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On Tuesday I finally threw up my hands in frustration over the proliferation of "boys don't read" articles in the last few months. Here's an excerpt from the post entitled More Boy Bashing - Here We Go Again.

Can we please give boys and young men just a bit of credit for their reading habits? If we constantly push potty and other forms of low humor on them as something they'll read, aren't we just setting the bar a tad bit low?

I was thinking about this last night as my son and I were reading a portion of Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (And Others) Left Behind, written by Jacob Berkowitz and illustrated by Steve Mack. Yes, this is a book ostensibly about poop (see that word in the title?), but it is SO MUCH MORE. The book discusses fossils, fossilization, carbon dating, history, archaeology, and the work of several different scientists. My son was drawn in more by the dinosaur connection than anything else, but since reading it he has been endlessly fascinated with the notion that you can learn about the past from things (artifacts) that are left behind, poop being one of them.

There are a number of books on low-brow topics that we hand to reluctant readers in an attempt to encourage them to read. However, the base nature of these topics and the quality of the work don't need to be mutually exclusive. (Oh, a book about poop? Must be crap!) So, in an effort to elevate some topics and/or titles perceived to be low-brow, here are some books (nonfiction all!) that will interest boys AND girls by the very nature of their FABULOUSLY INTERESTING content.

The Truth About Poop, written by Susan Goodman and illustrated by Elwood Smith - Divided into three main sections: (1) Birds Do It, Bees Do It; (2) The ABCs of Elimination; and (3) Useful Poop; Goodman provides readers with an amazingly informative look at everything from the history of toilet paper to the pooping habits of a range of animals. The author info lets readers know that Goodman "used a toilet in an underwater hotel, flushed into the Amazon River, and shared an outhouse with a tarantula."

Gee Whiz! It's All About Pee, written by Susan Goodman and illustrated by Elwood Smith - Divided into three main sections: (1) Pee Basics; (2) The Call of Nature; and (3) Nature's Gold Mine; this sequel is a terrific companion to The Truth About Poop. The book is packed with facts and anecdotes that describe not only how urine is produced, but also the incredibly ingenious ways that humans and animals use it. If you have ever wondered how knights or astronauts "took care of business", pick up this title and wonder no more.

Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable, written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Neal Layton - I think Nicola Davies is a genius. She has the knack for writing about science in a clever, highly engaging manner. In this very smart book, Davies explains what poop is, why it's brown, where it goes, how different animals use poop, and much more. Lest you think me crazy, this one was a 2004 BCCB blue ribbon winner.

Dino Poop, written by Jane Hammerslough - There's a whole lot more than fossilized poo gracing these pages. Hammerslough introduces readers to all kinds of remains from the past, including dino dung, woolly mammoths and more. The book is chock full of information on paleontology, geology, and history. Fun facts and quizzes are found throughout. Readers will learn how fossils are created, how they are found, and what we can learn by studying them. Near the end of the book they will find directions for some science experiments about fossils. (Did I mention this one comes with a piece of dino dung attached to the spine?)

Poop-Eaters: Dung Beetles in the Food Chain, written by Deirdre A Prischmann - The Extreme Life series from Capstone Press looks at the amazing and varied ways animals adapt to the environments in which they not only live, but thrive. This particular book examines dung beetles and describes their development, place in the food chain, and how importance in the environment.

What You Never Knew About Tubs, Toilets, & Showers, written by Patricia Lauber and illustrated by John Manders - This picture book presents the history of bathing, washing, and the disposal of human waste. The text is engaging and the cartoon illustrations while humorous, offer a real glimpse of the difficulties of keeping clean and sanitary in the past. While there is a heavy emphasis on European history here, readers will still come away with an understanding of how standards of cleanliness can vary among cultures.

