Archive for the 'science' Category

Nonfiction Monday - The Planet Hunter

Published by Tricia on April 28, 2008 in nonfiction, biography, book review and science. 1 Comment

planet.jpg

The Planet Hunter: The Story Behind What Happened to Pluto, written by Elizabeth Rusch and illustrated by Guy Francis, is a nonfiction picture book that introduces readers to Mike Brown, the astronomer whose discoveries led to the reclassification of Pluto.

We first meet Mike as a young boy. He is wearing a homemade space helmet on his head, dancing in mud puddles he created to mimic the way craters are made on the moon. (You can view an excerpt of this page.) We learn that he grew up in Hunstville, Alabama, home of the Marshall Space Flight Center, and that his fascination with astronomy carried him through childhood and into his adult career. He approached the study of the heavens systematically, as described in this excerpt.

Mike remembered how as a kid, he was always losing his sneakers. The only way he could be sure to find them was to start at one end of the house and search room by room.

“That’s the way to find a planet,” he said.

Using an old telescope, Mike began searching the sky, section by section.

Mike and a fellow astronomer made a bet, in which Mike suggested that someone would find a new planet within four years. He set about the task of searching in an effort to make sure that someone was him. The book goes on to describe how Mike searched for objects in the sky. Finally, five days after losing the bet, he found an object he hadn’t seen before. He pointed as many telescopes as he could at the object he named Eris. Ultimately, photos from the Hubble Telescope confirmed he had found something that was bigger than Pluto!

This discovery led astronomers to rethink the definition of a planet. At an international meeting of astronomers, a planet was defined as “a body that circles the sun. It is large enough to be round. And it orbits alone, far from anything else its size.” This redefinition meant that Mike’s discovery was not a planet, and now, neither was Pluto.

This is a terrifically interesting biography that provides scientific information in an accessible way for young readers. In addition to the story of Mike Brown, throughout the book there are interesting facts and informational tidbits “bubbled” into the corners of the pages. The book also contains a pull-out poster of the solar system (newly reconfigured), with information about dwarf planets, the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud. Overall, I found this to be an informative and thoroughly engaging book. I highly recommend it.

Book: The Planet Hunter: The Story Behind What Happened to Pluto
Author: Elizabeth Rusch
Illustrator: Guy Francis
Publisher: Rising Moon
Publication Date: 2007
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: 4-8
ISBN: 978-0873589260
Source of Book: Review copy received from TEOTF.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

For those of you interested in learning more about the ideas presented in this book, check out these resources.

Nonfiction Monday - Animals, Animals

Published by Tricia on April 14, 2008 in nonfiction, book review, science and art. 1 Comment

There are many, many books written every day about animals. Here are two recent publications for young readers that take innovative approaches to looking at baby animals.

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Baby Animals: Little Ones at Play in 20 Works of Art by William Lach presents works of art in a variety of media in which baby animals take center stage. Each full page work of art is accompanied by a facing page with two words of text in large font that read baby __. Young readers will find baby dogs, baby deer, baby elephants, baby owls, and more. Below these two-word descriptors is a single sentence on each page that tells what the particular baby animal is called. The baby deer page reads “Baby deer are called fawns,” and the baby bats page reads “Baby bats are called pups.” Looking at the selected pieces of art provides wonderful opportunities to try and guess the media they were created in. Pieces include an embroidered carpet (the cover image), a dragon robe, a bark painting, ivory carving, Japanese scroll painting, lithographs, and more traditional works in oil and watercolor. With few exceptions, nearly all of these pieces come from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Close to You: How Animals Bond by Kimiko Kajikawa presents photographs that highlight animal parents and their young during the intimate moments of bonding. Each full page photograph is accompanied by a facing page containing a short sentence about the animal pair. The rhyming text briefly describes how the animals communicate and/or share affection. Here is an excerpt.

Kangaroos
nestle and go for a ride.
Elephants
walk closely side by side.
Giraffes
pucker up, sniff, and lick.
Dolphins
whistle, clack, and click.

The pictures and text on each double-page spread are matted and framed by layers of color, with pages beautifully framed in purples, yellows, blues and oranges. The text ends by highlighting the ways in which humans show affection and caring. At the end of the book is an informational section that presents a bit of background information on each animal. A chart is also included that presents data on each of the animals in the book, including number of babies typically born, weight at birth, weight at maturity, and age of independence. Also listed are some animal web sites of interest.

