Canyons, Grand and Small

 I grew up hiking canyons in the southwest: the Grand Canyon, Zions, Bryce Canyon, and all the mountain canyons our family could hike along the Wasatch front. Now I live in the east – and guess what! There are canyons here, too. Like this one, at Taughannock State Park. 

So I was eager to read Kate’s book…

Over and Under the Canyon 

by Kate Messner; illus. by Christopher Silas Neal 

56 pages; ages 5-8

Chronicle Books, 2021  

theme: animals, desert, nature

High above, Swainson’s hawks soar, circling in the morning-blue sky.

Mom and kid are off on a hike – down, down, down into the magical world of a desert canyon. “What’s down there?” the kid asks. It’s a world of its own, mom replies. There are geckos and snakes, rabbits and roadrunners, kit foxes and cactus wrens.

What I like about this book: I love the adventure of exploring a new place (even if through the pages of a book). And I love the diversity of animal and plant life Kate Messner highlights. But even more, I love the verbs she uses: hawks soar and circle; stones crunch underfoot; beetles skitter. An eagle swoops. A gecko scoots. Mom and the kid scramble and squeeze over and around rocks. And I love that there is Back Matter: an author’s note about where this canyon is, and notes about the plants and animals featured in the book.

Beyond the Books:

Find out where there are canyons near you. Here are some of the more well-known canyons in the United States. But you might find a small, secret canyon in your neck of the woods.

Find out more about desert plants and animals. Here’s one resource to get you started.

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 ~ Happy Halloween

 

orange and round

we show our pumpkin pride

warts and all!

What do Animals Do at Night?

This week I’m sharing two more books about critters at night. One is about animals that are active at night, and the other is about animals that sleep at night.

theme: animals, night, bedtime stories

Night Creatures: Animals That Swoop, Crawl, and Creep while You Sleep 

by Rebecca E. Hirsch; illus. by Sonia Possentini 

32 pages; ages 5-10

Millbrook Press, 2021  

A cool night breeze blows softly on your face as night creatures wake in quiet dens and dusky nooks.

Fireflies flicker, night creatures crouch and creep, some swoop and others pounce. Page by page, readers meet denizens of the night world.

What I like about this book: Verbs! These night critters are active. They prowl for food, they squish in muck, they flee from predators, or feast on berries. I like that the story begins with dusk and ends with dawn. And I like the diversity of animals, from owl to skunk, frog to bat. Plus there is Back Matter (which, by now, you know I am a big fan of). Back matter provides more information about each animal introduced in the book. It’s also where we meet cool words, such as “crepuscular” ~ a very fun word to say. Try it: kreh-PUSS-ku-ler.

Where Do Creatures Sleep at Night? 

by Steven J. Simmons; illus. by Ruth Harper 

32 pages; ages 3-7

Charlesbridge, 2021  (releases 10/26)

We are used to seeing creatures by day. 

But where at night do you think they stay?

This book shows where animals sleep at night on and around a farm. Where do squirrels and birds sleep? What about frogs and butterflies? And does the goldfish ever sleep?

What I like about this book: Each spread shows an animal active during the day on one page, and resting at night on the facing page ~ including the very active kids who play on the farm. Definitely a “good night, sleep tight” read before bedtime.

Beyond the Books:

Get to know the night time animals in your neighborhood. Find a place where you can safely observe the wild night-life: a backyard, a neighborhood park, or a balcony. What animal sounds do you hear? Maybe quiet rustles in the leaves, or croaks, buzzes, barks. What animals do you see? Around here we see bats, tree frogs, beetles, and once a deer walking down main street!

Get to know the day-active animals in your neighborhood. Where do you think they go at night? We discovered a squirrel’s drey, high in the branches of one of our trees. Find out more about squirrel dreys here.

If you were a wild animal, where would you sleep? What sort of safe and cozy nest would you construct? 

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