Every Day Birds ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Beautiful, nonfiction book about birds we see each day.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Every Day Birds
By Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Cut Paper Illustrations by Dylan Metrano
(Orchard Books, 2016)

Birds you see each day are the stars of this book, Every Day Birds.

Simple text, colorful fonts, beautiful cut paper illustrations, and one characteristic or behavior of each featured bird make this book a keeper. Twenty common North American birds are pictured in Every Day Birds. A picture identification and additional information section is included at the end of the book.

Young readers and budding bird lovers will treasure reading Every Day Birds. Reading will be followed up by time outdoors searching for the birds who live among the book pages.

Check out this brand new book. Every Day Birds.

KID KANDY:

Bird Watching

Materials: Every Day Birds, binoculars, hat

1. Read and study the birds found in Every Day Birds.

2. Put on your hat and head outside to look for birds.

3. Use the binoculars to see details of different birds without having to get too close.

4. Compare the birds you found to the ones in the book. How many did you find? Which was your favorite?

5. Some bird enthusiasts keep a lifetime list of the birds they see. You could make your own list by using a notebook for a bird journal. Draw or list the birds you observe.

Are you having fun yet? I'd love to hear which birds you saw on your bird hunt.

Tweet, tweet!

Watching the Seasons - Fall ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Watching the Seasons - Fall
By Emily C. Dawson
(Bullfrog Books, Jump!; 2013)

Watching the Seasons - Fall is a perfect nonfiction picture book. Filled with glorious fall photos, one could not wish for better pictures.

The nonfiction book features are what make this book stand out. Table of contents, charts, glossary, index, short sentences, text boxes, and learning more about the topic section really make Watching the Seasons - Fall shine.

Early readers will love the challenge of reading this beautiful book and learning how much fun nonfiction can be.

KID KANDY:

Rank Your Favorite Fall Activities - And Then Do Each One!

1. Make a list of your favorite autumn activities. Put each activity on a separate index card. Some people enjoy raking leaves, visiting pumpkin patches, carving pumpkins, or touring apple orchards. Ask your family for their ideas.

2. Rearrange the cards until they are in the order of your favorite fall activities.

3. Start at the top of the list and do that fun activity. Place the card on the bottom of the list and continue having fun with all of the other activities.

4. Did you find a new favorite? Did you learn something?

5. Invite a friend to choose his or her favorite and have some fall fun together!

P.S. Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love pumpkins, so one of my favorite fall activities is going to pumpkin patches and buying pumpkins for my house!

Bugs A to Z ~ Wacky Wednesday Picture Book & KID KANDY

Bugs A to Z
By Caroline Lawton
(Scholastic Inc., 2011)

It's that time of year. Bugs. Creepy crawlies. Insects. Spiders. Scorpions.

Bugs A to Z takes advantage of our natural interest and fascination (both positive and negative) with the insect world. Even those of us who shriek at the sight of particular six-legged versions (I'm raising my hand), this nonfiction picture book is fantastic.

Bugs A to Z is filled with high quality photographs of a wide variety of bugs - plenty to get you shuddering or running for high ground. This book is not limited to just insects, but other buggy types are included. Think spiders and scorpions in addition to the regular sort of rustling creepers.

Boys and girls will love to be grossed out by the pictures and information shared in Bugs A to Z. Each letter features one bug and a tidbit of information about that particular critter.

Prepare to be amazed.

KID KANDY:

Go on a Critter Hunt - Catch and Release

Materials: bug cage, magnifying glass, plastic container with a lid (for catching only)

Head on out. There are plenty of interesting creatures just waiting for us to observe them. Use the plastic container to scoop up a bug and quickly cover the top with the lid. Open the bug cage and dump in the critter. Use the magnifying glasses to closely inspect your captive creepy crawly.

What is it? How many legs does it have? Can you see the body parts, eyes, feelers, antennae, legs, or stingers? How do you feel about this bug?

Time for another hunt. Don't forget to release the bug in the cage before adding a new one, or who knows what could happen!

Funny story: I had a bug cage at church and had captured a jumping spider. The preschoolers loved looking at it. Suddenly, I noticed that it had escaped and was racing across the floor. I quickly snatched it up and dumped it back in the cage. Where it was attacked and killed by the first jumping spider that I had put it there! The first one had not escaped like we thought. The second spider was a new intruder in our room.

