Posts Tagged middle-grade nonfiction

EXTINCT! Facts & Fiction for Middle-Grade Readers

By on July 10, 2020   /   Book Lists, Fiction, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, Nonfiction  

Many kids in this age group can rattle off more dinosaur names and the details about more species than most other twelve people put together. And they have learned much of this on their own, through eager reading! What could be more exciting during this pandemic, when schools are closed and normal summer activities are limited, than for young readers to find books that hold their avid interest for hours and days?

More books on the ever-hot topic of dinosaurs come out every year. I’ve been writing a book about extinct American animals and have been looking at just about everything available for middle-grade readers on the subject. I recommend the following page-turners:

Stephen Brusatte is a leading young paleontologist, but also an engaging author of books for children and adults. In his Day of the Dinosaurs: Step Into a Spectacular Prehistoric World (Wide-Eyed Editions, 2016), readers witness over 100 prehistoric creatures of the land, sea and air through 2nd-person narrative. Older middle graders might also enjoy his best-selling adult book, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs (William Morrow, 2019)

Kelroy Pim and Jack Horner both fell in love with dinosaurs as kids and now have become leading scientists in the field. In their book, Dinosaurs—The Grand Tour: Everything Worth Knowing About Dinosaurs from Aardonyx to Zuniceratops (The Experiment, 2nd Ed., 2019), readers will find many of the mind-changing latest discoveries. The book also includes Jack Horner’s working field notes and suggestions for how and where readers might go to make their own prehistoric finds.

Extraordinary animals lived and went extinct millions of years before and after those great dinosaur beasts. This may be a whole new area for dino-fans to explore. Fortunately there are a number of wonderful books to help them get a sense of our vast natural history. One is Matt Sewall’s Forgotten Beasts: Amazing Creatures That Once Roamed the Earth ( Pavilion Children’s , 2019). The well-known and little-known creatures featured in this stunningly illustrated book span half a billion years, ending with the extinction of the Tasmanian Tiger in the 1930s.

In their well-researched, humorous, and visually compelling book, Prehistoric Ancestors of Modern Animals: If Extinct Beasts Came to Life, (Hungry Tomato, 2017), Mathew Rake and Simon Mendez use digital photography to show what modern animals might be like if they still had the attributes of their prehistoric ancestors. See also their Prehistoric Giants, Prehistoric Sea Beasts, and Prehistoric Predators, all published in 2017.

 For comprehensive, visually appealing reference books for this age group, you can’t miss with anything published by the Smithsonian or by DK Eyewitness books. Some examples: William Lindsay, Prehistoric Life: Discover the Origins of Life on Earth from the First Bacteria to the Coming of Humans (DK Eyewitness Books, Reprint ed., 2012). Or Paul Taylor, A History of Life in 100 Fossils (Smithsonian Books, 2014).

Would readers like to dig up some fossils of their own? Thousands of prehistoric animal and plant remains lie underfoot waiting to be found all over this country (except maybe in Rhode Island where, because of glaciation, fossil hunters may only come up with a trilobite or two and some Carboniferous cockroaches).  Amateur fossil hunters, (including children!),  have made many scientifically important finds

Mathew Rake and Dan R. Lynch’s Fossils for Kids: Finding, Identifying and Collecting (Adventure Publications, 2020) covers all those topics, but also explains how to collect responsibly so that you preserve the scientific record. Albert Dickas‘s 101 American Fossil Sites You’ve Gotta See (Mountain Press Publishing, 2018) shows state-by-state where to see prehistoric animals on display, or observe expert digs in progress, or dig on your own.

Would they like to read fiction about fossils? Try Monica

Kulling’s Mary Anning’s Curiosity (Groundwood Books, 2017), a fictionalized account of the childhood of the 19th century shell-collector who revolutionized paleontology 
with her discoveries. Or read Roger Reid’s Time: A Jason Caldwell Mystery (NewSouth Books, 2011) set in a world-famous Paleozoic Footprint site in northern Alabama.

