Kids Blog : nonfiction

Linnea

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:57:00 GMT

Linnea's Windowsill Garden and Linnea in Monet's Garden by Christina Björk and Lena Anderson are two garden books that are great even in cold weather!

Linnea and I have something fun in common. We've both received amaryllis bulbs as Christmas presents. Amaryllis bulbs are not very pretty, but if you plant one and take good care of it, it grows a big, beautiful flower! I was about 9 or 10 years old when I got my amaryllis bulb and my copy of Linnea's Windowsill Garden for Christmas. When I opened the box, a bag of dirt was on top and I thought that's all I got! I had a lot of fun telling people I got dirt for Christmas. My mom helped me plant my bulb in a pot over Christmas break, but first we read about planting and taking care of the amaryllis on page 38 of the book. The amaryllis is just one neat plant project in this book of green growing activities.

Linnea in Monet's Garden is all about Linnea's trip to see the garden of the famous painter Claude Monet. Monet made his own garden very famous with his paintings. Some of his best-known paintings, beautiful impressionist paintings of water lilies and Japanese bridges, were done in his own garden. Now people travel to see the garden that inspired his painting. This book is a great introduction to Claude Monet, but if it leaves you wanting to know even more about Monet and impressionist painting, just ask! We have more books!

Lucy Long Ago: Uncovering the Mystery of Where We Came From

UndergroundLibrarian@evpl — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:48:00 GMT

When they found her fossilized bones in 1974, the scientists had a tape recording of the Beatles' Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. They were so excited at their discovery that they played it over and over. So the hominid uncovered in Hadar, Ethiopia, has come to be called Lucy.

Catherine Thimmesh has written numerous award-winning nonfiction children's books. In Lucy Long Ago she turns her attention to the discovery of the oldest, most complete fossil skeleton ever found, and the earliest one to be bipedal, or walking on two feet. She follows the scientists in their work from Ethiopia to a lab in Cleveland, Ohio. There are lots of questions.

How did Donald Johanson get the pieces safely to Cleveland? By packing them carefully in toilet paper into a carry on suitcase which he held on his lap the whole way. Thimmesh goes into detailed descriptions, complete with photos and drawings, of how the scientists went about reconstructing the fossilized pieces into what they feel is their original shape.

How did they find their answers? By examining the bones. In this attractively laid-out book every so often is a section entitled And the Bones Said. . . Reading these sections will show how the scientists answer: *Was the skeleton adult or child? *Was it male or female? *Have people found examples of Lucy-types before, or was she the first? *How old is Lucy? *Could Lucy walk?

Then there is the work of paleo-artist John Gurche. He spent 15 months creating a sculpture of Lucy. Catherine Thimmish explains how he started with the bones and used educated guesses to progress from there to create the sculpture -- how he developed muscle, eyes, hair, skin color, etc. She concludes that chapter with "It is the image that really makes us wonder . . . is that what Lucy looked like?"

While this book is in the children's area, it is equally fascinating for adults, and at 63 pages, is quite manageable. Sources, websites, and index are included.

Gardening

Shh_ImReading@evpl — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:43:00 GMT

This spring and summer, I've been working on making my yard a nice place to spend time. I grew up spending time in the yard at home or at my grandparents' house and I learned a lot from watching my mom and my grandparents take care of their yards. Now I'm checking out a lot of library books about gardening to try and add to what I already know. I hope that every year I will learn a little more.

If you think gardening sounds like fun, check out these books filled with gardening ideas, activities, stories and pictures!

Container Garding for Kids by Ellen Talmage; photographed by Bruce Curtis

Planting the Seed: A Guide to Gardening by Suzanne Winckler

Compost! Growing Gardens From Your Garbage by Linda Glaser; pictures by Anca Hariton

A Harvest of Color: Growing a Vegetable Garden by Melanie Eclare

Down to Earth: Garden Secrets! Garden Stories! Garden Projects You Can Do! Created by Michael J. Rosen with 41 children's book authors and illustrators

The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin

Over Under in the Garden: An Alphabet Book by Pat Schories

Curious about Curious George?

bookmarkbeck@evpl — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:29:00 GMT

I was! I love adventure stories and was drawn to The Journey That Saved Curious George The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden. Thanks to the author's exciting account, the reader is caught in the moving drama of the Rey's four month escape to safety. By early June 1940, the Belgians had surrendered to Germany. The British and French Army had to be evacuated from beaches at Dunkirk. The city of Paris was declared an open city-the government would not fight the invading army. The Reys were part of the largest motorized evacuation in history. More than 5 million people were on the roads in France. Many were refugees from Holland and Belgium heading south. The only transportation left were two bicycles that H.A. Rey put together from spare parts. The bikes had two large baskets to carry his valuable drawings-drawings that would someday be published and delight children and adults. Two big surprises in this story, curious? Read to find out. This book makes you think about that little monkey in a different way. The combination of photos and line drawings are a good touch. Curious George.

Osborne, Usborn, Usborne, Us Born Books, whatever?

bookmarkbeck@evpl — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:43:00 GMT

Is anyone familiar with this publisher and the Usborne Books? I don't mean Mary Pope Osborne, but that's what came to mind when my next door neighbor started raving about the beautiful educational books she buys for her daughter.

Then I remembered, I have one on my bookshelf-On the Beach a lift the flap book . I love it! The illustrations are filled with beautiful color , detail, and dimension. The text is informative. What intrigued me was that these books can be

purchased at book parties-just like tupperware. You can attend a party or give one, be a consultant just like Mary Kay and make up beautiful bookshelves instead of faces. Is anyone a consultant or knows one? Has anyone been to a party? We have lots of these books in the system and I'm glad. Thanks EZReader. Look under Usborne and enjoy.

A World without Superman?

mrsweasley@evpl — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:16:00 GMT

If you have ever worn a cape or attempted to fly, as I have, you will want to check out Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman. Superman seems to have always existed, but he was created in 1934 by writer Jerry Siegel and illustrator Joe Shuster, who were barely out of high school at the time. Superman almost didn't get off the ground, as one publisher after another turned down the idea. In 1938, Superman took off and the world was never the same.

Retro comic-style art by Ross McDonald vibrantly illustrates Marc Tyler Nobleman's story of two very ordinary boys who gave us a superstar.