Erik Brooks | There's a Book for That

It’s Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday!

I am so excited about the number of nonfiction picture books being written ideal for younger readers – from preschool to early primary. Recently I was invited to John Oliver High School‘s Wonder of Reading Event. My task? To read to rotating groups of preschool age children and their parents/caregivers for ten minutes at a time over the morning. What fun! I decided that rather than picking a fiction story, I would bring in a number of nonfiction titles and a basket of animal stuffies and set myself up for an interactive reading experience adventure into the world of animals.

I shared a few pages of different books depending on where the mood took us and the interest level of the group. We ended up talking a lot about ostriches, monkeys and penguins and the fact that none of us had a tail. What was in my bin of books?

Let me share:

From the brilliant Nicola Davies – three titles illustrated by Marc Boutavant. All of these books have a lift the flap and find out component. In my class we have started calling these “flip flap” books inspired by one student who refers to them like this because it makes one smile just to say it! 🙂

Who’s Like Me? (published 2012)

“Who’s like me? Who’s furry and breathes air like me? Is it . . . ?”

Who Lives Here? (published 2012)

“Who lives here? Who lives in this still, cool pond? Is it . . . ?”

What Happens Next? (published 2012)

“Here’s a hungry chameleon. Here’s a juicy grasshopper. What happens next?”

And even though none of us could find a tail on ourselves, we were sure excited to guess which tail belonged to which animal in Laura Hulbert‘s Who Has This Tail? Illustrated by Erik Brooks (published 2012)

Tushes & Tails! by Stephane Frattini (published 2012) Who belongs to which tush and/or tail? It is not as easy as it many seem to guess. This was a hit with the parents who were as curious as their little ones to find out about each mysterious bottom!

My original goal was 60 nonfiction picture books for 2013. Progress: 56/60 complete!

Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2013! Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction titles.

It’s Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday! Do you have any books to share and discuss?

I am pleased to participate in Alyson’s (from Kid Lit Frenzy) non-fiction picture book challenge and share the picture books I read this week.

This week I was on the lookout for books that were very interactive and that primary students could read independently. I was also looking for books where students could learn more about animal characteristics including features, habitat and life cycles.

My original goal was 60 nonfiction picture books for 2013. Progress: 5/60 complete 🙂

Who’s Like me? by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Marc Boutavant (published 2012) This is a fun lift the flap book where children try to guess who is like me from a question and a picture clue Like (with a picture of a rabbit) “Who’s like me? Who’s furry and breathes air like me? Is it . . . ” The next page features four flaps with a clue on the outside If you flip the picture of feathers, there is a picture of a pigeon and text that reads: “I have feathers not fur.” The next page talks about the fox who is like the rabbit and has fur and breathes air. It is explained that a fox and a rabbit are both mammals. they breathe air, give birth to live babies and feed them milk. Children learn about amphibians, fish, birds and reptiles as well. Colourful and very fun to interact with! Nicola Davies for the younger set!

Who Has these feet? by Lara Hulbert and illustrated by Erik Brooks (published 2011) Children love books where they can guess! This title has pictures of different animal feet with the reoccurring question: Who has these feet? When I used this in the classroom this week I had children justify their guess with reasons to back up their answers. When we saw a picture of duck feet, one child guessed it was a chicken because of the skinny legs. Another thought it was a swan because of the skin between the toes. Another student volunteered that that skin was for paddling and so it had to be a bird that swims. One child knew those feet were called webbed feet. A great way to build vocabulary and to sit back and let the students talk and share.

So . . . who has these feet? Intrigued? Find the book!

It’s Moving Day by Pamela Hickman and illustrated by Geraldo Valerio (published 2008) In this book, we “travel” through numerous seasons that focus on a specific hole/burrow under a tree that a variety of animals use for a home. Great introduction to how woodland animals use burrows and change environments during different seasons/when raising young/etc.

Whose Nest in this? by Heidi Bee Roemer and illustrated by Connie McLennan (published 2009) Another fun book to guess from clues given – this time in a rhyming riddle format. This text is longer and more complicated so would be best used as a read aloud with primary students. Young intermediates/late primaries could read it independently. Lots to learn – certainly nests are very diverse and it is not just birds who build nests!

See Me Grow (Scholastic Discover More) by Penelope Arlon (published 2012) This book has some fantastic nonfiction features like colourful photographs, life cycle charts, an informative glossary, a variety of labelled diagrams, fact boxes, etc. Lots of information about how a variety of animals grow from birth to adulthood. Learn about which animals hatch from an egg, which are born live, how long they stay with their mother/parent, etc. Not too much text on each page makes this perfect for young readers to interact with independently. Part of this Scholastic series.