The Glaciers are Melting

Melting glaciers affects much wildlife... what can be done to prevent the extinction of these animals?

Love, Donna.
The Glaciers are Melting.
March 2011.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Five friends set out to find out an answer as to what can be done to save themselves when the glaciers have melted, after one of them notices a drop of water fall on their head (an imminent sign of melting glaciers in their habitat). As the animals precede to the "Mountain Monarch," we learn a great deal about the animals that habituate on the glaciers and the role the glaciers play in their life.

Unfortunately, none of the five friends wind up with an answer to their question, "What can we do?" The animals are facing the same question as scientists pose to us regarding global warming - the glaciers are melting and that is having an impact on the world. The book really does wonders to get children thinking about what they can do to "save" the world and does so in the form of a simple question, after allowing them to see the impact human actions are having on animals and other forms of wildlife. With a little additional research and exploration, children will quickly discover that it is human action that is leaving this impact on the world (and also help children to realize that it is a real problem/concern)!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• In their summer journal, pose the questions to your child, "What is global warming? How is EVERYTHING affected by it? And, what do you think YOU can do to help "save" the Earth?"
• You can also check out Sylvan Dell's Teaching Activities, which include "then" and "now" photographs of several different glaciers and information about animal adaptations, as well as lots of other related activities.
  

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Martha Speaks: Pool Party

Martha, the talking dog, returns to take readers on a pool party adventure!

Barss, Karen.
Martha Speaks: Pool Party.
April 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Martha the talking dog and her pals reach out to readers to pass along several important lessons about summer sun and skin care. Alice takes great care to keep her skin safe in the heat and sun of summer, tediously applying "sunscreen" to prevent a sunburn. However, as Alice applies more and more of the sunscreen, her skin begins to take on an orange color - the result of using self-tanning sunscreen as opposed to regular old sunscreen that protects against burns.

The book intends to educate children about the importance of taking care of your skin during the summertime. However, Alice's friends all ended up using the self-tanning sunscreen (which contains a chemical dye) to ensure Alice doesn't feel out of place at the pool party and I wonder if that might not be giving children the wrong message! While it's great that the children are concerned about each other, using a chemical to ensure someone else doesn't stand out doesn't seem to give the right message to me. The book is a great story and is meant to act as a reminder about summer safety... provided parents share AND discuss all this with children during reading, it's a great summer book! Thoughts anyone?

Learning/Reading Activity:

• After reading Martha Speaks: Pool Party, talk with your children about the importance of using sunscreen to protect against sunburns. Be sure also, to discuss how sunscreen is similar to a "medicine" and should be used only with adult supervision and permission. It's not something to be messed with!
• Have your child(ren), in their summer reading journal create a list of 10 Summer Safety Tips. After they have created their list, ask them to share it with you. Discuss their ideas and don't forget to add in tips of your own (sun safety, bicycle safety, stranger danger, pool safety, etc).
  

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Mudkin

Mud attracts kids... in more ways that one!

Gammell, Stephen.
Mudkin.
March 2011.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When the rain finally breaks, rainy day boredom turns into so much more for one little girl who doesn't hesitate to get down and dirty! As she heads outside for some fresh air after a rain fall, she imagination leads her on the adventure of lifetime, when she meets Mudkin, a creature made of what else, but mud! Together, the two embark on a variety of activities, in which the little girl is crowned Queen and made a robe of Mudkin's signature fabric - MUD! While the journey of "Queen" is short-lived (only until the next rainfall, when the mud is washed away), the little girl enjoys every minute of it!

This mostly wordless picture book is ideal for young children with active imaginations. Just enough text is provided to allow readers to see what is "going on," yet leave room for their own imaginations to run wild. The limited text is perfect for parents/teachers looking to actively engage children in story telling and the art of "writing" stories of their own, as the text that is provided seems to be prompting in nature. Definitely a fun, creative story that's well worth exploring this summer... perhaps on a rainy day when boredom has gotten the best of your little ones!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Put on some old bathing suits and flip flops or a raincoat over top of some shorts and a tee with some rain boots and head out to make the most of a rainy day - enjoy some good old-fashioned fun in the mud!
• In your child's summer journal, break out some brown paint and splatter it on their next clean sheet of paper. Once the paint dries, have your child use a black marker to create some distinguishable features for their own "Mudkin." Encourage your child to give their "Mudkin" a name or just go along with the traditional "Mudkin." Then, ask them to write a short piece about what their adventure with Mudkin would look like!
  

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Lily Hates Goodbyes

Helping children cope with emotions surrounding a deployed parent (or goodbyes, in general).

Marler, Jerilyn.
Lily Hates Goodbyes.
March 2011.
CreateSpace.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When Lily's father is deployed, the four year old isn't quite sure how to handle her emotions and feelings. Lily (in the book) mimics Marler's granddaughter, "real" Lily, who deals with deployment on a somewhat regular basis. As different emotion surface throughout the story, children are presented with coping methods to help them work through the emotions in a safe way. The methods provided prove not only useful to children, but to parents as well, as parents will find new ideas to try out to help a child cope with a family deployment right through the loved ones arrival back home!

