Sharing Nature With Children (20th Anniversary Edition, Revised and Expanded)

Book Description

As Joseph Cornell's classic book reached its 20th anniversary, Cornell drew upon a wealth of experience in nature education to significantly revise and expand his book. New nature games—favorites from the field - and Cornell's typically insightful commentary makes the second edition of this special classic even more valuable to nature lovers world-wide. The Sharing Nature movement that Cornell pioneered has now expanded to countries all over the globe. Recommended by Boy Scouts of America, American Camping Association, National Audubon Society and many others.

Customer Reviews:

Open the eyes of a child to the world of nature........2007-05-10

From the author of FLOW learning comes the book "Sharing Nature with Children" and the sequel "Sharing Nature with Children II". These delightful books are a welcome tool in the bag of tricks for any outdoor education facilitator. Find out how the characters of the Otter, Crow, Bear and Dolphin help guide the mind's eye to the wonders of nature. Re-discover the joy of playing in the outdoors while helping the next generation to appreciate and respect nature. This book is more than a must have for any teacher, parent or naturalist. Don't miss out.

Amazing!.......2007-02-01

This book is an excellent resource for parents and teachers. There are some wonderful activities in here to allow your children to truly experience nature and appreciate all that it has to offer! An essential book, truly!

essential.......2006-07-03

An essential book for any educator, but especially for environmental education. Also good for parents and others who work with children. A way to let them discover the wonders of nature, even in a city.

Showcases nature studies and appreciation activities.......2002-01-13

Joseph Cornell is the author of Sharing Nature With Children and Sharing Nature With Children II . This two volume set showcase nature studies and appreciation activities that any parent, teacher, or child care provider can readily engage in with children. Ann appreciation for the complex and interrelated life forms that comprise the exosphere of their environments is a solid basis to establish a life-long enthusiasm for nature and the out-of-doors, as well as a lasting commitment to environmental issues and concerns. Each volume is available independently, but school and community libraries are urged to acquire them both for the nature activities and environmental reference collections.

Cornell's book for children.......2001-10-03

I had no idea that Joseph Cornell had written a book for children. This is a rare find. (It ranks up there with Robert Walser's little-known treatise on horse-grooming, or Arthur Brand's book of stock quotes.) There are stories here of hope and joy. You really get a sense of Cornell's engagement with a visionary romanticism when he encourages the reader to "let the child see into the world of nature, for there they will find a balm for their sorrows, a calm for their heart, and a palm against time." Cornell filled his boxes with the doodads of youth, and it's wonderful to find him speaking to children without any form of mediation. A must.

Salamander Rain: A Lake & Pond Journal (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

Pond Dipping at its best!
Wonderful nature book for children!

Salamander Rain: A Lake & Pond Journal (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini , and Kristin Joy Pratt
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Saguaro Moon: A Desert Journal (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
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ASIN: 1584690186

Book Description

Take a close look at your local lake, pond or woodland pool. Don't mind the mud - see it from a kid's eye view. Here is the journal and scrapbook of Klint, a young Planet Scout who kept notes for a year on his discoveries and became engrossed by the daily drama of turtles, crayfish dragonflies and water skimmers. After writing and illustrating three best-selling nature books as a teenager, Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini has now created a model nature journal. Based on her cousin Klint, she portrays an inquisitive boy who keep a journal/scrapbook as he explores lakes and ponds. The result is both fun and informative. David Sobel, co-director of the Center for Environmental Education, raves about this book as "a gift to the place-based education movement in North America. This lusciously illustrated picture book/field guide/treasure hunt is just the invitation teachers, parents and children need to get them exploring the ponds and lakes in their neighborhoods." The journal format creates a text that is easily accessible, but deep in information and intrigue.

Customer Reviews:

Pond Dipping at its best!.......2007-03-21

Ages 6-12

Introduction to Scientific Journaling
Great First Field Guide -offers Identification of wetland species. Mix of fiction story of girl "pond dipping" and studying the area as well as "punch out" factoids about wetlands.

Wonderful nature book for children!.......2001-04-12

I definitely recommend this book! It works on many different levels, and you will page through it many times, discovering new surprises with each reading. Kristin's latest book is a fascinating account of how keen observations of Nature can lead to a deeper appreciation. This book is vividly illustrated and describes a journal-making process that is valuable to any teacher or child. A great addition to any Nature-lover's bookshelf!

Average customer rating:

Establish a life-long enthusiasm for nature
Good to Have Around

Sharing Nature With Children II
Joseph Bharat Cornell
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Sharing Nature With Children (20th Anniversary Edition, Revised and Expanded)
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Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 1883220874

Book Description

This companion volume to Joseph Cornell's classic, Sharing Nature With Children, is a treasury of some of Joseph's favorite nature games for both adults and children. Joseph also introduces his remarkable technique of Flow Learning, showing how to match nature activities to the interest and energy levels of children, and to organize them in a way that works, placing them in thematic sequence to ensure a genuinely uplifting experience. Cornell's unique blend of knowledge and warmth creates a contagious atmosphere for learning.

