Animal Ark: Celebrating our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures
Written by Kwame Alexander, with Mary Rand Hess & Deanna Nikaido, photographs by Joel Sartore
My rating: ★★★½
ISBN: 978-1426327674
Publisher: National Geographic
Date of publication: February 14, 2017
Age: 4 - 8 years
Genre: Poetry
Format: ARC from publisher
Themes: animals, poetry, conservationism, beauty
"A howling wolf, a stalking tiger, a playful panda, a dancing bird–they are all part of our wonderful world. And each is equally important. Pairing the photography of National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore with the poetry of Newbery award-winning author Kwame Alexander, this lush picture book celebrates the beauty, diversity, and fragility of the animal world."
It's beautiful but simple. Subtle, too. Each page, with its plain white or black background, only features a photo of an animal and the few words of Alexander's poetic text. Yes, the words themselves are brightly colored and move around the page, but it is very obvious that this is all about the animals. It's a big spotlight on them. And that's what I love. Super simple text...and big, bold photographs. This is a celebration of animal life for all ages. Kids could spend ages examining every picture or enjoy it simply as the poetic appreciation it is as it's read aloud. The poetry is unique--not your standard Dr. Seuss rhyme, but more on the haiku side of things. My one hesitation may be that it could get a little long or abstract (losing kids' attention), but it's still definitely something to share.
There are some more extensive parts. It does have a few fold out pages where there's a collage of photos or a longer poetic essay. The notes from the contributors at the end are also more informative. So it's beauty and learning both. Try it, see if you like it, too.
Find it at your library or on Amazon
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You Can Be a Paleontologist!: Discovering Dinosaurs with Dr. Scott
by Scott D. Sampson, Ph.D.
My rating: ★★★½
ISBN: 978-1426327285
Publisher: National Geographic
Date of publication: April 4, 2017
Age: Grades K - 3
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: ARC from publisher
Themes: paleontology, dinosaurs, fossils, scientific exploration
"Ever wondered how to find a dinosaur? Paleontologist Dr. Scott Sampson, host of Dinosaur Train on PBS Kids, tells kids how! How do paleontologists find dinosaur bones? How do they know what dinosaurs ate or looked like? And what is paleontology, anyway? Dr. Scott tackles all these questions and more while inspiring kids to go out and make the next big dino discovery!"
This is a great little picture book that's chock-full of information, for its target age group. It's a bit like an easy reader with the text being big and plainly laid out, but it's still a lot--young kids would benefit from having someone help them read it. There's plenty of photos and illustrations to still keep the non-readers attention. I appreciated the question/answer format and the straightforward (yet still rather in-depth) way of explaining things. Dinosaur lovers will be sure to appreciate it.
Find it at your library or on Amazon
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Ultimate Explorer Guide: Explore, Discover, and Create Your Own Adventures With Real National Geographic Explorers as Your Guides!
Nancy Honovich
My rating: ★★★★
ISBN: 978-1426327094
Publisher: National Geographic
Date of publication: March 14, 2017
Age: Grades 3 - 7
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: ARC from publisher
Themes: scientific exploration, adventure, explorers, experiments, outdoor activities
"Learn what it takes to be a real-life explorer in this fun and action-packed guide to discovering the world around us. Unearth ancient mummies and lost treasures, encounter wild animals and learn how to protect their habitats, and shoot for the stars with the latest technologies in space travel. Amazing stories, fantastic photos, and hands-on-activities inspire curious kids to start discovering on land, air, and sea. Profiles feature National Geographic explorers of all kinds: paleontologists, biologists, photographers, artists, writers, activists, conservationists, and more. Kids are inspired to follow their passions into careers and introduced to the first steps to take to achieve their dream."
Like most National Geographic books for kids, this one was PACKED. I'm grateful for the guide on using this guide because all of the little side notes, asides, and bonus facts can get a little distracting. But! Informative, as always, of course. Again, the magazine-like format really can be a benefit (more than a hinderance) because it allows both for browsing and reading front to back--great for all sorts of readers. Plus the content is great, especially all the photographs. There's so much to see and get excited about. The text, while it is laid out all over the place, is not confusing in itself. It gives straightforward, fascinating information. And then there's the fun try-at-home stuff, too.
Overall, this particular guide was great because it gives insight into all sorts of professions and scientific work. There's not just one kind of explorer, you know? With it being divided up into land, water, and sky sections, I think it gives a good overview. Keep it in mind when faced with a young, budding explorer!
Find it at your library or on Amazon
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