May 2019 – STEM Friday

May 31, 2019May 31, 2019

Flower Talk

Do flowers talk? And if they do, can we hear them? Sara Levine addresses these – and more questions – in her new book.

Flower Talk: How plants use color to communicate
by Sara Levine; illus. by Masha D’yans
32 pages; ages 7-11
Millbrook, 2019

Hey, You! PSSST! Down here! That’s right – I’m a plant, and I’m talking to you!

Plants don’t make a habit of talking to humans, but they do in this book because the plants want to clear up some crazy human ideas about what their colors mean. Red roses do not – at least according to the plants – stand for love. That is, our plant-land guide says, “a load of fertilizer!”

Plants use their flowers to talk to animals. They need bees or birds or bats to carry their pollen from one plant to another so they can make seeds. In exchange, they offer sweet rewards – nectar.

What I like about this book: I love the conversational way it’s written, with the plants speaking directly to the reader. Who knew plants could talk? I mean, with words, not color or scent.

I like that pages are color-coordinated: yellow pages for discussing yellow plants.

I like how the plant, at the end, tells the reader to go take a hike. “I’m pretty busy,” says the plant. “I’m making a new flower.”

And I like the back matter: more details about pollination, things kids can do to protect pollinators, and suggested reading.

Head over to Archimedes Notebook for some beyond-the-book activities.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 31, 2019May 30, 2019

Why Should I Walk? I Can Fly!

Why Should I Walk? I Can Fly!
by Ann Ingalls (Author) and Rebecca Evans (Illustrator)

Booktalk: A little bird, a big sky, and the first time out of the nest! A robin’s first flight is a gentle reminder about what we can accomplish if we just keep trying.

Snippet:

BONUS! Download the Book Activities

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 24, 2019May 23, 2019

SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 Blackbird
by Kate Riggs (Author)

Booktalk: A fast-paced, high-interest overview of the features, purpose, history, and high-speed capabilities of the SR-71 Blackbird–the fastest manned airplane in the world.

Snippet:

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 24, 2019April 12, 2019

Soar High, Dragonfly

Soar High, Dragonfly
by Sheri M. Bestor; illus. by Jonny Lambert
32 pages; ages 5 – 8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2019

Spring sun warms the earth. Seeds sprout. Birds build nests. High above, tiny wings hum like wind through the leaves.

This book introduces readers to the life of a green darner dragonfly. Green darners are one of the species that migrate, flying north in spring and south in fall.

What I like about this book: There are three layers of text. Large text tells the story of a dragonfly’s life, from egg to adult. Even larger text provides sound effects, such as the “Pop. Pop. Pop” of eggs landing on the surface of the pond – or the exclamations of “Oh my, dragonfly!” Sidebars, in smaller text, add more details about the natural history of these amazing insects. The illustrations, bright and marbled and reminiscent of Eric Carle, invite you to explore the scenes spread across the pages. Even the end papers offer plenty to see. I would have liked some back matter offering more information, such as how the nymphs breathe underwater and whether climate change is affecting their migration.

Head over to Archimedes Notebook for some beyond-the-book activities and a review of The Bug Girl.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 17, 2019May 16, 2019

When the Stars Come Out

When the Stars Come Out
by Nicola Edwards (Author) and Lucy Cartwright (Illustrator)

Booktalk: As we delve into the magical realm that is our universe at night, we discover what makes it so extraordinary . . . from moonbows to shooting stars and from the polar night to the northern lights. Experience how different habitats, from the city to the ocean, come alive when the sun sets. Meet animals that make their own elaborate beds and others that sleep while swimming or flying. Explore the history of human sleep across the globe and dive into a world of dreams.

Snippet:
Sleep and Dreams
All living creatures need sleep to survive. Meat-eating animals tend to get more time asleep than plant-eating animals, as the plant-eaters usually spend lot of time watching out for meat-eaters who may want to snack on them! A good comparison is the giraffe, who sleeps for around half an hour on average, and the lion, who snoozes for more than 15 hours a day!

