitat loss? Where do they go?

If you had to leave Right Now, what would you grab to take with you? If you live in an area where you might have to evacuate due to flooding or fire, you may want to make a “grab-and-go” bag. Here’s some advice from a place that’s seen its share of wild fires.

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. 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 copies provided by the publishers.

Animal Discoveries and Inspiration

Today I’m sharing two new books about mysterious and inspiring animals written for the 8-12 year old crowd. The first is about animals that glow in the dark; the second about animal-inspired inventions. Both were published by Millbrook Press this fall.

Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Discovery Sparks a Scientific Investigation
by Maria Parrott-Ryan

Some of the coolest discoveries come about by accident. Take this one: forest ecologist Jonathan Martin was looking for tree frogs that glowed when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. So he got a UV flashlight and went outside to look for some clinging to trees in his northern Wisconsin backyard. And guess what? He didn’t find any.

So he went out again, to see what he could find. Night after night. If he couldn't find frogs, could he find lichens that glow under UV light? Then one night he heard a chirp coming from his bird feeder. His flashlight revealed … a flying squirrel – which, by itself isn’t unusual. Flying squirrels are common. But this one glowed bright pink!

And that set off a chain reaction. Martin texted a biologist friend who shared the observation with another colleague and they began wondering: had any scientists documented biofluorescence in other mammals? One study did, in opossums. So they did what any other curious folks would do – they began an investigation.

This book dives into the how, and a bit of the why, of biofluorescent animals – but mostly it raises questions. The study is far from complete, and the last chapter outlines what directions the scientists hope to explore.

What I really like about this book (aside from the fact that it’s an amazing story) is that the author, Maria, shares her own explorations with a UV flashlight. She also clearly explains the difference between bioluminescence (when organisms make their own light using chemicals, like fireflies and fungi) and biofluorescence (when organisms absorb UV light and release it as a glow). Now I want my own UV flashlight! (Fortunately, you can find them in stores and online)

 

Wild Inventions: Ideas Inspired by Animals (Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries)
by Sandra Markle

Since ancient times, humans have observed animal adaptations and modified them for their own use. “When animals give people ideas for inventions, it’s called bioinspiration,” says Sandra Markle. People have used their animal-inspired ideas to build homes, armor boats, design safety helmets, and more.

Take architecture. If you’re looking for a way to keep a home cool when the temperature outside goes up, up, up, check out how termites build their mounds. Termites construct their home around a central chimney and a series of passageways that act as airducts. The bees use a combination of water and fanning their wings to cool their nest – much like draping a wet bandana over a fan.

Engineers have studied echolocation used by bats and dolphins to create ultrasound and sonar – and now, LIDAR, which uses light instead of sound to help self-driving cars navigate. Gecko toepads have generated ideas for adhesives, as has the glue of certain worms. Markle highlights many inventions based on animal adaptation, and encourages readers to observe the animals around them. Maybe you’ll come up with some ideas for your own “wild inventions” she poses.

 

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 copies provided by the publisher.

Crunch! Slurp! Yummy Bugs!

Bugs for Breakfast: How Eating Insects Could Help Save the Planet 

by Mary Boone 

120 pages; ages 9 and up

Chicago Review Press, 2021

Mary Boone got interested in breakfasting on bugs back in 2013, when the United Nations issued its report about using insect protein to feed the world’s growing population. Then, while traveling to Vietnam and Cambodia, she had the opportunity to snack on fried grasshoppers at a local market. She was hooked, and wanted to learn more… and just about a year ago her book Bugs for Breakfast hit bookstore shelves. Somehow, my copy burrowed down into the hidden depths of my book basket… 

Here's what I like about this book:

1. Mary introduces the topic of entomophagy (eating insects) in a way that makes sense for kids who might be interested in trying out some cricket snacks – and for those who want to know why moving from conventional animal protein to insect protein makes environmental sense. She writes in a conversational way, tossing in the occasional joke (watch out for cricket legs caught in your teeth!) and points out that many people around the world incorporate insects – from mopane worms to cicadas to beetles – into their daily meals.

2. One chapter compares insect farming to conventional livestock farming. For example, the amount of land (space) and time required to produce 490 pounds of beef could be used to produce 1.3 million pounds of edible insect protein. Cattle require a lot more water to convert grass to meat than crickets do – and cows produce tons more methane than insects. Lest you wonder, yes, insects fart.

3. You’ll find nutritional information and recipes, along with the assurance that you’re already eating bugs. Yep, the USDA allows a certain amount of “bug parts” in food. Not only that, some foods rely on insect by-products – like the bug shellac used to make shiny chocolate coatings on certain candies.

4. There’s a whole chapter devoted to answering the question of whether incorporating insects into your diet can help save the world. The short answer: yes. And there’s a hands-on guide for how to raise your own crickets.

I had One Question for Mary ~

Me: How have you incorporated entomophagy into your diet? And do you think it has made a difference in your corner of the world?

