A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

picturebook

The Book of Tiny Creatures

By Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Book of Tiny Creatures) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.  🙂 

When I saw this book in my pile of book to review from Raincoast I was so delighted.  My lad would have loved The Book of Tiny Creatures as a child.  I hope that I can find just the right child to gift this to as I know it will bring delight to any child fascinated by the tiny creatures around us.   

There are SO many tiny creatures around us, worms, beetles, snails, flying, crawling, slithering, everywhere living teeny tiny critters invading our world.  Let’s welcome them shall we?  🙂   Seriously!

The book of tiny creatures

Learning about Tiny Creatures

The Book of Tiny Creatures was produced by Princeton Architectural Press.  Instructively written by Nathalie Tordjman and realistically illustrated by Julien Norwood and Emmanuelle Tchoukriel.  72 pages encased in a hardcover binding, written for youth 5-9 years old. Reviewed for Raincoast Books. 

Digging Deeper

You will find five overall sections, each with five subsections.

  • Who are the Tiny Creatures? 
  • Life in the sky 
  • Close to the Ground 
  • In the Water
  • Incredible Creatures

You’ll find oodles of pictures that are so intricately drawn it’s delightful to see.  Good descriptions of select creatures as well.  Plus information pages to round out ideas and get children thinking. 

Quiz pages in each section.   Not all the answers are given (at least not that I saw quickly), which allows you to do some research, and find more questions to ask (and answer) about these amazing critters of the world.  Finding books that encourage excellent questions are always a boon to me.  Feeding curiousity in others makes my heart smile, does it do the same to yours? 

Plus things to do!  Build a terrarium, explore at the seashore, or create shelters in your backyard.  STEM activities at their best!  Learn, create, and grow!   Don’t you just love STEM activities?  Such an excellent way to put all the knowledge you are gathering to good purpose. 

I LOVe how the information is laid out and the variety of creature life featured.  I would have spent more than one night pouring over the pages with my lad and so many questions would be raised.

Should The Book of Tiny Creatures be yours?

FOR SURE!   If you have any interest in these little creatures of the world, get this book. If you have a child like mine who is fascinated by them and comes up with good questions, get this book so they can come up with MORE good questions.  Feed interests!  Help them learn and to love doing so! 

The book of tiny creatures with it’s excellent illustrations and good information is a winner!  Add it to your bookshelves as soon as you can!  🙂  It will be a good start to a study on insects, ocean creatures, Pollinators, pesky bugs, and more. 

Shy Willow

By Leave a Comment

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Shy Willow) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.  🙂 

Imagine if you would, for just a moment that the world is a big scary place.  You have a place to call home where all is good in the world.  You are safe from the scary world.   

Now imagine that if have the occasion to help someone, but you’ll have to do something very scary, but you want so badly to help.  What will you do?   Shy Willow faces such a decision.  Will she follow her heart’s desire?  

Shy Willow

Shy Willow, the details

Cat Min writes a sweet story of a shy cautious rabbit learning to do big brave things.  Cat Min not only wrote this sweet story, but she also provides the illustrations to make her words come to life. Published by Levine Querido, a 48 page hardcover geared for Preschool through grade 2.  A rabbit, dealing with hard emotions, making decisions to help others, and through that managing to survive new experiences.  

Cat Min is an illustrator, animator, and writer. She grew up in Hong Kong, a shy child who filled her time drawing and making comic books with her best friend.   New York University is where she studied animation and filmas well she completed the Illustration & Visual Storytelling Summer Residency Program at the School of Visual Arts in New York. 

I am reviewing Shy Willow for Raincoast Books. 

Sharing the Sweetness

You will adore the conversational tone and the simplicity of the story.  The font is a good size for reading with a group of children, or with a child snuggled up beside.   Those ears sticking out of the mailbox captured my interest already.  Wouldn’t this image provoke a good conversation with a child? 

Little Willow has to problem-solve throughout. How was she going to meet her objective?  What would she do if her decisions ended in failure?  Would she give up?  Isn’t it great when a book includes not only positive results of experiences, but also the negative?  

