Earth Day Birthday (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

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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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.

Forest Bright, Forest Night (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

A Grandma's Review
Top notch
Educational, creative book with warm interestingly unique pictures.

Forest Bright, Forest Night (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Jennifer Ward
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

ASIN: 1584690666

Book Description

Someone is always awake in the forest - and someone else is always asleep! Some animals are alert in daytime and sleep at night. Others are alert at night, and are sleepyheads during the day. You can Flip this book to flip from day to night - and back again! And when you do, be sure to count the animals you see.

Customer Reviews:

A Grandma's Review.......2007-07-18

This book is excellent. I am a grandma who lives in the woods. I was tired of reading books to my grandchildren about farm animals. So I purchased every board book on forest animals that I could find on-line. Forest Bright, Forest Night is the best book of all my purchases.

Top notch.......2007-04-09

What a wonderful book. So much to explore in the beautiful illustrations. You read. You count. You learn. You spy out hidden animals and numbers. More than a storybook it is an engaging adventure. Gave it as a gift to a preschooler. Intend to give it to several more.

A must for every class library. Effectively integrates reading, math and science.

Educational, creative book with warm interestingly unique pictures........2006-10-12

This is a highly unique story that adults and children will both enjoy. Forest day depicts animals and their young in their habitats (while other animals that live and flourish in the forest night are sleeping in the same picture underneath) during the daylight hours for the first 11 pages of the book. The next pages compares forest day animals with others and gives factual information about them. The fun part about this book is that you have to turn the book upside down and around to read about forest night. The forest night animals are now awake and living in the moons light and the day time animals are sleeping underneath them. Utterly amazing illustrations with details of foot prints, younglings, nature and colors lead to a terrific story accompanied with rhyme, rhythm and fun words.

Stickeen: John Muir and the Brave Little Dog (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

TOP GIFT for all young children
Let's revive the Family Reading Hour & begin with brave Stickeen . . .
a great read - again, and again, and again..
Simple, Beautiful, and Haunting
An excellent adventure!

Stickeen: John Muir and the Brave Little Dog (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
John Muir , and Donnell Rubay
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

Action & Adventure | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1883220793

Book Description

John Muir's favorite story of "the most memorable of all my wild days"-his classic adventure on an Alaskan glacier with the dog Stickeen-is now retold in modern language with stunning illustrations for another generation of children to enjoy. This is a compelling story of the developing relationship between Muir and an aloof, unfriendly little dog, Stickeen. After becoming stranded on the glacier, they reach safety with the help of a courageous trip over an ice bridge. Stickeen's aloofness is then replaced by rapturous emotion and his unfriendliness towards Muir turns to adoration.

Customer Reviews:

TOP GIFT for all young children.......2007-08-27

John Muir's original account of his experience with this dog (in his Travels with Alaska, and separately published 10 or 20 years ago) simply cried out to be retold for children and illustrated in a picture book. Thankfully, Rubay and Canyon have done the two things brilliantly. Rubay's text is a gentle reduction of Muir's own words, preserving his own 19th century phrasings and terms such as chasm, crystal, crevasse, and ice bridge so that their meaning is clear. And Canyon's 25 paintings are fabulously true to life depictions of the Alaskan wilderness in snow and storm, yet each one moves the story. Like all great children's books, it's one the parent wants to read as often as the child wants it read. A book that truly deserves a place in every classroom and on every child's shelf.

Let's revive the Family Reading Hour & begin with brave Stickeen . . . .......2006-10-05

"STICKEEN" is the name of 'the brave little dog,' center of this story. He accompanied John Muir during exploration of Alaska's Taylor Glacier in 1880. The two shared a remarkable adventure and it could be said that both possessed high ideals as well as adventurous spirits. Although Muir had been LOANED the dog, they went on to explore another glacier later named for John Muir, long-known as a respected naturalist-author.

You will find the illustrations by Christopher Canyon to be striking with masses of blue ice - - startling or even 'beyond belief'. They graphically show the dangerous precipices and ice bridge conquered by the two brave explorers.

