Picture Books

Birds of the World

Book cover: Birds of the World
Author(s): 
Colin Harrison
Alan Greensmith

This is my favorite of the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Handbooks and I would venture to guess that it's probably the best bird handbook you can find. Hundreds of birds, from doves and swallows, to hawks and falcons and tropical birds are included with clear photos, a small map of where they can be found, an icon showing how large they are in comparison to the book, and other basic information about their habitat, migration, etc. Our family has used this guide extensively in identifying and learning more about the substantial variety of birds we find in our own backyard.

Make Way for Ducklings

Book cover: 'Make Way for Ducklings'
Author(s): 
Robert McCloskey
This is one of our family's favorite books in the "non-religious" category. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are looking for a safe place to start their duck family. They make friends with Michael the policeman who helps Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings make their way safely to the Public Garden to meet up with Mr. Mallard. The illustrations are SO charming - my children ask for this over and over.

The Squire and the Scroll

Author(s): 
Jennie Bishop
With colorful, dramatic illustrations and a story to inspire children, The Squire and the Scroll is sure to be a favorite. Written as a parable set in an imaginary kingodm, a wicked dragon has stolen the Lantern of Purest Light. This is not just any ordinary light, but a "Lantern that gave freedom to all the kingdom." Who will be brave enough to bring back this precious Lantern? Although many young men try, none return, until one day a poor squire who had been taught by his parents "how to guard his pure heart by the words from a simple scroll" accompanies another daring knight.

Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs

Book cover: Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs
Author(s): 
Patricia Lauber
Illustrator(s): 
Holly Keller

This book explores the notion of various plants and animals that are linked together based on "who eats what." Children will learn about some simple food chains such as – leaf, caterpillar, wren and hawk. They also see how one plant or animal can belong to several food chains and that members or these related food chains (food webs) have a certain amount of dependence on each other. The text goes on to explain, through an example of a problem with over-hunted otters around the turn of the century, that when part of a food chain is disturbed, the other members will also be affected.

How Do Bees Make Honey?

Book cover: How Do Bees Make Honey?
Author(s): 
Anna Claybourne

A small, inexpensive book filled with pictures and lots of other information picture about bees and other insects. You'll learn how to tell bees apart from other insects, how bees live together in colonies and all about their beehives, how bees communicate with each other (my children have really enjoyed trying to re-enact the bee's dances) and of course how bees make honey. The one thing I didn't like is that the material is so disjointed because it jumps around between different kinds of insects.

Angus and the Ducks

Author(s): 
Marjorie Flack
Angus is a little Scottish terrier who is terribly curious about everything - especially a noise coming from the other side of the large green hedge. One day, when "the door between outdoors and indoors was left open by mistake" he goes exploring to discover what makes that noise. His adventures are very cute, my children love hearing the sounds made by Angus and by the ducks. The text is very short and simple, but the real beauty is in the language which has a charming and humorous flow to it - it is perfect for reading aloud to little ones..

What Makes Day and Night?

Book cover: What Makes Day and Night?
Author(s): 
Franklyn M. Branley
Illustrator(s): 
Arthur Dorros

The clearly written text is combined with simple, colorful pictures to make the concepts of day and night and the rotation of the earth in relation to the sun very understandable for both young children and their parents. : ) Included is a very simple hands-on "experiment" requiring only your child and a desk lamp. Some information about the moon is also covered. Like other books in this series, this book is a great solution for satisfying some of those "why" questions that young children constantly ask.

The Princess and the Kiss

Book cover: 'The Princess and the Kiss'
Author(s): 
Jennie Bishop
"Long ago, in a wonderful castle on a mountain of splendor, a beautiful princess was born." So begins the story of The Princess and the Kiss, a tale of a young woman's - in this case princess's - first kiss. On the day she is born, her parents present her with this special gift from God. In a secret room in a castle tower, it is kept safely hidden away under glass. When she is old enough, her parents explain the treasured value of this precious gift and warn her to not give it to just anybody.

The Lady of Guadalupe

Book cover: The Lady of Guadalupe
Author(s): 
Tomie dePaola

This has been one of my family's very favorite picture books since our oldest was a toddler. It is a beautiful re-telling of a beautiful story with illustrations that complement it nicely and which are very appealing to children. I especially like Tomie de Paola's attention to detail. It's informative enough to be interesting even for adults.

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