Now, was it all believable?  No. BUT does it matter?   I guess that’s the question you have to answer.  Even if some of Willow’s solutions, in real life might not work, the story is, is that she did not give up.  Willow persisted in meeting her heart’s objective. 

Should Shy Willow be on Your Bookshelf?

Of course it should be.  🙂   Shy Willow is such a sweet story about a bunny who wondered if something would be possible and despite intense fear did what was needed.  Isn’t this what we all need to do?  See a possibility, know that if we are brave enough, we might be the solution needed!  Shy Willow shows her readers the way. 

An excellent book for helping children deal with new situations, gather up determination to do hard things, and to just read for fun.  🙂 

I was just checking the price on Amazon… it’s a great price today… go pick it up!

Something’s Wrong!

By 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Something’s Wrong) through Raincoast Books

 I love the full name of this book: Something’s Wrong! A Bear, a hare and some underwear.  Doesn’t that just intrigue you right off the start?  I can well imagine that youngsters would be curious indeed.  A fun read, friendship reigns supreme in this cute picture book. 

Affiliate links will be used in this review. No cost to you, helps support my blog. 

Something's Wrong

The details for Something’s Wrong!

Jory John brings us a highly relatable book for 3-6-year-olds in Something’s Wrong! A Bear, A Hare, and Some Underwear.  Erin Kroon does a wonderful job of providing forest-themed colours to tell the story of Bear and Hare, and of course…that underwear!  The publisher of this 40-page book is Farrar Straus Giroux this is a Junior Library Selection.  This hardcover picture is easy to hold and share with a group of children. 

I am reviewing on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

A nice sized text fills the pages of this fun picture book.  What is a bear to do when he’s certain he’s forgetting something but just can’t remember what!??!?!  He’s such a friendly bear even is his problem is weighing on his mind.

I can just see children chortling with delight as bear goes through his day trying to figure out what is wrong.  And all his friends were too polite to tell him!  Then his best friend Hare comes to the rescue! Isn’t that what friends are supposed to do?   Not only telling the truth to his friend Bear, but also helping him out of a touchy situation.

Do you think Bear might start a new fashion trend? 

I would love to read this with a group children and then stop along the way asking questions.  So why do you think his friends didn’t say anything?  Do you think his friend Hare will be able to help?  How could Bear forget such a thing?  What would you have done? 

Should you get Something’s Wrong?

If I were a teacher I’d add it to my stash of books to read with my children every year.  I wouldn’t hesitate to add it my library or go borrow from the library.  I found nothing objectionable, unless…you are a person who believes undergarments should not be spoken of.   

The Tale of friendship and the colours used to tell the story fit the scenes so well, and I loved it.   As a bonus, it’s a fun read.  The ending of Something’s Wrong made me laugh!   You’ll find it a good book to add to a unit study on being a good friend and learning empathy.

Well done Jory and Erin. 

We Want A Dog

By 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received this complimentary ARC product (We Want a Dog) through Raincoast Books.

Want a dog?  So do the reading of We Want a Dog.  And boy oh boy… do they want a dog with oodles of different talents… or perhaps they want options!  (you decide!)   Come on for a cute book about all the things that dogs can bring into your life. 

Affiliate links will be used in this review, no cost to you, but helps me with my blog.  (a good thing yes?)

We Want a Dog… starts with a question.

We want a dog

All about We Want a Dog

  This fun picture book is written by Lo Cole and is published by Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky.  You will be taken on a fun, and somewhat unexpected journey through 26 amusing varieties of our canine friends.  Using humour Lo Cole helps us to see the fun and …sometimes questionable nature… of all things canine. 

I am reviewing an advanced readers copy from Raincoast Books for my review. 

You’ll find rhyming text throughout, some of the rhymes are perfect, others are near-rhymes.  This would be so fun to read with a group of children.