Both of these books provide interesting views of baby animals and will make outstanding additions to collections for young children.

Book: Baby Animals: Little Ones at Play in 20 Works of Art
Author: William Lach
Publisher: Abrams Young Readers
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 46 pages
Grades: preK-2
ISBN: 978-1588391827
Source of Book: Copy received from publisher.

Book: Close to You: How Animals Bond
Author: Kimiko Kajikawa
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: preK-2
ISBN: 978-0805081237
Source of Book: Copy received from publisher.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

Nonfiction Monday - Eggs

Published by Tricia on April 7, 2008 in nonfiction, book review and science. 0 Comments

Recently I wrote a thematic book list on spring life that focused on eggs and life cycles. Marilyn Singer was kind enough to drop by and leave a comment. When I learned she had a new book out entitled Eggs, I ran right out and got one.

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Eggs, written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Emma Stevenson, is a gorgeous look at these extraordinary vehicles of early life. The book begins:

IT’S A QUIET CRIB.
It’s a bobbing boat.
It’s a private pond.
It’s a room with no view.
It’s walls to break through.
It’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
It’s an egg.

It goes on to discuss how all animals need to make more of their own kinds, and that while some animals give birth to live young, many animals lay eggs instead. Eggs are described as special worlds that provide everything a developing embryo needs to grow, from food and drink to oxygen. But embryos need more than this to survive. They need a hospitable climate, meaning they must not freeze of overheat. Singer goes on to describe the texture, shape, size and color of eggs. Readers learn about how many eggs different species lay, how they’re protected by parents, nests, or both, and how they hatch. Emma Stevenson makes her debut as a picture book illustrator with this book and it is a beautiful first effort. The gauche paintings are finely detailed and offer a visual treat to accompany the text.

The book ends with a extensive series of notes, including information on protecting eggs, a glossary, source notes and wildlife organizations. A comprehensive index is also included.

I learned several new facts about eggs while reading this book. Did you know that …

  • Bird eggshells are always hard, but their texture varies? Some eggs feel soapy, while some are powdery.
  • A flying fish’s eggs have long threads to catch on to seaweed so they won’t float into dangerous waters?
  • A termite queen may lay as many as a billion eggs in her lifetime?

Overall, this is an informative and thoroughly engaging book. I highly recommend it.

Book: Eggs
Author: Marilyn Singer
Illustrator: Emma Stevenson
Publisher: Holiday House
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: 3-8
ISBN: 978-0-8234-1727-8
Source of Book: Personal copy purchased from a local independent bookstore.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

Nonfiction Monday - The Dirt on Dirt

Published by Tricia on March 17, 2008 in nonfiction, book review and science. 0 Comments

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As a child who lived in the sandbox, played in the mud, dug for worms and other creatures, I find books about this topic appealing. The back cover of the book begins with the words, “Muck around in the dirt!” Yes, this is the book for me! As for the rest of the world, how can anyone not like a book in which the table of contents opens with You and Dirt?

The Dirt on Dirt, by Paulette Bourgeois, is an interesting mix of information and activities (labeled FUN with Dirt). In the categories of You and Dirt, Dirt Matters, Buried!, Building with Dirt, and Dirt for Gardening, readers learn everything under the sun about dirt. Here are a few interesting facts.

Some animals, like elephants and pigs, wallow in mud to get rid of ticks and fleas. The dried mud then helps protect the animals from the heat of the sun.

There are more than a million dust mites in an average bed. They don’t eat dust, but rather flakes of skin. Since we shed skin flakes every minute, they never go hungry!

It can take from 100 to 10,000 years to make 2 cm (0.8 inches) of good topsoil from crushed rock.

In 1974, archaeologists uncovered 7,000 life-sized, clay soldiers while digging on a peasant’s farm near the city of Xi’an.

Earthworms turn rotting plants and animals into fertilizer and create spaces for air and water to flow through the soil.

Using vivid photographs and inviting illustrations, this text captures the imagination of readers. My seven year old son was enamored of the section on building with dirt, which looks closely at the world that lies beneath our feet and the animals who inhabit it. There is a wonderful true or false quiz that asks readers to test their knowledge of earthworms. The book also contains a glossary and extensive index.

