Picture Book Review: Nature Picture Books

 

A poetry book about woodpeckers. 

The illustrations are lovely and even though there is not a lot of text, there's plenty of information. There's also a lot of back matter in the book that rounds out the book. 

A tree falls down in the forest, and it changes and helps everything.

The illustrations are soft and there's so much to pour over in this book. The fallen tree helps so many parts of the forest and lives on. There's a lot of back matter in this book too for further learning. 

Marcus isn't sure about gardening, but his Grandma loves it. She shares her love and knowledge about plants with him. Soon, he's taken to gardening too.

Marcus is funny and clever. I love how he relates to the plants and the garden. This one is perfect for PLANT A SEED theme.

One boy walks with his dog and collections questions about all the things they see. 

The seasons change in this book. The paper illustrations are amazing. This book asks a lot of questions but doesn't answer all of them. This might lead to more research to discover the answers. There is a lot of vocabulary here and a lot to talk about. 

Plant a Seed: Summer Reading Kids (3)

 

We talked about CRAFTS and STEAM programs, this week it's all about books:

Picture Books about Nature

Picture Books about Gardens

Picture Books about Flowers and Seeds:

I know these picks are just scratching the surface and I didn't even touch Chapter books or nonfiction books. 

Personally, I use the summer reading themes to beef up my collection and make it stronger. I will be looking at some gardening and flower nonfiction this year. 

Picture Book Wednesday: A Mouse on the River

Mouse is headed down the river - follow him on his journey.

This is the second mouse book (Mouse's Wood) and it's equally charming. The illustrations are soft and gorgeous. There are dye-cuts and tabs that give the reader a closer look into both nature and inside homes and boats. The story winds along the river along with the main character. 

These delicate features mean this isn't a book for the library collection, but one for personal collections. This book makes a great gift. 

* This book was sent for review

Picture Book Wednesday: Snow Books

We haven't had much snow at all this winter where I live, so I'm living vicariously through these picture books. 

The snowman love dancing under the moon in the snow.

A cute story about snowman and penguins - dancing and marching. I love the message of working together.

Someone's excited for a ride on the sled, but nothing goes according to plan.

A funny story about sledding. I loved the ending. With not many words, this is a great read-aloud for storytimes.

It's snowing - and snowing - and snowing. Will it ever stop? How deep will the snow get?

My Thoughts: This is a cute nature book all about animals and snow. I love how it goes through the days of the week. Snowing and then melting. The illustrations are charming. This is a great book for discussion about seasons - winter and spring. With not too much text, this could be used for a storytime for older kids.

Picture Book Review: A Bear, a Bee, and a Honeytree

A bear is hungry, but the bee is angry. Who will win this battle?

A cute story about two animals trying to best each other. There aren't too many words in this book - making it perfect for storytimes. The illustrations are charming.

Library Recommendation: Grab this one for your picture book collection - highly recommended

 

Picture Book Review: Books in Years

Recently I read two books that take place over the course of the year and talk about nature. Both were fun reads.

Anna and Benjamin's family move into a new house with a large backyard. They're excited to plant, garden, and watch things grow all year around. They have lots of fun, find new friends, and learn so much about nature.

This book is perfect for older readers. It's chock full of information about gardening (flowers, vegetables, and fruits) and nature. 

Mouse is very cozy in the woods where each month bring something different to share.

I loved this book - for the cozy aspect of the woods. I loved seeing inside animal's houses - although the cutouts make this not a library friendly book. The illustrations are gorgeous. And there's a small game where you can look for nature on each page. 

* Sent for review

Picture Book Wednesday: How to Find a Fox

 

This book captures the knowledge of foxes in a fun way with stunning photography. 

Worth a read for everyone! 

Picture Book Wednesday: A Garden to Save the Birds

 

Emmy and Callum heard a bird hit their window. It made them curious, so they did some research. It turns out there aren't that many birds as there used to be. So they did more research to see what they could do to help birds. Some things they start doing and some things they stop doing - both make their yard better for birds. 

I really enjoyed this story. I loved how the siblings researched and then put their new knowledge to work. And they inspired me to do the same. I'm going to create a more friendly backyard for birds (and other small animals). There's a list at the back of the book - helpful tips pulled from the story. I really like how they siblings talked about their findings in the neighborhood and inspired others to create friendly spaces too. The artwork is charming.

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your library - perfect for your nature collection. 

Picture Books: Nature Books

Nature Books:

Waiting to grow up is hard! She wants to be just like Mother Tree - but Mother Tree warns her not to grow too fast. A beautifully illustrated book about life in the forest, but also about growing up. Then end notes have lots of information about trees.

* Book sent for review

Nek Chand had to move due to his religious beliefs but India didn't feel like home to him. Until one day he found a spot in the forest and decided to clean it up. Then he brought rocks to lay a foundation and pathways.  Then he made statues from trash. Now this garden is a national treasure and people from all over the world visit the garden. I had never heard of this garden, but it sounds amazing. I love that Nek Chand created this garden in secret for years. And I love that it was discovered and shared by so many people. What an inspiring creative story! 

* Book sent for review

P-22 grew up and had to leave to find a new home. But the other areas were occupied, so he went further towards civilization. He crossed the highway (20 lanes!) and made his home in the park. He became famous - so famous that people finally started supporting the animal bridge. Before reading this book, I didn't know about cougars in Hollywood. I didn't know they often get hit by cars. This book is thoughtful, full of knowledge, and a little bit sad. It tugs at the heartstrings but it also will inspire readers.

* book sent for review

Different animals are hiding in the jungle - who could they be?

This is a great book (maybe not a library book because of the lift-the-flaps) that will delight readers. Perfect for storytime (instead of circulation) - this book will cause readers to be loud with animals sounds! 

* Book sent for review

The animals in the forest are scared -a  fire is sweeping their their homes. They flee. But they are also determined that they will come back. A sad but timely picture book about wildfires.  We've had so many the past few years and this book is inspired by them. A great look at the impact we have on the environment and how changes affect everyone.