Red, black and white is the colour palette with each page varying the amount of colour.   You’ll find the text is a lovely size for reading as you discover all the different dogs possible.  Some are serious, others are funny, and yet more are downright alarming.  It’s perfect for children ages 3-8!    Mind, it might turn some children off of dogs if they take this book a bit too seriously. 

Just a heads up… the ending was totally unexpected!  Made me laugh!   I can see 6-8 year olds laughing too!  🙂 

We Want a Dog

Should you get We Want A Dog

Okay, We Want a Dog is just a fun book.  Lo Cole takes the fun and the bad of what makes a dog a dog.  He puts 26 of those characteristics into a fun colourful picture book.   My hesitation is that I am adult, I can see the fun in pulling out some of the animal in the dogs around us.  But three-five-year-olds are not adults. They sometimes take things seriously that are meant to be read in fun.   So getting this book depends on the children involved.

NOW…. if you are doing a unit study about dogs…this book would be a HOOT to go along with that.  It would be.  Make the kids laugh, give you the opportunity to talk about how you’d train a dog who did some of the things the dogs in this book do.  It would also give the opportunity to see dogs in a broader spectrum than most dog unit studies might include.    By the by, you might find this unit study on dogs extremely helpful to use with this book!  🙂 

unitstudy dogs

The Secret Life of Viruses

By 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received an advanced readers copy (The Secret Life of Viruses) through Raincoast Books.

Helping children understand how viruses work is the first step to enabling them to protect themselves in a virus-ridden world.   The Secret Life of Viruses is a picture book geared to helping our younger children understand how viruses work.  This helps them know how to protect themselves and reduces the fear that some children have.  

Affiliate links will be used in my review, no cost to you, and helps to support my blog. 

The secret life of viruses

The Details

Sourcebooks explore, part of sourcebookkids brings us The Secret Life of Viruses by Mariona Tolosa Sistere.   This science-based picturebook is part of the Ellas Educan Collective.   A hardcover version will be available in August 2021.   The Secret Life series also contains the Secret Life of Boogers and the Secret Life of Boo-boos. 

The Ellas Educan Collective is a group of six female scientists.  They wish to promote women in leadership positions.  Their goal is to create a sustainable world, as they empower women and engage people in science.  

The Secret Life of Viruses is written for children 4-8 years and covers 32 pages. Colourful illustrations fill the pages connecting well to the text that is in simple, but informative language.   I received an ARC version from Raincoast. 

I just love picture books that are a combination of good information and good illustrations.  Mariona Tolosa Sistere has given me just that.   Not only does she make the science of understanding how viruses work easy for children, but she writes in an engaging tone. 

In The Secret life of Viruses readers will learn what a virus is, what types of viruses there are, how they reproduce, what they do inside your body, and how they spread.   They will learn what a pandemic is and how to stay healthy.  You’ll even get a history of viruses in history.     The bright colourful images draw in the eye and the shapes would intrigue children. It’s actually kind of fascinating to see all the different shapes that viruses are don’t you think? 

Two pages are devoted to quizz questions with the answers given later. 

Should you get The Secret Life of Viruses

Whether you are young or old, The Secret Life of Viruses is an excellent primer into understanding the world of viruses.   It would work well just for helping elementary students understand viruses and be a good introduction to older students.  I love using picture books with older students as it can spur on questions they have and possible research opportunities. 

It’s not perfect, in places it feels a little “teachery”. But the information presented is solid, and sometimes you need the teacher-aspect to make the point more clear.  🙂   I liked that accurate terminology was used when delineating categories, and simple language was used where it could be easily done.  

Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure

By 2 Comments

Free Product Received from Raincoast Books in exchange for my fair and honest review.   The product I received is entitled Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure.  Affiliate Links will be used in this post which costs you nothing but helps to support my blog. 

