Monday, July 29, 2013

Nonfiction Monday


Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Sally's Bookshelf.
My selection is  "Bubbles Float, Bubbles Pop" by Mark Weakland.
 
Young scientists K-3 or the merely curious will find some fun facts in Weakland's exploration of bubbles.
Colorful photographs provide readers with close-up looks at bubbles both natural such as mud bubbles and manufactured as in bubble gum.  Text describes what bubbles are, how they are created, and how they can be used (spittlebugs cover themselves with bubbles for protection). 
"Bubbles Float, Bubbles Pop" is part of the Science Starts series and includes a glossary and bibliography.
 

Friday, July 26, 2013

Poetry Friday





Poetry Friday is hosted today by Simicolon.

For Poetry Friday -- "A fire in my hands: poems by Gary Soto 
 

This revised and expanded edition was published in 2006 by Harcourt and contains poems from the earlier edition and many new works.

Soto begins the book with an introduction in which he discusses his early experiences with poetry, his evolution as a working  poet and the poets and poetry that influenced him.  He concludes the book with a conversational interview of questions and answers in which he responds to inquiries about his work and poetry in general.  His discussion of how he writes, the inspiration for his work, his writing style and so on offer thoughtful insights into his life and art.

Narrative and lyrical poems, drawn from the everyday experiences of Soto's life, will resonate with middle grade, high school and adult readers and inspire writers.  Each poem is accompanied by a short anecdote from Soto's life that connects to the verse.

One of my favorite poems in this collection is "That Girl" with its hesitant yet eager glimpse into a young man's first tentative interest in a girl.

The public library was saying things

In so many books

And I, a Catholic boy

In a green sweater,

Was reading the same page

A hundred times.

A girl was in my way,

And she was at the other end

Of the oak table,

Her hands like doves

On the encyclopedia, E-G.

 

 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Nonfiction Monday




Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Wrapped In Foil.

For Nonfiction Monday --  "Even an Octopus Needs a Home" by Irene Kelly.
 
 
Every animal needs a home, though some are temporary, like a chimpanzee's leafy nest high in a tree, and others, like a coral reef, may last hundreds of years.  Text and attractive illustrations invite young readers to explore some of the more unusual dwellings -- the intricate construction of a Weaver bird's nest, a spider surviving in a bubble, mounds, tunnels, dens, hives and caves, homes in trees, lakes, and oceans. 
She goes on to explain that dwellings may be used for many purposes: temporary places to sleep, safety from predators and the environment, or as places  to raise families.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Poetry Friday




Poetry Friday is hosted today by Check It Out.

For Poetry Friday -- "Barefoot: poems for naked feet" written by Stefi Weisburd with illustrations by Lori McElrath-Eslick.  
 
Summer and bare feet just naturally go together and Weisburd has taken this opportunity to explore the joys  and perils of being free of shoes.  The verses move from the obvious pleasures of a stroll on a beach or romp in the grass to imagining the feel of elephant feet or the sticky hold of a fly on a ceiling.
McElrath-Eslick's watercolors both enrich and explain the verbal imagery.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Poetry Friday



Poetry Friday is hosted today by Today's Little Ditty.

For Poetry Friday -- "Edward Lear" edited by Edward Mendelson and illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith.
 

Mendelson offers readers a thoughtful introduction to Edward Lear and his poetry.  Humorous limericks and more serious longer works provide a balanced experience in this anthology which is part of the Poetry for Young People series.

Huliska-Beith's energetic and colorful artwork reflects the spirit of Lear's verses.

Mendelson's notes provide context and his definitions for unfamiliar vocabulary enable readers to successfully access the various works.

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