Amphibians!

It's spring. Tree frogs are peeping and quacking. Soon toads will be trilling. So it's a perfect time to dive into books about frogs! I know, I started the year off with a book about amphibian science, but one can never have too many books about frogs, toads, newts...  So here's one more to add to your "Got Frogs?" reading list:

Amphibian Acrobats
by Leslie Bulion; illus by Robert Meganck
60 pages; ages 8 - 12 years
Peachtree Publishing, 2020


We’re amphibians! We breathe through our skin,
We drink the same way: we soak water in….

Leslie Bulion, who has penned poetic descriptions of leaf litter critters and birds, now turns her attention to amphibians. She introduces us to Olympic jumpers – Fiji frogs that can twist in midair and land backwards to escape predators. She shares the secrets of deep-freeze artists, salamander wrestlers, and marathon walkers that migrate to their puddle home to lay eggs every spring.

What I like about this book: Let me count the ways! First, the science – on each page Bulion introduces one or two amphibians and their amazing behavior. She accompanies each poem with science notes about the frogs, salamanders, caecilians ... and Robert Meganck teams up with scientifically accurate illustrations.

Back matter includes poetry notes. For each poem, Bulion includes notes about the poetic structure and rhymes – a terrific resource for anyone who wants to experiment with different styles of writing.

But what I really like is that she invites readers to help protect amphibians. Her final poem focuses on the importance of protecting habitat. She adds notes in the back matter with specific steps kids – and their adults – can take to help conserve our amphibian neighbors.

Animal Skins
by Mary Holland
32 pages; ages 5-9
Arbordale, 2019

I’m including Animal Skins because Mary Holland provides more information about the skins of frogs, toads, and red efts (newts). She details how frogs shed their skin and why some amphibians have poisonous skins. And she clarifies that, though toads will make some animals sick if eaten, they will not give you warts. And that’s just the amphibians. Holland also shows how feathers and scales protect creatures and provides activities at the back.

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.

Explore Outdoors ~ Seasonal BINGO

Exploring nature is essential to my being, whether it is my backyard or what I can see and hear from my open window. So, keeping in mind the restrictions we face these days, I offer some SPRING activities that you can download....
OR use as inspiration to create your own.

Today it's BINGO.

The Outdoor Classroom folks at the Minna Anthony Common (MAC) Nature Center in Fineview, NY have created a wonderful Bird Bingo challenge. This is great for a walk along your rural road, or sitting on a balcony in your city, or wherever you might be - though the birds are seasonal for our NY neck of the woods. You can download a Bingo Card here.

If you live elsewhere, you may have different birds. So create your own Bingo card by using a bird field guide for your region. Draw your own pictures or download photos.

If you aren't sure what birds sound like, check out Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Bird Song Hero. It's about 7 minutes long, but by the end you'll be on your way to knowing who's singing up in that tree.

Mass. Audubon provides a series of seasonal Nature Bingo games for folks exploring their sanctuaries. But you can use them for exploring your backyard, local greenspace, or even the bit of nature you can see from a window. Feel free to substitute plants, animals, or other natural things found in your area. Download Nature Bingo cards here.

Not a Bean

Not a Bean 
by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez; illus. by Laura Gonzalez
32 pages; ages 3-7
Charlesbridge, 2019 

theme: nature, caterpillars, plants

Next to the arroyo a seedpod grows on the yerba de la fleche, a desert shrub.

This is no ordinary seedpod, for when it hardens and falls to the ground it begins to jump. It rocks and rolls right into the shade. That’s because there’s a caterpillar inside – a caterpillar that doesn’t want to get too hot

What I like about this book: It’s a counting book! As the jumping bean moves through the landscape, it passes two saguaros, three snakes, four coyotes. But wait! it gets better porque algunas palabras son españolas. So it’s partly a language book. Hay dos saguaros, cuatro coyotes… and, after a bit of not-a-bean adventure, siete amigos who play a traditional bean game. And it’s very much a nature book about the life of a caterpillar that lives inside this special seed.

I also like the back matter, where author Claudia Martinez provides a glossary of words in Spanish, a counting lesson, and more information on the jumping bean moths. And Laura Gonzalez's illustrations which bring the desert to life.

Beyond the Books:

Get a hold of some jumping beans (maybe you can find them in a toy store) and try a couple experiments. Shine a light on one part of a plate and create shade on another. Where do the beans go? What if you put a hot water bottle under half of a plate? Or put an ice pack under it?

What happens to jumping beans when no one is watching? Here’s one videographer’s imaginative take.

Learn to count to ten in Spanish. Here’s a fun kid’s song to help you along.

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.