Nonfiction Monday: Henry the Impatient Heron

Henry the Impatient Heron

Written by Donna Love Illustrated by Christina Wald

32 page picture book

Sylvan Dell Publishing

Herons catch their food by standing still in shallow waters. Henry's parents and brothers and sisters could all successfully stand still and catch their meals. Henry, however, was a young impatient heron. He was too busy chasing, twisting and squawking to achieve this all important goal of catching something to eat. What would poor Henry do?

Things begin to change for Henry when he gets some great advice from the king of camouflage. Henry listens and and learns from his wise older friend. Henry's problem with impatience will resonate with all children, and they will come away from this story knowing how, in the end, patience can help them to achieve their goals.

The For Creative Minds section in the back of the book provides facts about herons along with information about their hunting habits, life cycle and habitat. For additional teaching activities, quizzes and related websites, click here.

Donna Love is an award winning author who lives in Montana. Donna has been an animal lover and writer since third grade when she wrote her first book about horses. She grew up long the coastal rivers and the wilds of Oregon, which is where her love of nature began. She believes it’s important to study and understand her topics thoroughly and loves to learn about her subjects. As her children grew up, she found that she had the ability to explain nature. Her first book called Loons, Diving Birds of the North came out in 2003. Henry the Impatient Heron was released with Sylvan Dell Publishing this year.

This book was reviewed by Kim Hutmacher. The bio was written by Laura Crawford.

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up posted at Jean Little Library. THis post is also part of the Carnival of Homeschooling posted at Why Homeschool.

Nonfiction Monday: The Robins in Your Backyard

The Robins in Your Back Yard
Written and illustrated by Nancy Carol Willis
Ages 5-8, 32 pages
Birdsong Books, 2001

"Cheerily, cheer-up, cheerily!" Though you may think you already know everything about robins, my hunch is you’ll discover a few surprises when you pick up Willis’ book, The Robins in Your Backyard. Announcing their arrival on a chilly March morning, red-breasted robins sing gustily. Did you know that some robins migrate over 1,000 miles in two weeks? Together, the female and her mate build a nest. Soon three to five blue eggs rest inside; the chicks hatch in a couple of weeks. Did you know that the helpless newly-hatched chick weighs as much as a nickel? From morning to night, baby robins eat every ten minutes, consuming fourteen feet of earthworms each day. Did you know…? If a human baby grew at the rate of a nestling robin, the baby would weigh 90 pounds in ten days!

The Robins in Your Backyard chronicles the migration, mating, nesting, hatching, feeding, and growth of one of America’s most beloved songbirds. Large-sized, soft-color pencil illustrations allow readers to see the developing embryo inside the egg, the rowdy brood begging for worms, and robin parents dive-bombing predators that come too close to their chicks. Bird lovers of any age will appreciate the additional resources included at the end of the book: a glossary, a timeline (March through October), and informational pages on how to care for and protect orphaned baby birds. One of my all time favorites, The Robins in Your Backyard is a delightful study for home or classroom.

Nancy Carol Willis says, ‘Very few people get to make a living doing what they truly love - I'm one of them.’ As a talented author and illustrator, Nancy spends her time making books; she writes, illustrates and is the founder of the independent publisher Birdsong Books. Her topics include educational bird and animals stories for children. She enjoys exploring the woods and creek near her home and working at a bird research and rescue center. Nancy goes into classrooms and conducts hands-on projects with students as they study nature, animal habitats and the joys of nonfiction books. She says she can get kids excited about doing research if she can awaken their natural curiosity about the world around them.

This book was reviewed by Heidi Bee Roemer. The bio was written by Laura Crawford.

This review is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up posted at The Miss Rumphius Effect.

Nonfiction Monday: Nature's Paintbox

Nature's Paintbox: A Seasonal Gallery of Art and Verse

Written by Patricia Thomas

Illustrated by Craig Orback

32-page picture book

Millbrook Press, 2007

An art book…check. A poetry collection…check. An introduction to the beauty and majesty of nature and its four seasons… check. Readers will find all of the above in this beautifully written and illustrated book.

How would you describe each of the four seasons? Poet, Patricia Thomas, imagines the world and each of its seasons in a different art medium. Winter is imagined in pen and ink with just a dash of color here and there. Spring brings pastel chalks. Watercolors celebrate summer. Oils bring fall to life. Thomas’ words could stand on their own with vivid images depicted like this one introducing us to spring:

And then…
Nature draws
SPRING
in pastel chalk,
dotting crocuses along a walk;
forsythia against a wall…
drawing them all in
warm-as-sunshine colors;
gentle baby colors;
blurry, furry,
baby-chick, baby-duck colors…
fresh-green-fuzzy, baby leaf,
baby-fern colors…

Yet, to top off each of these perfect-for-spring words, Craig Orback delivers his own perfect-for-spring illustrations in chalk pastels. He renders each of the other seasons and their individual mediums expertly, as well.

