Format: Picture Book Nonfiction

What’s Your Favorite Bug?

What’s Your Favorite Bug?What's Your Favorite Bug? by Eric Carle
Published by Henry Holt & Company on July 31st 2018
ISBN: 1250151759
Pages: 40
Goodreads
four-stars

“What’s Your Favorite Bug?” by Eric Carle and Friends is a beautiful and short picture book where various illustrators and authors describe their favorite bugs. Each artist does an artistic representation of their favorite bug in their own style. Eric Carle describes how he used to not enjoy caterpillars, but they’ve obviously grown on him. Molly Idle, Eric Fan, Denise Fleming, and other awesome artists all let us know that they like bees, peacock spiders, praying mantises, and other bugs!

There isn’t a story to follow along, since it is just each artist telling the reader about their favorite bug, but it is fun and sparks discussion with kids about what their favorite bug is. You can also discuss the different styles of art used. Aimed at children ages 4 through 8, this book is a must-buy for any fans of Eric Carle or libraries with a large Carle collection.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.

four-stars

It’s a Narwhal!

It’s a Narwhal!It's a Narwhal! by Mari C. Schuh
Published by Lerner Publications (Tm) on August 1st 2018
ISBN: 151248282X
Pages: 24
Goodreads
three-stars

This is an ok introduction to narwhals for young readers. The text is simple and each page has only a few sentences. There are photos on every page but some are a bit grainy. A few questions are asked of the reader but no answers are provided, which might be frustrating for a  young reader.

Recommended for kindergarten and up

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarian Freeport Community Library

three-stars

When Nature Attacks: Extreme Hurricanes and Tornadoes

When Nature Attacks: Extreme Hurricanes and TornadoesExtreme Hurricanes and Tornadoes Extreme Hurricanes and Tornadoes by John Farndon
Published by Hungry Tomato on October 1st 2017
ISBN: 1512432237
Goodreads
three-stars

“When Nature Attacks: Extreme Hurricanes and Tornadoes” by John Farndon explains how destructive and powerful hurricanes and tornadoes can be. Aimed at kids in grades 3 through 6, every page has bright photographs and graphics and interesting facts. Did you know that birds can potentially hear tornadoes coming with their ultra-sensitive hearing? Scientists tracked golden-winged warblers that left their nests a day before a tornado struck and a few days later they returned safely! The book lists the most deadly, expensive, biggest, and strongest storms in history. Kids who enjoy learning facts that they can share and about potentially scary and powerful things (dinosaurs, sharks, earthquakes, etc.) will enjoy this book.

Farndon explains how hurricanes and tornadoes form and gives several examples of devastating storms. He includes mentions about Doppler science, storm tracking, and clearly explains the differences between the categories of hurricanes and the scale of tornadoes. The book doesn’t go into great depth, but provides a nice overview of the storms to spark interest in kids who read it. There is an Index in the back, but no glossary or bibliography. Not a must-buy unless you have a need for more juvenile non-fiction about weather.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

three-stars

Through the Window: Views of Marc Chagall’s Life and Art

Through the Window: Views of Marc Chagall’s Life and ArtThrough the Window: Views of Marc Chagall's Life and Art by Barb Rosenstock
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on September 25th 2018
ISBN: 1524717517
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

The Caldecott Honor winning team of The Noisy Paint Box and Vincent Can’t Sleep is back again and this time they focus their immeasurable talent on the talents of artist Marc Chagall. From its arresting cover to the lush end papers, Grandpré is at her finest here. The palette is rich with the hues from Chagall’s own art, deepest blues, shimmering yellows, and pulsing red oranges. Rosenstock’s prose is lovely though this book calls on the inference skills of its reader since she does not tell the story outright, but rather uses an almost-poetic writing to tell of Chagall’s humble upbringing, acceptance to art school, and the many challenges and triumphs of his work as an artist. The Author’s Note at the end of the book has a more straight-forward narrative of Chagall’s life and should be used in conjunction with the text of the book to maximize understanding of this important artist and his place in history. Pair this with Eric Carle’s “The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse” and it will make that story come to life. Recommended for K-3.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

five-stars

Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up

Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground UpEarth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up by Sally M. Walker
Published by Candlewick Press on February 13th 2018
ISBN: 0763675121
Pages: 48
Goodreads
four-stars

With its palette of reds and blues shot through with black & white, Walker and Grill have created a work of art and science. Combining geology with impressionist-style illustration and exposition told in haiku (5-7-5 syllable poems), the two ruminate and wax poetic about all of the aspects that make the Earth what it is. The book touches on the make-up of the mantle and core of the Earth, the rock that has formed and even fossilized plants and bones, natural phenomena like volcanoes, earthquakes, and glaciers, and finally to the water cycle that makes our planet habitable. The palette is soft and lovely, though there were times that I wished that the images were sharper. Some of the drawings feel almost like drawings of the human body (tissue, organs, muscles) than of hard rock, surging tidal waves, and sharp cave formations. The audience has got to be an older elementary reader as the choice to use poetry to explain scientific concepts and the language introduced to support the explanation are not for the younger set. There is unknown vocabulary (with no glossary) and illustrations that ask the reader to fill in some blanks with their fuzzy depictions. It’s a wonderful, creative effort and fits into the need for excellent STEAM resources, but it might assume a bit too much sophistication of its audience to make it a browseable book by the usual picture book-aged reader. The nine pages of end matter explaining all of the concepts touched on in the book are excellent.  Recommend for science collections, particularly in schools where a teacher can answer any questions that arise.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

four-stars

Out of the Past: How Climate Change is Revealing the Past

Out of the Past: How Climate Change is Revealing the PastOut of the Ice: How Climate Change Is Revealing the Past by Claire Eamer, Drew Shannon
Published by Kids Can Press on September 4th 2018
ISBN: 1771387319
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Climate change, we hear about it and know its effects. It is not something that is a welcome change to our world. Scientists are fighting it each day. Claire Eamer has written of the one good thing that has come from the snow and ice melting. The earth  is giving up some of its secrets. Who and what lived in the areas that for thousands of years has been covered with glaciers and permafrost.  In the Yukon of Canada, caribou dung 2400 years old has been found and later, artifacts, feathers and broken sticks.

