Archive for Animals

At the Sea Floor Café: Odd Ocean Critter Poems

Written by Leslie Bulion
Illustrated by Leslie Evans

The invitation is issued: “Let’s visit a habitat shallow and deep.” With that, this book takes off to help the reader learn about many ocean dwellers. The author chose many unique species, making this an even more fascinating book. Numerous sidebars help to make it a truly educational book.

patient reef shark waits

a cleaner wrasse dances in –

what’s for breakfast?

Within the pages, kids read about creatures as diverse as convict fish, bottlenose dolphins who us sponges as tools, sea spiders, krill, broody squid, and Osedax worms. Meanwhile, the author uses a large variety of poetry forms: kyrielle, haiku, cinquain, limerick, pantoum, etc.

Illustrations are linoleum block prints, realistically hand colored, providing a great background for the text.

This book could easily be included in a science class, a unit on poetry, an art class, or a cross-curriculum unit. Fourth graders should be able to handle the language and most of the science.

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  • At the Sea Floor CafeTitle: At the Sea Floor Café: Odd Ocean Critter Poems
  • Author: Leslie Bulion
  • Illustrator: Leslie Evans
  • Published: Peachtree Publishers, 2016
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Paperback, 48 pages
  • Grade Level: 4 to 7
  • Genre: Fiction, Nature, Poetry
  • ISBN: 978-1-56145-920-9
  • Extras: Glossary, Poetry Notes, Websites to Explore, Books You Might Enjoy

Aliens from Earth: When Animals and Plants Invade Other Ecosystems

Written by Mary Batten
Illustrated by Beverly J. Doyle

This newly revised book was been recommended by both the National Science Teachers Association and by the Izaak Walton League of America in an earlier edition. Entertaining as well as educational, it cites many examples of introduction of plants and animals into ecosystems where they were not developed. In each and every case, the new plant or animal had a long-lasting, or even disastrous effect on the new ecosystem. Some of the examples are well-known, but some are more obscure and surprising. Background includes a discussion of how alien introduction has accelerated since the 1800s and more mobility for humans. A prime example is pigs in Hawaii. Well-meaning settlers brought the pigs. The pigs spread and created small ponds by rooting in the dirt. Sailors inadvertently released mosquito larvae. And the mosquitos wiped out several species of birds. Starlings, not native to North America, were released in New York’s Central Park and now compete for food and nesting with others throughout America. Other examples are gypsy moths, Africanized bees, fire ants, zebra mussels, brown tree snakes in Guam, kudzu, and cane toads in Australia. Many alien species are introduced inadvertently, but even the well-meaning introductions can be devastating.

The illustrations are clear and accurate, adding to the educational value. There’s even a key for native species, endangered or extinct species, and aliens.

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  • Aliens from EarthTitle: Aliens from Earth: When Animals and Plants Invade Other Ecosystems
  • Author: Mary Batten
  • Illustrator: Beverly J. Doyle
  • Published: Peachtree Publishers, 2016
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 144 pages
  • Grade Level: 3 to 6
  • Genre: Nonfiction, Environment
  • ISBN: 978-1-56145-903-2
  • Extras: Glossary, For Further Reading, Websites, Author’s Note

Pax

Written by Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Holding on and letting go are strong desires, flowing under all the plots and subplots of this beautiful story about a boy and his pet fox.  When Peter’s father enlists to go off to war, he forces his son to set the fox loose in the wild and go live with a grandfather. It doesn’t take long to realize Peter isn’t wanted by the grandfather.

Within days, Peter realizes he needs to rescue Pax before he starves in the wild. So, he sets off on his own across miles of unknown territory. Without realizing it, he is heading toward the war zone. He encounters many problems, and a very strange woman.

Meanwhile, Pax waits patiently for his boy to come back for him. Finally, unbearable thirst sends him off searching for water. Real wild foxes growl warnings to stay out of their area. Will they accept him?

The adventure with challenges thrown in provides just the right pace of tension and intrigue to the story and will keep the readers flipping pages to find out what happens.