Underwear: What We Wear Under There, written by Ruth Freeman Swain and illustrated by John O'Brien - This skillfully written, engaging text describes the evolution of underwear from early days to the present. The clever, cartoon-style illustrations are downright funny. In addition to the history of underwear, there is a bit of an introduction to the history of diapers, as well as information about what happens to old underwear. The book ends with a timeline on the history of underwear, and includes a list of books and web sites where readers can get additional information. (You can read my review for more information.)

There you have it. From the scatological to the unmentionable, these well-written works of nonfiction are sure to delight many young readers. However, don't thank me for the oohs and aahs, guffaws, and giggles that will follow. That honor goes entirely to the terrific authors and illustrators that brought these titles to life.

I spent the day today with some of my students, a few more preservice teachers from a nearby university, and some elementary teachers from the local school divisions. I led a Project WILD workshop in which we went on an outdoor scavenger hunt, played a game similar to hide-and-seek where predators searched for prey, went on a sock walk, created imaginary birds with unusual adaptations and more.

As part of the workshop, small groups select an activity from the guide and teach it to the rest of the participants. One activity presented was Everybody Needs a Home. In it, students draw a floor plan of where they live. In preparing their drawings, they must include the things they need in their homes for their survival, such as a place for food, a source of water, and a place to sleep. Once the sketches are finished, the class compares drawings and creates a gallery of homes. After discussing their homes, talk turns to animal homes, and how they are similar to and different from our homes.

As we were discussing different types of animal homes, I began thinking about all the great titles that could be used to extend this activity. Here are some of my favorites. Please note that these books are not focused on habitats, but the actual shelter/home in which animals live.

And So They Build, written and illustrated by Bert Kitchen - This beautifully illustrated book introduces readers to 12 animal builders, from birds (4 species) to spiders, frogs, fish and more. (You can read my review.)

My Very First Book of Animal Homes, written and illustrated by Eric Carle - This split-page board book requires readers to match each animal with the home it lives in.

Homes of Living Things, written by Bobbie Kalman - This book examines how different kinds of animals make homes and how they are suited to the places in which they live. Photographs show animals that live high up in the trees, on the ground, and underneath the earth. Also included is a glossary and an index.

Whose House is This?: A Look at Animal Homes - Webs, Nests, and Shells, written by Elizabeth Gregoire and illustrated by Derrick Alderman and Denise Shea - This book looks at the homes of a variety of animals, including a snail red-eyed tree frog, arctic hare and more.

Animal Homes, written by Alice Jablonsky and illustrated by Jeffrey Terreson - I don't normally recommend pop-up books for the classroom, but this one is outstanding. In six elaborate spreads with one or two action devices on every page, readers will learn how the homes of animals homes provide protection and a place to raise young.

Animals Building Homes, written by Wendy Perkins - This title in the Facts First Animal Behavior series explains the ways animals build their homes. Animals detailed include bald eagles, hummingbirds, beavers and more.

Animal Homes, written by Diane James and Sara Lynn and illustrated by Sue Cony - Readers will find a full page photograph of nine different animals along with illustrations and text describing where they live, how they eat, protect themselves, and care for their babies. Homes covered are dens, burrows, nests, lodges, hollows, and shells.

Do Turtles Sleep in Treetops?: A Book About Animal Homes, written by Laura Purdie Salas and illustrated by Jeff Yesh - In question-and-answer format this book looks at animal homes. Do you know which animals dig burrows, lodges, and towers? Read this book to find out.

Animal Homes, written by Angela Wilkes and illustrated by Steve Weston - This book in the Science Kids series examines the variety of places in which animals make their homes. In addition to providing factual information, the text provide activity ideas for readers to construct animal homes of their own, including a nest and a hamster playpen.

Who's Home?: An Animal Lift-the-Flap Book, written and illustrated by Neecy Twinem - Written in simple text with rich and detailed illustrations, each page includes a detachable flap that can be lifted to reveal the homes where hidden creatures live.

What Do You Call a Termite Home? And Other Animal Homes, written by Emma Nathan - This book explains the terms used for homes built by different animals and provides information on how such animals as beavers, termites, eagles, and rabbits build their homes.

Animals at Home, written by David Lock - This books begins, "What is your home like? Is it cozy and dry? Animal homes are all shapes and sizes. They keep animals and their babies safe and warm." What follows is a series of simply written descriptions of a variety of animal homes. This book is a Level 1 reader.

The Animal Homes series by Capstone Press contains more than 10 titles on specific animals and their homes. Illustrated with full-color photographs, these books are written using simple sentence structures, making them accessible to beginning readers. Titles in the series include:

• Ants and Their Nests, written by Linda Tagliaferro
• Bears and Their Dens, written by Linda Tagliaferro
• Beavers and Their Lodges, written by Martha E.H. Rustad
• Bees and Their Hives, written by Linda Tagliaferro
• Birds and Their Nests, written by Linda Tagliaferro
• Foxes and Their Dens, written by Martha E.H. Rustad
• Prairie Dogs and Their Burrows, written by Martha E.H. Rustad
• Rabbits and Their Burrows, written by Linda Tagliaferro
• Spiders and Their Webs, written by Linda Tagliaferro
• Squirrels and Their Nests, written by Martha E.H. Rustad

That's all I have for now. When I get to the office on Monday I'll peruse my poetry collection and see if I can expand on this list. In the meantime, please let me know if I have missed one of your favorites. I would love to add it here.

While students across the country are studying apples and pumpkins, I thought this might be an appropriate time to recommend some of my favorite titles for use in the classroom. Since my interest here tends more towards the historic and scientific, you'll find that this list is largely focused on the growing and harvesting of these fruits. (Please note that I have not included any titles about Johnny Appleseed. That's another list entirely!)

Apples
Apples, written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons - From blossom to pollination to picking, this book presents information about how apples grow, their various parts, and the different varieties. Instructions on how to plant and care for an apple tree are included.

The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree, written and illustrated Gail Gibbons - In this story, Arnold and his dog play in and around their apple tree throughout the year. In the spring they build a swing and smell the apple blossoms, in summer they build a tree house, in fall they rake leaves and pick apples, and in winter they build a fort.

How Do Apples Grow?, written by Betsy Maestro and illustrated by Guilio Maestro - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out-Science series presents the growth of an apple from blossom to fruit.

The Apple Pie Tree, written by Zoe Hall and illustrated by Shari Halpern - An apple tree grows through the seasons, providing fruit for a pie in the fall. The seasonal growth is described by two sisters who closely watch the tree in their back yard. In addition to learning about the growth cycle of the tree, readers learn about the role of bees and the weather in the production of the fruit.

Apples, written by Jacqueline Farmer and illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes - This book examines how apples are grown and harvested, covering some basic botany concepts (parts of the flower and pollination) and more sophisticated ones (grafting) along the way. A terrifically organized and illustrated chart of apple varieties is included. Readers can also find facts about apples, apple world records and a recipe for apple pie.

The Life and Times of the Apple, written by Charles Micucci - This book presents a variety of facts about apples, including how they grow, crossbreeding and grafting techniques, harvesting practices, and the uses, varieties, and history of this popular fruit.

Autumn is for Apples written by Michelle Knudsen and illustrated by Denise and Fernando - When the weather turns cool and crisp, a family visits an apple orchard enjoys some freshly picked apples. Written in rhyming text, the story is told from the point of view of a child who describes the trip.

Apples, Apples, Apples, written by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace - Follow the rabbit family on a trip to Long Hill Orchard as they learn about how apples grow before picking their own. There is much to be found in a close examination of the pictures, as the cut paper collage illustrations hold hidden facts and riddles.

Pumpkins
The Pumpkin Book, written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons - This book explains how pumpkins are planted, cultivated and harvested. Also included is an appendix with a mix of information, including facts about pumpkin history, directions for drying pumpkins seeds, the nutritional value of the fruit, and more.

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, written by Margaret McNamara and illustrated by G. Brian Karas - When a teacher brings three pumpkins of varying sizes to class, students are challenged to guess how many seeds each one contains. Will the largest have the most? Or is there some other factor that determines how many seeds are in a pumpkin? Read this book to find the answers. For more information, read my review of the book.

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden, written by George Levenson with photographs by Shmuel Thaler - Accompanied by vibrant photographs, this book documents the life cycle of a pumpkin from seedling to sprout, bud, bloom and fruit. The process comes full circle when the fruit breaks down into rich soil, from which seeds sprout again. You can learn how this title can be used in the classroom from this book review.

From Seed to Pumpkin, written by Wendy Pfeffer and illustrated by James Graham Hale - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out-Science series explains how pumpkins develop from seed to fruit. Also discussed is how the plant how the plant obtains and distributes water and nutrients.

Pumpkins, written and illustrated by Ken Robbins - This book highlights the life cycle of the pumpkin with gorgeous photographs and clear, concise text. Readers will also learn that pumpkins come in a variety of sizes and colors.

It's Pumpkin Time!, written by Zoe Hall and illustrated by Shari Halpern - A brother and sister begin the work of preparing for Halloween in the spring, when they dig, plant, water and tend to their pumpkin. Now all they must do is wait!

Pumpkins, written by Jacqueline Farmer and illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes - This book introduces the life cycle of the pumpkin, along with pumpkin facts, history and legends. The final pages describe pumpkin world records, words for pumpkin in other languages, and some useful web sites.

It's a Fruit, It's a Vegetable, It's a Pumpkin, written by Allan Fowler - This book in the Rookie Read-About Science series describes what a pumpkin is (fruit or vegetable?), includes some history, and describes how pumpkins are used for Halloween. Written for early readers, most pages have only two or three sentences in large font and are accompanied by photographs. A pictorial glossary is included.

Pumpkin Day!, written and illustrated by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace - While a rabbit family visits Pumpkin Hollow Farm to select pumpkins for cooking, decorating, and carving, they learn about how the fruits grow. Facts and riddles appear on signs scattered throughout the illustrations. The cut paper collage illustrations add to the appeal of this book that nicely mixes fact and fiction.

Apples, Pumpkins and Poetry
Autumnblings, written and illustrated by Douglas Florian - Included among these 29 poems about fall you'll find selections for apples and pumpkins.

Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic, written by Steven Schnur and illustrated by Leslie Evans - Written in acrostic form, this book describes the sights and sounds of fall from A to Z. Accompanied by beautiful linoleum block prints, readers will find ripe apples and pumpkins here.

Apples and Pumpkins, written by Anne Rockwell and illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell - In this book, readers follow a family on a trip to an apple orchard/pumpkin patch where they pick the fruit. Later we see them carve the pumpkin and greet trick or treaters.

Picking Apples and Pumpkins, written by Amy Hutchings with photographs by Richard Hutchings - This book follows a family as they take a trip to a New Jersey farm to pick apples and pumpkins. Beautiful photographs also show the family eating a picnic, baking a pie, and carving their pumpkins.

Additional Resources

• The teacher's guide at Gail Gibbons' web site provides reproducible pages for both books listed here.
• Celebrating Apples and Johnny Appleseed - This site provides a series of links for the study of apples and Johnny Appleseed.
• Elaine Magliaro of Wild Rose Reader has some terrific book suggestions in her post entitled Fall Into Poetry.
• For more seasonal book ideas, here is a thematic book list on fall.

If I've missed one of your favorite books about apples or pumpkins, please let me know. I'd be happy to add it to the list.

