General Books

The Lorax (Classic Seuss)

Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 130 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

When Dr. Seuss gets serious, you know it must be important. Published in 1971, and perhaps inspired by the "save our planet" mindset of the 1960s, The Lorax is an ecological warning that still rings true today amidst the dangers of clear-cutting, pollution, and disregard for the earth's environment. In The Lorax, we find what we've come to expect from the illustrious doctor: brilliantly whimsical rhymes, delightfully original creatures, and weirdly undulating illustrations. But here there is also something more--a powerful message that Seuss implores both adults and children to heed.

The now remorseful Once-ler--our faceless, bodiless narrator--tells the story himself. Long ago this enterprising villain chances upon a place filled with wondrous Truffula Trees, Swomee-Swans, Brown Bar-ba- loots, and Humming-Fishes. Bewitched by the beauty of the Truffula Tree tufts, he greedily chops them down to produce and mass-market Thneeds. ("It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat.") As the trees swiftly disappear and the denizens leave for greener pastures, the fuzzy yellow Lorax (who speaks for the trees "for the trees have no tongues") repeatedly warns the Once-ler, but his words of wisdom are for naught. Finally the Lorax extricates himself from the scorched earth (by the seat of his own furry pants), leaving only a rock engraved "UNLESS." Thus, with his own colorful version of a compelling morality play, Dr. Seuss teaches readers not to fool with Mother Nature. But as you might expect from Seuss, all hope is not lost--the Once-ler has saved a single Truffula Tree seed! Our fate now rests in the hands of a caring child, who becomes our last chance for a clean, green future. (Ages 4 to 8)

Owl Moon

Jane Yolen

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Birds -> Fiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 57 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Lasts and Lasts 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I read to my children every night, religiously. This is one of a very few books that we are happy to pick up and re-read. They enjoyed it when they were 3 and 5, and they still enjoy it when they're now 7 and 9.

As an added bonus for fathers, the theme is about little things we might share with our children that leave a lifelong impression. My dream is that I am creating one or more lasting legacies with my children.

Beautiful story 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I used this book in my classroom as an example for my students to write thier own story. My 3rd and 4th graders loved the story and it worked great for the lesson I was teaching.

Editorial Review:

Among the greatest charms of children is their ability to view a simple activity as a magical adventure. Such as a walk in the woods late at night. Jane Yolen captures this wonderment in a book whose charm rises from its simplicity. "It was late one winter night, long past my bedtime, when Pa and I went owling." The two walked through the woods with nothing but hope and each other in a journey that will fascinate many a child. John Schoenherr's illustrations help bring richness to the countryside adventure. The book won the 1988 Caldecott Medal.

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--E: Eastern Region (Eastern)

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Nature -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Nature -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

For the untrained observer, it can be quite a challenge to sort out the many trees that make up a stand of older forest in, say, New England or the Ozarks. This well-illustrated guidebook, covering 364 species, comes to the rescue with photographs organized in several ways: by, for example, the shape of the leaf or needle, by the fruit, by the flower or cone, and by autumn coloration. Following one visible characteristic or another, the reader can narrow the range of possibilities, then turn to an informative text that describes a tree's physical characteristics, habitat, and range. Many of the species covered are relatively rare, such as the "stinking cedar" of the Georgia-Florida border; others are locally abundant, such as the paper birch of the boreal forest, used to make ice-cream sticks; still others, such as the smooth sumac, are widespread. The guidebook also covers ornamentals introduced from other continents, such as the Chinese privet and Mahaleb cherry. --Gregory McNamee

Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa

Jeanette Winter

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Biographies -> People of Color

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

This is one "get-it-done" woman 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

"The earth was naked. For me the mission was to try to cover it with green." - Wangari Maathai

Growing up in the shadow of Mount Kenya in Africa, Wangari is surrounded by an umbrella of green trees. The trees protect the birds, provide firewood to the women of the village and help keep the soil rich for the sweet potatoes, sugarcane and maize Wangari helps to harvest.

Wangari travels to America for school, but when she returns six years later, the trees are gone. No crops grow, the birds are gone and the women have to travel far distances to find firewood. On World Environment Day in 1977, Wangari plants nine seedlings in her backyard and begins the Green Belt Movement which, over the next 27 years, plants thirty million trees across Africa.