In other parts of the world, receding snow and ice have given up human remains . Humans that lived and died thousands of years ago that now can tell their story .

Mountains that have lured climbers for hundreds of years are giving up their dead, those that challenged the mountain and lost. this has given closure to their families.

Scientists now have a window to how civilization started and how we got to where we are.  The one good thing about climate change!

The text is straightforward yet understandable for young scientists with information boxes for added explanations.

Illustrations and photographs support the text with a glossary, timeline and further info  offered in this slim but informative selection.

Reviewed by Kathy George, Gray Public library, Gray Maine

good for grades 3 and up.

 

four-stars

Crayola Spring Colors

Crayola Spring ColorsCrayola® Spring Colors by Jodie Shepherd
Published by Lerner Publications (Tm) on August 1st 2017
ISBN: 151243292X
Pages: 24
Goodreads
three-stars

Crayola has teamed up with Lerner Publications in a non-fiction series that showcases colors produced by Crayola.  This non-fiction picture book for readers in grades preschool-2 from the “Crayola Seasons” series is about Spring.  The layout contains a table of contents and three chapters, a page identifying the names Crayola has given to each of the colors in the book, glossary and a listing in the back for further reading.  The books in the back are good choices.  The photos reflect flowers, animals, mud and other things associated with spring.  They all are clear and bright.  The text is written for the k-1 reader in mind and the font for each word about color reflects the color utilized. There is one page at the end of each chapter that suggests a coloring technique to correspond to the chapter contents.  Suggested for Preschool and Kindergarten teachers and spring themed story times.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Springvale Public Library

three-stars

Pie is for Sharing

Pie is for SharingPie is for Sharing by Stephanie Parlsey Ledyard, Jason Chin
Published by Roaring Brook Press on May 15th 2018
ISBN: 1626725624
Pages: 32
Goodreads
three-stars

“Pie is for Sharing” is a short realistic fiction picture book about a group of children sharing a pie at a picnic.   It then goes onto tell us about other items (a ball, a book, a tree, a jump rope,and a rhyme) that can indeed be shared as well.   However, we learn that it is  not so easy to share a best friend!  Something to which all children can  realte.  It continues to tell about   more things that can be shared, even nature itself,  such as a breeze and the sky.  After a day of sharing,  the children  celebrate at a  Fourth of July picnic where  we’re reminded of the many things that are for sharing, “just like pie.”

The illustrations in “Pie is for Sharing”  are realistic with a fair amount of detail.  Children would enjoy observing the many children and their fun filled activities  that are depicted in the illustrations.

“Pie is for Sharing” does not  have a plot. It focuses mainly on the idea of “sharing,” It  would be a nice book to read when addressing the issue of sharing with a class of children

Reviewed by:  Connie M. Smith, Breakwater School, Portland, ME

 

three-stars

Kids Cooking

Kids CookingKids Cooking: Students Prepare and Eat Foods from Around the World by George Ancona
Published by Candlewick Press on October 23rd 2018
ISBN: 0763698768
Pages: 32
Goodreads
three-stars

Kids Cooking follows chefs from the organization Cooking with Kids as they teach students about healthy global cooking in Santa Fe schools.  The book presents the reader with five international dishes from places such as Morocco, Italy, and Mexico. Bright pictures make up most of each page demonstrating the children cutting vegetables, mixing, and tasting the dishes.  Colorful crayon drawings made by the students are scattered throughout the book. The text and sentence structure target a younger audience (5-8) though the names of the students (Esteban, Anissah) and the dishes (chermoula, minestrone) may be challenging to read.  Basic descriptions are provided including the country of origin, ingredients needed, and how to assemble the dish. The author concludes each recipe with a phrase from another language having to do with eating. A link is included in the acknowledgements with easy to read and understand recipes.  Teachers may find this book useful as a read aloud when introducing a unit on food around the world.

Reviewed by Heather Hale, Easton School District, Easton

three-stars

Moon River: There’s Such A Lot Of World To See

Moon River: There’s Such A Lot Of World To SeeMoon River by Johnny Mercer, Henry Mancini, Tim Hopgood
Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) on October 16th 2018
ISBN: 1250159008
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Much Like the artwork in “Singing in the Rain”, Tim Hopgood offers illustrations that are very attractive and joyful in his rendition of “Moon River”.    Children may not be acquainted with the lyrics but will soon learn to sing along as they turn one captivating page after another in this dreamy picture book.

Preschoolers and young primary grade students may be lulled to sleep by the sensation of slow movement as the night sky darkens.  Each page exposes the dream state brought on by soothing words. and various shades of blue.   Musical notes accompany the drifters as they visit nationally recognized sites all over the world.

Consider adding to library collections and share with music and art teachers.

Reviewed by Jan Hamilton, retired youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME

four-stars