Groundhog Gets a Say

Groundhog Gets a Say, as told to Pamela Curtis Swallow and illustrated by Denise Brunkus, is a hilarious story told from the point of view of a Groundhog (who also tells us other names for his kind).  If you and your children like facts told in humorous ways, this will be a great book for you!  There’s so much to learn about groundhogs, which is the whole point of the book.  Children who like to read about animals and their characteristics will enjoy this book.  It’s a fun book to read---especially around Groundhog Day!

Question Collection:

*What new facts did you learn about groundhogs?

*Do you think the book was more interesting told from the groundhog’s point of view?  Why or why not?

*What was the funniest part of the book to you?

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Fractions Book

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9........

It's a Month of Math!

Are you looking for a fun way for your child to learn about fractions?  The Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Fractions Book, by Jerry Pallotta and illustrated by Rob Bolster, is a great place to start!

Make sure you have a Hershey’s chocolate bar as you read this book. The twelve squares that make up the candy bar are the basis for the fractions used initially in this book.  You can use the candy bar as a manipulative as you read the text and examine the illustrations.  Many classrooms use this book but it’s also fun to use as a review at home if your child has participated at school.   We like that the author extends fractions so that more denominators are used linking the candy bar to its origins.

We hope you enjoy this book….and eating the candy bar when you’re through!

Question Collection:

*What did you learn about fractions?

*What other foods can you think of that have natural fractional parts?

*Could you write a math story like this using a different kind of food?

Why? The best ever question and answer book about nature, science, and the world around you

Why?  The best ever question and answer book about nature, science and the world around you, by Catherine Ripley and illustrated by Scot Ritchie, is a fun book to read and use for children’s questions. Questions that you may have heard are covered in this book.  The colorful illustrations add to the enjoyment of finding answers.  Here are examples of some of the kinds of questions that are found in the book:

Supermarket questions

  *Do the doors open by magic?

Nighttime questions

  *Why do stars twinkle?

Outdoor questions

  *Why do birds sing?

Kitchen questions

  *Why does popcorn pop?

Farm Animal questions

  *Why do pigs roll in the mud?

This is a great book for summer when you and your family might have more time to explore and read.  We recommend adding this to your home library so you can have a handy reference when any of those “Why?” questions pop up!  Have fun!

Gusts and Gales

We love discovering new nonfiction books.  Gusts and Gales--A Book About Wind, by Josepha Sherman and illustrated by Omarr Wesley, is a great book to introduce children to weather.  The opening question in the book asks about wind and then as the book unfolds, more is learned about winds (global and local), hurricanes, and tornadoes.  Also included in this book are directions about making a tornado, fast facts, and a glossary.  The glossary is a fun way for children to check their understanding.  The illustrations make this book a great tool!

Question Collection:

*How does wind begin?

*What do you like to do when it’s windy?

*What facts did you learn about the wind?

American Dream Horses

American Dream Horses is a great reference book to add to your nonfiction library.  Any child who likes to learn more about horses will find this book interesting and helpful.  We love looking at the different kinds of horses (21 are listed) to find more information.  Younger children may enjoy a picture walk through this book.  Older children can find many facts and details to add to their knowledge of horses.

Each kind of horse is shown in photographs that accompany a passage (usually a page long) telling the history of the horse.  Additional information is given on descriptions, uses and gaits.  Captions depicted in circles give the height and colors.  We love having guide books such as this to help us learn more about subjects and to accompany fictional stories.  We think you’ll find this book interesting!

Question Collection:

*Which horse is your favorite?

*Which kinds of horses have you seen?

*Can you make a timeline of these horses?

*How did the categories help you learn more? 

Children Just Like Me

Children Just Like Me, A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World, by Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley, is a fascinating nonfiction book to introduce readers to other children around the world.   As a DK Publishing book, it maintains the high standards readers are accustomed to as they learn through their books.  We like learning about other cultures so we really enjoy this book.  

This book is divided into five sections:  The Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia and Australia.  Children from various areas representing those sections are presented through detailed photographs of themselves, their families, homes, and artifacts from their daily lives.  This book is another great nonfiction book that may best be seen through a picture walk when it is introduced. 

Some children’s stories are told in one page while others are told in two pages.  There are so many interesting facts and photographs that it might be fun to just read about one or two children at each reading time.  One fun thing we like is that each child writes his/her name so it can be seen with the article.  We’d recommend you have a globe/world map handy when you read this book.  It’s fun to find the countries as you read about each child!

Question Collection:

*Which children have lives most similar to you?  Most different?

*Which children would you like to meet?

*What did you learn about other children?

*What would you like to ask these children?

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals

We are trying to add more nonfiction books in our reading time and in our home library.  National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals has been a great choice!  There are over 120 pages full of information about animals from the grasslands, ocean, desert, forest, and polar regions. 

Each section (divided by the regions) includes large photographs accompanied with a definition of the area.  Several pages follow focusing on specific animals.  The superb photographs really pull in the reader’s attention.  A picture walk might be the best way to view this book initially.  There’s just so much that can be gained from studying the pictures!

Along with the oversized text, fact “cards” give information about the kind of animal, home, size, food, sounds, and babies.  Circles of text give more interesting facts about each animal.  We really like the questions that accompany the reading.   One example is:  How old were you when you learned to walk?  These questions really help readers make a connection to the animal’s life.

Two pages at the end of the book give parent tips to extend the reading experience.  Many are simple activities to help enrich a child’s learning.  An animal map is also found at the end of the book.  Continents are color-coded with a key to indicate which animals are found there.  Finally, a glossy provides a way to enrich your child’s vocabulary.

This animal book is one of the best we have found!  It’s a book that can be picked up to view, read, study, and research.  Children and adults will find a great example of nonfiction reading!  Enjoy!

Question Collection:

*What surprised you most about animals in this book?

*Which animals would you like to see?

*Which photos do you like best?

*What words in the glossary helped you understand the book better?

"R" is for Research

As children are learning more about research in younger elementary grades, it is often a challenge to explain the steps involved in completing a project.  “R” is for Research, written by Toni Buzzeo and illustrated by Nicole Wong, is a great read to help children as they explore resources and steps involved in research.  Using the alphabet to explain concepts is a great tool!

The children in the story (told in a rhyme) are in their media center along with Cal D. Cat as they learn more about research.  Of course the research revolves around cats!  From learning about books, journals, the Internet, and experts, the children are able to complete their project. We think you’ll find this an interesting way to look at research.

Question Collection:

*What did you learn about research?

*Which tool did you find interesting?

*What would you like to research?

*What tools would you use?

Read more children's ABC books here!