Let’s Visit the Seashore!

theme: nature, animals, ocean

This month we’re going on adventures to explore different habitats and biomes. First up: the seashore. Being an inland dweller, I have only visited the shore a few times – mostly in summer, but once in late fall (which was delightful!). The lakeshores I know and love are too rocky for barefoot wandering and there is no sand for building castles, but there are plenty of noisy gulls and fishy smells and watery sounds galore.

Seaside Stroll 

by Charles Trevino; illus. by Maribel Lechuga 

32 pages; ages 3-7

Charlesbridge, 2021

Usually I begin with the first line of the book, but today I’m highlighting the language on page three: Slow steps—shuffle, straddle, saunter … sand.

This is the story of a girl on a seashore walk with her doll and mom. They make wonderful discoveries, and there’s a bit of angst when the doll tumbles into the tidepool. All ends well, though, after a warm bath and a snuggle into a quilt for a story. Though the book features a winter walk to the shore, it’s a perfect read for any season. 

What I like about this book: It’s filled with Luscious Language! And even more cool – it’s alliteration. Every single word in the book, noun or verb or adjective, begins with S. The illustrations are marvelous. I especially love the illustration of the girl from the point of view of something at the bottom of the tide pool. Back matter includes notes about the words, and some things to find at a beach in winter.

Go Wild! Sea Turtles 

by Jill Esbaum 

48 pages; ages 4-8 years

‎National Geographic Kids, 2021

Graceful glider.

Seagrass nibbler.

Mollusk muncher.

That’s a sea turtle!

Jill Esbaum pulls us into the watery world of sea turtles from page one. We learn about their habitat, their size (they can weigh as much as four car tires!), adaptations that allow them to live in the ocean, what they eat, how they build a nest, and what life is like for a hatchling. There’s information about threats sea turtles face, and what kids can do to help.

What I like about this book: It’s fun to read and filled with photos. We get to meet all seven kinds of sea turtles; did you know there were seven kinds? Back matter includes a parent’s section with STEAM activities. 

And now one just for fun:

Weird But True Ocean 

by National Geographic Kids

208 pages; ages 8-12

National Geographic Kids, 2021

Did you know that the Lion’s Mane nudibranch, which is a sea slug, makes a secretion that smells like watermelon? Me neither. But there it is, in white and red on page 20 of this compilation of 300 “fin-tastic” facts from the deep blue sea. What a fun book to toss into the beach bag or back seat travel box for the next trip to the beach, zoo, aquarium, or wherever you go this summer. Another cool fact: octopuses taste with their suction cups. And here I thought they used them to stick onto lids so they could open jars. 

Beyond the Books:

Explore the Shore. If you live near a seashore, go for a walk and observe the birds and shore life. If you live too far from the ocean, find a shore you can explore. Maybe along a lake, or a river bank. What kinds of plants do you see? Birds? Animals? What kinds of sounds do you hear? What is the texture of the sand (or rock) that makes up the shore? Come back in the winter and compare what the shore looks, sounds, and smells like. Visit at different times: early morning, late afternoon, night time when the stars fill the sky.

Explore a tide pool. If you live nowhere near a tide pool, see if there are any tide pool exhibits at a local zoo, aquarium, or discovery center. Or virtually explore tide pool creatures via this video (about 5 minutes long).

Explore sea turtles. Learn more about sea turtles at See Turtles. Then grab a paper bowl and construction paper and make your own sea turtle buddy. Here’s how. Then head over to the handy sea turtle tracker at Sea Turtle Conservancy. Click on active sea turtles to follow a turtle – or two or three. Their journeys are mapped out.

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Run, Sea Turtle, Run

Run, Sea Turtle, Run: A Hatchling's Journey
by Stephen R. Swinburne
32 pages; ages 4 - 9
Millbrook Press, 2020

theme: animals, nature, growing up

Can you hear me? Scritch, scratch.

Told from a sea turtle’s point of view, we see the turtle hatch. We follow her while she and her siblings dig through the sand. And we watch her scoot, scurry, and dash to the ocean. Someday, that sea turtle will return – to lay eggs of her own.

What I like about this book: I love the language and all those verbs: climb, crawl, scoot, dash … fly! Yes, sea turtles fly – at least that’s what it looks like underwater.

I love the photos. They take you so close to sea turtle hatchlings that you can see individual grains of sand clinging to their shells and faces. And those faces – so cute!

