The newest additions to the Sylvan Dell Publishing lineup this September are Animal Helpers: Zoos, A Butterfly Called Hope, Anybody Home?, A Day in the Deep, Dino Tracks, The Fort on Fourth Street: A Story about the Six Simple Machines, and Perfect Pet.
Over the last year and getting to review several Sylvan Dell titles I can honestly say they are some of the best quality children’s books to every come across my desk. They are consistently well written and extremely well illustrated (or use of photography) to perfectly pair together these amazing books that take kids on a journey of science.
I absolutely love the large font because it makes it easier for beginning readers to sound out and actually read the words. It also makes it easy for this weary Mama to read them at bed time when I am just so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open.
Girls especially seem to shy away from non-fiction so I make a point to read these books to them to keep their interest peaked on all things science related. So far it seems to be working because she will grab these non-fiction books as often as her fiction books in her collection.
My favorites are their books that have anything to do with oceans. I guess I am just an old salt at heart.
The book pages are nice and thick so they will not easily tear in case of rough children. I also love how glossy the pages are. I am not a fan of children’s books that use cheap paper as they always seem to get ruined in my house.
As always the backs of the books usually have around 4 pages of additional information. These would be perfect for homeschooling families as well as kids that just want to learn more on the topic from the book.
Here is another information page so you can see what kind of information you can find in the back.
Animal Helpers: Zoos is the third title in the Animal Helpers series by Jennifer Keats Curtis. This behind-the-scenes photographic journal reveals the often overlooked conservation efforts and responsibilities of zoo keepers in the protection of entire animal species under their care.
A Butterfly Called Hope is a picture book companion to Mary Alice Monroe’s adult novel The Butterfly’s Daughter. This photographic journey, captured by Barbra J. Bergwerf, allows young readers to follow the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly, while Hope struggles with letting her new friend free while still claiming it as her own.
Anybody Home? by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Rebecca Dickinson, tells the story of an expectant mother possum named Polly as she searches for a home to raise her soon expanding family. Throughout her search, Polly meets all kinds of diurnal and nocturnal animals and explores the places they call home including nests, burrows, dens, etc.
A Day in the Deep, written by Kevin Kurtz and illustrated by Erin E. Hunter, dives into the ocean to explore the creatures lurking thousands of feet below sea level. This journey through the dark depths introduces readers to a variety of species that have learned to adapt in order to see, eat, and ultimately, survive!
Dino Tracks written by Rhonda Lucas Donald to the rhythmic rhyme of ?Over the River and Through the Woods? takes readers on a trip back in time and across the globe to follow the dinosaur tracks left behind by these infamous prehistoric creatures. With Cathy Morrison’s detailed illustrations, readers discover movements and behaviors of different dinosaurs just by studying their tracks. Everyone becomes an amateur paleontologist in this story.
The Fort on Fourth Street: A Story about the Six Simple Machines is a debut picture book for author Lois Spangler. With the help of illustrator Christina Wald, Spangler teaches readers all about the six simple machines as a boy and his grandfather build a fort in their backyard. The repetition and rhythm will have all children wanting to build their own dream fort.
Perfect Pet by author and illustrator Samantha Bell uses animal classification to choose the perfect pet. Follow a young boy and his wise advice giving mother, as they narrow down his options before choosing the ?perfect pet?. The ending may surprise you!
About Sylvan Dell PublishingSylvan Dell is on a mission
to improve child literacy with science and math through fictional
picture books. Using prose and pictures, children are delighted with
stories of their favorite animals, planets, or even place. This leads to
the exploration of facts and learning activities in each book’s For Creative Minds
pages. Sylvan Dell carefully designs each book to portray accurately
the chosen subject. Vetted by experts in that field, and aligned to
common core and state standards; each book is a unique asset to
educational programs. Sylvan Dell has grown to include more than 80
authors and illustrators, and honored to have won more than 70 book
awards since its inception in 2005.
Dino Tracks has been an especially big hit since we just watched a video on dinosaurs at our local science center. It was nice to continue the lesson of dinosaurs here at home. Check out these amazing new titles and bring the world of science into your house!
Connect:
You can connect with Sylvan Dell Publishing on their website, facebook and @SylvanDell on twitter.
Buy It!
You can purchase books as an individual on their online store. As well through other options for various customer types.
I received a sample product for this review. All opinions are my own and/or my family’s, take it or leave it. Click here to view my whole disclosure policy.
