Geo Librarian

OCEAN ANIMALS Who's Who in the Deep Blue by Johnna Rizzo National Geographic Kids, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-4263-2506-9 MG Nonfiction Ages 9-12 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Fans of Disney Pixar's Finding Dory and Finding Nemo movies will love meeting the real underwater critters behind the film in this colorful, fact-filled nonfiction book. From life in coral reefs, to sharks and rays, to sea birds, kids will meet incredible sea-based animals in action, including the blue tang fish and clownfish. It's all captured with beautiful underwater photography and features cool info about our oceans -- including fascinating facts, maps, and marine conservation tips and efforts. REVIEW For those young readers who are fascinated by the ocean, this book is worth purchasing for the gorgeous photographs alone.  Not only is the book a large size but so are many of the photographs.  And as National Geographic has ...

With the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic being memorialized this year, there has been an influx of new books on the topic, both fiction and nonfiction.  This is a perennially favorite topic among my students so I'm sharing some of the ones I've read.  Today I'm highlighting two nonfiction books, later this month I hope to highlight several fictionalized stories.  See here for another nonfiction book on the Titanic. ICEBERG, RIGHT AHEAD! The TRAGEDY OF THE TITANIC written by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson Twenty-First Century Books, 2012 ISBN: 978-0-7613-6756-7 Grades 3 and up Reviewed from personal copy. Only 160 minutes passed between the time a sailor on lookout duty uttered these chilling words and the moment when the mighty ocean liner Titanic totally disappeared into the cold, dark waters of the North Atlantic. This century-old tragedy, which took more than 1,500 lives, still captivates people in the twenty-first century. Seventy-three ...

EXPLORE TITANIC: Breathtaking New Pictures, Recreated with Digital Technology by Peter Chrisp, with illustrations by Somchith Vongprachanh Barron's, 2011 ISBN: 978-1-4380-7159-6 Grades 3 and up Reviewed from purchased copy. Boys and girls will be enthralled by this dramatic pictorial history of the great ocean liner "R.M.S. Titanic, " and its fateful sinking in the North Atlantic. Approximately 125 photos and illustrations in color and black and white--including 12 astonishing 3D-rendered graphics--tell the "Titanic's " story, from its 1911 launching at the Belfast shipyard to its tragic destruction on April 15, 1912 during its maiden Atlantic crossing. Young readers will see faithful reproductions of both exterior and interior ship's details, from the Boiler Room and Engine Room far below decks to the luxury passengers' cabins and the ship's grand ballroom. Among the 3D-rendered artworks are two remarkable double-gatefold illu...

ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD written by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Katherine Tillotson Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011 ISBN: 978-1-4169-7130-6 32 p. Grades K-2 Reviewed from personal copy.  Illustrations come from Amazon.com and are copyrighted material. BLURB : All the water in the world is all the water in the world. We are all connected by water, and this message is beautifully, lyrically delivered from poet-musician-author George Ella Lyon. Where does water come from? Where does water go? Find out in this exploration of oceans and waterways that highlights an important reality: Our water supply is limited, and it is up to us to protect it. Dynamic, fluid art paired with pitch-perfect verse makes for a wise and remarkable read-aloud that will resonate with any audience. This is a wonderful book, full of poetic language and gorgeous illustrations.  In fact, the book flows rather like its subject, water. I love the way the water cycle is introduc...

Forbidden Sea written by Sheila A. Nielson Scholastic Press, 2010 ISBN:  978-0-545-09734-5 Grades 5-8 Reviewed from copy borrowed from library. BLURB : Yet, when the islanders find out about Adrianne's encounters with the mermaid she is scorned, for this small and superstitious community believes the mermaid will bring devastation to the island if Adrianne does not give herself to the sea. When Adrianne comes face-to-face with the mermaid of Windwaithe Island, of whom she has heard terrible stories all her life, she is convinced the mermaid means to take her younger sister. Adrianne, fierce-willed and courageous, is determined to protect her sister from the mermaid, and her family from starvation. However, the mermaid continues to haunt Adrianne in her dreams and with her song.  A powerful and lyrical story of one girl who must choose between having everything and having those she loves. I came across this book while doing reading for the Beehive Book Awards...

The Fires Beneath the Sea written by Lydia Millet Big Mouth House, 2011 ISBN: 978-193152071-3 Grades 3-6 Reviewed from purchased copy. All opinions expressed are solely my own. BLURB :  Cara's mother has disappeared. Her father isn't talking about it. Her big brother Max is hiding behind his iPod, and her genius little brother Jackson is busy studying the creatures he collects from the beach. But when a watery specter begins to haunt the family's Cape Cod home, Cara and her brothers realize that their scientist mother may not be who they thought she was—and that the world has much stranger, much older inhabitants than they had imagined. With help from Cara's best friend Hayley, the three embark on a quest that will lead them from the Cape's hidden, ancient places to a shipwreck at the bottom of the sea. They're soon on the front lines of an ancient battle between good and evil, with the terrifying "pouring man" close on their heels....