Wangari's Trees of Peace: a true story from Africa is the story of one woman's effort to return green to Africa. Told in Jeanette Winter's simple language and blocky, colorful illustrations, Wangari's Trees of Peace is wonderful means to introduce 3-to-7-year- olds to environmentalism, the interconnected nature of ecosystems and political activitism. It also introduces some difficult subjects that may make some children and parents uncomfortable: prejudice ("Women can't do this"), violence ("Wangari blocks their way, so they hit her with clubs") and imprisonment ("They call her a troublemaker and put her in jail").

While Winter's tale simplifies Wangari's story to a basic level, it carries within it an important message, that one person can make a difference. Wangari's simple act of planting a tree translates to an important environmental movement and Wangari receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Children are innate idealists and it is never too early to foster their belief that they can achieve anything.

In keeping with the environmental nature of Wangari's Trees of Peace, the book is printed on 100 percent recycled paper with 50 percent post-consumer waste.

Armchair Interviews says: Book both educates and entertains.

Editorial Review:

As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something—and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans. . . .

This true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a shining example of how one woman’s passion, vision, and determination inspired great change.

Includes an author’s note.

This book was printed on 100% recycled paper with 50% postconsumer waste.

A Field Guide to Eastern Trees (Peterson Field Guides)

George A. Petrides

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Science, Nature & How It Works -> Nature -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A Field Guide to Eastern Trees 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I bought this for my husband for Christmas. He was blown away by all the information this little book contained. The only thing he said that he didn't care for was that some of the pictures were in black and white and he would have prefered all colored pictures.

Not as good as it could be! 2 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

If you like having color plates in your field guide this one is not for you. I found it difficult to work with and hard to find information I needed. For a field guide it has too much written information looking to list various tees but not enough total tree information. For instance, the buds and leaves are shown but not the tree bark or the silhouettes with each. Silhouettes are provided for types but not referenced for the various species. One has to jump around with the guide looking for information on the same specie of tree. For identifying species in the field the book falls far short. Color plates are a limited number of diagrams and sketches instead of photos, a major weakness. On a positive note, greater emphasis in locating species with maps showing growth locations is provided.

Editorial Review:

This field guide features detailed descriptions of 455 species of trees native to eastern North America, including the Midwest and the South. The 48 color plates, 11 black-and-white plates, and 26 text drawings show distinctive details needed for identification. Color photographs and 266 color range maps accompany the species descriptions.

Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary (Trophy Picture Books)

Jack Knowlton

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fun book 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

Geography is a fun subject because it is so visual. This book has fun, brightly colored pictures that illustrate basic geography words. I found this little gem at a library sale years ago and have used it to help prepare my chldren for our homeschool association geography bees. They love this book too!

Editorial Review:

Have you ever wondered what a badland is? What about a gulch? Do you wonder what an isthmus is? Or a seamount? What about the difference between a plateau and a plain, or a knob and a knoll? Well, here are the answers!

The sixty-three entries from A to Z describe the earth's features -- its physical geography -- from the highest mountain peak to the deepest ocean trench, in clear, concise terms. Each entry is beautifully illustrated in full color.

This is a perfect introduction to the dramatic and fascinating face of the vast world around us. The author and artist of the best-selling MAPS & GLOBES team up again, this time to prove that geography can indeed be an adventure.

Draw 50 Flowers, Trees and Other Plants: The Step-By-Step

Lee J. Ames, P. Lee Ames

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Not a good book 2 out of 5 stars.
14 of 15 people found this review helpful.

I am a horrible but determined artist. I have enjoyed the "How to Draw 50..." series since I was very young. However, this particular book is not helpful: majority of the drawings are far too intricate to follow, most of them are unknown plants and flowers, and it fails to teach something.

Unlike the "How to Draw 50 Athletes" this book doesn't have a goal, other than to instruct you on how to mimic some plants and flowers. Whereas, after going through the "Draw 50 Athletes," I learned how to draw the human body; the muscles, head features, proportions, and how they moved.