At a moment when there is much uncertainty in the present and about the future, it may be refreshing for readers to focus on the long time of Earth’s natural past. At the very least, they can have fun reading about some fascinating ages and creatures. Please pass this list of books along to any middle-graders you know. There are many more titles that I could have included, but they will find them. I wish there were a reading equivalent of “Bon appétit!”

 

 

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STEM Tuesday — Pollinators — Book List

By on July 7, 2020   /   Pollinators, STEM Tuesday  

Pollinator populations are declining. For those of us who like to eat, this is a problem because bees pollinate 75 percent of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts grown in the United States. In addition, bees, butterflies, bats, and other animals pollinate plants and fruit trees which provide food for birds and other wildlife.

Where Have all the Bees Gone? Pollinators in Crisis, by Rebecca E. Hirsch

Beginning with a field trip to find the once-common Franklin’s bumble bee, this book highlights what can happen when wild bees disappear. It concludes on a hopeful note, with two chapters devoted to bee conservation and positive actions that kids – and their families –  can take.

 

Bugs in Danger, by Mark Kurlansky

This book opens with an overview of how insects fit into the ecosystem and the biggest threats they face: habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. There’s a good section on what pollination is and the co-evolution of insects with plants. Remaining sections focus on individual groups of pollinators: bees (big emphasis on honey bees), beetles, and butterflies and moths. Fortunately, there are things everyone can do to keep the world a safe place for bugs.

 

Turn this Book into a Beehive, by Lynn Brunelle

This book provides an introduction to honey bees, bumble bees, and native bees. Bee-lovers of all ages will appreciate the novelty of turning the book cover into a home for mason bees. Plus there are hands-on activities and recipes for organic pest control, with plenty of tips on how we can keep our landscapes bee-friendly.

 

Attracting Native Pollinators: The Xerces Society Guide, Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies, by The Xerces Society

Though written for adults, we feel this is a valuable reference for curious young naturalists. The first section introduces pollinators (bees, butterflies, beetles, wasps, flies). Another section focuses on strategies to help pollinators (including school gardens). There’s a photo guide to bees of North America, garden suggestions, and a photo guide to pollinator plants.

 

How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids (How It Works) by Carol Pasternak

This book offers instructions on how to feed and care for monarch butterflies and their caterpillars. It explains varieties of milkweed and how to propagate plants, and offers suggestions for starting a butterfly garden. It also includes information about threats to Monarchs and actions people can take to conserve the butterflies.

Pollinators: Animals Helping Plants Thrive by Martha London

Opening with an in depth look at pollination, this book examines the insects, birds, and bats responsible for the majority of plant pollination. Sidebars extend the discussion to topics like prehistoric pollination, mammals, and artificial pollination. It includes large color photographs, a “fast facts” section, and a glossary, as well as cross-curricular extension activities throughout the book.

 

Know Your Pollinators: 40 Common Pollinating Insects including Bees, Wasps, Flower Flies, Butterflies, Moths, & Beetles, with Appearance, Behavior, & How to Attract Them to Your Garden by Tim Harris

With a focus on 40 insects from around the world responsible for plant pollination, this book offers full page color images opposite brief discussions of the habits, nests, and life-cycles of many well-known insects (honeybees, monarch butterflies, and ladybugs) and some more unusual ones (blueberry digger, sandpit mining bee, and snowberry clearwing). It also contains succinct sidebar information on the insects, including size, season, nectar sources, and habitat.

National Geographic Birds, Bees, and Butterflies: Bringing Nature Into Your Yard and Garden by Nancy J. Hajeski

This book examines the basic physical and life-cycle information and habitat necessities for these three pollinator groups. Along with gorgeous photos, the text and sidebars help identify common backyard birds, butterflies, bees, and moths. Additional “focus on” sections provide more information on topics like monarch butterfly migrations and creating a moon garden for moths. It also shows how to create a garden plan for each group and offers a list of plants and a growing guide.