Customer Reviews:

Establish a life-long enthusiasm for nature.......2002-01-13

Joseph Cornell is the author of Sharing Nature With Children (1883220734, $9.95) and Sharing Nature With Children II (1883220874, $9.95). This two volume set showcase nature studies and appreciation activities that any parent, teacher, or child care provider can readily engage in with children. Ann appreciation for the complex and interrelated life forms that comprise the exosphere of their environments is a solid basis to establish a life-long enthusiasm for nature and the out-of-doors, as well as a lasting commitment to environmental issues and concerns. Each volume is available independently, but school and community libraries are urged to acquire them both for the nature activities and environmental reference collections.

Good to Have Around.......2000-05-31

This is a good book to have around when looking for ideas on how to increase our enjoyment and appreciation of nature. While the title says the book is for Sharing Nature with _Children_, the ideas are fun for adults too.

I like how the author provides a four-part framework for the activities described in the book, classifying them as awakening enthusiasm, focusing attention, directing experience, or sharing inspiration.

I also like the stories the author tells about his experiences in environmental education. I could feel his enthusiasm coming through in the stories. Plus, the quotations that open various sections of the book added to my enjoyment.

I found the directions for each activity to be adequate, with a nice range of activities to suit different people and interests. The original Sharing Nature with Children provides more of the same, and the revised edition of the original book incorporates the four-part framework.

Book Description

Here is a sing-along, read-along book that honors the animals, the environment, and a universal holiday all in one fresh approach. To the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," appreciate twelve endearing North American species in their natural habitats. Includes suggestions for Earth Day activities. Earth Day is an environmental holiday worthy of celebration every day!

Customer Reviews:

GREAT!!!!!.......2007-05-20

My grandson's birthday is on Earth Day, so what more appropriate could this book be? Each child in his Kindergarten class donates a book to the class on their birthday, so I bought him this book to take to his class. You can not imagine what a hit it has turned out to be. The children read/sing it everyday. The pictures are fantasic and the narrative beautiful. This book rates 5++++ stars!!

A Different Take on a Familiar Song.......2005-11-25

Librarians and teachers looking for a great theme book to share on Earth Day will delight in this one. The lively rhyme may be sung to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas. The animals portrayed have all been brought back from the brink of extinction, which proves the effectiveness of conservation programs, and the gentle, detailed illustrations portray a dazzling variety of ecosystems. It will complement any teaching shelf.

A beautifully illustrated picture book for young readers.......2004-05-19

Earth Day Birthday is a beautifully illustrated picture book for young readers, demonstrating the wonder and importance of the planet's varied environment and the amazing creatures who thrive in it. The text by Pattie Schnetzler is patterned after the popular "Twelve Days of Christmas" song; each two-page spread features lavish color illustrations and lyrics such as "On the eighth Earth Day Birthday the wide world gave to me... / Eight cranes a-dancing / six owls a-hooting / five spotted fawns / four salmon leaping / three panthers creeping / two grizzlies sleeping / and a bald eagle in a blue sky." The final two pages offer a brief history and incentive to celebrate Earth Day, as well as the simple music for singing aloud. Wonderfully enhanced with the artwork of Chad Wallace, Earth Day Birthday is a counting book classic to share with preschool and kindergarten age boys and girls.

A treasure!.......2004-03-17

A perfect way to celebrate Earth Day every day for you and your child. Earth Day Birthday shows twelve different species of animals in their natural habitats. The catchy sing-along text combined with the awesome action illustrations truly make this book a treasure!

Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme (Sharing Nature with Children Book)

Average customer rating:

Fabulous!
Fan-tastic!
Highly recommended.
Over in my classroom!
Jungle fever

Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme (Sharing Nature with Children Book)
Marianne Berkes
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef
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ASIN: 1584690925

Book Description

Sing, clap, and count your way among enchanting rainforest animals to the rhythm of the whimsical favorite, "Over in the Meadow." This rainforest is teeming with monkeys that hoot, ocelots that pounce, parrots that squawk, and boas that squeeze! It won't take much to have your child joyfully hooting and squawking too. And the illustrations - all done in polymer clay - are truly remarkable, vividly conveying the abundant energy of a rainforest. This book was created by the award-winning author/illustrator team that brought you Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef.

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous!.......2007-04-19

Rhythm, rhyme, nature, and counting mean this book offers something in the content areas of language arts, music, science, and math. But there's more! Author Marianne Berkes made sure her young readers would also experience many movement possibilities. As a children's physical activity specialist (author: A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity and Free Time Create a Successful Child), I couldn't be more pleased with this inclusion! And if all that isn't reason enough to buy this book, Jeanette Canyon's incredible illustrations will help children fall in love with art.

Fan-tastic! .......2007-04-16

Having collected all of Marianne Berkes books this is by far the best! We thought nothing could top her "Ocean" book but...this does! The wording is something the children do readily respond too! Mental pictures take over and the children become very animated in the telling of the story and take on the differnet animal sounds and postures.
This book is a winner for all who take the time to introduce children to their world far removed from the everyday life. You can see their imaginations expanding as the story unfolds! The illustrations and colors by Jeanette Canyon draw the cildren to Marianne Berkes' books, like bees to honey.