The language of the fox is put into italic font to separate it for young readers.

Black and white sketches by Jon Klassen add to the realities of the starkness of war and separation.

Teachers, librarians and parents will enjoy this novel as a read aloud or book club selection to share with their children.

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  • PaxTitle: Pax
  • Author: Sara Pennypacker
  • Illustrator: Jon Klassen
  • Publisher: Balzer& Bray/HarperCollins, 2016
  • Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
  • Format: Hardcover, 276 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-06-237701-2
  • Genre: Fiction
  • Grade level: 3 to 7

A Handful of Stars

Written by Cynthia Lord

In this heartwarming and fun story, Lord’s characters ring true to life, informing development without hitting kids over the head with what they’re learning.

Lily lives in wild blueberry country, also known as Maine. She works hard, helping her Mémère and Pépère (grandmother and grandfather) run the only grocery in a small town. As the wild blueberry harvest progresses and the blueberry festival approach, Lily worries about her dog, who is going blind.  Two elements of blueberry growth that figure in the story are the migrants who work the harvest and the mason bees that pollinate the bushes. The new – very good – friend Lily makes is a migrant named Salma. Lily gets Salma started painting bee houses, the blocks of wood in whose holes the bees live. Lily plans to use the cash from selling the houses to help her dog. Meanwhile, Lily is dealing with her changing relationship with her best friend, Hannah, and with missing her dead mother. Hannah is the defending Blueberry Queen, Lily’s mother won the crown three years running, and Salma wants to enter the contest. So her emotions are extremely conflicted.

Lord packs a lot into this story. Fourth graders will find a lot to relate to regarding friendship and differences (and similarities) in culture. They will learn about the history of blueberries plus a bit about both Latino migrants and French Canadians. And they will also learn about helping their pets and mason bees. As with Rules, Lord handles all these issues with great sensitivity.

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  • Handful of StarsTitle: A Handful of Stars
  • Author: Cynthia Lord
  • Published: Scholastic Press, 2015
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 192 pages
  • Grade Level: 3 to 7
  • Genre: Fiction, culture, friendship, pets
  • ISBN: 978-0-454-70029-0

 

 

Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I

Written by Alison Hart
Illustrated by Michael G. Montgomery

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In this exciting story, written from the dog’s point of view, the fourth grade reader will learn about the life of a canine working at the war’s front line.

Darling lives the good life in England with his human family until World War I interferes. She is an escape artist who spends time digging under fences and worrying the local sheep along with her stray rat terrier friend, Rags. After the man of the house goes to war, the mother is about to send her away as too much trouble and too expensive. The government appeals for dogs to help in the war effort, so she is recruited as a messenger dog. Darling is nearly destroyed when the army discovers she’s not suited to be a messenger. Luckily, her sergeant believes in her and gets her a job as a mercy dog, a job to which she is well-suited. Mercy dogs, sometimes called Red Cross dogs, were sent into the no man’s land of a battlefield to locate wounded soldiers. When she is severely wounded, Darling once again needs a reprieve, as all useless animals were destroyed. And, once again, her sergeant comes to her rescue and gets her declared a war hero. Will she see her family again?

This tale of redemption and loyalty contains a lot of information about how animals are used in war and what the rigors of war are like for soldiers. The reader will also learn a little about World War I and the Belgian campaign. Part of the “Dog Chronicles” series, this volume combines history and love of animals in a unique way. It will hold kids’ attention and increase their reading comprehension. The content is well-researched and contains a table of contents, further facts, map, bibliography, for further reading section, and websites. The author’s website (http://www.alisonhartbooks.com/) and the illustrator’s (http://www.michaelgmontgomery.com/) provide more information about the creative team.

 

  • DarlingTitle: Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I
  • Author: Alison Hart
  • Illustrator: Michael G. Montgomery
  • Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, 2013
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 163 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-56145-705-2
  • Genre: Fiction, Middle Reader, History, Animals