Patricia Thomas has been writing children’s books for many years. Her poetry ranges in style from nonsense verse to evocative poetry. She is a member of SCBWI and an instructor for the Children’s Institute of Literature. When giving school presentations, she likes to lead children into the discovery of reading and the adventure of books. Illustrator Craig Orback lives in Seattle and has illustrated 13 books for children, including Paul Bunyon and Washington is Burning. He likes to use a variety of mediums, including oil on canvas, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, pen and ink, and the computer. When creating the pictures for Nature’s Paintbox, he used all them!

This book was reviewed by Kim Hutmacher. The bio was written by Laura Crawford.

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up posted at the ACPL Mock Sibert Blog.

Nonfiction Monday: Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator

Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell
Ages 4-8, 32 pages
Boyds Mills Press, 2008

One morning a raindrop kerplops on wolfsnail’s shell and wakes him up. He is hungry! His first job of the day is to find breakfast. Slowly, wolfsnail pokes his tail, then his head out. Finally, his body, called a "foot," emerges from his shell. The hunt is on! One may wonder: What does a wolfsnail eat? What slimy trail does he follow to track down his prey? How does he devour his victim? These and other questions are answered in the educational picture book, Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator. Simply worded, large-sized text not only narrates the unfolding drama, but also includes amazing facts about this miniature cannibal-predator. Stunning, larger-than-life, color photos capture every detail, allowing readers to clearly see, among other things, the wolfsnail’s tiny "face" consisting of four tentacles (two with eyes) and a "moustache." Intriguing stuff!

Captivated by the slimy wolfsnail’s tale of survival, readers will surely want to pour over the fun factoids and glossary at the end of the book. Real-sized photos accompany information about the mollusk’s life cycle, habitat, diet, and predators. The book has garnered positive reviews and recognition. Wolfsnail is a 2009 Giesel Honor Book, A Noteable Children’s Book (ALA), a CCBC Choices book, and it is on The Big Summer Reading List (Reading Rockets). A must-read for children—who just may be inspired to grab their magnifying glasses and seek out wee wonders in their own back yards.

Sarah C. Campbell is a writer and photographer. She lives in Jackson, Mississippi with her family. It was her son Nathan who found the inspiration for her first picture book creeping along in their yard. They caught the wolfsnail and researched it. Unsure and fascinated by this unique snail, they contacted a university and the Mississippi Museum of Natural History. After learning that predatory snails were unusual, Sarah wrote an article for Highlights for Children detailing their adventures.The information and photographs caught the attention of the editors at Boyd’s Mills Press, and in 2008, Sarah's first picture book, Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator was released.

This book was reviewed by Heidi Bee Roemer. The author bio was written by Laura Crawford. This review is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round Up posted at Book Scoops.

Book Review: In the Trees, Honeybees

In the Trees, Honeybees

Written by Lori Mortenson

Illustrated by Cris Arbo

32 page picture book, Ages 4-8

Dawn Publications

Mornign light,

Warm and bright.

In the trees,

Honeybees!

The bees have a busy day ahead, and we get to tag along for an insider's look into the lives of these amazing creatures.

Each spread pairs a poetic stanza with a paragraph that shares more details about the actions taking place in each of the lovely illustrations. Did you know that a scout bee searches out flowers rich with nectar and pollen? When he finds the perfect ones, he returns to the colony to lead the other bees to their new found treasure.

Many bees make their homes inside the trunks of hollowed out trees. This much I already knew, but what I didn't know was that these resourceful bees use tree sap to seal any holes or cracks in their home. Genius!

The poetry and prose of this book work well to capture the interest of young audiences, but readers of all ages are sure to be fascinated by these creatures and gain an even greater appreciation for their importance in our lives. This book would make a nice addition to any classroom unit on insects, the honeybee life cycle or animal families. Buzz on over to your local library or bookstore and take a peek for yourself.

Lori Mortensen is the author of several picture books and graphic novels for children, including Cowpoke Clyde & Dirty Dawg, Paul Revere's Ride and The Monster Card Mystery. Prior to becoming a writer, Lori’s jobs included dance education, word processing, being a sign language interpreter and working as a substitute high school teacher. Lori is an instructor with the Institute of Children’s Literature where she has helped hundreds of adult writers improve their writing. She currently lives in Northern California with her family, cats, and pet python. Her latest book, In The Trees, Honeybees with Dawn Publications was released in March, 2009.

This book was reviewed by Kim Hutmacher and is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-up posted at Chicken Spaghetti.