The Curious Nature Guide, Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You

The Curious Nature Guide, Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You
Written and illustrated by Clare Walker Leslie
(Storey Publishing, 2015)

I first noticed the cover of this book while on vacation with some girlfriends in Coupeville, Washington. Hidden amidst a crowded display of books, toys, and souvenirs, the cover popped out and caught my attention. I wanted that book. But I resisted.

Fast forward to post-Christmas gift card shopping. As I perused my local Indie bookstore, Inklings, guess which book again popped out and grabbed my attention? Yes. The same book. And it was on a display of favs and book suggestions by staff.

I did not resist.

The Curious Nature Guide is a beautifully illustrated guide book written for children, teens, families, and others who love exploring the outdoors. I fell in love with this colorful edition.

I enjoyed this book so much, I used it as a reward. At the end of the day I would carefully read each page and inhale every photo, drawing, and illustration. Reading this book was almost as good as being outside.

While vocabulary will be difficult for young readers, they will love hearing it read aloud. The Curious Nature Guide contains nature information, suggestions of things to look for and do, maps, charts, plant labels, and more.

NO. It is not overwhelmingly encyclopedic.

The Curious Nature Guide is a nature journal filled with inspiration of both the exploring type and the creative sort. I want to go out and investigate the outdoors AND sit down with my art supplies and recreate what I find AND grab the camera to capture my nature.

Two thumbs up for The Curious Nature Guide, Explore the Nature Wonders All Around You.

Happy exploring!

Thanks for reading this blog. I'd love to hear what nature exploring you like to do.

Vincent and the Night ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Vincent and the Night
by Adele Enersen
(Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015)

Vincent has decided he is not sleepy. Anyone who has had a baby will know the trouble this can cause.

But not only is Vincent very smart, he is also naughty and imaginative.

Using clever and adorable photos with pen and ink illustrations, Enersen has crafted a wonderful story about the shenanigans Vincent enjoys as he avoids going to sleep.

I love this book! The photos of Vincent are perfectly matched to what he is engaged in as he stays wide awake . . . until the very end where a worn out Vincent finally puts on his jammies and goes to sleep.

Vincent and the Night is a book about a baby, but also a book about creativity, art, expressions, bedtime, and family. Readers will love this book and be inspired to make their own version.

KID KANDY:

Draw Your Own Photo + Pen Illustration

1. Ask your parent for a photo of yourself as a baby (or a child).

2. Carefully trim around your body so only your body is in the photo. Use double-sided tape to attach your photo to cardstock.

3. Imagine. Daydream. Brainstorm.

What do you want your photo baby (or child) to be doing? Think about how that looks.

4. Use a pen (or pencil if you want to erase) to draw the background and props around your photo body. What are you holding? Eating? Sitting or standing on? What does the room (or yard) look like?

5. Add details so the entire page is filled.

There. Now you have your own Vincent at night. Except it's you, not Vincent.

You and the Night.

That was fun wasn't it? If you had fun, you can sign up to receive future posts in your email (or the email of your mom or dad) inbox. That would be awesome, wouldn't it?

Thanks! Good-night!

Play Time Mystery

Alas, I write to let you know that I will be away from my blog due to our family vacation. The honey and I are desperately needing some R & R. So we are taking a few days of time to just chill. I will not be blogging about great books for kids, though I may find some on my travels. I will miss you!

Meanwhile, the above picture is a mystery of sorts. See if you can figure out where I took that photo on a former vacation. Let me know what you think.

Wait for me, I'll be back!

Nature is What We Need - In Word and Photo

"Knowing that Nature never did betray
The heart that loved her."

~ William Wordsworth
Subtitled: "On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye During a Tour, July 13, 1798." Lyrical Ballads

Beauty, wonder, peace, refreshment, adventure.

Nature. It's what we all need.

Shapes, Shapes, Shapes - Non-Fiction Picture Book

Shapes, Shapes, Shapes
By Tana Hoban
(A Mulberry Paperback Book, Greenwillow Books, 1986)

Shapes, Shapes, Shapes is a wonderful nonfiction book about shapes.

In her book Shapes, Shapes, Shapes, Tana Hoban showcases photographs of everyday life and objects. Big city items becomes simple shapes behind her focused camera lens. Nothing is more challenging and appropriate than hooking what we want children to learn to real-life examples.

KID KANDY:

Make your own book about shapes. Enlist your child to be the content producer and locate items in your home, neighborhood, or community that showcase circles, squares, diamonds, triangles, rectangles, and ovals. Take photos of the "scenes" chosen by your producer child.

Print out the photos. Use double stick tape and attach them to cardstock. Ask your producer to decorate the cover page with the book title (his or her choice) and brightly colored shapes. Staple the left edge to make your own book. Read and have fun identifying the shapes.

Or make a computer slide show or Power Point show with the photos. Help your child producer arrange the slides in the desired order. Label them, add music, or program the show with special computer effects. Enjoy the show!

Angie Quantrell loves books that incorporate photographs. In one of the books she has written, I Can Be More Like Jesus, Angie took photographs for the illustrations. Her graphic artist, Clay Allison, used a watercolor program on the photos to create a special look. Angie loved the process of helping with book illustrating.

I Can Be More Like Jesus is available through Woman's Missionary Union in the preschooler resources tab. Go to http://www.wmustore.com.

I Can Be More Like Jesus

I Can Be More Like Jesus by Angie Quantrell (Woman's Missionary Union, 2006)

Philippe and Etienne enjoy life with their family. Journey with the two French brothers as they discover ways they can be more like Jesus. Helping others, praying for others, embracing nature, using manners, and giving help are just a few of the ways they learn to be more like Jesus.

In this photograph/watercolor illustrated book, French is the featured language. French phrases for every page focus are printed, along with pronunciation. Additional ideas are included at the end for families, teachers, and anyone who has or works with children.

I Can Be More Like Jesus is the fourth book in the I Can series. I am particularly proud of this book because I took the photos, using family and friends as characters. My graphic illustrator used a fancy computer program (sorry, not my specialty) to make the photographs appear to be made from watercolor painting. I love it!


I Can Pray
I Can Give
I Can Do It!
I Can Be More Like Jesus

Families on Mission, Teaching Your Preschooler to Love, Share, and Care

Read more about these books at www.wmu.com or call 1-800-968-7301.