I am currently working on my syllabi for fall and am revisiting much of the social studies curriculum. In doing so I'm pulling lots of books, so this seemed like a good time to trot out another thematic list. In preparing for Virginia history I have run across a fair number of books that encompass all 50 states. There are many great resources for seeing how the 50 compare, so I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

Train of States by Peter Sís - This train of states begins with an engine (driven by Uncle Sam and a bald eagle) that connects a train of cars in the order of statehood. That means Delaware is first and Hawaii is last. But wait! There is caboose representing Washington, D.C. Each page is devoted to a single train car and depicts important information about the state, as well as some interesting facts. For example, the train car for Pennsylvania (number 2) has a Crayola crayon on each end. In addition to the visually stunning and informational train cars, readers will find the state capital, tree, flower and bird depicted along the bottom with another interesting fact. (Did you know that paleontologists in New Jersey fought "bone wars" in the 1800's when the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton was found there?) The final pages show the train pulling into a stars and stripes covered circus tent. On the very last page readers will find a series of questions and facts designed to get them thinking about creating their own train of states.

Celebrate the 50 States! by Loreen Leedy - Each page in this book is visual delight, containing information on two states per page (that's four per double-page spread). A key at the beginning of the book helps explain the labels. States are arranged alphabetically, and for each on readers will find state rank, the year it entered the Union, capital, state bird and flower, and much more. Landmarks are pictured, as well as symbols of the state. Each page has a question for readers to research. Don't worry, answers are included!

United Tweets of America by Hudson Talbot - Ostensibly about state birds and a bird pageant, this book presents information about each state as the birds take center stage. Here you will also find the state capital, nickname, flower, and more. For example, the page for Maryland shows an image of the state with the capital pinpointed and named. The illustration shows a Baltimore Oriole (on a pitcher's mound) throwing a crab cake. Famous Baltimore Orioles are listed. Information is also presented about The Star Spangled Banner. Overall this is a very fun read with great tidbits of information. If you want additional information you can read my review of the book.

National Geographic Our Fifty States by Mark Bockenhauer - This beautifully illustrated and gorgeously photographed volume contains information on the states organized by regions. Each state gets four pages of information, including important historic events, a map and photos. At the end of the book readers will find information about each of the U.S. territories, as well as facts and figures about the United States.

The United States Cookbook - Fabulous Foods and Fascinating Facts From All 50 States by Joan D'Amico and Karen Eich Drummond - What could be more fun than cooking your way through the states? After an introduction to the kitchen (can't you just imagine the connections to math here?), this book is divided into regions. Each state within a region is presented with a map highlighting the capital and major cities, as well as a box of information. An example is below.
After this readers get a brief narrative introduction to the state. Next up is information on the foods of that state, followed by a mouth-watering recipe (for Maine it's blueberry cornbread) and fun food facts. My favorite recipe has to be Utah's Mallo-Mallo Fudge Squares! This is a fun book chock full of information that kids will want to dive into.

The Little Man in the Map: With Clues to Remember all 50 States by E. Andrew Martonyi - While this book is not a factual exploration of the 50 states, it is an amazing tool for helping students to identify the states on a map. Divided into regions, readers explore the map (with the help of a little man) and are introduced to visual clues as a way to remember them. The journey begins with five states in the middle of the US that look like a man with a boot on his head and then moves on through other 45 states. Told in story format, this is sure to be popular with young readers.

Our 50 States: A Family Adventure Across America by Lynne Cheney - Annie and Ben take a trip with their family across America, visiting each of the states. Beginning in Massachusetts and ending in Hawaii, Annie and Ben experience the sights, sounds, tastes and history of each state while sending text and e-mail messages to their grandmother describing it all. The watercolor and ink drawings use every bit of the page and are packed with information. Readers will even find decorative borders that include memorable quotations, song lyrics and historic facts.