This book is not for beginners I assure you of this. I understand nature is harder to recognize and capture, but the book just was too difficult to follow, I was only capable of drawing 12 of the 50, and I do each one many times, and I still showed no improvement.

It's just not worth owning. You won't learn anything, and you wont enjoy the process of drawing the plants and flowers. I promise.

In My Humble Opinion
John G (Who am I)

Editorial Review:

A latest entry in the popular Draw 50 series offers easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for drawing a wide variety of plants, including such favorites as roses and orchids, as well as more exotic types including Jack in the Pulpit.

Owl Babies

Martin Waddell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 57 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An enchanting tale 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Owl Babies is an enchanting book which my six year old Daughter first discovered when we borrowed it from our local library. It conveys perfectly, the fact that it is normal to worry about things, but that everything usually works out in the end - if you just have hope!

I was unable to obtain this book in the UK as it is now out of publication, however I was delighted when I discovered that it could be bought from the US. The only difference in the UK & US version is the use of 'Mummy' in our version & 'Mommy' in the US version - this of course does absolutely nothing to spoil our enjoyment of this excellent book.

all moms love this book :-) 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is just the sweetest book.... Any mom (or dad) would think this one of the best books around. The illustrations are beautiful. Just the right amount of tension for a little one - mommy goes away for a while - and then mommy comes back with food. We got this as a gift because we remembered it so fondly from when we read it to our son. It's a bit more "obscure" than "Goodnight Moon" so we figured no one else would think of it.

Editorial Review:

Presents a touching tale of a family of owl babies who wake up to find their mother gone and sit in distress, not knowing where she is, until their mother returns, reassuring her family that she will always return to them no matter where she roams.

What Lives in a Shell? (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)

Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Animals -> Marine Life -> Nonfiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Ocean/Shells 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful book that takes shell collecting to a greater depth.
As you show a shell collection, use this book to illustrate to the children what used to live in a particular type of shell.

what lives in a shell 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

As a preschool teacher i find this book very interesting to 4 year olds. children loves to see the picturesandlike to disscus the context.

Wonderful book to get before and during a beach vacation 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book was very facinating for my 4 year old. We took it on our beach vacation and she learned so much since she could see the things she was reading about. She has also wanted to read it since coming home. A wonderful book.

money well spent 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book was very well written and was a big hit with a child who normally cannot sit still for a story. He loves this book.

Editorial Review:

What makes a shell like a house?

A house is a home for you, a nest is a home for a bird, and a cave is a home for a bear. But for some animals a shell is a home. Snails and turtles and crabs and clams all have shells that act as their homes and protect them from harm. In this book you'll learn all about these and other crustaceous creatures, for whom a shell is just the right sort of home.

Fandex Family Field Guides: Trees (Fandex Family Field Guides)

Steven Aronson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A cute guide to trees for kids and parents alike... 4 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

My kids find the Fandex format easy to use, and the information on them accessible. We have several, and they're fun for all of us to use together.

I like the fact that each page has illustrations that show the leaf, bark, and seeds. There is a brief description of the tree, some history as well as typical usage. Each page has the following descriptive categories: Leaves; Bark; Flowers; Fruit or Cones; Seeds; Tree Shape; Habitat; Range; and Other Names. Mind you, this is not a complete and scientific field guide for adults, but rather a book a family can take out on a day hike and have fun using.

The only quibble I have about these decks is that sometimes when they're completely fanned out, the edges of the illustrations get caught up in each other, making it hard to close them properly. But other than that, they're cute, informative, and a nice format for kids.

Editorial Review:

Bringing the world of Trees to your fingertips, Fandex presents a foolproof field guide. Four visual keys - die-cut leaf, bark pattern, flower, nut or seed, and photo of the full tree - plus descriptions of habitat and more combine to give a complete picture of North America's forest and backyard trees. In addition, Trees is a cultural history - of the mighty White Oak, California Redwood, Ailanthus, the tree that grows in Brooklyn, and the stately White Ash, as important for the bows of early Native Americans as for the baseball bats of today. 50 die-cut cards Full color throughout Knowledge at your fingertips For the whole family Measures 10.5" by 4"