Highly recommended........2007-04-14

Children's librarian and teacher Marianne Berkes presents Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme, a softcover picturebook that teaches young readers the numbers one through ten with an engaging, singsong rhyme about various wild animals of the rainforest. "Over in the jungle / Wearing wings of shiny blue / Lived a morpho butterfly / And her little morphos two. // 'Flit,' said the mother. / 'We flit,' said the two. / So the flitted and they fluttered / Wearing wings of shiny blue." Of particular note are the brilliant color illustrations, created as textured relief sculptures in polymer clay by extraordinarily talented artist Jeanette Canyon. Readers of all ages are sure to enjoy studying the amazing, vividly colorful artworks; the last few pages of Over in the Jungle offer some fun facts about rainforest animals, as well as tips from both the author and the artist about the process used to create the book. Highly recommended.

Over in my classroom!.......2007-03-23

What a fun and glorious time my students have had with this book. We own all the "Over in the Meadow" pattern books and I could not resist this one either. My students never tire of these books and this one was no exception. With each reading, there is a new discovery and my students can never decide which rainforest creature is their favorite. Not only is this book fiction, but the information at the back of the book has provided students with some interesting facts and was an asset in our study of the rainforest. The storybook has been inspirational as a model for our own rendition of this old and favorite poem and song.

Jungle fever.......2007-03-02

When you discover a phenomenal artist who appears solely under the auspices of a single small publisher, it's like finding hidden treasure. I had that very feeling when I found the work of Jeanette Canyon a year ago. She had just finished work on "City Beats" by S. Kelly Rammell when I ran across the book and was entranced by her format. Working entirely in polymer clay, Ms. Canyon imbues her images with so much light, life, and motion that you'd swear her creations were animated stills rather than original sculptural art. Somehow, I had missed Ms. Canyon's previous collaboration with one Ms. Marianne Berkes when they came out with, "Over In the Ocean: In a Coral Reef," (which was the recipient of the Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year, doncha know). As such, "Over In the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme," is very much the same deal. Having adapted that old song "Over In the Meadow" to different locales, Berkes takes a tried and true format and simply fills it to overflowing with a vast array of rainforest creatures. The result could easily have been a hashed do-over without any originality. Instead, the adaptation is smooth and seamless, the facts at the back of the book quickly correcting any misunderstandings. There are also tips on telling this book aloud for storytime, and even a step-by-step process of how Canyon creates her art. What could easily have degraded into a rote form emerges instead as lush and detailed as its tropical subject matter. Color me impressed.

The book opens as the mottled canopy of a rainforest, seen from high above, fills the interior cover. On the first two-page spread, two marmosets are swinging gaily across a soft rising sun. "Over in the jungle / Where the trees greet the sun / Lived a mother marmoset / And her marmoset one. / 'Swing,' said the mother. / 'I swing,' said the one. / So they swung and they hung / Where the trees greet the sun." Colors pop out at the viewer as animals tumble over and above one another in a haze of action and rhyme. We see the wide iridescent blue of the morpho butterflies fluttering above their now discarded chrysalises. We see sweet honey bears sipping nectar and howler monkeys, their mouths all agape, as they hoot and holler up a storm. By the end, the book rounds everything out with a huge double page spread of all the animals featured, hidden amongst the different striations of the rainforest, from the forest floor to the tops of the trees or "emergents." Kids are encouraged to locate and count all the creatures they saw before. "When you find all the creatures then this rhyme is done."

It's the little things that sometimes impress me the most. Sure, I could wax rhapsodic over the sheer range of colors and ethereal images that appear in this book. But you know what I really love about Canyon's work? She cares about details. For example, as the book counts up from one to ten, a single leaf on the left-hand page carries the imprint of each number. And sitting on that leaf is a glistening raindrop. You might not notice, in fact it would be easy to miss it, but the number of raindrops increase with every number. They do so with a great deal of subtlety, though, so you wouldn't necessarily notice the first few reads. But really, that's what I love about the book. Multiple readings yield incredible rewards. I'm definitely not alone in cooing over the marbleized orange/red leaf cutter ants as they chew through an enormous leaf. And look! A second reading shows that somehow or other Canyon found a way to throw shadows from behind her subject matter. How do you outline the shadow of an ant from the underside of a leaf made out of clay? Or convey a sense of motion when a poison dark frog throws itself up and backwards towards a sharp pink bromeliad? Talent, possums. Just sheer talent.

A couple extra facts wouldn't have been out of place, of course. I'd have loved a definition of a "bromeliad", though the explanation that a mother poison dart frog will put her babies in one helped a little when coupled with Canyon's pictures. Still, some source notes would not have been out of place. Every once in a while my library's clientele will suddenly start a rainforest project, and any and every book I have on the topic is desired. Had Ms. Berkes put a small tot-friendly Bibliography of a scant two or three books in the back it would have made this book a fabulous storytime AND non-fiction source. Ah well. You go with what you've got.