The Scrambled States of America by Laurie Keller - Uncle Sam tells the story of the time the states decided to change places with one another. At a party initiated by Kansas ("All day long we just sit here in the middle of the country. We never GO anywhere.") and Nebraska, the states meet, make friends, and hatch a plan to move to new locations. It took a while for the states to settle in, but they were so happy in their new places, near new friends. But then, Kansas, "who had switched places with Hawaii because he was sick of being stuck in the middle of the country, was not stuck in the middle of NOWHERE, feeling lonesome and seasick." Every state gets homesick for its native land, and soon they all make their way back home. The book ends with two large spreads featuring each state (smiling, of course!), its nickname, capital, area and population. This book offers a mixed-up, engaging approach to learning a bit about the 50 states.

There are a few other books that I would like to recommend, though they don't deal explicitly with each of the 50 states, they touch on many of the landmarks and places in this country that readers learn about in many of the books referenced above.

My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States by Lee Bennett Hopkins - Grouped by geographic region, this anthology contains 50 poems about this amazing place we live in. Poets represented include Carl Sandburg, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Nikki Giovanni, Myra Cohn Livingston, Douglas Florian and more.

The United States ABCs: A Book About the People and Places of the United States by Holly Schroeder - This book presents and alphabetical look at the geography, animals, plants, people, history, and culture of the United States.

A to Z United States of America by Jeff Reynolds - This is an amazing trip through the United States from Animals to Zydeco. In between readers will learn a bit about the government, history, land, map, people, and cities of the U.S., along with loads more information.

Discover America State by State - This series by Sleeping Bear Press introduces each state and the District of Columbia in an alphabetic tour containing both informational (expository) and poetic text. For each book a lengthy teacher's guide is available.

Finally, Reading Rainbow produced an episode where My America was the feature book. You can visit the GPN Educational Media site to view a video clip, hear audio book reviews and download teacher and parent guides. Other books highlighted were Celebrate the Fifty States, The Scrambled States of America, and Tulip Sees America.

These are the texts I use when I begin a study of the 50 states. Have I missed a title you love? Let me know about it and I'll add it to the list.

**Updated** - For even more books on this topic, check out the extensive 50 States Book List at Mrs. McGowan's First Grade. Here you'll find a list of titles organized by the states they discuss or are set in. Thanks to Mrs. McGowan for the link!

With the official start of spring just behind us here in the northern hemisphere, my thoughts have turned to polliwogs, baby birds, and butterflies. Last year in honor of spring I put together a thematic book list on seeds and growing things. This time around I thought it would be fun to look at books for examining the early stages of life in some animals.

Let's start with some books on eggs and oviparous animals.

• Chickens Aren't the Only Ones by Ruth Heller - In this inviting book, readers learn about the variety of animals that lay eggs.

• Guess What is Growing Inside This Egg by Mia Posada - This interactive books includes a poem and visual clue before asking readers to guess what is inside the egg. Once they turn the page the answer is revealed along with a bit of information about the animal. This is another great book for looking different animals that lay eggs.
  

• What Hatches? by Don Curry - This book describes different types of eggs and the animals that hatch from them, including birds, butterflies, frogs, alligators, and fish.

• An Egg is Quiet by Diana Hutts Aston - With gorgeous ink-and-watercolor illustrations, this beautiful book explores eggs in their many sizes, shapes, colors, and textures.
  

• Egg to Chick by Millicent E. Selsam - This Reading Rainbow selection explains in clear and simple language how an egg cell develops from fertilization through hatching.
  

• A Nest Full of Eggs by Priscilla Belz Jenkins - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series follows a robin family a robin family from early spring, through nest building, hatching, and fledging.

• Where Do Chicks Come From? by Amy Sklansky - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series describes the development of a baby chick from fertilization until it hatches. This is a simple, yet scientific introduction to the subject.

• Bird Eggs by Helen Frost - This book identifies and describes different bird eggs by their size, color, and pattern.

• The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins - This book highlights the role of male penguins in incubating the eggs of the young in the harsh Antarctic winter.

• The Emperor Lays an Egg by Brenda Guiberson - This book begins with the laying of an egg and goes on to describe the care given to the baby penguin from the time it hatches until it is on its own.

