Nonfiction Monday: Panda Kindergarten

Panda Kindergarten
by Joanne Ryder
photos by Dr. Katherine Feng
Ages 4 and up, 32 pages
HarperCollins, 2009

It’s panda-monium when sixteen tiny baby pandas are born at almost the same time! Giant Panda mothers usually give birth to one cub, but when they have twins, they need help from humans to keep both cubs alive. In the panda nursery at the Wolong Nature Reserve in China, twins take turns. While one is breastfed by mom, the other twin is bottle-fed by a human. Easy-to-read text explains these sixteen cubs are lucky. They’re growing up in a protected setting and are cared for by their own mothers and skilled workers. As the cubs grow older, they learn how to climb, play, snooze, and socialize much like human babies. Crisp, full-color close-ups depict the irresistible “cuteness” of the cubby bears as they tussle in snow, romp with friends and interact with caregivers. Ryder explains that some pandas will stay in the reserve to raise their own families. Some will return to the bamboo forest to roam wild and free. Readers will learn that this threatened species now has a better chance for survival, thanks to Wolong’s dedicated staff. The final page offers readers a brief “Fast Facts about Giant Pandas” list. To listen to the author and photograph describe their connection to this special “panda-garten” troupe, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocZlchvJl64.
Book provided by the Orland Park Public Library. –Review by Heidi Bee Roemer

Joanne Ryder has always loved pandas, starting with the very first small panda toy she owned as a child. The fascination with the rare creatures has continued throughout her career as a writer. She is the award-winning author of dozens of picture books which focus on animals and their habitats. Her books encourage readers to imagine themselves as the animals through poetry, fantasy and science. Joanne lives in California with her husband, Laurence Yep, who is also an author. –Interview by Laura Crawford

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by The Children's War blog.

Nonfiction Monday: Author Interview, Susan Stockdale

Susan Stockdale, Children's Book Author & Illustrator
www.susanstockdale.com

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I have always been drawn to pattern, color and nature. My childhood years in Miami, Florida and Ireland, two beautiful but very different natural environments, really influenced my development as an artist. After majoring in art in college, I freelanced as a textile designer for several years, which was great fun. When I began creating picture books, biodiversity among animals emerged as a theme I really enjoyed and I've continued with it ever since.

WHERE DO YOUR IDEAS FOR NONFICTION COME FROM?
Most of my book ideas come from experiences I’ve had or books I’ve read. I was inspired to create Fabulous Fishes after snorkeling in Belize and being amazed at the beauty and diversity of all the fish that I encountered. Carry Me! Animal Babies on the Move emerged after I read that an African Jacana is the only bird in the world that picks up its babies and carries them under its wing. This piqued my interest in developing this book about how animals carry their young. My most recent work, Bring On the Birds, was inspired closer to home. A robin built a nest on the ledge above my front door and I was able to watch its eggs hatch and the baby birds fly from the nest - such a wonderful spectacle. It’s no coincidence that Bring On the Birds ends with baby robins in a nest.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE HARDEST PART ABOUT WRITING?
I tend to create very spare, tight rhyme schemes and sometimes I write myself into a corner, making the process more challenging. Ultimately, these self-imposed demands benefit the writing, but it makes the process harder. Also, one of the common pitfalls of
writing verse is compromising content to make the words rhyme. Because I am conveying factual information in my work, I have to be especially careful not to fall into that trap.

WHAT IS THE STRANGEST FACT YOU HAVE LEARNED?
This fact may be more amazing than strange: A Broad-tailed Hummingbird beats its wings 38 times per second.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST WORK
I’m currently developing a picture book about 19 striped animals around the world called Stripes of all Types. Included in the book are mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles, arthropods, crustaceans, and invertebrates. I’ve written it in rhyme and have included an afterword with information about the purpose of the animals’ stripes, when known. It will be
published in spring of 2013.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
I love celebrating animal life in my books for young children. Thanks for the opportunity to answer these questions.

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by Lori Calabrese Writes blog.

Bring on the Birds
written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale
32 pages, ages 4 and up
Peachtree, 2011

Welcome to the wonderful world of birds! Stockdale’s delightful verses describe what various birds look like and what they do. Youngsters will be mesmerized by the soothing rhymes as they learn about twenty of our feathered friends. With clever brevity, these seventeen words describe six birds: “Hanging birds, hiding birds, birds with jagged bills. /Humming birds, drumming birds, birds with bills that drill.” You won’t need binoculars to get a good view of the Blue-Bird of Paradise, White-tailed Ptarmigan, Keel-billed Toucan, Hummingbird, Ruffed Grouse, and Red-bellied Woodpecker, plus many others. Crisp, colorful, full-page acrylic illustrations show close-ups of birds in action, while backgrounds offer clues about their habitats. Backend pages contain additional bird facts and a list of book titles for further enrichment. Young bird-lovers will also enjoy Susan Stockdales’ Bird Coloring Book. To order your copy, visit www.susanstockdale.com
A review copy of Bring on the Birds was provided by the publisher.—Review by Heidi Bee Roemer.

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by Wrapped in Foil blog.

Highlight's Nature Writing Workshop

This sounds like a wonderful opportunity for those of you who not only love to read nature-related books but would like to write them as well!

Nature-Writing Workshop Trains Children’s Authors

NORTHEASTERN PA – In a workshop titled “Nature Writing Boot Camp,” award-winning authors, illustrators, and editors will teach the craft of writing nature books and articles for children.