None of this is to say that the back matter in this book isn't welcome. There's a printed selection of sheet music which allows the more talented amongst us to sing this song in our story programs. An amusing section entitled "How Many Babies Do They Really Have?" also clarifies points like the fact that in spite of the delightful suggestion that sloths can have nine babies at once, this is not actually the case. One wonders why it was put in the book in the first place, but at least the author had the good grace to nip concerns on the factual matter of the text in the bud. A nice portion on "The Rainforest Community" covers the four layers of tropical rainforest and even gives some nice websites for further information (kudos there).

It's a surprising little book, giving far more to the reader than they'd expect to receive. It's clear from the get-go that Ms. Berkes is certainly a former librarian, knowing as she does how important it is to put something this storytime-friendly into publication. Though I've a quibble here or there, this is a strong effort and worth owning. It also happens to make a very nice complement to Graeme Base's The Water Hole. Two thumbs up.

Mammals Who Morph: The Universe Tells Our Evolution Story (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

A Universe Story Trilogy Thrills Children and Adults
Carried me away...
The greatest story ever told
This trilogy is a great bridge between spirituality and science

Mammals Who Morph: The Universe Tells Our Evolution Story (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Jennifer Morgan
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Biology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

Evolution | Science | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 1584690852

Book Description

This remarkable evolution series, narrated by the Universe itself, concludes with Book 3, the amazing story of mammals. It picks up with the extinction of dinosaurs, and tells how tiny mammals survived and morphed into lots of new Earthlings . . . horses, whales and a kind of mammal with a powerful imagination - you! It's a story of chaos, creativity and heroes-the greatest adventure on Earth! And it's a personal story . . . about our bodies, our minds, our spirits. It's our story.

Customer Reviews:

A Universe Story Trilogy Thrills Children and Adults.......2007-03-20

As a resident of Princeton, New Jersey, a town filled with eminent scientists (including my Noble Laureate physicist uncle) I have lived for years believing that science was beyond my ken, beyond my capacity for even the faintest glimmering of understanding.

In the last few years I have been thrilled to discover Jennifer Morgan, a Princeton author who has written three science books designed for children, entitled A Universe Story Trilogy. The first book, Born With a Bang, covers the history of the universe from its beginning 13.7 billion years ago to the beginning of Earth. The second book, From Lava to Life, tells the story of life beginning as bacteria . . . to the reign of the dinosaurs. Mammals Who Morph, the third book, takes the story from the extinction of the dinosaurs to the rise of Homo sapiens.

The three books are charming and work as wonderful bedtime story reading. But despite the charm and the beautiful illustrations, Ms. Morgan is writing hard science. In a recent seminar which she led, I learned that she spent a number of years talking with cosmologists, evolutionary biologists, and anthropologists, doing her best to be sure that these children's stories were rigorously in accord with current scientific thinking.

To be sure, scientific thinking changes, as Ms. Morgan is the first to acknowledge, and indeed theories which are current today are subject to revision tomorrow. But the extraordinary gift which Jennifer Morgan has given, is a sense that science is full of wonder, excitement and reverence. I, for example, finally got a glimmering of my uncle's work having to do with something called CP Violation and the mindbending concept that if the symmetry between particles and antiparticles had not been broken in the first second after the Big Bang, the rest of the Universe Story would not have happened.

Ms. Morgan's books will turn kids on to science. . . to say nothing of the grownups who literally walked away from Ms. Morgan's presentation with stars in their eyes.

Linda Fitch

Carried me away..........2006-12-02

I'm no longer a kid, but I've learned a great deal from Mammals Who Morph. I'd read Morgan's two earlier volumes in this trilogy, and this was very helpful, though not absolutely necessary to appreciate the third.

What I value most in all three volumes is the appreciation and satisfaction I derive on several levels. The science is clear, and if the other reviewers here are to be believed, rock solid. But so is the story-telling. I've just been carried away in the tale. Morgan's contention, I think, is that this is MY tale as well as the universe's. It's all of ours. I feel a strong sense of recognition. Something's touched, and the sensation is unmistakably familiar.

She's also included a glossary and resources and avenues for further learning. How often do you see that in a book for children that is also this entertaining?

And then, of course, there's the art work. The full-page color illustrations accompanying every page of written work are not merely beautiful, they're worth savoring.

Quite a package. Quite a trilogy. Quite a remarkable accomplishment.

The greatest story ever told.......2006-11-11

This is the concluding volume of a bizarrely brilliant trilogy on the history of the universe and of life. Every school and public library - no, every family! - in America should own all three volumes in the trilogy. (The earlier volumes are "Born With a Bang" and "From Lava to Life.")

There is a rising tide of anti-science ideology in the United States, accompanied (and caused) by a vast scientific illiteracy. This is frightening not only because modern economies are so heavily dependent upon scientific knowledge but also because it is science which dissipated the ancient fear-ridden world of witches and ghosts and demons. Take away science and the old terrors can return to haunt humankind. And those terrors long served, and can still serve, to justify man's inhumanity to man.

