one of most important things you can do with young children. Study after
study has proven how important it is to growing minds. The key of
course is to read a wide variety of stuff to find books that interest
kids. Once you have piqued their interest in a certain genre they might
choose to read more and more until you have yourself a book lover. Arbordale Publishing offers magnificent children’s books that are special in their own way. Through
award-winning stories and a “For Creative Minds” section in the back of
each book, children have the opportunity to play and learn after
reading the book. Their books inspire inquisitive minds to explore,
question and build a knowledge base of science and math skills.
The books have truly gorgeous photos and illustrations and I like that the words on each page are large because it makes it easy for my daughter to read when I am pointing out sight words to her. Even though these are the “paperback” versions the covers are extremely thick and all the pages are full color glossy.
The Ghost of Donley Farm by Jaime Gardner Johnson, illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein; Rebecca, the red-tailed hawk, is not afraid of ghosts! One night, she bravely ventures into the barn to meet the famous ghost of Donley Farm. But when she finally meets him, Rebecca is surprised to discover that this ghost is much more familiar than she?d expected. Join Rebecca as she stays up late to talk with her new friend and find out what they have in common and how they are different.
This is a great book that intertwines a story of a bird and his new “ghost” friend and then it talks about their differences and similarities in a way that readers will find interesting. I enjoy these stories that blend fiction with non-fiction.
Little Gray’s Great Migration by Marta Lindsey, illustrated by Andrea Gabriel; Little Gray loved his lagoon and the humans who came to visit him there. One day, Mama announces that they must swim north to a far-away sea. At first he is sad to leave his home, but Little Gray soon realizes the importance of their journey. What happens along the way and how does Little Gray help his mother? Swim along with Little Gray as he finds the way to this special, food-filled sea.
This is a beautifully illustrated story of a young whale and the long journey he must take because his mom makes him. He soon learns that it is important to keep moving so that his mom can survive. The circle of life is always a great topic of conversation as it really is all around us.
Animal Eyes Written and photographed by Mary Holland; The sense of sight helps an animal stay safe from predators, find food and shelter, defend its territory and care for its young. We can tell a lot about an animal from its eyes: whether it is predator or prey, whether it is more active during the day or night, and sometimes even its gender or age. Award-winning nature photographer and environmental educator Mary Holland shares fascinating animal eyes with readers of all ages.
Full of truly stunning photographs of different animals and their eyes and there were even a few facts in there that I didn’t know!
Animal Helpers: Raptor Centers Written by Jennifer Keats Curtis;
Even powerful birds of prey can get sick or hurt. When that happens, animal helpers at raptor centers come to the rescue! Dedicated staff treats injured, sick, and orphaned animals. They return the birds to their native environment or find forever homes at education and raptor centers for those that can?t survive in the wild. Follow along in this photographic journal as staff and volunteers come together to care for these remarkable birds.
The books from the Animal Helpers series is by far Big Sis’ favorites. She really likes the photography and loves seeing the people helping out the animals. She seems to have a really soft spot in her heart for wild animals and how we as humans can help.
Animal Partners written by Scotti Cohn, illustrated by Shennen Bersani; From the ?crocodile’s dentist,? to the ?mongoose spa,? Animal Partners takes a whimsical look at symbiotic relationships of animals large and small. Although many animals live in groups of the same kind, here you will learn how some animals form unique partnerships with different species. After all, don?t we all need a little help from our friends?
This is a cute book of rhyming to show children the relationships some animals have with each other. Many come as a surprise but it is written in a way to surely delight as kids smile learning that humans aren’t the only ones that need to work together.
Clouds: A Compare and Contrast Book written by Katharine Hall; There are many different kinds of clouds all around us. Clouds come in diverse shapes and colors. Some clouds are fluffy and others are wispy. Some clouds float high in the sky and others sit low on the ground. Some clouds warn of storms and other clouds tell of fair weather. Compare and contrast the characteristics of different types of clouds through vibrant photographs.
This book is full of very cool pictures of clouds and my 3 year old really likes this book. It is neat to see how different clouds can look all in one book directly written for children.
Dino Treasures written by Rhonda Lucas Donald, illustrated by Cathy Morrison; Just as some people dig and look for pirate treasure, some scientists dig and look for treasures, too. These treasures may not be gold or jewels but fossils. Following in the footsteps of Dino Tracks, this sequel takes young readers into the field with paleontologists as they uncover treasured clues left by dinosaurs. Readers will follow what and how scientists have learned about dinosaurs: what they ate; how they raised their young; how they slept, fought, or even if they ever got sick. True to fashion, the tale is told through a rhythmic, fun read-aloud that can even be sung to the tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Kids always seem to be drawn to dinosaurs and that is because they are so neat! We have to learn from their fossils and imaging such creatures roaming the world is exciting. I like this one for the nice illustrations and because it is always fun to read in rhyme.
Salamander Season written by Jennifer Keats Curtis and J. Adam Frederick, illustrated by Shennen Bersani; One cold, rainy, spring night, a young girl and her scientist father participate in ?Salamander Night? to follow hundreds of spotted salamanders as they venture into a vernal pool to mate and lay eggs. Together, the father-child team studies the salamanders through their complete amphibian metamorphosis, culminating in the adult salamanders’ disappearance into the woods in late summer. In easy-to-understand text, the girl relates the tale through her illustrated, photographic journal.
You get to follow the adventure of a young girl learning about salamanders in the wild with her dad who is a scientist. The neat thing about this book is the mix of real photography and illustrations. After reading this to my daughter a few times I realize I didn’t know anything about salamanders. Big Sis really likes these “mixed stories” books.
Trees: A Compare and Contrast Book written by Katharine Hall; Trees grow in many habitats, all around the world. Some trees are short and some are tall. Some grow in hot deserts and others grow on cold mountains. Some have leaves that are broad and wide and others are short and narrow. Some trees stay green all year round while others have leaves that change color. Compare and contrast the different characteristics of trees through vibrant photographs.
I really like these compare and contrast books for the younger kids because it can get them interested in science in a way that is easy for them to understand and with beautiful photographs to look at.
The last 4 pages include learning activities far added information and activities to further the discussion about the book’s topic. We try and do as many as possible as they really help to encourage a love of science and math.
Arbordale Publishing books continue to impress me and more importantly they impress my girls. They are top quality books with quality content. Her only homework in school for kindergarten has been to read every day and these books help to make that time fun and educational for us both.
Connect: You can connect with Arbordale Publishing on Facebook and/or @ArbordaleKids on Twitter.
Winner: Carly D.