Poor spider. Maybe that was a sad story.

RED, Colors in Nature - Terrific Tuesday Picture Book & KID KANDY

RED, Colors in Nature
By Rebecca Stromstad Glaser
(Bullfrog Books, Jump!, 2014)

Just looking at the vibrant, beautiful colors in RED, Colors in Nature makes me feel like I could touch the pages and feel the living nature items.

In RED, Colors in Nature, the text is simple yet engaging. A red object is pictured. A short sentence labels the photo. And then the question Why is it red? is included. The facing page answers the why question.

This nonfiction picture book will appeal to young readers and pre-readers. Nonfiction features are included, including a glossary, index, table of contents, and text boxes.

RED is not the only book in the Colors of Nature series. I have also found YELLOW and BLUE at my library and they are just as captivating.

KID KANDY:

Go Grocery Shopping

What better place to find a zillion colors on display in something near and dear to our hearts (and tummies) than our fruit and vegetables!

~ Choose one color (or decide to look for several) before you and your child hit the produce aisle.

~ Look for and label foods by color. Language building activities like learning color words and names of fruit and vegetables are essential for young children.

~ Let your child choose one or two foods from a color group to take home and taste. (Hint: This is a great way to get them to try NEW foods.)

~ Older children can make a chart and see how many different types of produce they can find for a chosen color. If your kids enjoy competition, let each choose a different color (in advance of the trip) and see who can find and write down the most of their chosen color.

~ Maybe you have a budding photographer? Let him or her use a digital camera to shoot pictures of colorful produce. Help make slide show of color on the family computer.

Whatever activity you chose, enjoy those beautiful colors of the grocery store produce section.

I Can Draw Animals - Non-Fiction Picture Book

I Can Draw Animals - Usborne Playtime
By Ray Gibson
Illustrated By Amanda Barlow
Photography By Howard Allman
(Scholastic Inc., 1997)

I Can Draw Animals is a great little non-fiction book that gives simple examples and directions to children about drawing animals. Sixteen animals reside on pages filled with color and step-by-step instructions. Crayons and felt pens are the recommended art tools that are used on white paper. Budding artists can start with crayons and felt pens and branch out after they have figured out how to draw the different animals.

Artist in the family? I Can Draw Animals is the perfect title.

KID KANDY:

Supplies ~ crayons, felt pens, markers, white paper

~ Read the table of contents and choose an animal to draw. Follow the directions to create animal kingdom works of art.

~ Matte favorite drawings and display them in picture frames. Or stick artwork right on a bulletin board or the refrigerator.

~ No wall space? Staple one side of pages together to make a book of drawings. Or put in a binder in individual transparent protective sleeves.

Be sure to have the artist sign the pictures and add the date!


Angie Quantrell is not an artist. But she still loves drawing and experimenting with different types of art media. Directions help her to draw recognizable pictures!

Winter Wonderland -Winter NF Picture Book

Winter Wonderland
By Jill Esbaum
(Scholastic Edition, 2012; National Geographic Society, 2010)

I wish I had written this book!

Winter Wonderland is a beautifully photographed nonfiction picture book for children. Both text and photos tell about winter and the things we might see, do, hear, feel, and smell in the season of cold.

What is interesting is the point of view - Winter itself is telling the story about winter. The narrator, Winter, explains how it might be gentle or sneaky or decorative. Throughout the book, descriptive words share the look and feel of winter.

For a different point of view, and good information about winter, read Winter Wonderland.

Kid Kandy:

Winter Collage

~ Take a walk in your neighborhood, noticing the signs of winter. Take digital photos of what you see.

~ Gather poster board, glue sticks, scissors, markers, and cutting magazines.

~ Cut out pictures of things found in the winter. Glue them on the poster board.

~ Print some of the winter photos you snapped. Add them to the collage.

~ Use colored markers to add winter words such as frigid, melt, icicle, snow, and so on.

~ Display your winter collage!

For you writers, how about penning a winter poem or writing a story that takes place in winter? See how many winter words you can use as you write. How about sharing it with us?