Tag Archives: Geography

Elem. – Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth

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Carmichael, L. E. Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth. Kids Can, 2023. 978-1-525-30457-6. 47 p. $18.99. Grades 2-5.

Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth uses a compare-contrast format supplemented by informative features to present a sweeping look at Arctic and Antarctic wildlife and their habitat. The book begins by introducing the geographic locations of the polar regions as well as the impact of the Earth’s tilt on the regions’ daylight. Double-page spreads organized by months of the year that introduce one new Arctic and Antarctic animal as well as a challenge/adaptation for its survival follow the introduction. These spreads are organized by months and are divided into four month periods divided by double-page informative spreads. Each shares more about the region’s seasons, geography, and challenges to the health of the environment. Includes a table of contents, suggestions for taking action, suggested websites, further reading, glossary, index, and a select bibliography.  

THOUGHTS: Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth covers a tremendous amount of ground in its 47 pages, including diverse animals, adaptations that will be familiar to its readers and novel ones, as well as background information on conditions that make the region unique. The level of detail will appeal to students who want to learn more about these regions of the planet. Recommended as a strong addition to established polar collections.

591 Zoology: Specific Topics in Natural History of Animals

Elem. – Country Explorers (Series NF)

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Country Explorers. Bearport Books, 2023. $19.95 ea. $598.50. Set of 30 (3 Sets of 10 Each). 24 p. Grades K-3

Mather, Charis. A Visit to Australia.
Phillips-Bartlett, Rebecca. A Visit to Austria. 979-8-885-09967-7.
—. A Visit to Belgium. 979-8-885-09968-4.
Redshaw, Hermione. A Visit to Brazil.
Anthony, William. A Visit to Canada.
Mather, Charis. A Visit to Chile.
—. A Visit to China.
—. A Visit to Colombia. 979-8-885-09974-5.
Phillips-Bartlett, Rebecca. A Visit to Cuba. 979-8-885-09969-1.
Mather, Charis. A Visit to Ecuador. 979-8-885-09371-2.
Redshaw, Hermione. A Visit to Egypt. 979-8-885-09970-7.
Anthony, William. A Visit to England. 979-8-885-09039-1.
Mather, Charis. A Visit to Finland. 979-8-885-09372-9.
Twiddy, Robin. A Visit to France. 979-8-885-09373-6.
Phillips-Bartlett, Rebecca. A Visit to Germany. 979-8-885-09971-4.
Twiddy, Robin. A Visit to India. 979-8-885-09040-7
—. A Visit to Italy. 979-8-885-09972-1.
Mather, Charis. A Visit to Jamaica. 979-8-885-09374-3.
—. A Visit to Japan. 979-8-885-09041-4.
—. A Visit to Malaysia. 979-8-885-09042-1.
Anthony, William. A Visit to Mexico. 979-8-885-09043-8.
Mather, Charis. A Visit to New Zealand. 979-8-885-09375-0.
—. A Visit to Pakistan. 979-8-885-09376-7.
—. A Visit to Poland. 979-8-885-09973-8.
—. A Visit to South Africa. 979-8-885-09975-2.
Wood, John. A Visit to South Korea. 979-8-885-09045-2.
Redshaw, Hermione. A Visit to Spain. 979-8-885-09377-4.
Mather, Charis. A Visit to Thailand. 979-8-885-09378-1.
—. A Visit to Turkey. 979-8-885-09976-9.
—. A Visit to the Netherlands. 979-8-885-09375-0.

This reader had the opportunity to review A Visit to Thailand. In the context of a trip to a foreign country, this simply written, compact book gives young readers a mini-tour of the famous sites. With accompanying color photographs and easy-to-read text, students can identify different landmarks, festivals, and the physical geography of the land. Includes glossary and index.

THOUGHTS: This series is an additional purchase for primary grades with lessons about countries around the globe. Though interesting and well written, this purchase would only be necessary when the curriculum calls for it in younger grades.

