Wednesday, April 25, 2012

New non-fiction for kids!

The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins

Beetles squeak and beetles glow.
Beetles stink, beetles sprint, beetles walk on water.
With legs, antennae, horns, beautiful shells, knobs, and other oddities—what’s not
to like about beetles?
The beetle world is vast: one out of every four living things on earth is a beetle.
There are over 350,000 different species named so far and scientists suspect there may
be as many as a million.
From the goliath beetle that weighs one fourth of a pound to the nine inch long
titan beetle, award-winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins presents a fascinating array
of these intriguing insects and the many amazing adaptations they have made to
survive.

North by Nick Dowson

At the top of our world is a huge wild place called the Arctic.

In the winter, it is a cold and barren land, where few animals can survive. But when spring comes, it brings with it animals from every corner of the earth. Gray whales, white cranes, wolves, and caribou begin their migrations as the snow melts, gradually making the long journey north. Once they reach their destination, they will raise their young, feast on the lush Arctic tundra, and bask in the sunlight that lasts all summer. Still, this season too must pass, and by the time winter grips the Arctic once again, the visitors have gone--only to return the following year. This lushly illustrated picture book celebrates the cyclical nature of the seasons, showcasing the barren and beautiful landscapes of the Arctic Circle and reminding the reader of the hardships and harmony of life in the wild.

The Great Molasses Flood by Deborah Kops

January 15, 1919, was an unseasonably warm day in Boston,
Massachusetts.  The waterfront was busy with children playing,
workers having lunch, firemen at the ready, and businessmen
making deliveries.
Bang! Suddenly the North End neighborhood was transformed into
a sea of dark, flowing  molasses.  A large tank holding the molasses
had exploded, sending shards of metal hundreds of feet away,
collapsing buildings, and coating the harbor front community with 
a thick layer of sticky-sweet sludge.
What happened?  Why did the tank explode? And most important
for the victims and their families, who was to blame?

Life in the Ocean by Claire A. Nivola

Sylvia Earle first lost her heart to the ocean as a young girl when she discovered the wonders of the Gulf of Mexico in her backyard. As an adult, she dives even deeper. Whether she’s designing submersibles, swimming with the whales, or taking deep-water walks, Sylvia Earle has dedicated her life to learning more about what she calls “the blue heart of the planet.” With stunningly detailed pictures of the wonders of the sea,Life in the Ocean tells the story of Sylvia’s growing passion and how her ocean exploration and advocacy have made her known around the world. This picture book biography also includes an informative author’s note that will motivate young environmentalists.




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