Seymour Simon VOLCANOES

We were just reading this book at bedtime and my oldest, Alek (age 7) pointed to a couple of the books on the back cover and asked for additional titles. This book is part of the Smithsonian series by Seymour Simon.  We have at least one other Simon book, which is the Seymour Simon book of Trains.  For now, let's talk about the Volcanoes book.

This book has been in our stash for a while. I like reading nonfiction titles to the kids, they are curious about the world and are very interested in many topics, space, ocean animals, science, etc.  It's great to read to them and they sit quietly, and really listen to what I'm talking about.  These books are geared toward slightly older kids, grades 1-5.  My kids are 7, 5, and 3 now, and even the little guy pays attention.  Right now I read to them, but I like that the books have a long life and later on the boys will be able to read the books again themselves.   The text has great vocabulary, it's great to have the boys hear unique and interesting words as we read together.

The photographs are stunning, and the book has many details about volcanoes, along with specific examples of volcanoes around the world and various eruptions (which reminds me we have another volcano title called Eruption, by D&K)  This book has greater detail, is a bigger format and has more dramatic photos.  I like the map that shows the Earth's plates.

The book is 32 pages and includes a glossary.  Tonight we didn't make it all the way through before bedtime, but it was a great reading experience.  We're getting a few more books from this series for Christmas, I've chosen Lightning, and Earthquakes (the one my son requested).  I expect they will be great reading experiences as well.

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Knock Knock Jokes

Knock, Knock!

Who's there?

Banana!

Banana who?

Is it just my favorite, or is the banana joke the most well-known knock knock out there? 

We were traveling home from Thanksgiving when my 4-year-old decided to start telling us knock knock jokes with nonsense words for the who and punch line.  It was clear that he enjoys them, and I started trying to think up any halfway decent knock knock to share with the family.

Coming up with knock knocks is not the easiest for me. I managed a few, "Harry up and open the door!"  but after about 5 or 6 I was seriously stuck and made it a point to go purchase a knock knock book at Amazon.   

We were just looking at one of the books last night, Good Clean Knock-Knock Jokes for Kids, as we were having another family knock knock session. (We improvised a great one in Jamaica based on the name of an appetizer on a restaurant menu.  Here it is: 

Knock, Knock!

Who's there?

Jamaica!

Jamaica who? 

Jamaica me crazy! 

Hope you like it!)

It is hard to review a knock knock book.  Some of the jokes are good, some are OK, some are clunkers, some don't make sense.  But.... having a knock knock joke book on hand is a fun, good resource for some fun family entertainment.  I think making up your own is awesome and great brain exercise, but when you run out, a joke book keeps the fun going. 

I want to get some videos of the kids telling knock knock jokes.  They are not master joke tellers by any means, but they enjoy the interaction and pattern of knock knock jokes.  I think that we'll enjoy knock knocks for at least a few more years.  Perhaps I will remember a few more in time than just the banana and Harry. 

I *think* that joke books fall into the nonfiction category.  If you are interested visiting today's Nonfiction Monday, check it out here at the APCL Mock Sibert blog. 

Nonfiction Monday - A Children's Picture Atlas for Earth Day

See this book at Amazon

Welcome everyone to Nonfiction Monday!

I'm thrilled to share this beautiful picture atlas with you. It seems very appropriate to include this beautiful book about our Earth as we approach Earth Day this week. We recently purchased this at the recommendation of online friends and it is fantastic!

The 48-page Usborne Children's Picture Atlas is gorgeous, informative and wonderful for preschool and grade school ages. Its contents include a series of informational pages that show and explain our world and what kinds of things kids will see in the maps, and then nine beautiful spreads of maps illustrated with drawings of landmarks, people, animals, plants, and vehicles.

It's gorgeous to look at and very interesting to explore. I especially love the "Can you find these things on the maps?" lists that link the information pages to the maps in a fun and challenging game. We love our copy and I'd recommend it as a great addition to your child's collection or as a great gift book.

Nonfiction Monday bloggers, please share your posts in the comments. Thank you!

NONFICTION MONDAY LINKS -- APRIL 20, 2009

Roberta reviews two poetry books by Douglas Florian, insectlopedia and in the swim at Wrapped in Foil Blog

Spring is here! Great Kid Books reviews Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert, exploring the world of butterflies.

100 Scope Notes reviews A Mirror to Nature

Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect shares What Can You Do With An Old Red Shoe?