The reasons for the anti-science tide are complex: America, for example, has an anti-intellectual tradition going back to the Romantic era of the early nineteenth century (see, e.g., E. D. Hirsch's discussion in "The Schools We Need and Why We Don't Have Them"). Because knowledge in general, and especially in science, is necessarily "elitist," science also runs against the populism and egalitarianism long endemic in the United States.

Most disturbing is the use of anti-science propaganda by various political and cultural forces to cynically advance their own political agenda (and make some money on the side). For example, Ann Coulter, in her recent book "Godless," launched a lengthy and virtually unhinged attack on the fact of evolution.

At a higher intellectual level, the noted Jewish "neoconservative" intellectual Irving Kristol has declared, "All I want to do is break the bonds of Darwinian materialism which at the moment restrict our imagination." Robert Bork, more briefly, has announced, "Darwinism cannot explain life as we know it." (There is reason to doubt that Kristol at least really believes evolution is false: this may be just a crass ploy for political influence.)

Jennifer Morgan's trilogy is the best cure I have seen for the anti-science hysteria.

Although the evidence for evolution and modern cosmology is, logically and rationally, overwhelming, one of the big problems is that scientists have failed to grab the popular imagination in the same way that mythical religious tales of the Garden of Eden or the Tower of Babel have done.

Morgan has taken the discoveries of science and done what we scientists ourselves seem unable to do: packaged them with a sense of wonder and imagination that can show ordinary people, and most especially children, the grandeur and spectacle of the transcendental truths uncovered by modern science.

Most importantly, she is scientifically accurate: while her books read almost like books of lyrical poetry written for children, I was stunned by the care with which she hewed to the best science available as she wrote (I have a Ph.D. in theoretical physics - I was looking for errors).

This concluding volume in the trilogy discusses the Cenozoic Era, the "age of mammals," focusing especially on the evolution of human beings. Morgan's technique throughout the trilogy is to have the universe tell her own story.

In this volume, she begins by reviewing the chain of catastrophes discussed in the previous two volumes - the nearly total annihilation of elementary particles at the Big Bang, the nearby supernova that is believed to have triggered the formation of the Solar System, the "oxygen crisis" that poisoned much of the early life on earth, and of course the asteroid that ended the age of the dinosaurs.

The theme of this book is that these apparent catastrophes led to us.

She moves through the mammalian and avian radiations, briefly discusses the rise of the hominids, and finally ends the trilogy in an inspiring reminder that, in us human beings, the universe is finally able to understand and comprehend itself.

The book is aimed at children - I read it with my early grade-school children and it would certainly be appropriate through middle school. The book will necessarily offend religious creationists, but should not offend anyone with any other religious beliefs - whether Catholics, mainstream Protestants, non-Christian religious believers, or atheists. It has beautifully imaginative illustrations.

There is a useful appendix with more of the serious science for older kids or adults.

Like most scientists, I am, frankly, skeptical of any attempt to combine "spirituality" with science. In science, the only true "spirituality" is the truth. Morgan shows that this is indeed the truest spirituality of all. She grasps what it is that caused so many of us to become scientists and what motivates so many scientists to continue working at the hard task of patiently teasing out the secrets of reality.

Our generation is the first in human history to have a clear picture of the entire history of the universe and of life on earth. Every human being is entitled to share in this wondrous knowledge.

Get this book (and the other two books in the trilogy) and read it with your kids and grandkids - and for yourself. Show them the incredible beauty, grandeur, and wonder of the universe we inhabit.

This is the greatest story ever told.

This trilogy is a great bridge between spirituality and science.......2006-09-24

"Mammals Who Morph" is Jennifer Morgan's 3rd book of a trilogy that successfully condenses 3.7 billion years of natural history from the big bang beginning to the present into a story told by the universe itself (who else could do it?). She highlights important scientific concepts and presents them in a way that is compelling to children and makes them feel good about being part of a greater whole. Morgan's ability to make difficult scientific concepts easy to understand and to weave spiritual concepts of unity, commonality and community throughout these stories makes them a great bridge for children wrestling with what politicians have made into polarized issues between science and religion. Although Morgan's degree is in theology, she sticks to the facts as they are now known and spins them into an easily readable story that all ages and religions can enjoy and learn from. In this last book of the trilogy she describes the population of the planet by an assortment of mammals in a way that conveys the beauty of evolution without dwelling on the how. Cleverly, the text is written with two type sizes enabling the youngest readers to hear the story without much detail by reading the largest type. Every elementary school, church, synagogue, mosque and parent should have a set and read it to their children. Without a doubt, this is a comforting story that all who ever have seriously asked the question "Where did we come from?" will enjoy.