Throughout the text readers are encouraged to try activities related to dirt science. They can experiment to see how soap and detergents work, bake a mud cake, make the world’s greatest dirt (from a homemade composting box), make a dirt shake to see what’s in dirt, learn about erosion, and more. On the Kids Can Press web site you can download a free activity.

I love just about about everything about this book, save for one thing. On the back cover of the book, is the sentence, “Earth, mud, grime, soil–whatever you call it, dirt is everywhere, even where you don’t expect it.” The scientist in me really bristles at the use of the word dirt, and I am disappointed that the word soil wasn’t used more often. I know this is picky, and that for some of you, this is simply a matter of semantics. However, I work very closely with teachers and kids in classrooms to define and study soil. Calling it dirt is akin to calling insects bugs.

Despite this one tiny complaint about the use of the word dirt instead of soil, I found this book to be extremely entertaining and informative. I highly recommend it.

Book: The Dirt on Dirt
Author: Paulette Bourgeois
Illustrator: Martha Newbigging
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 48 pages
Grades: 4-8
ISBN: 978-1554531011
Source of Book: Copy received from Raab Associates, Inc.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

For those of you interested in digging around for some more info on dirt (soil!), here are some terrific sites to get you started.

Nonfiction Monday - On Matters Evolutionary

Published by Tricia on March 10, 2008 in nonfiction, biography, book review and science. 2 Comments

My Foundations of Education class has been studying religion in public education. Before we left for break, we spent time considering the evolution debate. This is a topic near and dear to my heart, and one in which I have a hard time buying the “teach all sides” argument, since my undergraduate degree was in biochemistry, and my masters and Ph.D in science education. That said, I do not believe the theory of evolution and my religious beliefs are mutually incompatible. One is faith, the other science, and I don’t believe my faith, or that of anyone else, belongs in a public school classroom.

For students who struggle with the notion of evolution, how it works, what it means, and other aspects, I like to share books that clearly present the science. I’m also interested in having them understand its historical roots. Here are two books I find to be valuable resources in discussing this topic.

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Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution by Steve Jenkins, explores the history of life on earth and Darwin’s revolutionary theory. It includes a timeline of life on earth in which the history of life is compressed into a 24 hour day so that readers can understand just how old our planet is, and for how long we humans have lived on it. The text begins:

The earth is more than 4 1/2 billion years old. For a long time, life couldn’t exist here. The ground was hot enough to melt rocks. There was not liquid water. Comets and asteroids frequently crashed into the surface, and volcanoes erupted constantly, filling the air with poisonous gases.

From here we learn about the first forms of life (microscopic bacteria) and the organisms that sprang up in their wake. Using his highly skilled cut/torn paper collage technique, we meet early sea life, plants, a T. Rex, other animals which are now extinct, and finally get a look at early man. The next page shows a small ground-level reptile, a larger reptile walking on its hind legs, a large bird on the ground, and lastly, a bird in flight. Beneath this sequence is the question, “Why have so many different forms of life development on earth?” From here, Jenkins launches into an introduction to Darwin and the theory of evolution. The text is packed with information, elucidated in meaningful ways by the illustrations. When describing survival of the fittest, 10 frogs appear on a page in which their strengths and weaknesses are described, and the mechanism by which they pass on their strongest traits is highlighted.

Overall, this is a gorgeous text that provides a strong introduction to the theory of evolution.

While Jenkins’ book provides a brief introduction to Darwin, The Tree of Life: A Book Depicting the Life of Charles Darwin: Naturalist, Geologist & Thinker by Peter Sís provides a more intimate look at the man. Who was Charles Darwin? We know him today as a naturalist, geologist, and the father of modern evolutionary biology. But did you know that Charles Darwin was a man who always regretted not learning how to draw? Even though he did not fancy himself an artist, he took “dense and vivid” written notes of all he observed. From these notes, Peter Sís has created a book of intricately drawn pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations that depict Darwin’s life as he developed his theories about the origins of life and natural selection. In what may be one of the best nonfiction introductions EVER, this book begins:

Charles Darwin opens his eyes for the first time! He has no idea that he will (a) start a revolution when he grows up, (b) sail around the world on a five-year voyage, (c) spend many years studying nature, and (d) write a book that will change the world. Luckily, he is unaware that (e) not everyone will see things his way, and that (f) he himself will have doubts about revealing his grand conclusions. This is his story.