910 Geography

Elem. – Engineered by Nature (Series NF)

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London, Martha. Engineered by Nature (series of 8). Abdo Publishing, 2021. 32 pp. $21.29 each. Set of 8 $170.32 set of 8. Grades 2-5.

Cave of Crystals. 978-1-5321-92845.
Arches National Park. 978-1-5321-92838.
Giant’s Causeway. 978-1-5321-92852.
Grand Canyon. 978-1-5321-92869.
Great Barrier Reef. 978-1-5321-92876.
The Great Blue Hole. 978-1-5321-92883.
Mount Everest. 978-1-5321-92890.
Uluru. 978-1-5321-92906

These STEM oriented books focus on natural wonders and how they were formed. In Cave of Crystals, the author discusses this little known place in Mexico. Discovered by a mining company under the Sierra de Naica Mountains in the year 2000, the cave is just about as deep as the Eiffel Tower is tall. Once the water was pumped out, miners were surprised to see giant selenite crystals, some 36 feet tall. The largest of the interconnecting caverns is called Cave of Crystals. The author describes how these crystals were formed, what the conditions were like inside the cave, and which microorganisms lived inside the crystals. This natural wonder was only seen by scientists and is no longer accessible because the water is no longer being pumped out. The text contains a glossary, index, table of contents, map, and suggested resources. QR codes take readers to websites that contain teacher resources, as well as a site for children. There is also a quote from a scientist, which is labeled a primary source. The photographs are striking, especially the one that shows the size of the crystals compared with a human.

THOUGHTS: This series will appeal to those budding earth scientists. Although it is short with simple text, there is enough information for reports. Good resources for elementary STEM units.

Geography, Earth Science          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member
(917.24, 979.2, 914.1, 979.1, 551.4, 994.3, 954.96, 994.29)

Elem. – One World, Many Colors

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Lerwill, Ben. One World, Many Colors. words & pictures, 2020. 978-0-711-24983-7. Unpaged. $18.95. Grades K-3.

This colorful story takes readers on a tour around the world, from the snowy white plains of icy Antarctica to the yellow sunflower fields of Spain to the lush green jungle of the Amazon Rainforest. Beautiful illustrations depict the pink cherry blossoms of Japan, the blue sky above Mount Everest, and the noisy streets of New York City and London. These are just a few of the sights in store for readers in this lovely celebration of our Earth.

THOUGHTS: This book is a wonderful reminder that despite our various cultures, languages, and beliefs, we all share one world full of many colors. The last pages of the book feature a map on which highlighted cities are labelled as well as a list of colors in nine different languages. This would make an excellent introduction to a lesson on world cultures. I could see it being used as a springboard for research; after reading the book, students could be assigned one of the places mentioned in the book to research further.

910 Geography          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

MG – Iconic America (Series NF)

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Iconic America. ABDO Publishing, 2020. $23.00 ea. $138.00 set of 6. 48 p. Grades 5-8.

Burling, Alexis. Hollywood. 978-1-532-19090-2.
Kallio, Jamie. The National Mall. 978-1-532-19091-9.
Decker, Michael. New Orleans. 978-1-532-19092-6.
Ventura, Marne. New York City. 978-1-532-19093-3.
Decker, Michael. US Route 66. 978-1-532-19094-0.
Ventura, Marne. Walt Disney World. 978-1-532-19095-7.

Walt Disney World is the history behind not only Disneyworld and Disneyland but also the history and story of Walt Disney himself.  This book follows Walt Disney from growing up until he came up with the idea for the amusement parks, as well as how the parks have grown and changed over the years from the time it was created until today. The book features photos with clearly labeled captions, as well as further evidence sections where students can go to a website to find more information. The further evidence sections also ask the students questions related to what the chapter was about, which can be helpful to assist the students in continuing their research. The book features a timeline, a stop and think section, glossary, as well as online resources and an index.

THOUGHTS: Overall this is a great book for students to use for research. The information is clearly laid out and easy to follow along with additional information found throughout. Highly recommended for students.

