Jefferson Measures a Moose

Jefferson Measures a Moose
By Mara Rockliff; illustrated by S. D. Schindler
48 pages; ages 6 - 9
Candlewick, 2020

theme: US history, math, Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson loved asking questions about NUMBERS.

He wanted to know how far an hour’s walk was, how long it took to grow peas, and even how much it cost to see a monkey. So when a famous Frenchman wrote that American birds didn’t know how to sing and American animals were just too small, that got Jefferson’s dander up.

After all – had that Frenchman measured American animals? Or weighed them? Or even seen them? No. No. And no! Jefferson would show him that American animals were every bit as big – and maybe bigger – than French animals. He would measure a Moose!

What I like about this book: I love the light-hearted poke at history, and the way author Mara Rockliff works in the reality that measuring a moose is harder than it sounds. I particularly like the back matter. “A Mania for Math” provides a closer look at Jefferson’s love of numbers and his desire to present facts. Another section answers many of the questions that Jefferson asked.

Beyond the Books:

How big is a moose? Find out and, if you can, create a paper cut-out to show its size. How big are you compared to a moose? What about your parents? The family car?

How far do you walk in an hour? Jefferson walked just a bit over four miles in an hour. If you and Jefferson met at the flagpole of your school, and began walking to the edge of town, where would you be after three hours? Where would Jefferson be?

How long does it take for a pea to grow? The best way to find out is to plant peas and note when the first ripe pod is ready to eat. Extra credit: do different kinds of peas take longer than others to ripen?

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.

Explore Outdoors ~ Older and Wiser

Earlier in the season, the disk flowers were full of pollen and the flower was busy with bees. Now that activity is over, and each of those flowers is growing into a fat seed. Goldfinches and chipmunks are already busy harvesting yummy sunflower seeds - I have to be quick to harvest some to plant next year.

As you walk around your garden or your neighborhood, pay attention to the flower "elders". Sunflowers, poppies, lupines, and roses are good flowers to observe.

• What sorts of things do you notice?
• What happens to their petals?
• Do they form seedpods or fruit?
• Do you see any animals eating the seeds or fruit?
• Or do the seeds travel to other places?

You Can Be a Primatologist

You Can Be a Primatologist: Exploring Monkeys and Apes with Dr. Jill Pruetz 
by Jill Pruetz
32 pages; ages 4 - 8
National Geographic Children's Books, 2020

theme: animals, scientists, families

Hi! My name is Jill Pruetz, and I’m a primatologist.

Primatologists study primates, including monkeys, lemurs, and chimps. Dr. Pruetz studies chimpanzees on the African savanna, and shares tips for future primatologists. She talks about what a typical day in the field is like, what chimps like to eat, and how she observes their behaviors. All that observation means a lot of note-taking.

Dr. P asks questions, such as: how do her chimps make and use tools for hunting? and do they remember you? There’s a spread showing the stuff she carries with her into the field, and a great section on how studying primates helps protect them. And she ends with tips for how you can become a primatologist.

What I like about this book: I love the photos and how close Dr. P gets us to the chimps. And I really liked her response to the question, “does your job ever get boring?”

Beyond the Books:

Find out more about Dr. P’s research. You can read her blog posts here, and meet the members of her chimp group here.

Learn more about primates by reading a book or articles about them. Here is one place to start.

If you want to be a primatologist, you have to be good at observing and recording what animals do. So grab a notebook and binoculars (if you need them) and find an animal to observe: neighborhood squirrels, your cat or dog, birds in the trees – even ants. Write down what they do and how they do it.

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.