If that introduction doesn’t grab you, then nothing will. From here readers will find tidbits from Darwin’s extensive and legendary voyage on the Beagle, notes on Galapagos tortoises, bloodsucking benchuca bugs, Toxodon skeletons, and much more. Perhaps even more interesting is the way the text is set up. Beneath each 3/4 page illustration the text is divided into sections on public life, private life, and secret life. There is much to love about this biography, and much more to learn.

I highly recommend both of these books, particularly for middle school teachers tackling the topic of evolution.

Book: Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution
Author: Steve Jenkins
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Publication Date: 2002
Pages: 40 pages
Grades: 4-8
ISBN-10: 0618164766
ISBN-13: 978-0618164769
Source of Book: Personal copy.

Book: The Tree of Life: A Book Depicting the Life of Charles Darwin: Naturalist, Geologist & Thinker
Author: Peter Sís
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: 2003
Pages: 44 pages
Grades: 4-8
ISBN-10: 0374456283
ISBN-13: 978-0374456283
Source of Book: Personal copy.

This post was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

Nonfiction Monday - It’s Moving Day!

Published by Tricia on February 18, 2008 in nonfiction, book review and science. 0 Comments

When I was a kid I was fond of exploring the woods in my backyard. I often wished I could see inside the burrows that were so cleverly hidden near gnarled tree roots and clumps of rocks. In her new book, It’s Moving Day!, Pamela Hickman has granted this wish. The book begins:

movingday.jpgThe burrow lies hidden beneath
a big tree on the edge of the field.

After a long winter’s sleep, the
woodchuck climbs out of his
underground home and stretches.

Time to dig his summer home down
in the farmer’s pasture where
there is more food to eat.

It’s moving day!

As the woodchuck looks around and prepares to leave the safety of the burrow, a rabbit can be seen in the nearby field. The cottontail hops into the burrow and soon makes it a comfortable home in which to raise her young. Her young grow and leave the burrow, and upon winter’s approach, she too leaves to find a winter home. Rabbit’s moving day makes way for a yellow-spotted salamander, looking for a place to hibernate.

The text is accompanied by the illustrations of Geraldo Valério. The acrylics depicting the animals and their comings and goings in the burrow are warm and full of life. The scenes move easily from season to season, connecting readers to the rhythm of life in the burrow.

After the salamander, the burrow is home to a raccoons, milk snakes, chipmunks, skunks, and finally, to bring the story full circle, a woodchuck. The book ends with a page that briefly introduces each of the animals that live in the burrow. I would match this book with Barbara Brenner’s One Small Place in a Tree and Brenda Guiberson’s Cactus Hotel for an expanded look at how many animals can inhabit one home over time.

This is a beautiful book that provides an engaging introduction to woodland animals and a type of home many share. I highly recommend it. In fact, I’m so smitten with this book that I am predicting a Cybils 2008 nomination in its future for nonfiction picture book.

Book: It’s Moving Day!
Author: Pamela Hickman
Illustrator: Geraldo Valério
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication Date: March 1, 2008
Pages: 32 pages
Grades: K-3
ISBN-13: 978-1-55453-074-8
ISBN-10: 1-55453-074-1
Source of Book: Copy received from Raab Associates, Inc.

This review was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

Nonfiction Monday - The Story of Salt

Published by Tricia on February 4, 2008 in nonfiction, book review, social studies and science. 0 Comments

I love books that explore science and history from different perspectives. For example, I love the notion of learning about animals not by the groups they belong to (say a book on birds or reptiles), but by some common feature that links them together, as in Venom by Marilyn Singer, or Living Color by Steve Jenkins.

One of my favorite history books looks at how salt has shaped our world. No, this isn’t a straight chronology, but rather a book that examines historical events through the lens of a very important substance. One could easily imagine a book written about tea, or silk or gold in this same fashion, but being the science lover that I am, I loved learning about salt.

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I learned of this book only after reading Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. The Story of Salt is a kid-friendly version of this work. In it, Kurlansky shares the history and science of salt. Here are some interesting things kids will learn while reading this book.