The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening; Attract and Support Bees, Beetles, Butterflies, Bats, and Other Pollinators by Kim Eierman

Although also having a more adult feel, this book expanded the evaluation of pollinators beyond insects and birds. The large color images and charts examine the many insects, birds, mammals, and lizards responsible for plant pollination. After exploring their required habitats and foods, the book shows how to create different pollinator gardens. Additional resources include garden tips, a checklist, and plant lists for specific pollinators.

Bug Lab for Kids: Family-Friendly Activities for Exploring the Amazing World of Beetles, Butterflies, Spiders, and Other Arthropods (Lab Series), by John W. Guyton

Bug Lab brings together more than 40 activities for exploring the world of arthropods: spiders, centipedes, butterflies, bees, ants, and many other insects. Activities include making a collecting net, caring for live arthropods, and best ways to photograph bugs. One section focuses on bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, inviting kids to conduct a local survey and make a pollinator habitat.

 

STEM Tuesday book list prepared by:

 

Sue Heavenrich writes about science for children and their families, from space to backyard ecology. A long line of ants marching across the kitchen counter inspired her first article for kids. When not writing, she’s committing acts of citizen science in the garden. She blogs about science for kids and families at archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com.

 

Maria is a children’s author, blogger, and poet passionate about making nature and reading fun for children. She’s been a judge for the Cybils Awards from 2017 to present. And a judge for the #50PreciousWords competition since its inception. Her poems are published in The Best Of Today’s Little Ditty 2017-2018, 2016, and 2014-2015 anthologies. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she bird watches, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. Visit her at www.mariacmarshall.com.

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STEM Tuesday– SHARKS! — Writing Tips & Resources

By on June 23, 2020   /   Sharks, STEM Tuesday  

Write Like a Shark

It’s Summer 2020.  Sorry, just a plain and simple statement that it is indeed the summer of 2020. None of the traditional exclamation points to celebrate this time of the year. The COVID-19 pandemic, the problem of ingrained and institutional racism, and lives that have been completely turned on edge are just a few of the problems we deal with every day. Besides community involvement, raising our voices, and giving of our time, talent, and treasure, another good way to navigate good or bad times is through writing. 

Writing provides an outlet. Whether you are a middle-grade student on summer break trying to make sense of the world or a seasoned adult trying to make sense of the world, writing can help navigate life. Writing can be personal and kept under lock and key or it can be shared. Writing is yours. Every word is yours. As the words are placed on paper or screen one after the other, your thoughts and ideas become more real and tangible.

The two things at the core of the From the Mixed-Files…of Middle-Grade Authors blog are reading and writing. For the STEM Tuesday group, those two core activities also hold true except we adjust the focus to STEM nonfiction. Today, I suggest a STEM nonfiction slant to assist you as you embark on your 2020 writing adventures?

Want to write but don’t exactly know how to take the first steps? First and foremost, just write. Begin the physical process with one word and keep adding another word until you give the thoughts in your head a life. Next, take a few pointers from the star of STEM Tuesday, June 2020, the magnificent shark!!! (Now there’s a sentence deserving of exclamation points.)

Writing advice from a shark?

Absolutely!

I know a shark can’t actually write. A shark can’t hold a pencil. A shark’s journal would merely become a soggy mess in the ocean. A shark may have plenty of bite, but none of that bite leans toward the literary. Allow me to explain how the fabulous members of the Selachii superorder can get you circling the waters to write like a shark.

Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) by I, Luc Viatour / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

1. Design

The basic biological design of a shark has been relatively unchanged since it originally appeared 350-400 million years ago during the Devonian Period. When something works in nature, it usually sticks around and is passed on to the next generation. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  In simpler terms, the structure and basic plan of a shark work well. In writer terms, we could learn a lot from the shark’s basic evolutionary outline. 

