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Lots of Things to Know About Weather

Aug10
Lots of Things to Know About Weather

Lots of Things to Know About Weather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of Things to Know About Weather

Emily Bone

Katia Gaigalova

Usborne, 2023

64pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9781803701349

Because it often determines what they can or cannot do, young children are aware of the impact of the weather on their lives,  And many, once they have learned the various weather conditions and how they form, have further questions that they want answers to such as how fast do the fastest winds blow; how heavy is a cloud and where are the driest and wettest places on Earth?

Using the format of a child asking the questions and a parent answering them, this new book from Usborne explores some of those questions that curious kids ask, such as the ubiquitous “why is the sky blue?” and  including raising topics that they don’t know they don’t know like who the weather gods of various civilisations believed in and why spiders are bigger in warm weather!

As usual the text is accessible for the target audience, the format is appealing and there is extra support through the provision of a glossary and index so the book is easy to navigate.  Quicklinks to vetted internet sites add extra information and explanations so curiosity can be satisfied at the point of need and, there is even a lot the parent can learn if they are exploring the book together with their child.  Who knew that beetroot juice, the whey left from cheese making and even the juice in the pickle jar were environmentally more friendly ways of keeping roads free of ice than the more commonly used salt?  

Do Penguins’ Feet Freeze?

Aug8
Do Penguins' Feet Freeze?

Do Penguins’ Feet Freeze?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do Penguins’ Feet Freeze?

The Natural History Museum

CSIRO Publishing, 2023

96pp., pbk., RRP $A27.99

9781486317820

 

Remember this scene from the wonderful movie, Happy Feet? The story of a little penguin named Mumble who has a terrible singing voice but has an astute talent for tap dancing? Well, you have to wonder whether he danced for the love of movement or just to keep his feet warm on the icy landscape of Antarctica.

The answer can be found in this new release from CSIRO Publishing in which heaps of the sorts of questions about Mother Nature that kids like to ask are answered in their language with straightforward explanations and stunning photographs.  Questions like

  • Why do rabbits eat their own poo?
  • How do polar bears stay warm?
  • Can dolphins talk to each other?
  • Why does rain smell?
  • How clever is an octopus?
  • Which animal has spines in its throat?
  • Why do goats scream and faint?
  • Will an asteroid hit Earth?
  • Why are flamingos pink?
  • Do birds sneeze?
  • Why do honeybees dance?

Later this month, there will be news clips and so forth about the blue moon on August 31, and given the rarity of these there will be questions. But imagine if our students could tell their families before the newsreader does,  just by reading p65 in this book.  Similarly, if they want to know how petrichor  – that delightful, dusky smell of rain first hitting dry ground – is created, then the answer is on p 42.

These sorts of Q&A books have always been enormously popular with young readers keen to explore the world beyond their backyard, particularly with the focus on the environment these days,   and with modern presentations which include detailed photographs, they are again reaching a peak in popularity.  This one is no exception.  There wasn’t a page that didn’t teach me something, and while that’s not hard, young readers will delight in ramping up the dinner table conversation as they share their new-found knowledge.  Why rabbits eat their own poo might not be the best topic, but imagine being able to explain Mumbles’ dancing before a family movie night. And then perhaps posing their own question and researching their answers to create a whole new book for the library collection. 

Entertaining, educational and engaging – what more could you want?

Meet Mim

Aug5
Meet Mim

Meet Mim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Mim

Sandra Severgnini

EK Books, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781922539557

Where the cool river meets the warm ocean and the roots of the mangroves provide sanctuary for all sorts of creatures on the sandy seabeds of the Indo-Pacific region, lives Thaumoctopus mimicus. But what is this creature? Is it a brown=spotted flatfish? A spiked lionfish? A banded sea snake?  Perhaps it is a hermit crab, maybe a jellyfish or even a sea anemone. A seahorse? A feather star? A seashell or stingray… No? Wait, perhaps it is all of these things…

In this intriguing book young readers are introduced to a fascinating creature that can change colour, shape and skin texture at will mimicking those around it to deter predators.  For Mim, is, in fact an octopus!!  Discovered in 1998 off the coast of Sulawesi in Indonesia but also found around the Great Barrier Reef, this master of disguise is the first of the genus to be observed impersonating other creatures and is the first known species to take on the characteristics of multiple species.

