Children learn with awesome books
Children are curious about practically everything. When a child asks “Why?” it isn't to annoy you (although sometimes the repetitiveness of that question can grate on the nerves). The simple truth is that children want to know and understand their world, and it's our job to answer their questions.
Books can be an awesome tool to help children learn and grow, and today's reviewed books provide just that.
Ask your librarian and bookseller to point you in the direction of other such books. The more children know, the better equipped they will be to understand the world around them, make informed, good choices and continue to ask “Why?” throughout their life. After all, no one can dispute knowledge is a very good thing.
You have the power to make that happen. Read together, answer the child's questions and explore life together. That effort on your part will yield greater things than you might imagine.
The following book is available at many public libraries.<B>“Bodies From the Ash: Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii”</B> by James Deem, photographs by various photographers and sources, Houghton Mifflin, 49 pages; read aloud: age 7 and older; read yourself: age 8 and older.When Vesuvius erupted on August 24, 79, the entire city of Pompeii and many of her citizens were buried alive under the volcanic ash, pumice and large rock fragments. Wiped off the map, it wasn't until hundreds of years later that Pompeii was unearthed by archaeological excavations, and what they found shocked archaeologists and the world.This incredible book is loaded with photographs and up-to-date information, making it outstanding in every way.
<B>Library:</B> Zelienople Public Library, 227 S. High St., Zelienople<B>Library Director: </B>Jan Lawrence<B>Choices this week: “Green Grass and White Milk”</B> by Aliki; <B>“Hannah's Suitcase”</B> by Karen Levine; <B>“Ellis Island: New Hope in a New Land” </B>by William Jay Jacobs
The following books are available at favorite bookstores.<B>“Secrets of the Garden: Food Chains and the Food Web in Our Backyard”</B> by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, illustrated by Priscilla Lamont, Alfred A. Knopf, 2012, 38 pages, $16.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 4 and older; read yourself: age 7 to 8.Alice and her family plant a garden every year, and Alice thinks of their garden as her summer home. The family plants all kinds of delicious vegetables, then patiently tend to the garden as it grows.But this year, Alice notices there are other visitors to the garden that also love the delicious vegetables — caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, potato beetles, rabbits and many other creatures.These creatures are part of the food chain, right there in Alice's family garden!Delightfully told and illustrated, “Secrets of the Garden” will fascinate while educating children (and probably many adults!) about what plants need to grow and how all living creatures are connected and depend on plants for life.<B>“Mouse's First Spring”</B> by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Buket Erdogan, Little Simon, 2012, 32 pages, $7.99 board book; read aloud: birth to age 2; read yourself: age 7.Mouse and Momma are out for a walk on a windy spring day. Suddenly, Mouse sees something glittery and flittery, and wonders what it could be. Momma says, “Look! A butterfly!” Then the wind blows and the butterfly flies away.On and on the scenario continues with Mouse seeing something new and Momma identifying what Mouse is seeing. From a snail to a bird, a frog and then a worm, a flower and then something soft and cuddly and cozy — Momma with her arms wound around Mouse. It's spring, a most wonderful time of the year!Brimming with opportunities for little ones to learn, “Mouse's First Spring” is pure delight.Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children's literature. She can be reached at her website: www.greatestbooksforkids.com.<B><I></B></I>
