A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Elementary

Let’s Ride a Wave

By Leave a Comment

raincoast FTC

One of the things I’ve been doing for the past few years is marking a papers for a biology course.  It’s been a good field to venture into and I enjoy doing it the longer I do it.  I’m learning to connect with my students and offer them better, more specific feedback. Part of marking this biology course is seeing if my students understand waves…not just ocean waves though they play a role, but also wavelength, sound, light etc.  Let’s ride a wave! would be an excellent book to help some of my struggling 9th graders.   Let me tell you all about this latest review. 

Let's Ride a wave review

Introducing Let’s Ride a Wave!

Let’s ride a wave! is part of a series called Everyday Science Academy.   Chris Ferrie has put together this series to help answer questions children have about the world around them. 

Red Kangeroo asks the question while sitting at the beach “I wonder if the waves ever stop?”  Dr. Chris steps in to help Red Kangeroo understand. 

Let's ride a wave

Starting with watching the ocean waves, Dr. Chris helps the reader understand that some waves you see, like the ocean waves, and moved along to other waves you see the results of but can’t actually see. 

Sourcebooks has put together a brightly coloured 40-page picture book to help 5-9-year-olds understand the physics of waves.  Chris Ferrie helps children dive into the science of light and sound waves.   I have the pleasure of reviewing this book for Raincoast Books. 

You’ll find the text easy to read using accurate terminology.  Learning about ultraviolet, electromagnetic, wavelength, tides, x-rays and more.  At the close you’ll find a glossary in language easy enough for children to understand but detailed enough to be accurate. 

I LOVE that experiments are included to test out ideas! From listening to different pitchs and tones, to making your your wavelengths. 

let's ride a wave sample page

Should you get it?

Yes, if you have any interest in any questions, or learning more about how waves work as light and sound.  Let’s Make a Wave! is a fantastic primer into how waves work.   It’s great for elementary students as is, giving steps into learning physics, and the excitement of having questions answered.

If you are struggling to make sense of your grade nine/ten biology, reading picture books like this one make complex ideas simple enough to understand.  This gives the building blocks you need to further advance your studies.

Others in the series are  (affiliate links)

schoolhouseteachers july 2020 sale

If looking for additional physics resources, check out SchoolhouseTeachers.com.  They have a variety of physics courses from Red Wagon and other sources from grade five and up. 

red wagon physics schoolhouseteachers

Cannonball

By 2 Comments

raincoast FTC

Ah, the joy of looking forward to summer, swimming, camping, and spending time with family and friends.  It’s a time to boost skills, explore new places, and learn more about yourself.  Cannonball takes the goal of one young person and helps us look forward to all that summer has to offer.  This is my review on behalf of Raincoast books. 

Cannonball by Sacha Cotter

What I am Reviewing

Take a multi-generational family, add summer heat and a swimming pool.  Then over the course of 40 pages, children aged 4-8 will be amused as one child learns to soar.  Full colour images by Josh Morgan bring the words of Sacha Cotter to life. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky is the publisher of this delightful picture book entitled Cannonball. 

The Details for Cannonball

Every page is filled with detailed, full colour images. Pages like this are so great when reading with young children.  They can use them to help tell the story, and there’s always so much to see and talk about.  From the blues of the water, to the significance of war paint, and to the birds flying in the sky.  What can you see in this page’s pictures?  Let’s talk!  I love that kind of thing with youngsters.  

Cannonball sample page

The story in and of itself is quite simple, but in simplicity there is the beauty of family love. The joy of a gramma’s confidence.  And the pleasure of discovering something new within.  It’s good you know?

Should you Get it?

Cannonball by Cotter

The only name used is that of Nan, which makes her stand out as a person of significance.  What does that tell you about her relationship with this grandchild of hers? 

So go on, get this book.  Enjoy a simple read and revel in the joy of good family connections.  🙂 

Outside In

By Leave a Comment

raincoast FTC

Sometimes you run across a book that can be read in different ways.  Outside In is one such book. Between the images, and my take on text used, I had one impression, but when I read the description, I can see another vantage point.   Books like this linger with me, perhaps this one might linger with you as well.   This is my review.

Outside In Review

What I am Reviewing

Deborah Underwood (best selling New York Times author) wrote Outside In which has been published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  Cindy Derby used a mixture of dark dreary colours with bright pops of colour to illustrate this hardcover picture book.   Written for primary school children, at 40 pages it is a nice book to share with a lap-child or for beginning readers to pick up.  