The shark has a plan. A built-in plan that has withstood the test of time and shifting conditions. As a writer, follow the shark’s example and develop a design plan that works for you. Find structures and experiment with them. A few basics to think about are: 

  • Time dedicated to writing. 
  • Materials (journals, notebooks, pens, pencils, or electronics.) 
  • Space (both physical space and headspace.) to work in. 
  • Ideas and capturing them. 

Design your physical writing life and hone it until you are as effective as our favorite ocean predator has been for millennia. Piece together a plan in your head and use either a simple or a complex—or something in-between—outline to give your writing good bones (maybe that should be cartilage?) to build upon. 

Erik Zachte at the English language Wikipedia / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

2. The Blank Page

Unfortunately, one of the biggest mountains to climb with writing lies at the very beginning of the process. The blank page. The idea. The “AAARRGGHHHH I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO WRITE DOWN WITH THIS TWENTY DOLLAR PEN I JUST BOUGHT MY WRITER-SELF” problem. Every writer ever has felt the dread of the blank page at one time or another. 

Ideas. Are. Hard.

When the blank page spreads fear down your spine, remember how a shark hunts. It’s always on the lookout for a meal and when it finds one, it attacks. Value story ideas and attack them with the same frenzy as the shark attacks its prey. Be prepared to circle the waters to sustain the enthusiasm while being willing to keep working hard after enthusiasm wanes. 

There’s no such thing as a bad idea if that idea gets the writing process started. How selective is a shark come feeding time? If it’s food, it’s good enough. This is where I’m a firm believer in the power of nonfiction, especially STEM nonfiction, to help the writer juices flow. The curiosity about how the world works is always a great tool for writing. How do the things that surround us work, why they work, and how they affect us or make us feel?

No matter what life throws at you, write your way through it. Whether with difficulties, joys, failures, and/or accomplishments, use writing to help make sense of your world. Now, arm yourself with your favorite pen and notebook and then write. Remember to design a writing plan that works for you and always be on the hunt for ideas, just like a shark.

Best of luck in Summer 2020.

Stay safe.

Be healthy.

Be kind.

Write like a shark.

File:Hammerhead Shark (PSF).png

Mike Hays has worked hard from a young age to be a well-rounded individual. A well-rounded, equal opportunity sports enthusiasts, that is. If they keep a score, he’ll either watch it, play it, or coach it. A molecular microbiologist by day, middle-grade author, sports coach, and general good citizen by night, he blogs about sports/training related topics at www.coachhays.com and writer stuff at www.mikehaysbooks.com. Two of his science essays, The Science of Jurassic Park and Zombie Microbiology 101,  are included in the Putting the Science in Fiction collection from Writer’s Digest Books. He can be found roaming around the Twitter-sphere under the guise of @coachhays64.

 

The O.O.L.F Files

This month on the Out Of Left Field (O.O.L.F.) Files we’re talking sharks. Everyone’s favorite marine predator. The world of sharks is fascinating. Enjoy the links below, hopefully, learn a thing or two, and have a great STEM Tuesday Shark Month!

Sea World All About Sharks & Rays

Shark Cam at The Monterey Bay Aquarium

Shark Week @ The Discovery Channel

Sharkfest 2020 from The National Geographic Channel

Jaws

  • The single greatest movie about marine predators ever made. It even scared the bejeezus out of a kid from Kansas when he first saw it at the theatre back in the 1970s.
  • As we all know too well from the first half of 2020…nobody EVER listens to the scientists & the experts!

Megalodon

  • Giant dino-sharks! Count me in!

Sharknado! The end of an era?

No shark list is complete with a mention of this SYFY network gem. Complete ridiculousness that somehow becomes entertaining by taking an unapologetic stab at the nature-apocalyptic film genre. Where does one even begin?

 

 

 

 

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