The life cycles of fourteen animals, from butterflies to humans are depicted in stunning photographs that will delight readers of all ages. This is the perfect introduction to natural Science for the youngest readers. A tadpole becomes a frog, a kit becomes a rabbit, and an egg becomes a chicken. Additional information about specific breeds of each animal, and a glossary of terms enhance the information learned in the text and pictures.
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A Baker's Dozen: The Best Children's Books for Family Literacy
Animals Here We Grow!
Holiday House
,
2021
Tips for Using with Children
Before reading, ask children to look at the cover of the book and identify the animals that are shown in the pictures. During reading, point to each word and then the picture that goes with that word. Young children will learn that the words on the page have a meaning as shown in the photographs building their vocabulary and literacy learning. After reading, start at the beginning of the text, point to pictures, and ask children if they remember the names of each animal as they grow through different stages.
Tips for Using with Families
As described under Tips to Use with Children, suggest that families or adults use the reading aloud activity. Explain that building children’s vocabulary through nonfiction books is a
way to expose children to new words and ideas that they may not have exposure to otherwise. Increasing young children’s knowledge of the world in which they live gives them life skills, and may impact their interests as they grow older.
The Beak Book
Beach Lane Books
,
2021
From cover to cover, The Beak Book draws the reader in with its vibrant illustrations of our feathered friends and their unique beaks, including the black skimmer, the Atlantic puffin, the ruddy duckling, and more. Not only can readers observe each bird up close, but they can also learn more about the specific purposes of each beak, such as straining, sniffing, shredding, or breaking out of an egg. For those who are curious to know more, captions provide the name of each bird and additional details about the use of their beak. At the end of the book, readers will find a map of where each bird lives, what they eat, and their relative size compared to an average human. Looking for a fascinating non-fiction read? Be sure to pluck this one off the shelf before its gone!
Tips for Using with Children
Bring vocabulary to life by exploring some of the interesting beaks in this book. If available, create a science table where children can use objects to see how certain beaks might work. For example, a kitchen strainer can demonstrate how the ruddy duck uses its beak to filter seeds, plants, and insects from the muddy bottom of a pond. Children can use spoon like tongs to “snap” up prey like the roseate spoonbill. Point out that the book begins with the adult ruddy duck, and ends with the young ruddy duckling hatching out of an egg. Did they know that many baby birds, like the ruddy duckling, have a special egg tooth that helps them break through the shell of the egg?
Tips for Using with Families
Adults can talk to children about the difference between a fiction and non-fiction book. This book is non-fiction because it is about real events and facts. It can be read from front to back, or the reader can select which pages he or she would like to read. When re-reading the book, children might have a favorite bird they like to search for and talk about. Adults can observe their child’s cues and follow their lead when reading. On some pages, a child might want to hear more details about the bird on the page, and on others, a quick look might be enough. Adults can pull out details from the additional text to answer questions or provide interesting facts while reading.
Brave as a Mouse
Random House Studios, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC
,
2021
Inside a quiet house, a friendly mouse approaches a goldfish bowl and asks the fish inside to play. Together they enjoy the day, until three creeping cats threaten to put a stop to their fun. Determined to save the fish, the mouse leads the cats on a chase and secures some time to recruit some fellow mice and make a quick escape. The brave mice lead their new friend the fish to a safer home, avoiding “cat-astrophe.”
Tips for Using with Children
Shadow play is a fun activity that extends this story. Find a wall or surface where shadows can be seen, and use hands or cut out shapes to create shadows of the cats on the wall. Children might like to re-tell the story using the shadow puppets. The mice in the story had to use teamwork to help the fish escape. Looking back at the story, what different things did the mice do to help each other?
Tips for Using with Families
The pictures in this story help to build suspense and excitement for young readers. Adults can pause on each page and prompt children to look closely for shadows, figures, and other indications that the cats are nearby. Adults can ask children to predict what they think will happen next in the story. On the pages with the illustration of the pantry, how many mice do they see in the shadows? In what ways were the mice brave? Why did they want to help the fish?
Dino-GRO
Random House Studios, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC
,
2021
In this funny story, Cole is disappointed that his new dinosaur toy is so tiny, but his mother reassures him that Dino-Gro will grow when he becomes wet. Once Dino-Gro discovers a glass of water, a stream, the aquarium, the sprinkler, and the shower—grow he does! Big, bigger and biggest—so big that he doesn’t fit in the house! Hilarious antics and a rescue follow as the family figures out how to manage a giant blue dinosaur.