  • Salt is the only rock consumed by humans.
  • Salt paid for the Great Wall of China.
  • Without salt there would be no mummies. (If you haven’t ever mummified a chicken while studying Ancient Egypt, you should!)
  • Roman soldiers were often paid in salt.
  • When the Jamestown colony was started, a saltwork was established.
  • When America declared independence from England, the salt supply was cut off. (Did you know you need salt to make gunpowder? Losing their supply of salt prior to war was a big problem.)
  • Ghandi walked 240 miles to the sea to defy British law and make salt.
  • Today, the US is the world’s largest supplier of salt.

This well-written and fascinating text is accompanied by color-washed pen-and-ink drawings that add humor and interest. The book ends with a timeline of salt through the centuries. Overall, this is a well-researched piece that deserves a place on your bookshelf.

Book: The Story of Salt
Author: Mark Kurlansky
Illustrator: S. D. Schindler
Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 48
Grades: 3-8
ISBN-10: 0399239987
ISBN-13: 978-0399239984
Source of Book: Personal copy purchased at a local independent bookstore

This review was written for Nonfiction Monday. Head on over to Anastasia Suen’s blog and check out all the great posts highlighting nonfiction this week.

Outstanding Science Books Published in 2007

Published by Tricia on January 12, 2008 in science. 6 Comments

Yesterday I posted the results of the BCCB Blue Ribbon Awards in Nonfiction on my other blog. While I found the selected books to be excellent choices, I was more than a little disappointed that not one science book made the list. I was also disturbed to read this statement regarding the selection of this year’s choices.

Then we turned our gaze to our sparse field of nonfiction and decided that we’d rather sacrifice list length than standards.

Sparse? They’re kidding, right?

I’ve decided to correct this HUGE oversight by naming my own award winners for science. Using the categories and criteria the NSTA uses each year in selecting the books that appear on its list of outstanding trade books for science, I have reviewed the books in my teaching collection and come up with a list of my own. The criteria are:

  • The book has substantial science content.
  • Information is clear, accurate, and up-to-date.
  • Theories and facts are clearly distinguished.
  • Generalizations are supported by facts, and significant facts are not omitted.
  • Books are free of gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic bias.

So, without further ado, here are my choices for the best science books for children and young adults (K-12) published in 2007.

Archaeology, Anthropology, and Paleontology
Dinosaur Eggs Discovered!: Unscrambling the Clues by Lowell Dingus, Rodolfo A. Coria, and Luis M. Chiappe - This amazing book recounts the discovery and subsequent work of a group of scientists who stumbled upon the remains of a dinosaur nesting ground in Patagonia in Argentina. In addition to dinosaur eggs and embryos, they also discovered the fossilized bones of an adult dinosaur.

The Discovery and Mystery of a Dinosaur Named Jane by Judith Williams - Follow along with an expedition to the Badlands of Montana, where the greatest treasure, a new dinosaur, is discovered on the last day of the dig. Photos of the expedition make this one come alive.

Biography
George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life by Elizabeth MacLeod - This engaging text introduces readers to a George Washington Carver that just isn’t described in most biographies for children. Using photographs, newspaper excerpts, journal pages, timelines and more, this book celebrates and illuminates the life of this important African American scientist. Read my review.

The Planet Hunter: The Story Behind What Happened to Pluto by Elizabeth Rusch - This biography of Mike Brown details his youth and work as an astronomer. You’ll learn how his discoveries led astronomers to reconsider the definition of a planet, and how this led to Pluto being demoted.

Earth and Space Science
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam and the Science of Ocean Motion by Loree Griffin Burns - In this entry in the Scientists in the Field series, readers follow the research of several ocean scientists and learn how floating garbage has helped them conduct their research. The scientists in this book track “The Garbage Patch,” a mass of floating plastic trash that extends close to 1,000 nautical miles in the waters between California and Hawaii. Read Mindy’s review at propernoun.net.

Will It Blow? Become a Volcano Detective at Mount St. Helens by Elizabeth Rusch - “Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to predict a Mount St. Helens eruption.” With cartoon drawings, hands-on experiments, lots of clues (science explanations and diagrams), this is one entertaining and informative book on volcanoes. Also included are a vocabulary list and list of related books and web sites.