Sarah at In need of Chocolate reviews a Seashore field guide

The JustOneMoreBook! podcast contribution to non-fiction picture books this week:- a chat about The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau: http://tinyurl.com/cm8tyd- excerpts of Jason Lowe's session at NYC PEN group about response to Lee&Lowe's books:Baseball Saved Us Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story Su Dongpo: Chinese Genius Listen here: http://tinyurl.com/c73vpf

The Book Chook reviewed a wonderful picture book called Roadworks, great for little truckaholics or youngsters who'd like to find out how a road is made

Kim at The Wild About Nature blog reviews Where Should Turtle Be? by Susan Ring.

Lori at Lori Calabrese Writes! takes a look at What's so Bad About Gasoline?

Jules has a sneak peek of Steve Jenkins' new title, DOWN DOWN DOWN, at 7-Imp, aka, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Abby (the) Librarian has a post about multicultural books for preschoolers - Reading Around the World for Preschoolers  

Amanda reviewed Recycle This Book at A Patchwork of Books

Simply Science takes a look at A Temperate Forest Food Chain by Rebecca Hogue Wojahn and Donald Wojahn.  (Karen's note -- I checked out Simply Science and think I found a new favorite blog!) 

The ACPL Mock Sibert Blog features Mermaid Queen by Shana Corey -- It's a beautiful picture book biography. 

Book Scoops shares Onward: A Photobiography of African American Polar Explorer by Dolores Johnson

Katie from Katie's Literature Lounge says -- It's National Wildlife Week... I've got a bunch of reviews featuring all kinds of wildlife. 

Thank you so much everyone for sharing great Nonfiction Monday articles!  And thanks so much for your patience while I got the roundup finished.  I appreciate it!   --Karen

Lang Lang: Playing with Flying Keys

Loved it!  After reading Erica Moore's review of Lang Lang: Playing with Flying Keys at The Well Read Child, I decided to check it out from our library for my own reading. I'm so happy that I did - this book is fantastic! I finished it within 24 hours of getting it home -- Lang Lang's life story and journey of becoming one of the world's most famous classical pianists is stunning. 

The book brought tears to my eyes several times as I followed the drama of Lang Lang's struggles and triumphs -- the pressure of his father's stern, demanding, brutal drive for success, the sadness and love of his mother left behind to support the family, the generosity and caring of some teachers and friends, the enormous sacrifices made by Lang Lang and his parents, and the dramatic, perilous, ascent to the top of the classical music world. 

I was fascinated by the descriptions of China and Chinese culture, and the actions of people in Lang Lang's life. An amazing read worth your time!

Slinky, Scaly Snakes!

I made a conscious effort to expand my sons' reading materials with more non-fiction topics after reading part of Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius that deals with reality, imagination and fantasy.  I wanted to get away from books that have talking dogs, etc., or at least, provide more of a balance between the talking dogs and real-life topics.  

I also wanted to give my oldest some slightly more advanced reading materials / pre-reader types of books.  One of our selections is Slinky, Scaly Snakes!  A DK reader book (Level 2).  

He loves it.  And I'm happy to report that a non-fiction book has sparked his imagination!  He proudly proclaimed that three wiffle balls were his snake eggs, and that he was the mommy snake and I (mom) was the daddy snake.   It is also very cute when he has pulled out the book and said we haven't read it in a long time when our last read was two nights ago. 

The book has good photos of snakes. It covers snakes' hunting, killing and swallowing prey honestly, and shows snakes eating eggs, rats, and a gazelle.  OK, that's kind of icky, but it is how nature works, and it hasn't frightened my son at all. 

There is a mystery photo in this book I am trying to figure out.  Can anyone help decipher what this photo is?   It is on page 23, and the previous page talks about egg-eating snakes, and one that is eating a bird egg.  The text reads:

The egg makes a big bulge in the snake's body.

The egg breaks inside the snake.

Then the snake spits out the shell.

See the bottom photo? It looks like a clear bubble on top of something and I can't tell if it's part of the snake, or the egg, or what exactly is shown.  Any ideas?  I might have to email the zoo and ask for help.

The fish, amphibian and reptile building is one of my son's favorites at the Milwaukee County Zoo, and so I was hopeful that Slinky, Scaly Snakes! would be a hit, and it is.  

I encourage families to explore non-fiction and science books to enhance your children's collections.

DK Readers: Slinky, Scaly Snakes (Level 2: Beginning to Read Alone)

Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius