Category: animals

Author: Scotti Cohn
Illustrator: Susan Detwiler
Publisher: Sylvan Dell
Genre: Animals / Nature
ISBN: 978-1-60718-6281
Pages: 32
Price: $9.95

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Birds flock together to travel south. Salmon swim upstream to spawn. Seals group together on land to mate and give birth. Some animals seek warmer climates, others a place to lay eggs. Whatever their purpose, they migrate in large quantities to get there.

On the Move: Mass Migrations explores some of the animal populations who migrate. In addition to short segments about these individual species, there are supplemental classroom materials provided in the appendix. Anyone who plans to cover this topic in class would find this book helpful.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author:  Karin Olsen Cavanaugh, DVM
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Genre: Children / Dogs
ISBN: 978-1-62510-657-5
Pages: 28
Price: $9.99

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David is worried because his dog, Trooper, is acting funny. He didn’t eat his breakfast, he vomited in David’s room, and now he looks tired and unhappy. David and his mom take Trooper to see Dr. Bob, their veterinarian, to see what’s making him sick.

Dr. Bob gives Trooper a check-up and determines there is something causing his belly to ache. An x-ray reveals a foreign object, which must be removed. Soon, Trooper is feeling well again, and is able to go home.

Trooper’s Trip to the Vet shows kids, through David’s experience, what to expect when they take an animal to the veterinarian. It also teaches them that their pets need a doctor’s care to keep healthy. This cute story would be a great read for all kids with pets of their own.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Jana Bommersbach
Illustrator: Jeff Yesh
Publisher: Little Five Star
Genre: Children / Animals
ISBN: 978-1-58985-252-5
Pages: 40
Price: $11.95

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Mama Squirrel is worried about the big, black cat roaming the neighborhood. He is intent on doing harm to her and her babies, so she needs a safe place for a nest. Normally, squirrels don’t use birdhouses, but a wood duck house suits her purposes just fine. Soon she and her two little ones, Sally and Sammy, are safe inside.

Mama takes good care of her children, and they begin to ask what’s outside their nest. Sally is ready to explore, but Sammy is more timid, and Mama worries he may have trouble adjusting once he’s living on his own. Mama encourages him, and Sammy finally ventures out into the world.

Told from Mama Squirrel’s perspective, A Squirrel’s Story is a cute story based on an actual squirrel family. There is also a curriculum guide and activities provided for classroom use.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Sharon I. Ritt
Illustrator: Nadia Komorova
Genre: Children / Animals
ISBN: 978-1-85985-223-5
Pages: 40
Price: $14.95

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Georgy (also known as “GQ”) is a Gambel’s quail living in the Arizona desert. As he explores, he discovers many fascinating plants and animals, and they are mentioned as he visits them. The second section of this book explains in more detail about each plant and animal featured. Lastly, there are activities that can be used to learn more about the Sonoran Desert. An accompanying CD provides some information about the book, plus two versions of the story. One is in song, to the tune of Frère Jacques, and the other is read by the author.

The illustrations in GQ, GQ, Where Are You? are lovely, and Georgy is soft and cute with an inquisitive look. The text is written with the intent of singing, and the rhythm is not quite true, so it doesn’t read easily aloud. There is a lot of good information in the detailed plants and animals section, and children will discover interesting facts about desert life.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Mary Holland
Publisher: Sylvan Dell
Genre: Children / Animals
ISBN: 978-1-60718-6267
Pages: 32
Price: $9.95

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Ferdinand is the runt of a litter of foxes. Born in an underground den, he only emerges for the first time a few weeks later. Now he’s ready to start exploring, playing with his siblings, and hunting.

Through beautiful accompanying photographs, we see how Ferdinand is cared for by his parents and learns to fend for himself. A fox’s diet and daily habits are also explained, as well as the importance of his senses of smell and hearing. A classroom guide is provided for further discussion.

Foxes are magnificent creatures, and these wonderful photos capture their antics close-up. Kids will not only learn about how foxes survive in the wild, but will also come to appreciate their beauty and grace. I highly recommend Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer for all children and nature lovers.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Debu Majumdar
Illustrator: Lynn Wolfe
Publisher: Bo-Tree House
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9832227-2-9
Pages: 54
Price: $12.99

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In this sequel to Viku and the Elephant, Haatee is in trouble. Elephant hunters have captured him in a deep hole, and Viku needs to save his friend. After having no success in freeing him, Viku goes home with a heavy heart, trying to come up with a new plan.

But the following day, Haatee is no longer there, and now Viku needs to outsmart the elephant hunters. He tries to go to the local authorities, but no one wants to help him, so Viku is on his own. But one smart boy, desperate to save his friend, is more than capable of handling these treacherous men.

Viku to the Rescue is a heart-warming story about a boy and his dear friend. Viku exhibits loyalty, bravery, ingenuity, and cleverness in saving Haatee, and provides a wonderful role model for kids. Even in his frustrating encounter with the police, Viku remains calm and respectful. I highly recommend this series for the positive values demonstrated.

Debu Majumdar shared his thoughts with us in an interview. Please be sure to read what he has to say!

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Mary Packard
Illustrator: Lisa McCue
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4027-7231-3
Pages: 24
Price: $7.95

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Little Chipmunk is proud of his two front teeth, but one day he notices a tooth is very loose. Concerned that something is wrong, he avoids eating any foods that might make his problem worse. The dentist reassures him that this is perfectly normal, and soon he’ll have two grown-up teeth where his baby teeth used to be.

Losing a first tooth can be a bit scary for children who don’t realize what’s happening. But as Little Chipmunk experiences this himself, he guides kids through the process they will soon face. Lisa McCue’s darling animal illustrations add to the charm of this cute story.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Illustrator: Rebecca Dudley
Publisher: Peter Pauper Press
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4413-1158-0
Pages: 40
Price: $16.99

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Hank is strolling through the forest one day, when he spots an egg on the ground. Looking up, he sees a nest, high in the tree. He tries a few methods of climbing the tree to return it, with no success. Finally, he lights a camp fire for the evening, and holds the egg while he sleeps.

The following day, mother bird arrives on the scene. Between the two of them, the egg is restored to the nest. And soon afterwards, the baby birds hatch, making Hank very happy.

Hank Finds an Egg is told with no words. Instead, the author/illustrator has taken photos of Hank’s actions, and pieced them together to tell the story. Hank is hand-made from fabric, and his environment is also hand-created to set the stage. This sweet tale is perfect for beginning readers and all those who enjoy artfully illustrated books.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author & Illustrator: Matt Patterson
Publisher: Schiffer Books
Genre: Children / Nature
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4282-0
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

Schiffer Books
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Some animals come out in the daylight, and some only at night. Different animals live in nature’s various habitats. In Daylight Moonlight, author and illustrator Matt Patterson, shows us these animals in their natural environments. The accompanying text describes some of the sights and sounds.

In a pond, you might see red-winged blackbirds by day, and hear spring peepers by night. But on the prairie, buffalo graze by day, while a wolf howls by night. The final pages of this book show black and white renditions of the color drawings, with each animal identified, as a reference section for a child who wants to have fun figuring out which animals he sees.

The illustrations are nicely done, and kids will have fun identifying the animals. But the text could have been enhanced by focusing more on the sounds of the environment, to go along with the pictures. Overall, though, this is a nice nature book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger