Summer BOOK-TIVITY #4
Don't miss the other Summer BOOK-TIVITIES:
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CROCS AND GATORS!
Now renowned science writer Seymour Simon gets up close and personal with these reptile wonders in Crocodiles and Alligators (HarperCollins). The clear text, engaging writing style, and 20 full-color photographs will help kids discover how crocodiles and alligators eat their food without chewing, how they use sun to regulate their body temperatures, how to tell the difference between crocodiles and alligators, and, perhaps most importantly, how these incredible reptiles have been brought back from the brink of extinction. More than 90 of Simon's books for young readers have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association/Children's Book Council. Crocodiles and Alligators will surely be on next year's list!
Now, with Fun With Modeling Clay (Kids Can Press), kids have a veritable how-to book for creating with clay. Step-by-step illustrated instructions show kids the basic techniques and eight basic shapes -- the ball, the egg, the drop, the snake, the sausage, the cylinder, the box, and the ribbon -- from which all manner of things can be created. Using those basic shapes, author Barbara Reid shows kids how to create about two dozen creatures, including a crocodile:
The beach is a perfect spot for Crocodile. We're talking about the game Crocodile, not the creature! Crocodile is one of more than 60 games included in The Kids Summer Games Book (Kids Can Press). In the game of Crocodile, kids pretend that a hungry crocodile is lurking in the sand, ready to bite if the beach ball touches the sand. Lots of people can play. The rules are simple:
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MY STATE'S CLAIM TO FAME!
But before you "write the book" about your state, you might want to explore one or more of the new books in the Look What Came from... series. Written by Miles Harvey, each book in this elementary-level multicultural series explores, in very simple fashion, the foods, words, inventions, tools, customs, toys, games/sports, animals, religions, holidays, fashions, and arts that a specific country has contributed to the world. Harvey's books explore "what came from" Mexico, Italy, Egypt, China, and other countries. Did you know that the Chinese invented the abacus, paper, printing, and fireworks? You probably associate China with such foods as rice, tea, and soybeans, but did you know Chinese people were the first to eat peaches, ice cream, and pasta? The wheelbarrow, the compass, and the saddle all have their origins in China. Kites, dominoes, and -- believe it or not -- hacky sack originated in China too! Readers will learn these facts and many more in Look What Came from China (Franklin Watts/Grolier). Dozens of colorful photos accompany Harvey's informative and often surprising text. In addition, readers will find a recipe for fried rice, a glossary of simple Chinese expressions, and a bibliography that includes books and Web sites kids might explore for additional information. The other books in the series follow this same format. Many of them are available in paperback as well as in hardcover. Look What Came from China -- the next best thing to traveling there!
READ MORE: More books from the "Look What Came from..." series
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IMAGINATION EXPLORATION!Squiggle (Dragonfly Books/Crown Publishers) is written with little ones in mind, but the book is one that can be used to stir the imagination of kids of all ages. In this story from author Carole Lexa Schaefer, a class of young children takes off on a walk. Hand-in-hand, the kids form a nice straight line. But the little girl on the end finds a piece of red string. Held one way, the string is a straight line, but whipped or snapped or slithered, it transforms into a dancing dragon, a trapeze rope, or popping fireworks! Pierr Morgan's charming watercolors help readers see those transformations. After sharing the book with children, challenge them to try one of four activities that appear inside the book's front and back covers. Or try the simple BOOK-TIVITY below!
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LIFE LESSONS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE!DO help keep the house clean. DO wear clean underwear. DON'T wear it on your head. DO brush your teeth after every meal. Life lessons from artist Todd Parr form the basis of one of his four new books, Do's and Don'ts (Little, Brown, and Company). Another book from Parr, Things That Make You Feel Good, Things That Make You Feel Bad, follows a similar format. With illustrations in bold yellow, red, green, and blue, these books are sure to tickle any kid's (or any adult's) funny bone. Well worth the investment -- Do's and Don'ts is $4.16 from barnesandnoble.com!
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ONE MORE BOOK OF NOTE! AESOP & COMPANY -- NEW FROM HOUGHTON MIFFLIN!In Aesop and Company (Houghton Mifflin), Barbara Bader faithfully retells 19 most important fables, complete with their concluding morals. Bader has also included a scholarly introduction with sources and an epilogue about Aesop and the myth surrounding his life. Arthur Geisert's bold and handsome designs make each fable a work of art. Return to Education World's Summer Reading Ideas page.
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