Environment and Ecology
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle Strauss - In a series of double page spreads containing both informational paragraphs and short, factual boxed insets, readers learn about the distribution of water on earth, the water cycle, water’s essential role in life on Earth and watery habitats. From here, the author looks at how people use, need and access water. The book concludes by looking at demands on the well, pollution, and saving our water. Read my review.

Health and Science
 Sneeze! by Alexandra Siy - What makes your nose so itchy and twitchy that you sneeze? Readers get to examine black and white photos of irritated noses and color enlargements of the microscopic things causing the problem. Then they can find out about the 9 reasons for sneezes while learning all about this reflex. This one is highly informative and fun!

Life Science
Being Caribou: Five Months on Foot with a Caribou Herd by Karsten Heuer - This is an adaptation of Heuer’s adult title that describes the five months he and his wife spent following the migration of more than 100,000 Grant’s caribou to their breeding ground in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This is an amazing story that helps readers to understand the delicate Arctic ecosystem.

Bugs Up Close by Diane Swanson - This book provides a highly magnified, up-close and personal view of some creatures belonging to the largest and most widespread group of animals on earth. This book is jam-packed with interesting facts about insects.

Frog Heaven: Ecology of a Vernal Pool by Doug Wechsler - Vernal pools are temporary wetlands that dry each summer, then refill during the fall, winter and spring. This book examines the changes in a vernal pool in the woods of Delaware and describes the creatures that live there. Read Susan’s review at Chicken Spaghetti.

Lions, Tigers and Bears: Why Are Big Predators So Rare? by Ron Hirschi - With incredible photographs by Thomas D. Mangelsen, this book looks at cougars, polar bears, lions, cheetahs, tigers, grizzly bears and killer whales and examines why their numbers are not only small, but dwindling. Read Liz’s review at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy.

Living Color by Steve Jenkins - Using his distinctive cut paper collage, Jenkins explores the meaning of color in the animal world. Arranged by color, each animal is accompanied by a short paragraph of information. Did you know some animals color is a result of their diet? Or that some animals change color when they reach adulthood? There is much to learn and enjoy in this bright and colorful book.

Turtle Summer: A Journal for My Daughter by Mary Alice Monroe - This journal written by a mother for her daughter recounts their summer tending turtles together during the loggerhead nesting season. The journal begins in May, when female loggerhead turtles return to the beach they were born on to lay their eggs, and ends in July when the hatchlings return to the sea. At the end of the book is a section entitled For Creative Minds, which contains turtle facts, reproducible forms, and directions for making your own nature scrapbook. Read my review.

Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre - This informative text introduces readers to the world of the turkey vulture in rhythmic, precise text, accompanied by gorgeous cut paper collages. Read my review.

What’s Eating You?: Parasites–The Inside Story by Nicola Davies - Every living thing has a habitat where it finds food and shelter and reproduces, but some organisms make their homes on other living things. This creepily entertaining and fact-filled book let’s us in on the secret lives of parasites.

Where in the Wild? Camouflaged Creatures Concealed … and Revealed by David Schwartz and Yael Schy - Amazing photographs of animals hidden in plain sight, clues to their location in the form of poetry, and background info galore hidden in the gatefold all come together in this handsome and highly effective book about camouflage. Listen to the podcast review at Just One More Book!!.

Physical Science
The Periodic Table: Elements With Style! by Adrian Dingle - Undeniably entertaining, Basher’s illustrations for each element are creatively telling (with a decidedly Japanese anime kind of flair), and nicely supported by the descriptions, which read like personal ads. Read my review.

Wired by Anastasia Suen - This book about how electricity makes it from the power station to your home fills a much needed gap in the literature. The book works on two levels, with short poetic text that moves the story (and electricity) along, and informational text that explains each step along the way.

Science-Related Careers
Whale Scientists: Solving the Mystery of Whale Strandings by Fran Hodgkins - This entry in the Scientists in the Field series looks at how scientists are working to discover the reasons why whales beach themselves. While they have no definitive answer, this book explores the theories, including illness or injury, hearing damage, magnetic attractions, confusing geography and more.

Have you seen a science book published in 2007 that you believe should make this list? Leave me a note and let me know about it. I’ll take a look and let you know what I think.

Finding Winning Science Titles - Awards and Booklists

Published by Tricia on January 8, 2008 in book awards and science. 3 Comments

Finding good science books for kids isn’t hard, not if you know where to look. There are many outstanding lists published each year, as well as some lesser known awards that highlight excellent science books. Here are some gems you should consider looking to for guidance.

AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books - This award celebrates outstanding science writing and illustration for children and young adults. Begun in 2005, the first prizes honored five authors and one illustrator with lifetime achievement awards for their lasting contribution to children’s science literature and illustration. The names on this list are standouts (Patricia Lauber, Seymour Simon, Jim Arnosky, etc.) and their books should be a part of any strong science collection.

The Green Earth Book Award - This award was created to “promote books that inspire a child to grow a deeper appreciation, respect and responsibility for his or her natural environment. Started in 2005, the award focuses on books that best raise awareness of the beauty of our natural world and the responsibility that we have to protect it.” If you are interested in titles for environmental science, you’ll get some good ideas here.

Science in Society Book Award - This award is given by the Canadian Science Writers’ Association each year to honor outstanding contributions to science writing. First awarded in 1994 to a single book, the Association began naming two winners in 2003, one for children’s books and one for youth books.

The Eva L. Gordon Award - No longer given, the list of award winners still provides a rich resource for finding excellent science books. First given in 1964, it was awarded to an author for a body of work that met these criteria: Does the author open doors to new adventures? Does the author develop good attitudes? Does the author build understanding of interrelationships? Does the author encourage children to make their own scientific observations? Are the author’s writings accurate, readable, and have a quality of joyousness? Do the author’s writings relate to many kinds of 20th century situations? Past winners include Seymour Simon, Vicki Cobb, Bruce Hiscock, Gail Gibbons, Joanne Ryder and many other outstanding science writers.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award - While this isn’t strictly a science award, many of the honor books and medal winners are science-themed. Given annually since 2001, it is awarded to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in English during the preceding year. Informational books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize, and interpret documentable, factual material.

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12 - The granddaddy of all lists, it highlights the titles selected as outstanding children’s science books for young people. They are selected by a book review panel appointed by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), assembled in cooperation with the Children’s Book Council (CBC), and published in March each year.

Connecting Science and Children’s Literature

Published by Tricia on January 5, 2008 in science. 0 Comments

Looking for some ideas for integrating children’s literature into science instruction? These sites offer some great starting points.

40 Books About Science and Scientists
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=76
40 Books About the Seasons
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=84
 Combining Poetry and Science
http://www.ala.org/ala/booklinksbucket/CombiningPoetryandScience.pdf
“Doing” Science with Poetry
http://www.ala.org/ala/booklinksbucket/everydaypoetry.pdf
Elementary Science Integration Project: Books Galore
http://www.esiponline.org/books/galore/galore.html
Eva L. Gordon Award
http://hometown.aol.com/anssonline/elg.htm
From Seed to Harvest: Books About Growing Food
http://www.ala.org/ala/booklinksbucket/FromSeedtoHarvest.pdf
 The Green Earth Book Award
http://www.newtonmarascofoundation.org/programs/a_ge.cfm
 Integrating Children’s Literature with Physics and Astronomy
http://www.physics.emich.edu/ebehringer/JoAnneS/webpage/397PHY_webpage.html
Let’s Go Outside! Books for Young Children About the Natural World
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=301
The Little House Meets Urban Sprawl
http://www.ala.org/ala/booklinksbucket/urbansprawl.htm
NSTA’s Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12
http://www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/
The Natural World in Books
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=160
 Nonfiction Trade Books: Science
http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~elbond/trade.htm
Outstanding Science Read-Alouds
http://www.ala.org/ala/booklinksbucket/OutstandingScienceRead-Alouds.pdf
PBS Teacher Recommended Books: Science and Technology
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/bookslinks/bookspages/sciencetech-archive.html
Poetry Across the Sciences
http://www.sbfonline.com/pdf/poetry.pdf
SC&F Best Books for Children
http://www.sbfonline.com/bestlists.htm
Science Literature Links
http://www.scilitlinks.org/
Science, Trade Books and Natural Curiosity
http://www.cbcbooks.org/cbcmagazine/perspectives/science_trade_books_natural.html
Science-Themed Novels
http://www.ala.org/ala/booklinksbucket/Science-ThemedNovels.pdf
Search It! Science
http://searchit.heinemann.com/

If you have a link to suggest, please leave a comment and I will review the site for inclusion on this list.