I received a sample for this review/feature. Opinions expressed are my own.
S.T.E.M education is all the talk at the schools these last few years and I absolutely LOVE it! Parents (and kids) want more science and math in their daily lives from toys and activities to the books they read. Arbordale Publishing puts out top quality picture books for kids that help spark excitement for reading with engaging stories and a nonfiction “For Creative Minds” activity sections in the back of every book. We have been reading their books for years and both my girls absolutely love their books. The print is large for easy reading, the stories are interesting, the illustrations are colorful and enjoyable to look at and when books feature photography the images are always amazing! Each book is either crafted to teach the reader something new through a story or straight up telling a tale behind animals or people who take care of animals. These are books that get read over and over again and here are some new releases!
Honey Girl: The Hawaiian Monk Seal by Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrated by Shennen Bersani shares how Hawaiian locals and visitors always enjoy spotting endangered Hawaiian monk seals, but Honey Girl is an extra special case. She has raised seven pups, and scientists call her ?Super Mom.? After Honey Girl is injured by a fishhook, she gets very sick. Scientists and veterinarians work to save Honey Girl so she can be released back to the ocean. This true story will have readers captivated to learn more about this endangered species.
Otis the Owl written by Mary Holland with beautifully detailed photographs, she captures the first few months of a baby barred owl’s life. The huge eyes and fluffy feathers will steal the hearts of readers as they learn how barred owl parents ready their young owlets for the big world outside the nest. Follow along as Otis learns to eat, fights with his sister, and prepares for flight.
Vivian and the Legend of the Hoodoos written by Terry Catas’s Jennings and illustrated by Phyllis Saroff is a non-fiction book but there is still much to learn. Long ago, the Old Ones were bad. They drank all the water, ate all the pine nuts, and left nothing for the other creatures. Sinawav the coyote punished them by turning them into rocky hoodoos. Now when children misbehave, their Paiute elders remind them that they too could be turned into stone columns! Vivian has heard the stories, but this year as she and her grandmother climb the mesa to pick pine nuts, Vivian has something more important on her mind: basketball tryouts. When Vivian is disrespectful to the trees and the land, her grandmother must remind Vivian of the legend of the hoodoos and how nature has made it possible for her people to live
Moonlight Crab Count written by Neeti Bathala & Jennifer Keats Curtis and illustrated by Veronica V. Jones is a fictional story that shows even kids can get involved in science! Ecologist Dr. Neeti Bathala and Jennifer Keats Curtis collaborate to bring us the story of these adventurous citizen scientists. Leena and her mom volunteer each summer to count the horseshoe crabs that visit their beach. With their dog Bobie at their sides, the duo spends a night on the shore surveying horseshoe crabs who have come to mate and lay eggs. Readers will learn valuable facts about these ancient animals and how they can get involved in the effort to conserve horseshoe crabs.
A True Princess ofHawai written by Beth Greenway and illustrated by Tammy Yee is another fictional story and this one is about how Nani has always dreamed of being a princess. When a real Hawaiian princess comes to her hometown of Hilo, Nani dresses in her best clothes. But as she watches Princess Luka, who has come to save the town from a volcanic lava flow, Nani learns that there is more to being a princess than fine clothes. This incredible story of kindness and generosity is based on the historical events of the 1880-1881 eruption of Mauna Loa on the Island of Hawai?i and the real-life Princess Luka.
A Bat Count: A Citizen Science Story written by Anna Forrester an illustrated by Susan Detwiler is a fictional story sharing how Jojo is prepping for an exciting night; it’s time for the bat count! Bats have always been a welcome presence during the summers in the family barn. But over the years, the numbers have dwindled as many bats in the area caught white-nose syndrome. Jojo and her family count the bats and send the numbers to scientists who study bats, to see if the bat population can recover. On a summer evening, the family quietly makes their way to the lawn to watch the sky and count the visitors to their farm.
On the Arbordale website it lists more detailed information about each book such as: animals listed within book, vetters, keywords, additional images from inside the book, reviews and information about the authors, illustrators and photographers. These books will be grabbed off the shelf quickly and read over and over again. Big Sis at 8 is especially eager to read these as she has a deep fascination for animals and science. She is the type to fully retain a lot of the information she reads and then she recites them back to her teachers to their amusement. These are really fabulous books that I would absolutely recommend time and time again. These books prove reading can be educational and fun at the same time!
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