791.06 amusement parks    Mary Hyson, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Elem. – Great Races (Series NF)

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Great Races. Momentum, The Child’s World, 2020. $20.95 ea. $167.70 set of 8. 32 p. Grades 3-6.

Ford, Jeanne Marie. Race Around the World. 978-1-503-83219-0.
Havemeyer, Janie. Race to Mount Everest. 978-1-503-83223-7.
Hutchinson, Patricia. Race to Space. 978-1-503-83220-6.
Maurer, Gretchen. Race to the Bottom of the Ocean. 978-1-503-83224-4.
Perdew, Laura. Race to Discover Energy Independence. 978-1-503-83222-0.
—. Race to Renewable Energy. 978-1-503-83226-8.
Rea, Amy C. Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb. 978-1-503-83225-1.
—. Race to the Poles. 978-1-503-83221-3.

Author Amy C. Rea taps into touchstones of world history in these concise overviews. Race to the Atomic Bomb provides the highlights of the creation of the atomic bomb, starting with brief background of founding scientists and ending with a mention of the post World War II proliferation of nuclear weapons. Aimed at a young audience, the thirty-two page book traces the development of the atom bomb from the British James Chadwick’s discovery of the neutron in 1935 to Albert Einstein’s prodding Franklin Delano Roosevelt to form the Manhattan Project to the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Black and white photographs of major scientists and scenes give context for young readers. The book concludes with probing critical thinking questions. Includes contents, glossary, resources, index.

THOUGHTS: Young readers who need some knowledge of these topics may benefit from this series. Though the facts are true, they just skim the surface. For example, Harry Truman’s decision to drop the atom bomb merits a few lines. Relaying the number of deaths and including Truman’s reflection on the dreadfulness of the atom bomb does not convey the impact of such devastation. This series seems directed at a younger audience who are just learning about these events.

355.8 History          Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

Elementary NF – Money Math; Project Passion; Dropping In On; Abandoned Places; Dragonflies

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Adler, David A. and Edward Miller, Ill. Money Math: Addition and Subtraction. Holiday House, 2017. 978-0-8234-2698-9. 32 p. $17.95. Gr. 1-3

A great book to fill in that 513 Dewey section in your library that might be languishing. Cartoon kids want to buy things but need to understand how money works first. In jump the Presidents who are on the different coins and bills and talk about how to add, then subtract money. Decimal points and coins are discussed, and the math in the book gets progressively harder the further you go.  THOUGHTS: I thought it was interested that they had half dollar coins in the book, but they didn’t discuss the $1 Sacagawea coin.  Overall it’s a good addition (pun intended) to the library, but not a must read.

Math; Money       Emily Woodward, The Baldwin School

 

Bolte, Mari. Project Passion (series). Capstone, 2018. 32 p. $20.99 ea. Gr. 4-6.

Bit by Bit:  Projects for Your Odds and Ends.  978-1-5157-7375-7.

Bought in Bulk:  Projects for Surplus Supplies.  978-1-5157-7376-4.

Create and Keep:  Projects to Hang On To.  978-1-5157-7373-3.

Share the Love:  Projects You’ll Love to Give.  978-1-5157-7374-0.  

Bit by Bit:  Projects for Your Odds and Ends and Bought in Bulk: Projects for Surplus Supplies are similar titles that include simple craft projects that can be made using common household objects and leftover craft supplies.  The books include photographic illustrations for nearly every project, including variations on each project, and clear, easy-to-follow directions.  Most of the projects can be completed entirely by children, although a few do require adult supervision or assistance.  THOUGHTS:  These books are useful additions to a makerspace which often include many of the supplies needed. Recommended for upper elementary and middle schools needing to update their craft book collections.

Handicraft 745.5                Maggie Bokelman, Cumberland Valley SD

 

Dropping In On… Rourke Educational Media, 2017. 32 p. $23.00 each, $268.00 for set of 12. Gr. 3-6.