Tips for Using with Children
Dino-Gro is a fantasy story that provides children with humor and the idea that stories can be fun. When children engage with fantasy they are given opportunities to stimulate their creativity and boost vocabulary. After reading, invite children to imagine one of their favorite toys having the ability to grow big or talk. Provide the children with crayons and paper to draw their toy with an imaginative ability. Children can share their pictures with family or friends recalling at the same time the story of Dino-Gro.
Tips for Using with Families
Share with families that very young children may have difficulty following more than one character action on a page. It’s helpful to point to each picture depicting a new action to show the sequence of events and talk through what is happening. The page that shows Dino-Gro looking at a glass of water to ending up in the glass of water is an example of a page with more than one character action. Pointing to the pictures and discussing the actions help children to better understand the story.
Every Little Kindness
Chronicle Books, LLC
,
2021
When a young woman is searching for her lost dog, she demonstrates an act of kindness that passes from person to person within her community. Within muted illustrations, a splash of red highlights the thread of good deeds that weaves through the community and connects strangers in unexpected ways. Whether it is opening a door, inviting someone to play, offering a seat, or returning a lost pet to its loving owner, every little kindness has an impact and the potential to ripple far beyond what we imagine.
Tips for Using with Children
The use of the color red to highlight caring actions provides an opportunity for children to predict what might happen next. Children will enjoy identifying the red items and then thinking about what the next helpful act might be. They also might like to create drawings of themselves doing something nice for another, and using the color red to highlight their action. Brainstorm with children a list of small acts of kindness that they can do for others at home and in the classroom community, and if possible, put some into action within the community, such as providing water bottles for delivery personnel, or painting encouraging messages or pictures on rocks and placing them in a public space.
Tips for Using with Families
When reading a wordless book with children, adults can choose to provide narrative on some pages, and they can also choose to offer a few moments of quiet for children to observe and interpret what they see. Children can take the lead in turning pages so that adults can follow their pace and pose questions when something causes their child to pause. Adults can point out the different ways that people in the story are demonstrating kindness, and connect the story to their child’s daily routine. Thinking about your child’s day, were there ways that someone provided a simple act of kindness for them? Was there an opportunity where they provided kindness to another?
I’m A Hare, So There!
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
,
2021
When Chipmunk calls Hare a Rabbit, and Hare calls Ground Squirrel a Chipmunk, watch out! Exasperated Hare quickly points out to Squirrel all the ways that he is different from a rabbit as they make their way through the desert. Readers learn that look-a-like animals such as a tortoise and a turtle, a frog and a toad have distinct characteristics. Unknown to them a jackal (or is it a coyote?) follows them through the desert. Find out what happens next in this animal thriller. Back matter shows a guide to eight animals that are similar but not the same, and are often confused with each other. A second end page invites readers to find Sonoran Desert creatures hidden in the illustrations of the book.
Tips for Using with Children
Before reading, share with children that you are going to read a story that has a homophone, a word that is pronounced the same as another word, but has a different spelling and meaning. Show the word hair on a card or board and point to your hair for the meaning of the word. Tell children that you are going to read a story that uses the word, hare (show the written word on a card or board), which sounds the same but has a different meaning than the hair on your head. Ask the children if they have ever heard of this other meaning for hare? Read the story. On the first page, the hare says that he is no Flopsy, Mopsy or Cottontail. If you have a copy of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, show the book and explain that Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail are the sisters of Peter Rabbit a character in a famous book. This can be explained even if a Beatrix Potter book isn’t available. Children will enjoy the humor of the story and the Hare who repeatedly insists that he is not a rabbit.
Tips for Using with Families
Share with families that stories in which animals talk (fantasy) can also contain information that is true (realistic). In this story, children learn about the names of animals that are like each other, building vocabulary and the understanding of a concept that may be new to them. Children love to find things in pictures. Copy and print the last page of Sonoran Desert creatures in a larger size, so that adults and children can find the creatures as they read together. Books for young children can be an important way to learn new knowledge in a simple way.
Maybe…
Candlewick Press
,
2021
Suspense builds as three little monkeys disobey their caregiver’s instructions and venture closer to the juicy mangoes growing in a dangerous part of the jungle. Careful pacing and repetition coax the reader along on the adventure, as hungry tigers lurk nearby. Bright and colorful illustrations bring the wide-eyed monkeys to life, and young readers will be wide-eyed as well as they discover the dangers that the little monkeys do not see. Is there a happy ending, or do the monkeys meet danger along the way? Maybe…you need to read to find out for yourself!