Because of the different perspectives, you can take with Outside In, it’s an imaginative book with good nature themes. 

Reviewing on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

The Details on Outside In

Cindy Derby’s artwork has left me feeling very conflicted about which way I should read this book.  Parts feel very low and depressive, and other parts feel very bright and ready for almost anything.  At the same time nature abounds, making this tome a place of exploration and dreaming.   It makes for an intriguing look-see.

Outside In

Ooh… the colours in the leaves eh?  Juxtapositioned against the bleakness of winter.  How sad and quiet it can be in the winter, unless we look for the colour and life within it. 

Outside In

Too often that bleakness stays with us.  Bring the light in, bring nature in, rejoice in the colour and life!

The large text size makes it easy for child and adult to read easily. 

sample page outside in

Should you get it?

Outside In is such an interesting book.  Nature, colour, and emotions.  There is much to see and discuss in this picture book. 

Bring nature indoors whether with light or colour.

Don’t get stuck in a rut of quietness within. 

Monster and Boy

By 2 Comments

raincoast FTC

Monster and Boy, oh my, what a fun little book for me to review.  So quick and easy to read, it will be perfect for children just getting out of picture books and looking to branch out to chapter books.  A cosy, fun book sure to please.  Let me show you what this review book is all about. 

Monster and Boy - Barnaby

About Monster and Boy

Raincoast BooksFrom the cover: When Monster (who lives under the bed) meets Boy (who sleeps in the bed), Boy starts to scream – and Monster promptly swallows him. It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

And so we are off on the first adventure of Monster and Boy.  Hannah Barnaby writes with a warm and cozy voice.  You’ll find illustrations throughout, mostly line drawings in black with green overlays.  It is a fun book geared to intrigue young readers with humour and adventure. 

Published by Henry Holt and Company books for young readers.  An ARC copy reviewed for Raincoast Books. 

Monster and Boy

This fantastic book is not in any way a difficult read.  I’m not going to say that all the words are simple, but most of them are ones that most lower elementary children should know.  

Monster and Boy

Simple two-toned illustrations by Anoosha Syed conveyed the emotions and actions of the monster and the boy.  You will find illustrations on each of 144 pages of this 14 chapter book.   I loved the simplicity of the drawings and how they conveyed so much: laughter, fear, sadness, and mischievous.  It’s all right there.  Such a fun read for children 6-9 years old. 

Monster and Boy

One of the things I most appreciated in Monster and Boy is that both had lessons to learn in the adventure they had together.  It was not one-sided,

I loved how the author liberally used humour.  I can well imagine the guffaws of laughter I would hear if I read this book aloud with a group of children.   My son would have been chuckling in his seat at this age.  

Should you Get it?

Should you buy Monster and Boy?  I am SO reluctant to buy books for youngsters as they tend to short-lived loves. BUT would I buy this as a birthday, vacation, keep busy, Christmas, and/or you’ve been a good child book?  Certainly!  It’s such a fun read, and so easy for young readers.   It will be fun to see what Barnaby does with the rest of the series. 

Run Salmon Run

By 2 Comments

raincoast FTC

The other day as I was walking on the treadmill I watched a video about the Spirit Bears of British Columbia.  A big part of the menu for these bears is the salmon run.  It made me think of my most recent review.  Run Salmon Run would be a great book to go along with learning about these elusive bears.  Salmon don’t only provide a major part of their diet, but the off cast feeds many smaller animals, providing fertilizer for the forest, a nutrient-dense environment for their fry and much much more.  The Salmon run is a necessary part of the eco-system.  Learn more about salmon and their very necessary lifecycle. 

What I am Reviewing

Raincoast BooksRun Salmon Run is a hardcover picture book geared at children in kindergarten to grade 3.  Written by Bobs & Lolo and illustrated by Lori Joy Smith it was published by Page Two Books.  36 pages of full colour illustrations along with large print to make it easy to share with a group of children.  It covers the life-cycle of the wild Pacific Salmon from tiny egg to returning adult.  Run Salmon Runs comes complete with a glossary of terms.   Reviewed for Raincoast Books. 

The Details about Run Salmon Run

Run Salmon Run

Large print text fills the first page of every two-page spread.  Rhyming couplets easy to read. 

