Lights Out: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds

Lights Out: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds - 48 pages

Jessica Stremer, Bonnie Pang (Illustrator)

Summary (From Goodreads)

Based on the real-life Lights Out movement, this inspirational picture book shows how even the smallest of actions, like flipping a switch, can make a big difference in helping migrating birds.

When the seasons change and it’s time for a flock of sparrows to move on, a map made of stars guides their way. But when they reach the city, light pollution masks the map and confuses the birds. One sparrow becomes separated from the flock. A girl rescues the lost sparrow and decides to take action so this doesn’t happen again.

She rallies a group of friends, and together they encourage people all over the city to help the sparrows by turning off their lights at night. But will the city be ready by the time the flock return?

Review

A nice story (rooted in real life, of course!) with a good amount of helpful information for anyone looking to learn more and take action.  The additional information is explained in a manner accessible to younger readers, so I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in nature, the environment, and conservation!  

Little Brown Nut by Mary Auld

Little Brown Nut - 28 pages

Mary Auld

Summary (From Goodreads)

Little Brown Nut starts small, with a large fruit falling from the tallest tree in the Amazon rainforest. Inside is a little brown Brazil nut, surrounded by 20 others. It sits and waits for an agouti, a rodent with teeth so strong that it can free the nut from its hard casing. The story of the Brazil nut tree and the agouti is told clearly and carefully, with facts about germination, photosynthesis, seed dispersal. 

Review

I liked that beyond just elaborating on the life cycle of a tree as it relates to the Brazil nut specifically, this book also included facts about the ecosystem in which the tree is found.  It also touches on how human cultures and livelihoods intersect with these trees and the nuts they produce, and conversely the impact humans have on these trees.  

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater

Dive!: The Story of Breathing Underwater - 48 pages

Chris Gall

Summary (From Goodreads)

How do you breathe underwater? What tools can we use to go deeper and deeper into the oceans? And...what's down there?

Two-thirds of our Earth is covered in ocean, yet only 5% of it has been explored.

DIVE deep into our long history of sea exploration to learn why, how, and when humans have dived, and uncover our biggest questions about what hides in the Earth's deepest waters.

Review

I've never been diving, but I still found this an interesting and informative read!  

Club Microbe

Club Microbe - 56 pages

Elise Gravel

Summary (From Goodreads)

It's a germ’s world. We’re just living in it!

In Club Microbe , Elise Gravel teaches young readers that germs live all around us―and even inside of us! Guided by Gravel in this formidable introduction to the fascinating world of microorganisms, we learn that some microbes get a bad rep for making us sick, but that most are helpful creatures that allow us to digest food, make cheese, and even enable snowflakes to form in winter.

In her signature colorful cartoon style, Gravel describes the invisible work of microorganisms that aid in creating our food, producing oxygen, and keeping our planet alive. She gives us a tour of the heroes and the villains of the microbe world, stopping to marvel at their unique names and wondrous shapes.

Review

This was as charming and humorous as it was educational -- the perfect way to get kids (and me!) interested in learning more about science!  

Every Month is a New Year: Celebrations Around the World

Every Month is a New Year: Celebrations Around the World - 48 pages

Marilyn Singer, Susan L. Roth (Illustrator)

Summary (From Goodreads)

Around the world, people celebrate the start of the new year at midnight when December 31 becomes January 1. But not everyone celebrates on this date. In fact, during every month of the year, some group of people in some part of the world is celebrating the new year. Chinese New Year is celebrated in January or February. Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, is celebrated on March 21. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is celebrated in September or October. Diwali, celebrated in parts of India, falls in October or November. All these celebrations, and many others, have unique traditions and festivities that people observe. This collection of poems pay tribute to several of these fascinating festivities, some well-known and some lesser-known. Go on a whirlwind international tour of these diverse celebrations--enough to fill a twelve-month calendar, and more.

Review

This one is great for learning about holidays from other cultures!  There's a pronunciation guide in the back, as well as information about each of the holidays and traditions mentioned in the poems.  

Spooky Celebrations Around the World

Spooky Celebrations Around the World - 48 pages

Matt Ralphs, Veronika Kotyk (Artist)

Summary (From the MARC Record)

You'll have heard of Halloween, and maybe Dia de Muertos, or Obon too, but did you know there are spooky festivals all over the world? Across every continent there are festivals that celebrate and honor spirits. Children will delight in discovering the stories behind these 21 amazing celebrations.

Review

While I had heard of some of the celebrations in this book, there were just as many -- if not more -- that I had no prior knowledge of whatsoever!  Even in the case of the ones I had heard of, there were many facts about them I wasn't privy to before reading this book.  I definitely recommend this one to anyone looking to learn!  

Are There Rainbows in Space?: A Colorful Compendium of Seriously Cool Science

Are There Rainbows in Space?: A Colorful Compendium of Seriously Cool Science - 128 pages

Sheila Kanani, Liz Kay (Illustrator)

Summary (From Goodreads)

What color is a polar bear under its fur? How do flamingos turn pink? What is a blue moon? Find the answers to all these fun questions and much more in this fact-filled adventure into the colorful world around us!

The science of colors is hard at work all the time—from ultraviolet light to the baby blue tint of the sky. Readers will learn tons of interesting scientific facts about color and its whys and hows—like why blood is red, how hippos keep cool, and how some animals can change color to hide from predators. Bursting with incredible illustrations and some seriously cool science, this book is sure to dazzle both nature lovers and reluctant readers alike.

Review

Seriously cool science indeed!  With a wealth of information on topics ranging from every color on the visible light spectrum and beyond, to the difference between luminescent and incandescent, this book was a delight to read!  

10 Times 10 by Herve Tullet

10 Times 10 by Herve Tullet, 128 pages

A fun nonfiction book full of numbers in all colors.  Different shapes, different sizes, different items in different number amounts.  A great book to learn numbers, colors, and shapes.  Let your imagination run wild.  Many creative creations in this book!