Barger, Jeff. Dropping In On…Atlanta. 978-1-68191-404-6.

Canasi, Brittany. Dropping In On…Boston. 978-1-68191-408-4.

Staton, Hilarie. Dropping In On…Chicago. 978-1-68191-406-0.

Greenspan, Judy. Dropping In On…Dallas. 978-1-68191-407-7.

Staton, Hilarie. Dropping In On…Denver. 978-1-68342-173-3.

Canasi, Brittany. Dropping In On…New Orleans. 978-1-68342-174-0.

Staton, Hilarie. Dropping In On…New York City. 978-1-68191-403-9.

Waxler, Melanie. Dropping In On…Orlando. 978-1-68191-402-2.

Nelson, Deb Tuttle. Dropping In On…Philadelphia. 78-1-68191-409-1.

Canasi, Brittany. Dropping In On…San Francisco. 978-1-68342-172-6.

Greenspan, Judy. Dropping In On…St. Louis. 978-1-68342-175-7.

Barger, Jeff. Dropping In On…Washington D.C. 978-1-68191-405-3.

Calling all travelers! The Dropping In On… series is ready to prepare students for their next big family vacation or city trip. Each title provides a basic historical overview of the title city, including facts on how that city was developed or discovered and information about major historical events impacting the city. For example, Dropping In On…St. Louis reviews the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark’s explorations, while Dropping In On…New Orleans details New Orleans history both before and after the Civil War and the changes in laws and life felt by African Americans like schoolgirl Ruby Bridges. Series titles also focus on each city’s landscape, parks, monuments, major sports teams, cultural history and attractions, and spots that every tourist must visit. Each book is packed full of beautifully colored photographs, often displayed in overlapping style like a traveler’s scrapbook of photographs. Illustrated children hop into some photographs to point out interesting tidbits, similar to tour guides. Each book features a table of contents, city facts section, glossary, index, and before and after reading activities for educators. THOUGHTS: Not an essential purchase but an interesting, fact-filled introduction to several major US cities.

900s     Lindsey Long, Lower Dauphin SD

 

Abandoned Places (series). Bellwether Media, 2018. $19.95 ea. Set of 6 $119.70.  24p. Gr. 2 – 5.

Leaf, Christina. Machu Picchu: The Lost Civilization. 9781626176966.

Owings, Lisa. Craco: The Medieval Ghost Town. 9781626176959.

Owings, Lisa. Battleship Island: The Deserted Island. 9781626176935.

Owings, Lisa. Pripyat: The Chernobyl Ghost Town. 9781626176973.

Schuetz, Kari. Bodie: The Gold-Mining Ghost Town. 9781626176942.

Schuetz, Kari. Roanoke: The Lost Colony. 9781626176980.

This informative series checks all the boxes of a good non-fiction book: Table of Contents, Glossary, To Learn More, and Index. Some of the best features in this series are the maps showing where the site is located, and the timelines that are in each book. The full-color modern pictures with interspersed historical ones provide a good viewpoint for young learners. THOUGHTS: The reinforced library binding makes this series worth its cost. I liked all the features, and it’s a series that won’t be quickly outdated, so will have a long shelf life.

Nonfiction; Historical Places       Emily Woodward, The Baldwin School

 

Perish, Patrick. Dragonflies. Bellwether Media, 2018. 9781626176621. $19.50. 24 p. Gr. K-3.