From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth's Story (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

my daughter loves this book, and so do i!
A lot of learning in an easy-to-absorb format
Accurate science for children and adults!
Where did I come from?
Vividly illustrated in striking color

From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth's Story (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Jennifer Morgan
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Biology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1584690429

Book Description

"Once upon a time" meets science in a children's picture book that tells the thrilling story of how life began on Earth. The second in a trilogy of Universe stories - the first being the award-winning Born with a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story -- this book picks up the story with the first appearance of life on Earth. It's a thrilling story about how Earth triumphs over crisis to become bacteria, jellyfish, flowers . . . even dinosaurs! The author, Jennifer Morgan, studied evolutionary science and saw its storytelling possibilities when she explained it to her elementary-age son. Coupled with brilliant artwork by Dana Anderson, who also studied Cosmology, these books will intrigue children and adults alike with their storytelling style and colorful pages. The third book in the trilogy will be available in Spring 2005.

Customer Reviews:

my daughter loves this book, and so do i!.......2007-09-03

i was a little unsure about getting a book that made the universe a consciousness being. but i have to say that the way in which this book, and the first in the series, are written is very easy to read, and very easy to understand. some books in this genre are harder to read, because they are more like text books with words. this book flows smoothly, and reads like a story book, and keeps my daughters interest the whole way through. my daughter is always asking me to "read the universe story" and "read the lava book!" i have not purchased the 3rd in the series, but after reading the first 2, i will definitely be purchasing this author's take on evolution!

A lot of learning in an easy-to-absorb format.......2007-02-05

After reading this book, my five-year-old grandson brought me a picture he had drawn of a eukaryote with a twisted DNA helix and mitochondria. I promptly order its sequel. I even reread the book on my own to help my understanding of the terminology of early evolution.

Accurate science for children and adults!.......2006-12-09

As a scientist who works on early evolution I was looking for a book for my 7 year old cousin who is fascinated by science that would counterbalance the creationism he is getting in Sunday school. I purchased this book after reading reviews but was skeptical that it would be accurate. I was beyond thrilled while reading through it! Jennifer Morgan does an excellent job of taking the origin of life, evolution of eukaryotes, prokaryotes and metazoans, the oxygen crisis, migration from sea to land and mass extinctions and making it understandable to children (and lay adults!)
I found no true errors in the science, only things that I wish were expanded on such as calling the "mounds of bacteria" what they are, stromatolites (though I may be biased as I work on these and other similar structures!)
Evolution is never mentioned by name though she does a wonderful job of saying that certain animals are "your ancestors" and, for example, how dinosaurs evolved into what are ancestors to modern birds.
I honestly believe that not only should every child be reading this book and that it would be an excellent addition to grade school science curriculum, but that every adult in the United States should read this as well. I had several adult friends and family members read it and they said they finally understood certain concepts that I work on and have tried to explain to them in the past. One friend actually said "oh so that is the difference between a eukaryote and a prokaryote!" I'm going to purchase a second copy to keep for myself to help explain the origins of life and early evolution to others.
I look forward to purchasing the other two books in this series and highly recommend this book to anyone.

Where did I come from?.......2003-03-19

Told as if the Universe has patted her lap & invited to you up for grand story, she takes you back into a time before time, when the Earth was formed, long, long before you or I were motes in the storm. Long before dinosaurs were born & flowers grew.

Told in a confidential, amusing & lyrical turn of phrase, FROM LAVA TO LIFE spills the beans on how life began here from microscopic cells in a churning brew of chemicals as our raw orb rolled around the heavens.

Fascinating images! Dana Lynn Andersen captures our imagination with her broad strokes of things bigger & smaller than one pair of eyes can see. Jennifer Morgan's sense of humor is both reverential & irreverent, charming & instructive.

If you are stumped when your kids ask the oldest of questions: "Where did I come from?" Then FROM LAVA TO LIFE & its prequel BORN WITH A BANG are for you!

Vividly illustrated in striking color.......2003-03-10

From Lava To Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth Story by storyteller, educator, and environmental advocate Jennifer Morgan is the second volume in an amazing summary series for readers ages 8 through 12 of what science can tell us about how the Earth came to be, and how life arose upon and in it. Vividly illustrated in striking color by Dana Lynne Andersen, From Lava To Life is a most fascinating introduction to science for young readers, beginning with the formation of the earth and concluding with the age of the dinosaur. From Lava To Life is also available in hardcover. Also very highly recommended for young readers is the first volume covering the birth the universe and the development of the solar system, Born With A Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story: Book 1.

Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story : Book 1 (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

"Fruity" mixed with good science
Rave Rave Rave
Incredibly interesting to both reader and child
Insanely Brilliant!
From a cosmologist working in the field: this book is a *gem*

Born With a Bang: The Universe Tells Our Cosmic Story : Book 1 (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Jennifer Morgan
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fiction | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

General & Reference | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

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Evolution | Science | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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Similar Items:

From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth's Story (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Mammals Who Morph: The Universe Tells Our Evolution Story (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Life on Earth: The Story of Evolution
Our Family Tree: An Evolution Story
The Tree Of Life: The Wonders Of Evolution

ASIN: 1584690321

Book Description

In this first of a trilogy, the Universe tells its own life story of chaos and creativity, science and struggle. Time after time the Universe nearly perishes, then bravely triumphs and turns itself into new and even more spectacular forms. Eventually it turns stardust into you. This story begins in the very beginning, and ends with the formation of Earth. The second book From Lava to Life: The Universe Tells Our Earth Story tells of tiny new living things and ends with giant dinosaurs. In the third book, mammals rise and so do you (available spring 2005).