Coral Reefs written and illustrated by Jason Chin Roaring Brook Press, 2011 ISBN: 978-1-59643-563-6 Grades K-5 Reviewed from personal copy. BLURB : During an ordinary visit to the library, a girl pulls a not-so-ordinary book from the shelves. As she turns the pages in this book about coral reefs, the city around her slips away and she finds herself surrounded by the coral cities of the sea and the mysterious plants and animals that live, hunt, and hide there. This book is gorgeous, that pretty much covers it.  The illustrations take the reader on a journey over and around a coral reef.  Even without the words, I could easily follow the story.  I love the idea of a book taking the reader on a journey to somewhere they may never be able to go in real life.  This suits my lifestyle of armchair adventuring.  The text does add a great deal of information, a little too much for a read-a-loud I discovered, especially when the students kept interrupting to...

The Worst-Case Scenario Survive-o-pedia by David Borgenicht, Molly Smith, Brendan Walsh, and Robin Epstein illustrated by Chuck Gonzales ISBN: 978-0-8118-7690-2 Grades 3 and up Reviewed from purchased copy. Blurb: It s the best of the worst! This hardcover, full-color edition of the popular series loved by parents and kids alike serves up a wild ride through mudslides, volcanoes, shark-infested oceans, menacing mountains, and more. Seventy entries are packed with illuminating facts, eye-popping photos, hilarious illustrations, must-see maps, heaps of humor, and step-by-step instructions. Readers will be armed with the knowledge and skills needed to survive anything and live to tell about it! ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11445223-the-worst-case-scenario-survive-o-pedia )  The world around us is a fascinating place, but it can also be a dangerous place.  Knowledge can often be the difference between life and death, maybe that is why I enjoy reading survi...

For this upcoming school year, I am using this year's summer reading theme, "One World, Many Stories." As part of that I am paying particular attention to books that take place around the world.  Today I am sharing some books that highlight the continent of Antarctica, a place few of us will ever see in person. After reading these books, I am more than willing to let others visit the place, while I stay at home wrapped up in a cozy blanket and read about it. Shackleton's Stowaway by Victoria McKernan Laurel Leaf Books, 2005 Grades 5 and up Reviewed from purchased copy. Blurb:  On October 26, 1914, Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance set sail from Buenos Aires in pursuit of the last unclaimed prize in exploration: the crossing of the Antarctic continent. The crew stood on deck to watch the city fade away. All but one. Eighteen-year-old Perce Blackborow hid below in a locker. But the thrill of stowing away with the legendary explorer would soon turn to fear. Wi...

STEM Friday highlights great S cience, T echnology, E ngineering, and M ath books are available in children's literature.  Today I'm highlighting a great book by Sally Walker, one of my favorite nonfiction writers. Frozen Secrets, Antarctica Revealed by Sally M. Walker Carolrhoda Books, 2010. Grades 7-12 Reviewed from personal copy. BLURB: Antarctica is a land of frozen secrets, with scarcely a handful that have been completely divulged. Join Sally M. Walker as she explores both historical and modern-day scientific expeditions to the continent and examines what secrets might still be locked in the continent's icy cloak secrets that might help scientists understand what the future holds for Earth and its changing climate. ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8561673-frozen-secrets)  This book has many great features including the following: Great organization: the book is easy to follow with a logical beginning with the race to the South Pole and the first di...

Rosa and the Water Pony (Mermaid Mysteries, Book 1) by Katy Kit, illustrated by Tom Knight Albert Whitman & Company, 2011. Grades K-2 Reviewed from ARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. Book blurb: The mermaid friends are excited about Mermaid Bay's annual carnival where the best performance wins a beautiful pearl necklace! Rosa uses magic to create a pony out of water, and she plans to perform amazing tricks on its back. But just before the carnival begins, the magical water pony is stolen. Who is trying to sabotage the friends' performance--and why? ( Goodreads.com ) This is a cute book, aimed at readers just ready to start reading chapter books.  I think the chapters could have been a little shorter for this particular age group, but that is a minor quibble.  The illustrations are cute and perfect for beginning readers, balancing out the text nicely. The biggest problem I had with this book was the shallowness of the story and the blandness of th...

I'll admit right off the bat, that I'm a member of the National Geographic Society and as such tend to really like the stuff they produce.  But the fact is that a lot of the books they produce are very well done, both in terms of writing and photography/illustration.  Plus, their books usually include maps and I love a good map.  Another one of my pet peeves is when a story involves a journey of a some kind and their is no map to help organize all the different places.  After I read the Lord of the Rings the first time, I went out and found a map, it was just to confusing otherwise. Sea Turtles (National Geographic Readers) by Laura Marsh National Geographic, 2011. Grades 1-3 Reviewed from purchased copy. This book gives general information about sea turtles, where and how they live, the different types of turtles, and why they are endangered.  I confess, I didn't really think that I would learn anything new from this book, after all it is for beginning...