With greatest admiration Reviewer mcHAIKU reminds readers that Muir was the primary inspiration for the environmental movement in this country; she recommends this story - - to be read by ALL ages - - TOGETHER!

a great read - again, and again, and again.........2000-04-20

My 4 1/2 year old son loves this story. He seems to feel the same tension and then exuberance experienced by the little dog facing a daunting maneuver. I love the story and pictures as well,especially as a change from the fire truck, dinosaur and baseball books that we usually read. It is one of the longest stories he listens to intently. Highly recommended

Simple, Beautiful, and Haunting.......2000-03-21

This wonderfully illustrated book tells a simple story of a great man and a very courageous dog he knew in Alaska. I suggest this title for all dog lovers, no matter what their ages. Note: Amazon lists the reading level as 4-8 years, and I believe that four year olds can certainly listen to the story, but the independent reading level would be much higher. Don't miss it, though. You will always remember Stickeen. He and John Muir were certainly brave out on that glacier!

An excellent adventure!.......1999-07-05

Besides being a beautiful book to look at, this lively account of John Muir's glacial wanderings with his loyal four-legged companion, Stickeen, is an artfully presented, exciting read! Dog lovers, nature lovers, and all adventurers at heart are sure to enjoy following these two on their perilous journey across the ice.

Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs And Leaping Frogs (Sharing Nature with Children Book)

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Near One Cattail: Turtles, Logs And Leaping Frogs (Sharing Nature with Children Book)
Anthony D. Fredericks
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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ASIN: 1584690712

Book Description

What creatures live in a bog-boggy place? From zip-zipping dragonflies to hip-hopping frogs, here's a medley of critters who swim, soar or crawl in a wetlands home that protects one and all. This engaging book is the fourth natural neighborhood to be portrayed by this dynamic author-illustrator duo.

Lifetimes (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

Average customer rating:

Curious children, nature lovers and teachers will love this!

Lifetimes (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
David L Rice
Manufacturer: DAWN PUBLICATIONS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1883220599

Book Description

The Universe is our school, nature our teacher, and every species has a lesson for us. With delightful simplicity, Lifetimes introduces some of nature's longest, shortest and most unusual lifetimes. David Rice's "tell about it, think about it" questions for each lifetime are perfect for engaging a young person in a stimulating conversation. This is a favorite book for children and teachers alike.

Customer Reviews:

Curious children, nature lovers and teachers will love this!.......2001-02-28

"NO MATTER HOW SHORT, NOW MATTER HOW LONG, NO MATTER HOW BIG, HOW SMART OR HOW STRONG, ALL LIFE HAS A PLACE, A PURPOSE AND WORTH. ALL LIFE IS IMPORTANT ON OUR PLANET EARTH."

So begins-and ends-this beautiful story which beautifully speaks the lessons of many of Earth's creatures.

This is not a book you can-or will want to-read in one sitting. Each beautifully illustrated page invites the reader to explore further the plant, animal or object featured. Children will beg their parents to take them to the library to learn more about the creature pictured on each page. (I should know. My 4 ½ year old has developed a tremendous fascination with Venus Flytraps after reading this book.)

Each page begins with the life expectancy of a new creature (plant or animal) or the age of an object (sun, planet, universe.) The author then shares just enough information about each creature to pique the interest of the reader, follows it with a small reminder of what this creature's life may teach us (Examples: "Army ants show us that if everyone works together, we can do almost anything." "Saguaros teach us how important it is to save -- and to share.") Each page then concludes with a few questions for further exploration (Examples: "Tell about a time when you helped protect an animal or someone who needed help." "Where is the one small area where Venus flytraps grow in the wild?" "If everyone in your class held hands and made a circle, would the circle be big enough to go around the General Sherman tree?")

Book Description

When a dragonfly lands on her toothbrush, Eliza goes to a nearby pond with her bug-loving Aunt Doris. There in the pond she sees an "awful green creature" - a dragonfly nymph - the size of a paperclip. "Eeeeewwww!" she says. Before long Eliza changes her tune. Includes information about the lifecycle of dragonflies and a resource section.