The book is very well written and would be extremely meaningful to any family who is facing a military deployment or a "goodbye" in general. Parents will welcome the information provided on the inside of the back cover, which focuses on how to get the most from the book... lots of great ideas!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Even if you are not facing a military deployment in your family, this book can be helpful in helping children to find ways to express and cope with their emotions. In his/her summer journal, have your child answer the following questions:
  * Name something that makes you angry. How can you express your anger?
  * Name something that makes you happy. How can you express your happiness?
  * Name something that makes you feel sad. How can you express your sadness?
  * Name something that makes you feel excited. How can you express your excitement?
  * Name something that makes you feel scared. How can you express being scared?
  

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Meet the Planets

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls... "Meet the Planets!"

McGranaghan, John.
Meet the Planets.
March 2011.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

The host of Meet the Planets, Pluto takes readers on a solar system learning "show." Each planet in the solar system is introduced by sharing a variety of facts and trivia about it. Once all eight planets in the Solar System are introduced by their at one-time ninth pal, the readers are then provided with a prompt that requires them to think about all that they have learned about each of the planets, both throughout the reading, as well as, in addition to throughout their educational career.

The story is truly wonderfully written and will certainly be a hit among children in the middle/upper elementary grades. Younger children who are less familiar with the solar system will have a hard time appreciating the story for what it is, but the book could be used as an introduction to learning about the solar system for those who are unfamiliar! It's definitely a great story and would be welcome in many elementary classrooms as well as in homes!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• The last page of the books prompts readers:

  There you have them. All eight planets dressed in their Solar System best. Let's have a big round of applause.
  
  Girls and boys, earthlings and aliens, I have just been informed that our judges cannot reach a decision. The moons have declined to vote due to a conflict of interest. The Sun loves all the planets and can't pick just one. And all the meteors have left for a shower.
  
  So that means that YOU will decide the favorite planet! That's right. You have studied the planets in school. You have read books and watched TV shows about them. Now it is time to pick YOUR favorite planet!
  
  The winner is... who?

  In their summer journals, have your child(ren) choose their winner and write a paragraph or two explaining! Who is their favorite planet? Why? Encourage children to use facts about what they know of each of the planets when they write their response!
  

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Bebe Goes to the Beach

Explore this bilingual text prior to spending a day at the beach!

Elya, Susan Middleton.
Bebe Goes to the Beach.
May 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When Mama, donning "her gafas" decides to take Bebe, dressed to the nines in his "gorro with fuzzy jirafas," to the beach on a hot summer day, it's bound to be an adventure as this waddling, toddling proves to be quite the handful! As soon as her "silla" is parked, Bebe takes off to explore the "olas" and all that the beach has to offer. As the duo explore throughout the day, readers are introduced to many beach terms in Spanish, allowing ample opportunity to turn a beach adventure into a learning adventure as well!

The book is fun, well-written and will definitely engage children and encourage them to further explore the Spanish language. The book is also a perfect choice for a summer read, as children love all things beach during the summertime!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Spend a day at the nearest beach with your child(ren). After enjoying a day in the sun, head home and have your child(ren) unwind by spending some time describing their day at the beach. Have your child(ren) use a pencil for this activity and after they are finished, break out a Spanish-English dictionary or use an online translator to translate some of their English nouns to Spanish to continue expanding your child's bilingual lexicon!
  

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A-B-A-B-A- a Book of Pattern Play

Different ways to look at patterning!

Cleary, Brian P.
A-B-A-B-A - a Book of Pattern Play.
August 2010.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Starting out with the definition of a pattern, Brian P. Cleary works to familiarize children with patterns, specifically different types of patterns while providing samples of what they "look" like. The book starts out with the simplest pattern, ABABA. Most of my Head Start 4 year olds are familiar with and able to make and continue that type of pattern. However, the text that goes along with introducing this pattern seemed to me as something that would be beyond the comprehension level of the same age group. The patterns quickly become more abstract (using numbers and counting by 2s) and would definitely be above the understanding of your typical preschooler who is learning patterns.

I think this book is well written, but most likely appropriate for older children (grades 3-6) who are able to read and explore with patterns on their own. It could also be modified by a parent or teacher to use appropriately with younger children, simply by omitting pages that seem too advanced for younger children!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Break out some household groceries (I'm thinking Fruit Loops cereal, colored gold fish crackers, M&Ms, etc.). Spread them out on the table before snack time and have your child explore making different patterns. If he/she has a hard time getting started, start a pattern and then see if he/she can add on to it.
• As for the daily summer journal activity, head out into nature with your camera for a nature walk. Spend some time looking for patterns in nature. When you find a pattern, take a picture. Get the pictures developed or print them after your walk and glue them into your child's summer journal. Have him/her spend time writing about the patterns or sharing with you while you dictate!
  

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Habitat Spy

I spy... habitats and their wildlife!