Mary: I'm a big fan of cricket powder -- much more so than whole insects. I use it in smoothies and I sub it for some of the flour when I make cookies or banana bread. Do I use it all the time? No. It's expensive. Right now, most cricket farms are really small and labor intensive. When we get to a point where farms can scale up and they're able to automate some of the production, I think prices will come down and cricket protein will become more appealing to more people. Is what I'm doing making a difference? I think so. Every time I share a cricket-powder cookie or chips or bread with someone, I like to think I'm getting them to consider their own diets and opening their eyes to the whole issue of farming and sustainability. It's baby steps, but that's how most movements begin.

Mary Boone has written more than 60 nonfiction books for young readers. You can find out more about her, and download a teacher’s guide, at her website 

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.

Amazing Women in Wildlife Science

Animal Allies: 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research 

by Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan 

‎224 pages; ages 12-up

‎Chicago Review Press, 2022

Do you feed the birds in winter? Help salamanders cross the road? Safely escort spiders from your kitchen back to the great outdoors so they won’t get squashed? If so, you are an Animal Ally, just like the wildlife researchers highlighted in this book.

Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan features stories about fifteen women scientists from around the world who study animals. And since Elizabeth is a birder, it makes sense that the first women we meet work with birds. That’s okay, though, because she’s got the book divided into sections for women who study arthropods, sea creatures, amphibians and reptiles, and mammals. So if you’re a bug-lover (like me) you can dive right into your favorite section first, and read the rest later.

Having said that, I confess that I did, indeed open up to the section about arthropod researchers. Back in the last century I was the “ant lady” at a camping area on the Sonoran Desert. I studied the foraging behavior of harvester ants, so I wanted to read all about Dr. Corrie Moreau and her ant studies. Her first studies involved scattering crumbs and watching ants gather and carry them back to their nest. Now she uses DNA to learn more about the evolution of ants. Then, Elizabeth interviews the Bug Chicks – who, if you don’t know about them, you need to. They make learning about bugs fun and have scads of videos at their website. And there was a wonderful chapter about an ecologist who studies spiders in the city.

Each chapter highlights not only the wildlife science the researcher is engaged with, but also puts it into context. Sure, the bird scientists are studying birds, but their research intersects with biodiversity and conservation and, too often, the challenges of a changing climate. The scientists in this book are passionate about sharing their knowledge with others, often young people. And there’s one more thing that comes through, as we read our way from one chapter to the next: these women challenge the assumptions of who can be a scientist and what a scientist looks like.

And then there’s back matter! Elizabeth includes resources for young naturalists – apps such as Merlin and iNaturalist, tips about camera trapping, encouragement for becoming a community scientist, and how to take action on climate change. Chapter notes provide opportunities to learn more about specific points she makes throughout the book. If I rated books, I’d give it 4 wings.

I caught up with Elizabeth by email a couple weeks ago, and just had to ask her One Question:

Me: What inspired you to write this book? And was it a "pandemic project"? (okay, two questions)

Elizabeth: Yes, I wrote the book during the pandemic. So many scientists were unable to be out in the field doing work, I was able to interview them. 

I love animals and wildlife and cared for a wide variety of pets when I was young. I love reading science biographies and I was a science educator for many years. I think those things combined inspired me to write this book. I had so much fun interviewing the scientists and I’m happy I was able to share their stories. 

Elizabeth is a member of #STEAMTeam2022. You can find out more about her at her website. 

 

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.

Mole and Vole are Friends

Expedition Backyard: Exploring Nature from Country to City (A Graphic Novel) 

by Rosemary Mosco; illustrated by Binglin Hu

128 pages; ages 5-9

‎Random House Graphic, 2022

Mole and Vole are friends, much in the way the Skunk and Badger are friends. Or Frog and Toad. They each have their cozy home and they go off on adventures together.

Vole’s attitude toward adventuring is … well, let’s hear Vole explain: “We could swim across a stream full of hungry fish…. We could climb the tallest tree in the forest and sway with the wind!”

Mole is the sort who carries along a sketchbook and prefers an adventure on the tamer side. “What if we went looking for a Swamp Milkweed flower?” Mole would love to draw one!

So Mole grabs their leaf-bound sketchbook, and the two friends set off. In five chapters, Mole and Vole share adventures in the forest near their homes, inside a house, and in the city… a place they didn’t intend to explore, but ended up there by accident. 

What I love about this book: Each page is divided into a few large panels, making it easy to follow the story. Some pages present a single illustration, such as a page from Mole’s sketchbook, and each chapter includes a spread that shows a birds-eye view of their adventure for the day. In the city park, we can follow their route around the trees, see the birds they meet, and even “hear” their calls – via the magic of speech bubbles.

I like that no matter where they are, they find nature to explore. They even go on a night adventure, and meet a whole new cast of friends. 

And of course, I love that there is back matter! In this case, it’s hands-on activities, including how to draw Mole and Vole, keeping a nature journal, getting involved in a community garden, and more.

Beyond the Books:

Make a simple nature sketchbook. All you need is paper, cardstock for the cover, a twig (in a pinch a pencil will do), a thick rubber band, and a hole punch. Here's how to do it.

Try your hand at creating your own graphic nature story. Learn how to make a 4-panel comic here. And you can find printable comic sheets here and here. 

Rosemary Mosco writes and illustrates the bird and moon science and nature cartoons. Her recent picture books are Flowers Are Pretty Weird! (reviewed here) and Butterflies are Pretty Gross! (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.