Using a guessing game technique that is so much more engaging than a fact sheet, accompanied by detailed illustrations, this is a book that will captivate young readers who are interested in the miracles of Mother Nature, particularly how creatures protect themselves through camouflage.  The double-page spread that compares Mim to those she imitates is fascinating and the STEM activities of the teachers’ notes offer lots of suggestions that will encourage further exploration, including investigating the differences between “disguise” and “mimicry”. They also offer some suggestions for how we, as humans, can develop mindfulness strategies by mimicking Mim but perhaps older students could explore the concept of human disguise – who are we and what are we doing when we choose to use make up, follow a fashion trend, adopt a hairstyle and so forth. Why do we try to “disguise” ourselves and are our strategies successful?  

This is another of the new breed of non fiction that demands to be in the collection so that our students have access to all sorts of stuff that goes beyond the curriculum and into the worlds of wonder and curiosity to spark the imagination and investigation.  Seriously, who among us knew of this little creature let alone well enough to introduce it to our students?  

Rotten!

Jul20
Rotten!

Rotten!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rotten!

Vultures, Beetles, Slime, and Nature’s Other Decomposers

Anita Sanchez

Gilbert Ford

Clarion Books, 2023

96pp., pbk., RRP $A19.99

9780358732884

Imagine a world in which everything that ever lived remained as is forever, even when it was long dead!  Every plant, every dinosaur, every human…

Thankfully, Mother Nature has ensured that this doesn’t happen and in this fascinating book readers can learn about decomposition – the process of breaking something down into its pieces (like packing away a completed jigsaw) and regardless of the smell that often accompanies things that are rotting,  decomposition is not Nature’s end game, but just another step in the cycle of life. because all those bits are released, ready to combine again and complete new patterns. 

This is a fascinating book that looks at what happens to things when their life is over, and how they are assisted by Nature to decompose – such as sharks and vultures feasting on animal carcasses or worms, maggots and beetles devouring decaying plants – demonstrating that things are rotting away all around us all the time.  There are fascinating excerpts with titles like “Having Lee for Lunch” which could spark conversations about what happens to humans after they die, and Killer Litter which shows the impact of plastic that doesn’t decompose on wildlife. Readers are also encouraged to carry out their own experiments so they can observe and understand the process better, while gaining an even greater appreciation for the miracle that is Mother Nature.

More for independent readers, particularly those with curious minds, this is a fascinating insight that could spark the most intriguing STEM unit you have ever done!  

The Secret Science Society In Space

Jul9
The Secret Science Society In Space

The Secret Science Society In Space

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Secret Science Society In Space

Kathy Hoopman & Josie Montano

Ann-Marie Finn

Wombat, 2023

101pp., pbk., RRP $A12.99

9781761110092

Mona likes to moan.  Kiki is a worry-wart.  Bart loves following rules.  And Zane HATES following rules. When the four of them are put into The Secret Science Society together, they have to find a way to work that suits all their particular idiosyncrasies.  And their task is to  come up with a prize-winning experiment.  

This is the second in this series  that will appeal to those independent young readers who like to combine science and reading, while being able to appreciate and value the fact that sometimes it takes some very diverse characters and thinking to achieve something spectacular and even the wildest ideas should be considered. 

Meet the Weather

Jun27
Meet the Weather

Meet the Weather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet the Weather

Caryl Hart

Bethan Woollvin

Bloomsbury, 2023

32pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781526639813

Join the children in their hot air balloon as they journey through the skies to encounter all sorts of weather and learn a little more about it.  