And – there is Back Matter! Author Steve Swinburne includes additional information about the sea turtle’s life cycle and six ways you can help sea turtles. There are also book- and website- suggestions for curious young naturalists.

This is Steve’s third book about sea turtles, so I had to ask him One Question:

Archimedes: Why did you decide to write this book in first person, from the turtle’s point of view?

Steve: I guess I just can’t get enough of these amazing critters. I was inspired by Guillaume Feuillet’s up-close and personal photographs of leatherback hatchlings breaking free of the nest and dashing to the sea. He was in the right place at the right time. As you know, most hatchlings get down to the sea under the cover of darkness because there are fewer predators. How fortunate he was able to take these photographs in such beautiful light.

As the bulk of the images are very tight shots of the hatchlings, the text felt like it had to be in first person. I wanted the hatchling making the journey to tell the story, to tell their story. By choosing first person POV, I think the reader comes along on the hatchling’s journey. I rely on active verbs to show the journey: “I scoot and scurry” “I smell the salty breeze” “I wriggle into the sea”

I also wanted this to be a great read-aloud. I can almost imagine a teacher reading the book to a class of 1st graders. I’m hoping the text and photographs hooks them right into the story, the beginning, middle and end.

Beyond the Books:

Learn more about Leatherback sea turtles here.

Steve doesn’t just write books about turtles, he sings about them. Check out this tune over at You Tube.

Write a story, draw a picture, or make up a song about a wild animal you care about.

Steve is a member of #STEAMTeam2020. You can find out more about him at his website.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Animal Books for Early Readers

Reading aloud to kids is fun, but sometimes they want to find out things on their own. Here are three new books from National Geographic Kids that are written at a level for curious young naturalists. While written for different levels of readers, these books share a couple things in common: gorgeous photos of animals, a table of contents to help young naturalists find the information they seek, and an activity of some sort.

Turtles (level 1)
by Laura Marsh
32 pages; ages 4-6

Who doesn't love turtles! But did you know there are more than 300 kinds of turtles? And what the difference between a turtle and a tortoise is?

This book presents information in a variety of ways, from text on a page to "Turtle Terms" - introducing new words - to photo spreads where information is packaged like labels on a chart. There is an entire section devoted to "Cool Turtle Facts" like this: Giant tortoises can live more than 100 years.

Want to know what turtles eat? There's a chapter on that. There's also a chapter on how baby turtles hatch from their eggs and grow up into teenage turtles, plus a page showing different kinds of turtles.

Bees (level 2)
by Laura Marsh
32 page; ages 6-9

Pollinators are a hot topic, so kids will want to get the buzz about bees. Young readers can see close-up photos of how bees carry pollen, learn to tell the difference between a bee and a wasp, and how to be safe around bees (hint: don't bother them!).

There are plenty of "Buzz Words" scattered throughout the pages - words you need to know to talk about bees - and there's a detailed section about honeybees and how their society is structured. While the book is packed with great photos and information, I wish that the author had spent more time showing how solitary bees live - but maybe that's another book?

Follow Me: Animal Parents and Babies
by Shira Evans
48 pages; ages 2-5

This is a book meant to be read by children and an older sibling or a parent. Together. Sharing one book. One side is written for the older reader, with more sophisticated language. The "I Read" side is meant for the beginning reader, with larger text, easier words, and shorter sentences. The cool thing: people of all ages will learn something. For example, I didn't know baby lemurs were called "pups".

There are four chapters, each focusing on a particular aspect of animals lives: finding food, moving, making a home, and using tools. At the end of each chapter there's an activity to do together. What fun!

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.

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.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Amphibians and Reptiles: a Compare and Contrast book
by Katharine Hall
32 pages; ages 4-8
Arbordale Publishing

People who study amphibians and reptiles are called herpetologists. Ask them what they study, and they lump 'em all together into one large group they call "herps". Still, frogs and toads have some similarities, and they are very different from snakes and tortoises.

Katharine Hall compares how reptiles and amphibians are similar - they are cold-blooded and hatch from eggs. She also compares how reptiles differ from amphibians. Most amphibians have smooth skin, while reptiles tend to have dry, scaly skin. Photographs illustrate the important features: eggs, skin, fangs, webbed feet.

At the back are pages that go beyond the simple story. There kids can learn more about the five classes of  vertebrates (things with backbones) and play a mystery sorting game. There's a wonderful page that explains what being a herpetologist is all about, and what you'll need in your "herpetology research kit" and more.

If you really love frogs, then head over to Sally's Bookshelf today where there's a bunch of frog-related activities.

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