Saturday, August 20, 2016

Kid Konnection: Science with Stuff Books


Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you four fantastic science books from Downtown Bookworks!

Summary: Discover fascinating facts about our feathered friends such as:

• which birds are the biggest, fastest, smallest, and more
• why some birds change colors with the seasons
• which bird has poisonous skin and feathers
• who builds the coolest nests
• how the fastest fliers soar -- Downtown Bookworks



Summary: Close-ups of creepy crawlies and incredible facts about the world of insects will keep kids enthralled. A bug in resin is an excellent bonus! -- Downtown Bookworks



Summary: Spectacular pictures and jaw-dropping info make this a must-read. Real space rocks (tektites) make it impossible to pass up! -- Downtown Bookworks



Summary: Fascinating information about prehistory is thrilling for young science fans. A real fossil gives them something to treasure! -- Downtown Bookworks

I am really excited to share with you some wonderful books for youngsters (ages 8 and up) who are interested in science. Unfortunately, Booking Son doesn't like science all that much -- I know, I know; however, he even made an exception for this collection! These books not only have vivid photographs and loads of information, but they also include "stuff" on the front cover that kids can touch.

The very first book that captured Booking Son's attention was BIRD-ACIOUS by Melissa Stewart. This book's subtitle is Yuck! Owl Puke with Bones in it. My daughter's 4th grade class got to dissect owl puke but they discontinued it by the time my son hit fourth grade. He's always wanted to find little bones in an owl pellet and now he can!

This science book describes the different types of birds beginning with a birdasaurus. It also delves into why birds can fly, why male birds strut their stuff, nesting, and types of beaks to name just a few of the topics. The color photographs are beautiful and the information is presented in a fun way that will definitely appeal to kids. The descriptions are brief and written in language that they will relate to. For example, it even explains how birds poop!

And they saved the best for last... the owl pellet. There is an explanation of how the pellet heat-treated as well as specifics for how to dissect the owl pellet. There is even a photo of the various types of bones and teeth you might find in the pellet.

The next book is INSECT-O-MANIA by Allyson Kulavis. This book includes a beetle preserved in resin -- not exactly my idea of fun but I think kids will think it's pretty cool. This book is just as fun and educational as BIRD-ACIOUS. It is chock full of information on insects as well as very interesting close-up photographs. I think parents will especially appreciate the pages devoted to cockroaches! Ha Ha!

Readers who are interested in different insects (or love gross things) will have love this book! I'll even admit that I found the different types of insects to be fascinating.

The next cool book in the series is SPACE-TACULAR by Allyson Kulavis. The book includes real space moon rocks. Booking Son was really interested in this book too -- I guess he doesn't realize that space is still science! Once again, I am really impressed with the quality of photography and details in this book.

There are pages devoted to the sun and the moon, but there are also pages about space shuttles and space food. I thought the section explaining how space technology has impacted the earth was especially interesting. Kids who are interested in outer space and the space program will have a blast with this book! (I couldn't resist!)

And last but certainly not least is the book FOSSIL-ICIOUS by Allyson Kulavis. I was always interested in fossils as a kid, and I was really drawn to this book that includes a real fossil right in the front cover. It won't surprise you that this book has some awesome photographs.

FOSSIL-ICIOUS explores the different eras and what types of animals and plants existed during those times. It also looks at tar pits and fossil hunters which are pretty darn interesting. The last page of the book teaches kids how to identify the fossil that was included with the book. Our copy includes a plant leaf fossil.

Overall, these books are wonderful! These are only four of the Stuff with Science books that are available. There are also ones about the sea called SEA-SATIONAL and sharks called SHARK-TASTIC. I highly recommend this fun and educational series. Plus at $11.99, they make great gifts!

Thanks to the publisher for providng review copies of these books.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!

2 comments:

bermudaonion said...

Oh my gosh, Vance would have flipped over those books when he was younger.

Anonymous said...

Wow, a whole assortment of different science-themed books for kids to choose from! Space-tacular intrigued me the most (I can always learn more about outer space!), but all of them look fascinating. I wonder which one your son enjoyed the most...