Customer Reviews:

"Fruity" mixed with good science.......2007-03-16

I didn't realize what people meant by refering to this book as "New Age" - basically the "Universe" is narrating the story and "dreams" of people and trees and planets. The timeline and discription of big bang and star life cycles is great - but I am uncomfortable with the "wishes" and "dreams" and "feelings" of a universe.

I was looking for an age appropriate book to explain the formation of the universe to my 5 year old - and it has captured his imagination. As an atheist trying to build a good basis of science over superstition, I felt that the narration was over the top, when the science is way cool and didn't need the whole dream/wish/creator overtones.

Rave Rave Rave.......2007-03-13

I have raved about this book to everyone I know. Actually there are two in the series. As a parent, it feels good to give my child lessons on how we are all cosmically connected. These books are stunningly beautiful, rich with meaning, truth, science and laced with spirituality.

Incredibly interesting to both reader and child.......2007-02-05

It takes a great deal of skill to reduce as complex a concept as the creation of the universe to a form a five year old child can understand. My grandson was captivated and asked many questions and I learned a few things also. We promptly read the second book in the series and have ordered the third.

Insanely Brilliant!.......2006-11-11

Jennifer Morgan is a brilliantly eccentric writer.

I read this book with my daughters when they were in kindergarten - I helped with the big words, of course, and with some of the scientific concepts. Morgan's unusual idea of introducing cosmology to young children by treating the origin and development of the universe as an autobiographical tale, narrated in first person by the Universe herself, actually works. The brilliantly colorful illustrations are a great complement to the text, and kids (and, I suspect, most adults) can acquire some serious knowledge while enjoying themselves by going through this book.

Most importantly, the book is startlingly accurate. It is all too tempting for children's authors to cut corners and present over-simplified half-truths when trying to explain serious science to young kids. Morgan avoids that trap.

I have a Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Stanford, and I looked through the book carefully for any scientific errors.

I found none.

I do wish Morgan had discussed the "inflationary scenario," now generally favored by cosmologists, that suggests that the Big Bang was precipitated out of the frenetic expansion of a much larger super-universe. But, Morgan might reasonably object that the inflationary theory is still speculative, whereas the information she presents in this book is solidly established science.

Some parents might also object that treating the Universe as a person reeks too much of New Age nature-worship pantheism. Such a criticism would be unwarranted - Morgan, after all, knows that the Universe is not actually a human being, and even young readers should be able to see this as simply an engaging storytelling device. Any child who enjoys watching talking planes or a purple dinosaur on TV, while knowing that neither is real, can appreciate Morgan's narrative approach. This book should be of value to any family, regardless of religious or philosophical orientation, who possess a serious interest in science or nature.

The educational theorist Kieran Egan has argued that the best way to educate children is to center their education around grand stories. It is hard to imagine any story grander than the birth and development of the universe.

Our kids learn all sorts of stories in school and through popular culture. But too few of those stories serve one of the central needs of education - encouraging the student to transcend his own childish egocentrism and acquire a broader, transcendent perspective. To become an educated person, indeed to become a mature adult, requires such a perspective, but our society and our educational system too rarely nurture it, despite the fact that children are hungry for grand and exotic stories that transcend their own narrow lives.

It is all too easy to graduate even from a prestigious university in America with no comprehension of the stupendous discoveries human beings have made during the last hundred years concerning the nature of our universe.

That is horribly sad - we are depriving our children of grand and exciting truths.

Get "Born With a Bang" for your kids (or grandkids). It's a wonderful book. Jennifer Morgan did a great job.

From a cosmologist working in the field: this book is a *gem*.......2006-10-15

I'll preface this by saying that i'm an experimental cosmologist (working on weak gravitational lensing to determine galaxy cluster dark matter profiles) and have also worked in high energy particle physics, so i come at this book from a particular angle of having a fairly in-depth background of the subject matter.

Having said this, i want to *strongly applaud* this book, and would like to point out that of the several reviews given above, most are quite positive, and the only two highly negative ones are simply *missing the point* of the book -- it is *not* supposed to give anyone a detailed explanation of cosmology as we understand it scientifically today. there are plenty of other books to do that. rather -- this book is supposed to try to make some sense of what our current picture is in a much more organic, humane, emotional, spiritual, and yea, *cosmic* sense than most of the popular or scientific literature of cosmology out there today does.

For those familiar with Carl Sagan's work, and particularly "Cosmos" from the 1980's -- this is very much done in that vein, and i am pretty sure Carl would have heartily approved.

As a reader might gather from my words, i do *not* fit into the classical stereotype of scientist with a mechanistic, rational, Universe-as-clockwork type view that has been the primary paradigm in science since Cartesian times, but then, neither did Carl, and neither do more and more modern scientists. and Carl's manner of conveying science resonated with the public and inspired them likely more than *any* other modern physical scientist.

