Breaks down ant-facts in a very accessible way, with an environmental message at the end.
The visual elements are bright and pull you in, the text and Breaks down ant-facts in a very accessible way, with an environmental message at the end.
The visual elements are bright and pull you in, the text and information is incredibly interesting, but the biggest flaw is that there are no sources or afterward content, which I have come to expect in kids nonfiction....more
As a parent, this was hard to read. At the very least I wanted an afterward that gave resources for dealing with mental health struggles or something.As a parent, this was hard to read. At the very least I wanted an afterward that gave resources for dealing with mental health struggles or something. As much as I was engaged in this story, that omission probably too my personal enjoyment down to three stars.
But thinking back to my teen self, I would have loved it. Ash’s loneliness, their interest in writing and the environment, their commitment to essentially becoming a hermit, the way they research all their outdoor skills.
Two of three of Earth's magical creatures run into each other and then move on to explore the wider world. They find protection from the Witch Queen, Two of three of Earth's magical creatures run into each other and then move on to explore the wider world. They find protection from the Witch Queen, but things seem a little off. The young friends discover the problems in Earth's magic cycle that are reminiscent of many of our current and real Earth cycles that have been disrupted. Plenty of translatable themes.
Ends with only a brief resolution, but with plenty open for the next episode....more
A well-told family story about the author's grandfather and the eruption of the island of Surtsey. A well-told family story about the author's grandfather and the eruption of the island of Surtsey. ...more
A poetic rumination on the idea and fact of river. There's some science, some history, some storytelling, some spirituality: it's a very interconnecteA poetic rumination on the idea and fact of river. There's some science, some history, some storytelling, some spirituality: it's a very interconnected idea of what a river is.
As a nonfiction book, I was disappointed to find no backmatter. But as just a book, this was a lovely depiction of how every so often you need to take a look at how things connect. A river is not just a habitat, an ecosystem, a line on a map. It is so much more....more
I enjoy Ame Dyckman’s sense of humor, and some of my favorite read-alouds are hers.
With this, I lovReceived free copy as part of Amazon First Reads.
I enjoy Ame Dyckman’s sense of humor, and some of my favorite read-alouds are hers.
With this, I loved the premise: a family heads out on a camping trip but is not very prepared, so they end up trying CampingLand, a sanitized indoor version of getting back to nature.
The execution is pretty straightforward, with a series of contrasting pictures and experiences depicting the challenging fulfillment of outdoors versus the easy inauthenticity of the indoor theme park. But the design of the book misses the mark. It’s hard to tell how much of this is because I was reading this on my phone and the Kindle app unfortunately just doesn’t handle picture books well. But there’s little to distinguish between the outdoor and indoor scenes: at first I thought I could always see the blue glass dome as background in the indoor pictures, but that did not end up holding true until the end.
I was let down in part due to my own high expectations, and I think in part by poor book design. ...more
A stunning book about grief and what we leave behind, made all the more poignant in the after notes. This book was planned before Jerry Pinckney's deaA stunning book about grief and what we leave behind, made all the more poignant in the after notes. This book was planned before Jerry Pinckney's death, and only fully realized after it. If you don't cry while reading this book, do you even have a heart? ...more
The main text features poetic text and dynamic illustrations that describe the vast journey of dust from one side of the world to another. The contentThe main text features poetic text and dynamic illustrations that describe the vast journey of dust from one side of the world to another. The content is tantalizing, but would be disappointing without the addition of bountiful backmatter, full of detail that is much less whimsical and much more explicit. This dust doesn't just float around like glitter, but offers vital minerals to the rainforests we worked so hard to save in the '90s. The backmatter describes the process, but also discusses how the author came across this information and indicates where research might go from here.
In short, science does not stop when we write about it, but discovery continues and we should be ready and prepared for that continued journey. Much like the dust that drifts from Africa to the Amazon....more
A book to make you appreciate the hidden depths of the world around us. A bit haphazard in organization, each page turn puts the reader in a differentA book to make you appreciate the hidden depths of the world around us. A bit haphazard in organization, each page turn puts the reader in a different kind of cave, exploring a wide variety. Everything from underwater cave systems, to crystal formations within caves, various kinds of cave-dwelling animals, and different types of exploration....more
A somber and melancholy tale about time and impermanence. A family home stands in a clear field, kept so by the diligent ministrations of the father. A somber and melancholy tale about time and impermanence. A family home stands in a clear field, kept so by the diligent ministrations of the father. But the children grow up and move away, and the father grows old and leaves, and the trees begin to encroach on the house, slowly but steadily. Nature consumes and lifts the home, leaving behind a beautiful mystery.
I'm not sure exactly who the audience is for this, but it is a moving story....more
Content warning: domestic violence, sexual assault.
Picked it up for the rewilding content, and really enjoyed that part of the storyline. Even the parContent warning: domestic violence, sexual assault.
Picked it up for the rewilding content, and really enjoyed that part of the storyline. Even the parts where Inti, our main character, makes questionable decisions along these lines I found thoughtful and likely to spark conversation.
The sisterly backstory, the light romance, the solitary backwoods birth, the murder and subsequent coverup were all interesting additions, but I found myself getting a little exasperated as the twists and turns came to the end. Things got increasingly gory, disturbing, and unlikely....more
Not quite nonfiction, but a mini time-travel adventure with an emphasis on what humans have done through time to recycle and reuse their waste productNot quite nonfiction, but a mini time-travel adventure with an emphasis on what humans have done through time to recycle and reuse their waste products.
Full of interesting points in history and encouraging steps to take for a more sustainable future.
I wish references and sources had been included. ...more
A beautiful look at the connection between generations and between a family and the land they live on. The backmatter is also fascinating, and I have A beautiful look at the connection between generations and between a family and the land they live on. The backmatter is also fascinating, and I have to note after reading How Birds Sleep I was not expecting to see climate change in this one, and yet it is now such an established reality that here it is again.
There's a Moana-type echo here, between a child and their grandparent and the child and the land. Less adventure, but the vibe resonates....more
At some point children's publishing transitioned from preventative possible questions of climate change (is it happening? how much is human-driven? hoAt some point children's publishing transitioned from preventative possible questions of climate change (is it happening? how much is human-driven? how can we be better stewards of our environment?) into frank acknowledgement that human-driven climate change has already happened, we are in the middle of it, and ways we might slow it down or prevent things from getting worse.
What is clearly a book on how birds sleep ends with a somber note about how climate change is affecting these birds' habits.
A story that answers an interesting question in a nice-to-look-at way....more
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