Kieber-King, Cynthia.
Habitat Spy.
March 2011.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In Cynthia Kieber-King's Habitat Spy, children are introduced to 13 different habitats - backyard, beach, bog, cave, desert, forest, meadow, mountain, ocean, plains, pond, river and cypress swamp. As they explore alongside the reader, the rhyming text engages children by pointing out different wildlife you would find in each of the habitats, sharing the text through the shape of binocular vision. This encourages children to become spies themselves, looking for each of the items mentioned, while opening the doors for wonderful conversation about the similarities and differences among the different habitats.

This is a wonderful book for children who are interested in nature or for those parents/teachers who are looking to share with children about different habitats!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Break out a pair of binoculars, or make a pretend pair. Head out to a local nature preserve with your binoculars (and your kids) and do some habitat spying! Have the kids take along their summer journal and document the different things they see in this local habitat. Then, after you're done exploring, head home and challenge them to write a poem about the things they saw in the habitat you explored!
  

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Senses at the Seashore

Encourage active learning through the summer months!

Rotner, Shelley.
Senses at the Seashore.
August 2010.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

"At the seashore, there's so much to see, hear, smell, taste, touch." Simply put by Shelley Rotner, this is quote from Senses at the Seashore is definitely true! Simple, almost repetitious phrases are shared throughout the story, "See the...," "Hear the...," "Smell the...," "Touch the...," "Taste the..." Each time the phrase is repeated, it is accompanied by photograph illustrations that accurately depict the text shared, allowing the youngest of children to participate in shared reading if they are not yet able to read on their own. The book is perfect for reading this time of year before a summer beach adventure!

Reading/Learning Activity:

• Plan a day trip to your local beach (or ocean, if possible). While there, encourage your child to explore his or her senses. Take along their summer journal and have them document a list of things they can explore using each of their 5 senses at the beach!
• Check out the other books in Shelley Rotner's "Senses" series - Senses at the Farm and Senses in the City. Plan similar day excursions and allow your child to explore his/her senses at each.
• After reading each of these 3 books, have your child(ren) create their own "Senses at the..." book... perhaps Senses at the Zoo, Senses at the Amusement Park, Senses at the Ball Game, Senses at the Community Pool or even Senses at the Family Picnic.
  

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If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Curious George: Rain or Shine

Teach children the basics of weather watching with Curious George's help!

Zappy, Erica.
Curious George: Rain or Shine.
March 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Curious George becomes frustrated when weather is able to ruin his plans for the day and decides he needs to figure out how to be prepared for each day's weather and that means he has to figure out how to predict the weather. While George learns about weather forecasting, he shares his knowledge with readers, enlightening the youngest of children about how to predict the basics of weather. The knowledge provided is simplistic, yet realistic, making the book very useful with preschoolers when trying to teach them about weather as a part of each day's calendar time. I know I'll definitely be incorporating this one early on in the year with my Head Start children!

Reading/Learning Activities:

• Use this book as an introduction to graphing weather each day. Create a graph and help children to fill it in each day. Talk about "reading" the graph - What kind of day did you have the most of each month? The least? Why do you think this is? This could also be useful in discussing weather traits of each season!
  
• Create a list for each type of weather. What kind of things do you notice about sunny days? Rainy days? Cloudy days? See if you can find any patterns. Add to your list activities that could be done on each kind of day.
• In their summer journal, have your child(ren) create a "bucket" list of sorts by asking them what they would like to do on each kind of day this summer - rainy, cloudy, sunny, etc. Surprise them by pulling from their list on each type of day you experience!
  

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Follow Me

Reinforce the idea of learning/recognizing colors in a meaningful way.

Tusa, Tricia.
Follow Me.
April 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In Follow Me, children are taken on a typical childhood adventure - swinging, and yet the adventure is turned into so much more. The little girl narrating the story has readers literally "following" her as she starts out swinging, and swings higher and higher. As she swings higher, the little girl takes in her surroundings, matching them each with a different color name as she describes them. Ultimately, the child has readers "following" her home after the swinging adventure is complete.

At first, I didn't really understand the story... after my second reading, something just clicked! And the more I thought about it, the more I realized what a unique story this really is. The book really shows children how to make personal connections to their surroundings, while utilizing all the little things they are familiar with! What a great read for a summer evening!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Take this book outside, settle on a picnic blanket on the ground at dusk, sharing the story and talking about the colors in the story while watching the same colors as they settle across the sky. Encourage your child to use color words to describe their surroundings and the colors they see in the sky.
• Take a walk or even a bike ride at dusk, allowing your child to be the leader, in a sense, allowing them to be the one to say, "Follow me!". Have your child observe the colors they see. Upon returning home, have your child, in his/her summer journal, draw themselves on the walk or bike ride, making sure to have them use details to depict the different colors they saw. See if you child can name something of each color they saw on their walk/ride. (For example, I rode through waves of green grass and pedaled past fields of yellow dandelions, before settling at the blue table for some icy cold pink ice cream.) You'll have to help your child with the actual "story," but try to encourage them to come up with descriptive color words and names of objects they saw.
  

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If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!