When I read the title for this encouraging picture book I thought, I am sure I’ve reviewed another book with this name.  I did some searching and indeed I have! This other book is completely different and meant for an older age group.   This Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure is fun to read.  Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure takes three enterprising youngsters on a trip around the world, you have GOT to come along on their adventures.  

where the world ends

Published by Princeton Architectural Press, this 40 page hardcover picture book will delight children 4-8 year olds.  Brightly coloured illustrations by Maria Dek fill the pages, while allowing for plenty of white space.  Davide Cali writes a story of three youngsters who want to know the answer to a simple question “Do clouds end up where the world ends?”  In the quest for an answer, they let nothing stand in their way.

What You’ll Find in Where the World Ends

You won’t find characters that are fully developed, the story isn’t about that.  It’s about a determination by three, sometimes naughty, youngsters who want to know where the clouds go!  One of them wondered if they end up where the world ends so off they went searching. 

Some pages, naturally had more colour than others, but I found the illustrations fit the style of this book perfectly.  Children will be drawn in by them.  So many talking points.  Would you like to lay on the grass and look at the clouds?  What shapes do you think they saw?  What kind of things do you think these youngsters like to do?

Even when the characters are poorly behaved, it’s a great time to talk to with your children about determination, having respect, obedience, and choices that could be made.  

So many adventures with so much colour.  One thing I noted was as the youngsters travelled they could be seen being helpful.  Playing with a dog, mowing a lawn, feeding fish and more.  As determined as they were to get to their goal, they took the time they needed to be kind.  It would be fun to read the story and then go back and see how often they could be caught being kind. 

I found the font small.  Its okay for sitting to read with a single child, but if you have to hold the book farther away it wouldn’t work (at least with my old eyes!).   Occasionally illustrated font would appear, I wish the font had been between the size presented and the illustrated size.  Would make it nicer to read with a group of children and share the wonder of seeking out answers to questions. 

Should you Get it?

Honestly, Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure is not one that I would want to buy, but to borrow from a library?  Most certainly.  It’s worth taking the time to read through a variety books.  To talk through the good ideas… actively seeking answers to your questions… wonderful thing to promote.  It’s also good to note acts of kindness, and to talk about how we treat others even if we have our own agendas.   

Art is Life

By 4 Comments

Free Product received from Raincoast books for my review.  Affiliate links will be used in this review.  No added cost to you, but it does help pay the bills.  🙂 

Art is Life tells the story of the life of artist Keith Haring.  A vibrant active man with a huge love for art and the expression of it.  This is a picture book that helps to tell part of his story.   Come see!

art is life

48 pages round-out this art biography of Keith Haring.   Keith believed that art is life, and life is art, and he wanted everyone to experience the joy of it.  Author Tami Lewis Brown helped us see his vibrancy and drive to do art.   Illustrator Keith Negley brought that vibrancy and drive to life!   We got to see Keith’s work brought to the forefront while Mr. Negley helped us see him live his life. Thoughtfully produced for 4-7 year olds by Farrar Straus Giroux.

My Review of Art is Life is on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

Every artist portrays the world that he sees differently.  Keith started from the time he was young, showing his view of the world in bright colours and bold lines. 

art is life

You’ll find the font an excellent size for reading with a child at your side, or to a group of children gathered in close.  Wouldn’t it be fun to read it and then have children practice doing art like Keith?   

Throughout the pages of Art is Life you’ll find references to Keith’s desire to share art with the world.   In some ways, it makes the rest of the book seem less bright.  In reality though, the artwork throughout compliments nicely.   One can see the darkness of the subway, the lightness of chalk on dark panels.  Children also learn that sometimes… doing art without permission has consequences. 

Should you get Art is Life?

I always like, when I’m reviewing a biographical picture book, when the author includes a fuller biography of the individual.  In doing so, a fuller presentation of the individual is given.  This book left me with the complete picture.  

The author and illustrator did an excellent job of conveying the enthusiasm that Keith Haring had for life.  Everything he did showed how much he wanted others to enjoy art as well.  If you want to inspire the love of sharing art with others, Keith Haring’s story will do that!  

This book would be great as part of a series on artists, what drives their passions, and how they inspired others. The harder details about Keith Haring’s life are explained in the author’s note. 

Would you like a quick intro to Keith Haring?   I found this youtube video on him.