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 17, 2019April 12, 2019

Meet the wild neighbors…

Hidden City: Poems of Urban Wildlife
by Sarah Grace Tuttle; illus. by Amy Schimler-Safford
48 pages; ages 4-8
Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, 2018

In the night
under the table
a mother mouse
scurries back and forth…

From the mouse in the house to weeds in sidewalk cracks, Sarah Tuttle offers a close look at the wildlife sharing our cities. There are birds – lots of birds, snails, and insects galore. Bats, cats, and sign of skunk. All shown through the lens of poetry.

What I like about this book: I like that Sarah uses poetry to give us a way into observing the lives of our wild urban neighbors. There’s a fun poem about the courtship dance of pigeons – I can almost see them strut, turn, and dip as they try to gain the attention of the ladies. I like that the poems take us through the seasons of city living. And I really like that Sarah has included back matter – more facts about the wildlife that she’s introduced in the poems. I also like the artwork: collage landscapes and garden scenes.

Head over to Archimedes Notebook for some more books about our wild neighbors and a handful of Beyond-the-Books activities.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 10, 2019May 9, 2019

Thinkers and Tinkers

My new Focus on STEM column: Thinkers and Tinkers is in the May Quick Tips for Schools and Libraries newsletter.

Booktalk: Thinkers who like to tinker will enjoy these inspiring pairings of project books and biographies.

Snippet: Some thinkers are also tinkerers. As they think, they play, working with their hands, trying this and that until it’s just right. Thinkers and tinkerers build and plant, paint and code. They make things that others can see, hear, and use. These new biographies and DIY project books will help inspire the thinking, tinkering makers at your school or library.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 10, 2019April 5, 2019

Dogs in Space

Dogs in Space
by Vix Southgate; illus. by Iris Deppe
32 pages; ages 5-7
Kane Miller, 2019

It was a cold, gloomy night in the backstreets of Moscow.

The year is 1951. Belka and Strelka are among the strays living on the streets. They rummage through trash cans, scrounging for any food they can find. One night they smell fresh meat. While other strays cower in the shadows, Belka and Strelka approach the man, begging for more food.

That man was Oleg, a scientist, and he was searching for two dogs brave enough for an important space mission.

What I like about this book: We learn about the space race through the story of Oleg and these dogs. Even though their mission is simple – orbit the earth – these canine cosmonauts need special training. They need to be able to stay calm when loud noises happen around them. They need to be able to stand on a vibrating platform.

Belka and Strelka pass the tests and earn their very own space suits. In 1960 they launch into space, blazing a trail for human astronauts to follow.

Of course there’s back matter! One spread explains the space race, and another gives a timeline of space exploration from 1960 to 1998. What’s next? Possibly a trip to Mars.

Head over to Archimedes Notebook for another review and some beyond-the-book activities.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 3, 2019May 2, 2019

The First Men Who Went to the Moon

The First Men Who Went to the Moon
by Rhonda Gowler Greene (Author) and Scott Brundage (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Celebrate Apollo 11’s historic moon landing with cumulative tale verse and informational text.

Snippet:

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 3, 2019April 5, 2019

You Can Be an Entomologist

You can be an Entomologist
by Dino Martins, PhD
32 Pages; ages 4-8
National Geographic Children’s Books, 2019

Dino grew up loving insects, so he became a scientist who studies insects. All you need to be an insect water is curiosity and patience. Curiosity because once you start watching insects you’ll be asking tons of questions about what they’re doing, why they look the way they look, and how can they fly backwards? Patience because you have to watch quietly and wait for insects to arrive.

What I like about this book: Dino explains why scientists study insects and how the research he and other entomologists do helps farmers and other people. Some insects pollinate food crops; others eat leaves or fruits. In one chapter he describes how entomologists do their research. If you guessed that they use insect nets and record observations in notebooks, you are correct!

I especially like that Dino includes a section on how insects help people – and that he thinks there are plenty more insects waiting to be discovered.

Head over to Archimedes Notebook for some entomology activities.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)