The workshop will be held by the Highlights Foundation from April 16 to 19, 2012, near Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

“Kids need great reading in nature subjects,” says workshop leader Andy Boyles. “In the tradition of Rachel Carson, John Burroughs, and Jean Craighead George, we need to help kids develop a lasting connection with nature. We’re here to help writers succeed in that work.”

Through presentations, one-to-one writing critiques, and ample writing time, the faculty will help authors propel their writing careers to new heights. The workshop will also feature nature-journaling techniques for improving observational skills and recording details.

The faculty includes accomplished professionals.

Dianna Hutts Aston is the author of many books for children, including the award-winning An Egg Is Quiet and A Seed Is Sleepy, both illustrated by Sylvia Long. The Moon Over Star, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award in 2009. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama chose The Moon Over Star to read at an inner-city school in Washington, D.C., in February 2009.

Robert Hynes has been illustrating nature subjects for both children and adults for decades. During this time, he has created more artwork for the National Park Service, National Geographic Society, and the Smithsonian Institution than any other illustrator in the United States. His illustrations are also found in the Skipping Stones award-winning title for Exceptional Multicultural and Nature/Ecology Books, Muskrat Will Be Swimming.

Nature-journaling expert Mark Baldwin will lead nature walks centered on the techniques of nature journaling. He is education director of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Jamestown, New York. An avid naturalist and educator, Baldwin has been keeping nature journals for twenty years. Since 1990, he has taught his craft to more than 3,000 students, teachers, and amateur naturalists.

Andy Boyles is science editor at Highlights magazine and the company’s trade-book division, Boyds Mills Press. He has worked with Jack Myers, Sarah C. Campbell, Pamela Kirby, Laurence Pringle, Dougal Dixon, Sandra Markle, and many others.

The workshop will be held at the home of the Highlights for Children Founders, situated in scenic northeastern Pennsylvania. Surrounded by a 1,300-acre forest, the property is home to whitetail deer, timid black bears, and a variety of birds and other wildlife—a naturalist’s delight.

“Nature Writing Boot Camp” is cosponsored by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI) of Jamestown, New York, and the Highlights Foundation, Inc., of Boyds Mills, Pennsylvania.

RTPI is a national, nonprofit nature-education organization with headquarters at the birthplace of world-renowned artist and naturalist Roger Tory Peterson (1908–1996). Dedicated to preserving the collections and legacy of Dr. Peterson, RTPI’s mission is to create passion for and knowledge of the natural world in the hearts and minds of children by inspiring and guiding the study of nature. The mission reflects the belief that people who develop awareness and passion for the natural world will become committed to its preservation.

Roger Tory Peterson saw himself first as a teacher. He used his exquisite skills in painting, photography, and writing to bring the wonders of nature to everyone. Workshop leader Mark Baldwin continues this tradition, emphasizing that “sharing your sense of wonder about nature with children takes special skills. It takes an alert mind, a keen sense of observation, and a passionate heart to translate nature’s language into words that come alive on a page.”

The Highlights Foundation created its Founders Workshops to raise the level of the offering of writing and illustrating for children. A variety of programs are presented for all levels of writers, from those just getting started to those who are published but wish to hone their skills. These workshops are led by successful, supportive authors and editors determined to help writers achieve their goals.

Limited to thirty participants, the intimate setting is unique. Participants are housed on-site in fully-furnished and comfortable rustic cabins.

For more information, contact the program assistant, Jo Lloyd, at 570-253-1192 or jalloyd@highlightsfoundation.org.

Nonfiction Monday: Animal Heroes

Animal Heroes: True Rescue Stories
by Sandra Markle
64 pages, ages 8 and up
Millbrook, 2008

When disaster strikes sometimes the first to respond are rescuers with four legs, furry coats, and a tail. Based on interviews with actual survivors, author Susan Markle shares nine riveting tales of animal heroism. Roselle, a brave guide dog led his blind master safely down seventy-eight floors after the 9/11 tower was hit by a plane. Binti Jua, a gorilla, protected an unconscious child after he tumbled into her pen at the zoo. In New Zealand several dolphins shielded swimmers from a hungry shark, and in another instance, a cow saved a woman from drowning in swift-flowing floodwaters. Fascinating sidebars offer a brief historical backdrop surrounding each incident, an explanation of medical terms (carbon monoxide poisoning, hypothermia, deep-water bends, etc.) and pertinent details about the featured creatures. For example, readers will learn that guide dogs use a treadmill as part of their early training, dolphins swim in groups called pods, and gorillas like Binti Jua live on Africa’s west coast in small groups headed by one dominate male. Color photographs show “mug shots” of each animal, the grateful humans whose lives they saved, and places where each life-threatening event happened. Both gripping and heartwarming, readers will come to understand that animals can make a difference in people’s lives. Glossary, sources, and suggestions for further included. Book source: Orland Park Public Library—Review by Heidi Bee Roemer


You can tell Sandra Markle is a teacher and a science lover. He books carefully blend fiction and nonfiction in a way that is perfect for young readers. She loves her job because she traveled to Antarctica, hopped on a helicopter and spent a few hours in a penguin rookery. She’s also been behind the scenes with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus and flown in the Good Year Blimp. Sandra says each project brings new adventures. She views herself as the eyes and ears of young readers.  Check out her blog at http://sandra-markle.blogspot.com. — Bio by Laura Crawford.

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by Capstone Connect blog.