A is for Autumn

Welcome autumn with Robert Maass' A is for Autumn (c.2011), a photographic alphabet salute to one of the year's most delightful seasons.  This title is great for preschoolers and great for early readers.  And the photographs make it an overall "feel good" kind of book, perfect for the change of season.

The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau

Wow!  That's all I can say . . . WOW!  This book is spellbinding.  

First of all, it taught me about the man behind that ocean camera, Jacques Cousteau.  I remember watching him in my childhood, but, of course, I didn't know his bio.  

Author/illustrator Dan Yaccarino (c. 2009) captures the wonder that lead Cousteau into ocean exploration and transports his readers into the fanciful water-dimmed world of Oceanic life.


Oh . . . and the kids loved it too!!!

The Secret Lives of Backyard BUGS

It's spring, and we've been spending most of our time outside.  The kids have been chasing butterflies, climbing trees, and playing with bugs!  Thanks to our friend Caleb, we've enjoyed seeing baby Praying Mantis that had just hatched out of a pod-like house.  Now they watch three caterpillars (that Momma has been keeping alive for several weeks!) in hopes to see evolve from chrysalis to butterfly (fingers crossed).

Needless to say they've all been quite keen on identifying these various creatures.  So we've needed a little help (to say the least) from written sources.

So I dedicate this post to all my "bug" lovin' young friends.  Here's the book that the kids have monopolized for the past few days.  I recommend The Secret Lives of Backyard BUGS by Judy Burris and Wayne Richards to friends of all ages.  The photos are phenomenal!  The explanations are just long enough to inform and just short enough to keep a child's attention span. 

The Secret Lives of Backyard BUGS explores insects of all varieties, from beetles to wasps and icky stink bugs to beautiful butterflies.  Including life cycles and quick guides while identifying host plants, this book presents it all in a simple, easy-to-read format (I know that sounds like a contradiction, but you'll have to trust me!).  Each page has just enough information and pictures to inform without overwhelming the reader's senses.

And I've learned quite a bit along the way too!  I thought all dragonflies were alike.  Au contraire my friends, enter the damselfly.  If you'd like to know the difference, be sure to check out The Secret Lives of Backyard BUGS.  Your kids will thank me!

Update: we watched two of our caterpillars make cocoons!