Run Salmon Run

The second part of the two-page spread introduces new terminology in a short rhyme. Words like alevin, fry, smolt, krill, and spawn.  Introducing us to various life stages and food sources. 

Run Salmon run

Should you get it?

YES!   It’s short and sweet, a great primer to learning the basics of the salmon and their life-cycle.  It would for me, be the first book in learning about salmon.  I do wish they had a bit more in it about the importance of salmon to the eco-system, but for a book directed at youngsters, it’s a good start.  The colourful pages fill the eye with delight, and the numerous items to look at on the page give additional conversation-starters.   A lovely book indeed, I urge you to look into Run Salmon Run. 

Review image run salmon run

My Friend Earth

By 2 Comments

raincoast FTC

Earth day is coming!  Can you believe it!   A day to celebrate all that is good about the earth and to think of ways to help perserve her. My Friend Earth which I am reviewing today helps youngsters see all that the earth is.  It also serves as an inspiration in caring for our world. 

My Friend Earth

What I am Reviewing

Patrician MacLachlan wrote My Friend Earth, a beautifully illustrated hardcover book with interactive elements. Francesca Sanna, illustrator, brought together vibrant colours with multiple shades of greens and browns to tell Earth’s story.  Chronicle Books produced this 44 page picture book that is written for preschool and kindergarten children.    My Friend Earth teaches children about the earth, it’s seasons, and the environment. 

Reviewed on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

The Details of My Friend Earth

sample page from My Friend Earth

Just look at those colours eh?  So bright and inviting!  The cut outs help create action and movement resulting in drawing you in to learn more.   See birds flit, fish dart, and water flow.  

my friend earth, sample page

You’ll be delighted with the antics of whales, the coursing of horses, and fierce winds that blow hard.   The seasons will come and go, showing the earth in action.

sample page My Friend Earth

The text fits within the images, flowing as the images pass. The lines aren’t poetic in nature but just fit. Easy words to read the help you delight a child with the turn of page.  What will happen next?  What might Earth do or see or cause to happen? Are there flaps to lift?  Holes to peer through?

Recommendations

Celebrate Earth day with your littles.  This delightful book is geared for them.  So much to see and talk about on each page.  I love the peek-a-boo holes.  It’s wonderful to read of the variety of animals and see the gentle change in seasons.  For all the activity that happens within the pages, this is a very calm, peaceful picture book.  Introduce your littles to the environment of the world, talk about how we can preserve it, and have a great Earth day!  My Friend Earth.

Tiny Bird

By 2 Comments

raincoast FTC

Raincoast books is the story of one little hummingbird’s migration journey.  Let’s travel with him from the northern part of the USA to the Gulf of Mexico. Beautifully illustrated with a treasure trove of information about hummingbirds.  It has been my pleasure to review this picture book. 

Tiny Bird: A Hummingbird's Amazing Journey

What I am Reviewing

Tiny Bird: A Hummingbird’s Amazing Journey was written by Robert Burleigh.  Illustrated by Wendell Minor, and published by Henry Hold & Company.   It is 40 pages long and intended for ages 5-9.  Covering hummingbirds and migration, ecology and zoology.   This is a beautiful book.  Reviewed for Raincoast books.  I received a softcover ARC copy for this review. 

The Details on Tiny Bird

I love it when picture books open up with an introduction to the topic at hand before they get to the title page.  Tiny Bird opens with facts about hummingbirds along with a map showing the journey that tiny bird will be taking. 

Tiny Bird

I learned a ton about hummingbirds reading this book, some of it actually surprised me so I had to fact check.  Nothing that I checked was proven to be false, so if you are undergoing a study on hummingbirds, grab up this book!  The beautiful illustrations that show off the speed and grace of the hummingbird will delight you. 

Tiny Bird sample page

Tiny Bird brings out the hardships these little birds face on their journey.  I could see how their tiny size belies the strength behind them. 

Most of the pages have ample white space to showcase these tiny birds.  But occasional pages are full colour.

Tiny Bird sample page

No rhyming lyrics fill the pages, just straightforward informative text, written in easy to understand language for the young reader.   The font size is easy to read. 

Tiny bird, sample text

This inspiring migratory and life cycle story celebrates the important and impressive feat of a small but mighty creature.  You will learn so much about this smallest of birds travelling over 1500 miles.  Many of these birds don’t make it, but in Tiny Bird we celebrate the ones that do!

Young or old, Tiny Bird is worth a look at. You won’t regret the read for yourself or your children.