More and more books these days are combining genres.  You have historical fiction with science fiction or fantasy ( Leviathan by Scott Westerfield), humor and mystery ( The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin), or animal and realistic ( Young Fredle by Cynthia Voigt). It's fun to see the many different ways that authors are finding of telling stories.  On the other hand, it makes it harder to teach genres because there is so much crossover in the books being published. I guess what it comes down to is helping the students learn to step out of their reading comfort zone and try something new once in a while.  I try to do this myself and I have discovered some new favorites (more about this is coming posts).  So, when I came across Ghost Messages , I was intrigued.  Ghost Messages by Jacqueline Guest Coteau Books for Kids, 2011 Grades 3-6 Reviewed from purchased copy. Thirteen-year-old Ailish, a feisty Irish fortune teller, is about to become part of...

Picture book biographies have a difficult task.  They must take the life of a person and condense it into only a few words and pictures.  This is challenging in that people are complex, motivations and feelings can be hard to explain to a picture book audience in a way that they understand.  Marissa Moss does an excellent job in her newest book. The Bravest Woman in America by Marissa Moss, illustrated by Andrea U'Ren Tricycle Press, 2011. Grades K-3 Reviewed from purchased copy. Ida Lewis loved everything about the sea, so when her father became the official keeper of Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport, Rhode Island, she couldn't imagine anything better. Throughout the years, Ida shadowed her father as he tended the lighthouse, listening raptly to his stories about treacherous storms, drowning sailors, and daring rescues. Under her father's watchful eye, she learned to polish the lighthouse lens so the light would shine bright. She learned to watch the sea fo...

Got Geography! Poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins Pictures by Philip Stanton Greenwillow Books, 2006 Grades 3-6 Reviewed from purchased copy. I knew the moment I read the title that I needed to get this book. My passion for geography demanded it.  The book did not disappoint. I especially liked the first poem by J. Patrick Lewis where he briefly describes each of the seven continents.  It amazes me how much information about manages to squeeze in.  I plan to use this poem with my older students this coming school year.  I've decided to use this summer's reading theme (One World, Many Stories) as my theme for the upcoming school year. This poem fits in perfectly with that.  I also especially liked the poem by Kathryn Madeline Allen where she personifies the Equator, what a fun idea.  I might use this one to have my students personify each of the seven continents. I confess freely that I am all about color.  I love bright cheerful colors an...

The Manatee Scientist: Saving Vulnerable Species by Peter Lourie Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011 Grades 4 and up Reviewed from purchased copy. I'll start by saying that I really like the Scientists in the Field series, and this one is no different.  The high quality photographs and straight forward writing make these books fascinating to read.  I didn't like this one quite as much as some of the others that I've read, but it is still good and shows the impact that field work can have in the real world. In this book, the author follows the efforts of three groups of scientists who are studying the three different species of manatees, in Florida, the Amazon River basin, and coastal West Africa. Lourie makes it clear that the Florida manatees have been studied the most because they are the easiest to locate. The Amazon River Basin is enormous and the murky water makes it hard to see these creatures who spend much of their time well below the surface.  The s...

I guess today is my day to highlight disaster books.  For Nonfiction Monday, I highlighted tornadoes and for Mix N' Match Monday, I am highlighting hurricanes. Storm Runners by Roland Smith Scholastic Press, 2011 Grades 3-6 Reviewed from personal copy. Storm Runners is the first in a new trilogy by Roland Smith.  After his mother and sister's deaths, as well as his father's brush with death, Chase travels around the country with his father, offering 'help' to those whose property is damaged by natural disasters of various kinds.  Chase doesn't think that helping people prepare for storms for free and then charging to help repair the damage afterwords is very ethical.  This time he and his father head down to Florida in preparation for a big hurricane that has been forecast.  Chase stays with the trailer and semi-truck while his father and Tomas head to the city that seems to be the hurricane's target.  Chase discovers to his surprise that he is sta...

I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry Dial Books for Young Readers, 2007. Grades K-2 Reviewed from personal copy The giant squid is delighted to inform readers that he is "biggest thing in the ocean."  He is bigger than the shrimp, the clams, a crab, and a jellyfish.  He continues on comparing himself to various other ocean-dwelling creatures until he comes up against something that causes him to change his statement, but only slightly. This book presents itself as a great read-a-loud.  The kids can guess at the upcoming animals as they get bigger.  The illustrations are bright and colorful and not too busy, perfect for kindergartners or 1st graders.  The surprise ending may even elicit gasps of surprise or giggles.  This book goes perfectly with Steve Jenkin's Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea . Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009. Grade...