Tips for Using with Children
The monkeys in the story have to be careful when going to pick the mangoes. The “Freeze Game” can be a fun activity for families and for classrooms. An adult can be the tiger, and walk slowly around the room while children are the monkeys, tiptoeing behind. When the tiger turns around suddenly, the monkeys must freeze. When the tiger turns back around and resumes walking, the monkeys can as well.
Tips for Using with Families
Preview the book with adults prior to reading with children. Adults can generate a list of open-ended questions that they can pose while reading. For example, adults can ask, “What would you do if you were the monkeys?” and “Where do you think the tigers are right now?” When interacting with children, adults can expand on children’s responses by validating their ideas and introducing new vocabulary. As Adults read with expression, caution the monkeys, and respond to questions posed by children, they will make the children feel as though they are part of the story.
Mel Fell
Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publisher
,
2021
From a nest at the top of a very tall tree, plucky little bird, Mel decides that it is time to learn how to fly. Her siblings aren’t so sure about that idea, but Mel takes the plunge and begins to fall down and down and down. Mel falls past a number of expressive animals—an owl family, a group of squirrels, a hive of bees, a spider’s web, and other small creatures. All of them try to save her as she passes them by. Read to see what happens when Mel reaches the bottom of the tree!
Tips for Using with Children
Before reading, share with children that the book is a made-up (fictional) story about a real animal—a kingfisher bird. Read the story aloud with expression as children enjoy the sequence of events that happen to Mel. After reading, engage the children in learning facts about kingfishers. They have feathers that are bright blue and green. They eat minnows, sticklebacks, and large insects in the water. They can fly up to 25 miles an hour and have hard beaks that are used like a spear. They are tiny and weigh less than a pound (if possible show children an object that weighs about a pound). Show pictures of a real kingfisher bird and if possible, watch the Youtube video of a real kingfisher bird diving in the water to catch fish. Children will marvel at the bird’s bright coloring and quickness. Youtube: Common Kingfisher. Bird catching a fish. David Attenborough's opinion. - YouTube
Tips for Using with Families
Share with families that this book is an award-winning book. It was a Caldecott honor book and an American Libraries Association notable book. Use the opportunity to share with families what the Caldecott gold and silver medal stickers on books look like and that the award is given for best illustrations. This book’s unusual format, which requires it to be turned sideways and upside down at certain points, adds to the suspense and illustrates Mel’s descent from the tree. Children and adults will appreciate the delightful narrative and the one-of-a-kind format of the book.
Not Little
Neal Porter Books/Holiday House
,
2021
Dot may be the smallest person in her family, and even in her class at school. Even her name is small! But despite Dot’s size, she is not little. In fact, she often has to prove that there is more than meets the eye when others assume she is younger than she really is. When Sam joins her class, Dot is surprised to see that he is even smaller than her. One day, when another classmate is being unkind to Sam, Dot discovers one part of herself that definitely is not little…her VOICE. Readers will be drawn into this story of spirit, courage and friendship. With its relatable text and color-pencil illustrations, Not Little is a big yes.
Tips for Using with Children
Adults can support children as they walk through the book again, this time as a “feelings detective.” How might Dot be feeling in some of the illustrations? How are others around her feeling? What clues help them decide? At the end of the story, ask children to think about why Sam said that Dot was the biggest person he ever knew, even though she didn’t grow.
Tips for Using with Families
Dot provides adults with a peek into a child’s perspective as she describes her need to feel independent, respected, and recognized. Even from a very young age, adults can support children in becoming independent readers. Before reading, adults can involve children in deciding where they want to read, and what book they would like to select. Engaging in interactive reading allows both the adult and child to participate in the experience, including turning pages, asking questions, and predicting what might happen next. Young children can use the illustrations to tell their story in their own words. Dot’s experience might also prompt children to share a time when they felt “little,” or other times when they felt “big.”
Oscar’s Tower of Flowers
Candlewick Press
,
2021
When someone Oscar loves leaves for a trip, his nurturing caregiver engages him in the process of planting and growing. His green thumb serves him well, and before long their cozy apartment is filled with plants and flowers. Oscar visits each neighbor in the building, offering plants in a gesture of friendship and kindness and demonstrating how every person can contribute to the spirit of community. Through illustrated panels and brightly colored spreads, this wordless book sends a message of growth, neighborliness, and love.
Tips for Using with Children
Gardening and growing provides an opportunity for children to care for living things. Provide children with some soil, seeds, and a variety of containers for planting. In the story, Oscar used pots, dishes, mugs, yogurt cups, teapots, and more for planting. What other containers could be recycled for planting? It took time for Oscar’s plants to grow. Consider including a calendar or journal where children can regularly observe and record changes. Before planting, compare the characteristics of the seeds from different packets, with opportunities for counting, sorting, and creating patterns.