In this attractive early reader, Perish presents basic information about the dragonfly. Despite its length, the book is set up like a traditional nonfiction book with a table of contents, pictorial glossary, index, and bibliography.  The author gives the insect’s physical description, habitat, diet and life cycle in a succinct manner, as is typical of books in the Blastoff Readers series.  The stunning photographs complement the text and the reader sees full-page images of the insect on each two-page spread. One can see why this particular series is called Insects Up Close after examining the pictures, like the one which shows the size of the dragonfly’s eyes.  There are also some inset images, which are used to further explain such terms like nymph and molting.  Other interesting photographs include a dragonfly swimming underwater and one eating a mosquito.  Children will enjoy poring over the photos. This series includes a web resource called Factsurfer.  Readers are told to enter the term into the search box and get a list of websites.  One link from the San Diego Zoo did not have the referenced article and one site contained ads.  There are other books in the “Insects Up Close” series, which follow the same format.  Also examined were Cicadas, Grasshoppers, and Ladybugs.  THOUGHTS: This series is a great addition to any library collection serving children, despite the problem with the web resources. These texts would be useful in science units on insects and children will enjoy reading them for personal interest.  They are a good choice for emerging readers.

595.7  Science; Bugs            Denise Medwick, West Allegheny SD

New Nonfiction…Stingrays!, The Red Bicycle; The Book of Jonah

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Stingrays

Gerber, Carole. Stingrays! Underwater Fliers.( A Step into Reading Science Reader, Level 3). New York: Random House, 2015. 978-0-449-81308-9. 48p. $3.99. Gr. 1-2.

Stingrays have fascinated humans for many years. The stingray is not only an expert at camouflage, but a cunning and quick creature . Stingrays hide to both hunt and hide from predators such as sharks and whales. There are hundreds of types of stingrays living in oceans and rivers.

This non-fiction beginner science book has lots of action and many illustrations and photographs of stingrays. The shark attack may be intense for some sensitive readers, but illustrates how stingrays use their skills to avoid their predators. This book would be a great non-fiction selection since many children may have visited the stingray touch pools that are common in aquariums and tourist sites and could actually make text–to-world connections about these beautiful creatures.

Animals       Donna Fernandez, Calvary Christian Academy

 

 

redbicycle

Isabella, Judith. The Red Bicycle; The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press, 2015. 978-1-77138-023-2. 32p. $18.95. Gr. 3-6.

Follow the journey of one small red bicycle from the moment a young North American boy spends his hard earned mowing money to buy it, to the shores of Ghana in Africa. This wonderful journey tells how the gift of a bicycle changed a young African girl’s life in Burkina Faso. The bicycle’s journey continues to a clinic, where it is fitted with an ambulance stretcher and used to save sick and injured villagers.

This tale is a wonderful moment to teach children about giving and how their generosity can change the lives of others. The global themes in the book open children’s eyes to the needs of others and how a bicycle can be used for so much more than entertainment. This would be a thoughtful addition to a unit on global citizenship or Africa. The back of the book lists several organizations that collect used bicycles and redistribute them to needy countries.

Social Studies Picture Book          Donna Fernandez, Calvary Christian Academy

 

 

jonah

Spier, Peter. The Book of Jonah. New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2015. 978-0-385-37909-0. $17.99. Gr. K-5.

Peter Spier’s retelling of Jonah was originally published in 1985. Jonah’s story is one of the more well-known Bible stories, and Spier’s version is excellent. When God asks Jonah to go to Ninevah and spread the message that the people need to change their ways, Jonah runs from God and boards a ship. God creates a powerful storm, and Jonah realizes that he cannot run from God and goes to Ninevah to tell the important message. The people take his message to heart, and he ultimately accepts God’s word.

Spier’s classic style involves lovely watercolors, and this story is told using both text and multi-paneled illustrations. One spread shows Jonah entering Ninevah and speaking to the people through a series of six illustrations spread over two pages. This updated version contains excellent end material. There are several pages detailing the historical aspects of Jonah’s voyage through the geography of his time, including maps of the Assyrian Empire in the 8th Century BC, a map of Ninevah’s ruins, and even a cross-section of a ship like the one he travelled on when fleeing from God. The material includes current news about the story including a mention of the July 24, 2014, bombing of the Tomb of the Prophet Jonah by a terrorist group. This updated version will make an excellent addition to your 200’s shelves.

221.9 Lindsey Long, Nye & Conewago Elementary Schools