Further, i have thought deeply about the human aspects of science also in my journey along the scientific path, and it's clear to me that the paradigm one uses to describe whatever our scientific picture of the Universe and how it came into being and how it evolved up until today is, at any given time in human history, is critical in how we approach not only science, but every aspect of our lives, from our interactions with Nature, to how we treat non-human animals, to our picture of and dealings with others of our own species. when it comes down to it, how we picture the non-living aspects of our Universe and its whole history, *matters*, a lot.

And i love the way that J. Morgan and D. Andersen picture it in this book (and i also hope to communicate directly with them sometime). i love how they interpret and explain their understanding of everything from the Big Bang itself, and what came "before", to the limitations in our current picture of cosmology, to the specific aspects of BBN (Big Bang Nucleosynthesis), initial star formation, galaxy evolution, and supernova processes, leading ultimately to *us*.

No, this is not going to appeal to every scientist out there, nor every person -- but i would suggest this is from not a lack in the *book*, but from some measure of the imagination needed in our species and society to evolve to a more mature species in our wondrous Universe.

Also, the glossary, more detailed cosmic timeline history, book references, and quotes from working scientists in the back are also quite appreciated and helpful to point people in good directions for more in-depth understanding and further reading.

There could be much more said about many of these topics, but let me simply close by saying that i came across this book while dropping in on a sustainability conference of a local environmental group in my area, and the title intrigued me enough to start paging through it. and even after realizing it was a children's book, the flow of the words and the wonderful evocative paintings drew me in to continue reading it. and it is a *rare* book or paper on cosmology (and believe me, i have occasion to read a good number) that brings tears to my eyes with their beauty and power to stir the soul, as certain lines in this book did.

In Adventure-
MSSG

(ps. any feedback is welcomed!)

If You Were My Baby: A Wildlife Lullaby (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

Beautiful and sweet book
I will help you climb your own mountains...but first I'll tuck you in

If You Were My Baby: A Wildlife Lullaby (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Fran Hodgkins
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1584690747

Book Description

Here is a unique blend of love song and non-fiction - celebrating the care that exists between the parents and offspring of many species. Baby mountain goat is guided up high cliffs. Baby beaver learns to build well. Baby bat is held in mother's protective embrace, upside-down. And your baby will learn to delight in nature's wonders. A "sweet dream bedtime" book for nature lovers of all generations!

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and sweet book.......2006-04-28

The illustrations are lovely and the text, with its simple life lessons, is very touching. I highly recommend snuggly in bed with your little ones at the end of a day and sharing a sweet moment together reading this book.

I will help you climb your own mountains...but first I'll tuck you in.......2006-03-07

From baby otters to wolves to mountain goats, animal parents teach animal babies important life lessons. Baby bear learns to wake from hibernation while baby skunk learns to "give others fair warning before you act." And the last important lesson is that a human dad will help his baby learn about the world, all the while keeping him safe. Each animal has a two-page spread with charming colorful illustrations that are finely drawn, but not hyper-realistic. A wonderful good-night story

Pass the Energy, Please! (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

Pass the Energy, Please!
Integration at it's BEST
A Great Educational Children's Book

Pass the Energy, Please! (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Barbara Shaw McKinney
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2)
A Drop Around the World
Everybody's Somebody's Lunch
What Are Food Chains and Webs? (Science of Living Things)
Everybody's Somebody's Lunch (Teacher's Guide): The Role of Predator and Prey in Nature

ASIN: 158469002X

Book Description

Each of nature's creatures "passes the energy" in its own unique way. In this upbeat rhyming story, the food chain connects herbivores, carnivores, insects and plants together in a fascinating circle of players. All beings on Earth - from the anchovy to the zooplankton - depend upon the green plant, which is the hero of the story. Barbara McKinney's special talent shines again for being able to present the science curriculum so consisely, creatively, and cleverly.

Customer Reviews:

Pass the Energy, Please!.......2006-03-09

This is the best science book on the food chain that I have ever found.I fell in love with it and bought it for several people This book tells very gently, using very pleasing language in rhyme, what everything needs to live and why. The illustrations are beautiful and detailed. It has some repetitive language that is so pleasing to read. For example:

"Passing the energy needed to live
is a difficult gift for a creature to give.
but a chain unbroken along the way
links life in the meadow from day to day."

This book would be wonderful in every classroom. A beautiful, must have book.

Integration at it's BEST.......2001-04-08

What a book to use with your classroom. I am a fifth grade teacher and use this book as part of a unit on Ecosystems. (Although you could use this with younger or older children) The book shows food webs in a way that any child could understand. The text is a poem with a predictable rhythm that my students LOVE. We use this story for 4 different activities, two are Language arts based, and two are Science.

A Great Educational Children's Book.......2000-08-16

I enjoyed how the author was able to bring a complicated subject to a level which both educates and interests young readers. Both my nephew and niece greatly enjoyed the book. They also retained the information which is presented in "Pass the Energy Please" because it is presented to the children in a creative way which neither bores nor confuses them. The author has found a great niche in her writing in which children can finally be entertained while at the same time come away with an important environmental concept.

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