Customer Reviews:

What a children's book should be - fun and educational.......2004-12-01

An educational book about dragonflies, Eliza and the Dragonfly is a well-crafted children's book. The story teaches the reader about the life cycle of the dragonfly from nymph to adult. It also introduces them to the occupation of entomologist. At the back of the book is additional information on dragonflies as well as resources to learn more about them. Eliza and the Dragonfly is a recommended and educational read for young children.

Simply Wonderful!!.......2004-06-27

I read this book to my son's first grade class and became the most popular "mom reader" around. For a group of mostly city kids who don't generally think about squishing around in the muck on purpose, this sweet, smart story opened the children's minds to the wonder and beauty of nature, and gave us all some gross (and cool!) things to ponder. The author did a wonderful job of telling a simple yet poignant story about growing up, learning from the world around us, and sharing our love and knowledge with family and friends. The illustrations are equally amazing. And the kids and I loved learning all the names of the different types of dragonflies at the end. This book makes me want to be the kind of mom who isn't afraid of anything gross!

Beautifully written and illustrated!.......2004-05-20

I can't say enough good things about this book. The story is compelling and well written. The information is factually correct and presented at just the right level for precocious preschoolers and young school-age children. And the art is absolutely stunning. I wish there were more children's books like this on the market--books that are able to combine good storytelling with interesting and accurate information. This is the stuff that makes kids want to read learn. I'm going to buy it for the library at my daughters' school and for everyone I know with a child between the ages of 4 and 8.

Magnificent.......2004-03-11

Magnificent! This book makes you want to get out, muck around in a pond, ask questions about the wonder of life and go "wow?" The story of a little girl that follows the transformation of a nymph into a dragonfly is not only a metaphor for her own growing up, but it is a wonderful demonstration of the natural curiosity we need to cultivate in children. Eliza learns about dragonflies, nymphs and the importance of asking questions. Philosopher Abraham Heschel wrote that "under the running sea of our theories and scientific explanations lies the aboriginal abyss of radical amazement." Author Susie Caldwell Rinehart found a way of keeping that amazement alive and making it accessible to children. The illustrations in the book are works of art. There is hardly any white space in the book as page after page come alive with color. I liked the additional information, list of further readings, and web sources at the end of the book for curious little explorers. A great book. Every child should have an "Aunt Doris" who responds with a "magnificent!" to the creatures that make most of us go "eeeww."

Earth & Me: Our Family Tree : Nature's Creatures (Sharing Nature With Children Book)

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Earth & Me: Our Family Tree : Nature's Creatures (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
J. Patrick Lewis
Manufacturer: Dawn Publications (CA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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ASIN: 1584690313

Book Description

The last in a trilogy of Earth's features and habitats, this book explores earth's amazing inhabitants. J. Patrick Lewis weaves his poetry into conversations between pairs of creatures in each major habitat. Readers will gain a sense of the network of nature, conjuring respect for nature's creatures everywhere. The poignant relationship between the animals is powerfully captured in Christopher Canyon's illustrations.

Sharing the World With Animals (Zoo Books (Mankato, Minn.).)

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Sharing the World With Animals (Zoo Books (Mankato, Minn.).)
Marjorie B. Shaw
Manufacturer: Child's World Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0886827787

Book Description

First explore the food chain and the interdependence of all life on earth-then learn how people, in ignorance, have imperiled the balance. Kids are empowered to make changes and given concrete ways they can help. Includes a four page foldout animal poster.

Zoobooks, the 59-book animal series - the "everything you wanted to know but didn't know who to ask" guide to the world's most fascinating creatures. Each exciting edition of Zoobooks is packed with current scientific facts, striking photography, beautiful illustrations and unique activities that teach children about animals and the habitats in which they live. With innovative publications and products, Wildlife Education, Ltd. has enriched the lives of children, parents, and educators nationwide for 20 years. All titles are offered in library-bound hardcover and soft-cover styles. Zoobooks, ideal for the knowledge-hungry 4-11 year old!

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Sharing the World With Animals
Ann Elwood , and Marjorie B. Shaw
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
ASIN: 141766889X

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