Like its predecessors  Meet the Planets and Meet the Oceans , this is one for younger readers who are just beginning to notice the phenomenon of changing weather patterns and starting to ask why it’s windy or sunny or who might be frightened by the lightning and thunder.  Written in rhyme with bold illustrations,  this respects the child’s intelligence by offering them the basic facts in a format that takes them on a journey of learning as well as discovery so they have a basic understanding of the science that will either satisfy their curiosity for now, or lead them to seek more information.  

This is a series of non fiction titles that most definitely has a place in the school library collection as it offers information at the child’s level of understanding in a style and format that is appealing without being overwhelming.  Given acknowledgement of the date and the weather forms part of the morning routine of any Kindergarten classroom, this is a great introduction that takes the learner beyond the basic observations and may even invoke a discussion about the impact of the weather on their daily lives beginning a basic understanding of cause and effect. 

 

Alight: A Story of Fire and Nature

Jun7
Alight: A Story of Fire and Nature

Alight: A Story of Fire and Nature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alight: A Story of Fire and Nature

Sam Lloyd

Samantha Metcalfe

CSIRO Publishing, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781486315444

Any of our students who experienced the devastation of the fire dragon that swallowed so much of this country during the summer of 2019-2020 is unlikely to want to pick up this book at first, because they don’t need the memories and they certainly do not believe that any good can come of such destruction.

But, perhaps this is the very book they need to help their healing process because it will help them understand that from what appears to be the death of the countryside, new life is being generated- in some cases, in species that have waited many years for just such an event. 

Fire is a natural part of the Australian bush – a recurring phenomenon of the landscape.  Since its creation lightning strikes have started fires, and for thousands and thousands of years, First Nations people have managed the environment through its judicious use, and the result is an eco-system that has adapted to cope either through developing survival strategies or recovery strategies. While this is all explained for mature, independent readers in the final pages of this new book from CSIRO Publishing,  it is the gentle story that forms the bulk of the book that is just perfect for helping younger readers understand the dependence of fire to maintain a healthy, diverse landscape that nurtures and supports a wide variety of flora and fauna.

In this case, the fire is deliberately lit by experts in a planned burn, and its impact on plants like the Old Eucalypt, the Wallum Banksia, and the beautiful Christmas Bells as well as the Wallum Sedge Frog and the teeny antechinus is followed over the year as they shelter, survive and then thrive for having the flames go through, albeit at a more gentle, cooler pace than a raging fire dragon..  As usual, the text is perfectly pitched for the age group, the sensitive, positive approach is spot on and the illustrations not only life like but also in a soft palette and medium that will be unlikely to stir memories and anxiety.

As well as the explanation of the need for fire in the landscape there is also a comprehensive glossary that will extend the reader’s vocabulary as well as their understanding.  As they look at the environment that is emerging as it recovers like the gum trees with their woolly leggings (technically known as epicormic sprouting) they will know that life will go on and Mother Nature is always in control. 

The Frog Book – Nature’s Alarm

Jun4
The Frog Book – Nature’s Alarm

The Frog Book – Nature’s Alarm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Frog Book – Nature’s Alarm

Sue Lawson

Guy Holt

Wild Dog, 2023

32pp., hbk., RRP $A24.99

9781742036571

Sometimes on a clear, still night if you’re lucky you can hear the local frogs – even luckier if it is the sound of the pobblebonk that you will hear. But rather than curse them for keeping you awake, you should bless them because they are a sign that the local environment is healthy.  For frogs are often the first to show that things in their habitat are not well, and, in this book that teaches young readers all they need to know about frogs generally, they also learn that it is the frog’s thin permeable skin  that is the barometer for change.  Because as well as allowing life-giving air and water, it also absorbs pollutants and chemicals, and is sensitive to salinity and temperature changes. thus when frogs get sick, scientists know that there is something more concerning happening.

Most young readers are familiar with frogs because even if they haven’t heard them, they are usually one of the focal points of any studies about life cycles that children undertake, and this is a comprehensive book perfectly pitched at young independent readers so they learn not only about the crucial role of the creatures but why and how they, themselves, can help them through their own actions as well as how to build a frog-friendly habitat. Accessible text, large colour photos combined with detailed illustrations and comprehensive teachers’ notes linked to the Australian Curriculum make this an essential part of any collection of resources about these special creatures. 

