Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - animal books - 1.15.2020


Wednesdays I join Alyson Beecher from kidlitfrenzy and other
#kidlit bloggers to share wonderful nonfiction picture books.
The intention of today's blog post is to give professionals that work in the
education field new nonfiction reading material and ideas to use 
with students to promote a love of reading nonfiction materials.


Starting the New Year with some animal books.  These are always favorites of young readers.  Today is part 2!


Amazing Animals by Peter David Scott
Amazing Animals
by Peter David Scott
This book is absolutely gorgeous.  I picked it up years ago but it got buried in a pile and I'm just now reading it!  The illustrations are what readers will pour over.  This is a large picture book, measuring a bit larger than others and each 2-page layout has one animal with the illustration stretching across both pages.  There is one sentence that accompanies the layout with a basic fact.  If that piece of information is not enough for you, then check the backmatter where additional info is given!  I'm predicting this book to be pretty popular.

Even More Lesser Spotted Animals by Martin Brown
Even More Lesser Spotted Animals
by Martin Brown
The follow up to the successful Lesser Spotted Animals (grades 3-5 in IL - it's on our current Bluestem Awards list) is just as funny and insightful as you would expect it to be.  Nothing wrong with laughing while you're learning!  A book that can be read cover to cover or just flipped through, readers will enjoy getting to know these perhaps unfamiliar animals.

Big Cats by Nic Bishop
Big Cats
by Nic Bishop
I think this is the most stunning Nic Bishop book... of course I think big cats are some of the most elegant creatures out there, but still!  Packed with information that is delivered in a way that makes you appreciate their hunting routines.

Welcome Home by Lisa Mundorff
Welcome Home: Where Nature's Most Creative Creatures Dwell
by Lisa Mundorff
I would classify this book as informational fiction.  I think a better title would be "Creature's Homes Reimagined"!  The first 2-page spread tells young readers the name of an animal's home.  It just so happens that most of these home names are also names that fit in a human home, such as den, couch, lodge.  The following layout shows the animal in a home that is reimagined to be more humanized.  So we see a beaver living in their lodge on the first page (in a dam by the water), followed by beavers living in what appears to be a ski lodge.  

Homes in the Wild by Lita Judge
Homes in the Wild: Where Baby Animals and Their Parents Live
by Lita Judge
I love Judge's book.  They are organized in a way that makes sense to young readers which makes the book easier to read and for the readers to talk about!  
Animal babies and their parents make homes all over, but there is always a purpose for that home.  Often for survival and protection!  
Additional information about the animals is located in the backmatter.

Beehive by Jorey Hurley
beehive
by Jorey Hurley
I like how this book can be read in different ways.  Each page has just one word describing the action that is happening on the page.  I think this can open up lots of conversation between readers.  How can they use the word and the illustrations to describe their learning?  What do they know?  What do they wonder?  
The author's note has additional information and can be read aloud as you go back and flip through the pages.  Confirm what you knew.  Answer an unknown question.  What do you want to learn more about?


I'm excited for these books to be in our library.  Lots of readers for these books!

4 comments:

  1. Each one looks wonderful, Michele. My youngest granddaughter loves bees, so will look for Beehive for her especially! Thanks!

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  2. I love hearing about what kids actually check out.

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  3. I featured Beehive today, also. I need to get a copy of Nic Bishop's Big Cats. His books are wonderful. And Even More Lesser Spotted Animals is a hoot!

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  4. I love Lita's art. Thanks for introducing me to some titles I haven't yet read like Amazing Animals, Beehive & Welcome Home. I will be sure to check them out :)

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