Tips for Using with Families
Encourage adults to spend some time with the book, observing the illustrations and recognizing the freedom for both adults and children to tell the story in their own words. Point out that the end pages at the front and back of the book provide a hint to the story. Adults can take time to compare the apartments inside the front cover with those inside the back cover, and can prompt their child to do the same. When looking at the illustrations, adults can consider and guess what might draw their child’s eye based on their child’s specific interests. When enjoying a wordless book, adults can provide some of the narrative by labeling and describing what they see, and also let children tell the story by asking open-ended questions.
Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover)
Candlewick Press
,
2021
Wolf has a plan to sneak into the neighborhood sheep herd to find a tasty treat. He puts together a fluffy, cotton-like costume that he thinks makes him blend in with the sheep. Once in, his plan includes being helpful, being handy, being fun and friendly—a real team player. Wolf realizes that the sheep are his friends and he could never eat them! Upon returning home, Wolf crafts miniature sheep-like figurines from his costume to decorate his fireplace mantle while he reading about vegetarianism. There is a knock at the door, and Wolf opens the door to surprise guests!
Tips for Using with Children
Before reading hand each child a cotton ball and explain that the cotton balls have a part in the story that you are about to read. Look at the cover of the book, and ask children to predict what they think the cotton balls have to do with the story of a wolf. Accept all suggestions. Read the story. After reading, review the predictions that the children made, and talk about how the cover of a book can sometimes give clues about the story. Use the cotton balls (each child may need additional cotton balls) to make their own sheep to remind them to retell their families the story of Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover). Eyes and feet can be created from construction paper or other materials.
Tips for Using with Families
In the story, Wolf has a step-by-step plan for capturing and eating some sheep. Discuss with families what in the story changes the wolf’s mind? Suggest to families that they can talk about the story with young readers in the same way. There are signs throughout the story that the wolf comes to see the sheep as his friends. Signs include all of the helpful ways the wolf interacts with the sheep and their positive responses to his overtures. The story provides a way to talk about what is means to be a friend: helping and being handy when needed, being fun and friendly, and sharing stories with each other.
A Sled for Gabo
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
,
2021
It is snowing, and children are sledding on the hill near Gabo’s home. Gabo is shy, and is not sure that he has everything he needs to join them. Mami helps solve the problem by locating Papi’s hat, waterproof bags to keep his feet dry and warm. As Gabo gets closer to the hill, he encounters family and neighbors who offer snacks, friendship, and encouragement. The natural integration of English and Spanish language broadens the reader’s experience and vocabulary, and brings warmth to a snowy day through community connections.
Tips for Using with Children
Nature-based play can occur during any season, and requires few materials. During winter, children can practice drawing pictures and letters on frosted windows, steamy windows, or on the snow. Talk to children about how they need to prepare to play in different types of weather. What would they need to play in the warm sun? In the rain? In the snow? What might they be able to do during those days that they couldn’t do at other times?
Tips for Using with Families
Adults and children have the opportunity to celebrate both English and Spanish vocabulary when reading this story. When reading in any language, illustrations can often assist readers in determining meaning for new words. For example, at the end of the story, Gabo and Isa share dulce de leche. What clues can support understanding of this special treat and how it is prepared? Adults can also pause when reading the story to point out the creative problem solving that occurs. Are there other ways they could have solved some of the challenges Gabo encountered? What else could Gabo have used for a sled? This is a great opportunity for children to use thinking skills and imagination, too.
We Love Fishing!
A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
,
2021
Bear, Porcupine, Otter, and Squirrel are good friends who like to spend time together—fishing, walking, and enjoying the rain. Readers learn that Squirrel doesn’t really like to do any of those things. He goes along on the friends’ adventures but complains the whole time. Read to see what happens on a fishing outing that leads to something they all love to do.
Tips for Using with Children
Before reading, ask children what they love doing best. Make a chart listing all of the activities including the educators’ favorite activity. Point out the similarities and the differences. Tell the children that the story you are going to read is about friends who like to do some of the same activities but also like to do activities that are unique to them. After reading, discuss the characters’ friendship and highlight that they are all good friends with varied interests.
Tips for Using with Families
Invite families to share the interests or hobbies of their children. Are there siblings with varied interests? Discuss the positive aspects of friendship and young children. Some possibilities are that friendship builds a child’s empathy and ability to share, boosts happiness, well-being and confidence. Children learn important social skills in their interactions with other children. Like interests help to create friendships and varied interests can introduce children to activities that are new to them.