For a creature that has survived on the planet since the days of the dinosaurs, it is a sad indictment that now, in Australia alone, there are more than 40 species listed as endangered or vulnerable. So when the pobblebonks and the other species that live in our dam start their nightly chorus it is time to celebrate that all is well in their patch of the planet – and just pull a pillow over my ears. 

Desert Jungle

May27
Desert Jungle

Desert Jungle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desert Jungle

Jeannie Baker

Walker Books, 2023

40pp., hbk., RRP $A27.99

9781406387872

Despite being surrounded by mountains of rock and cacti, the boy prefers to sit inside and experience the world through the screen of his tablet.  He fears going far from his home because he has heard the coyotes howling at night and the village dogs barking.

But then he goes to stay with his grandpa in a place far away, much more isolated than even his tiny village,  but it still has internet coverage and so his tablet remains his friend.  Until the night a coyote steals the bag with it inside, and in his search for it Chico’s life changes in ways he will never imagine…

Set in the Valle de los Sirios in the Sonoran Desert in Baja California, Mexico, Jeannie Baker’s magnificent and magical collage artwork brings to life an environment that shows that the desert is not necessarily the barren, desolate, lifeless place we envisage but one which is rich in flora and fauna and history.  While the landscape she portrays is a specific part of the Mexican  desert, nevertheless she raises the possibility that this could be a desert anywhere, just as rich in biodiversity if only we took the time to look and appreciate.

In her notes, she refers to “nature-deficit disorder,” where children are indifferent to their natural surroundings because they are isolated from it and ignorant about it, and  thus they are likely to fear what they don’t know, and what they fear, they will destroy. so this book has a much wider application than just introducing the reader to the wonders of a particular piece of this planet.  Even the juxtaposition of the words in the title is significant as it evokes two totally different images in the mind at the same time, neither necessarily as compatible as the title suggests, and those who are familiar with the author’s work know that there will be many layers to explore in both text and illustration.  For while it is the story of the boy’s individual growth as he learns to love the environment and those feelings of wonder and protectiveness follow him home – the lizard unseen on the rock at the beginning becomes a thing of fascination at the end – it could also be the stories of many who are given the chance to experience Nature at her best in the raw and in the wild first-hand.  How many city kids have never seen a dark sky glistening with stars because the city lights keep them in permanent twilight?  How many country kids have never felt the sea foam tickle their toes or been in awe of the power of the waves crashing on the rocks?

There are so many books for young readers that focus on sustainability and the need to protect the environment, but this is a masterpiece that shows them just what it is they are protecting.  And if not here, then where? 

It is nearly seven years since we were gifted Circle, and the wonder and beauty of Desert Jungle has been worth the wait. 

 

Shadow Catchers

May21
Shadow Catchers

Shadow Catchers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shadow Catchers

Kirsty Murray

Karen Blair

A & U Children’s, 2023

32pp., hbk., $A24.99

9781760526955

In the early morning they make shadows on the bedroom wall that are tall enough to touch the ceiling.

At lunchtime their shadows disappear altogether!

And in the evening, they can look scary and fearsome!

As with its predecessor Puddle Hunters, it is the everyday, take-for-granted things that give two children the greatest delight.  This time they chase their shadows across a day having so much fun with something that needs only a sunny day, some imagination and awareness.

Apart from just the sheer enjoyment of the story which exudes from each page, this is ideal for starting all sorts of scientific investigations about the light, the sun and its movement and direction,  as well as measurement if you map your shadow at different times of the day. 

Picture books that celebrate the joy of being a child, that take something as simple as a game of shadow catching that everyone can do and turn them into a magical experience, that make the ordinary extraordinary are among the best, in my opinion, because the young reader can instantly relate to them and join in the fun. Who wouldn’t be wanting to head outside on the next sunny day and have the same sort of fun? So whether it’s catching your shadow or jumping in puddles, share a memory-making moment that cost nothing!