• Penguin Chick by Betty Tatham - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out-Science series follows the growth of one penguin chick from egg to adulthood.

• A Platypus, Probably by Sneed Collard - In discussing egg-laying animals, one can't leave out the platypus. This book clearly describes the physical characteristics and behaviors of this unusual animal.

• How Living Things Grow - This series, written by Anita Ganeri for the Heinemann First Library, includes two egg books that beautifully convey the life cycles of spiders and chickens.
  
• From Egg to Chicken
  
• From Egg to Spider
  

• You Can't Lay an Egg if You're an Elephant by Fred Ehrlich - This book looks at the difference between animals that lay eggs and animals that give birth to live young. The first two chapters are devoted to birds.
  

If it's fiction you're looking for, stop by Jama Rattigan's Alphabet Soup and check out her post featuring some of her favorite "eggy picture books."

Here are a few books that look at the life cycles of birds, frogs and butterflies.

• From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces readers to the life cycle of frogs.

• From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces readers to the life cycle of the butterfly.

• Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder - This book follows the growth of a butterfly from its beginning as an egg. Also included are directions for attracting butterflies to your garden.

• Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert - This beautifully illustrated book introduces readers to the wonder of butterfly metamorphosis.

• Robins and Their Chicks by Linda Tagliaferro - In text and photos this book describe the lives of baby robins from birth to early maturity.

• Two Blue Jays by Anne Rockwell - In this book a child describes the mating ritual, nest building, and feeding and brooding habits of a pair of blue jays. All of this is observed by a group of children observing the animals outside their classroom window.
  

• Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems by Kristine O'Connell George - What happens when a poet awakens one morning to find a hummingbird nest in a tree on her patio? She writes about everything she sees. This wonderful volume of poems follows the hummingbirds from egg stage through leaving the nest. Included is an author's note and information about hummingbirds.
  

If you want more books about frogs and and toads, try this thematic list. You can also find a great list of frog poetry at Wild Rose Reader in a post entitled Leaping Lizards! It's the year of the Frog.

Finally, here are a few poems that support this topic.

• Eggs by Steven Schnur in Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic.
  Egrets, ducks, and
  Geese nest in the marsh
  Grass, waiting for their
  Shells to hatch.
  
  You will also find poems for the words frog, nest, and young here.
  


• The Mother (p. 32) by Marilyn Singer in The Company of Crows: A Book of Poems.
  Three messy nests my last year's brood
     are building:
  one lopsided
  one slopsided
  the third half washed away
     by last night's rain.
  I help them by not helping.
  
  Without practice
     how would they ever learn
  the roundness
  the tightness
  the rightness
     of a nest?
  
  There are several other poems in this book that examine mother and father birds and their young.


• Spring Splashdown by Joyce Sidman in Song of the Water Boatman & Other Pond Poems. The double page-spread includes a poem describing newly hatched wood ducks and some information about them.
  
  Peck, peck,
  crackle, crackle.
  Fluff, fluff,
  wiggle, wiggle.
  Snooze, snooze . . .
  Mommy calling!
  

Over at Wild Rose Reader, Elaine put together a terrific list of of books to welcome spring with poetry. You're sure to find some other useful titles there.

I'm sure there are many more terrific books that touch on these subjects. These are the ones that speak to me of spring and new life. If you have a book to recommend, please let me know and I'll add it to the list.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has declared 2008 as the Year of the Frog. (You can learn more about this at Leap Into the Year of the Frog.) In honor of all things amphibian, I thought it might be fun to explore some books and poems for learning about frogs, toads and other amphibians. I have grouped these selections into nonfiction, poetry and fiction. Since the study of the frog life cycle is usually a very big part of the early elementary classroom, this selection of books will be particularly useful for these units of study.

Nonfiction

• All About Frogs by Jim Arnosky - Accompanied by beautiful acrylics, this book introduces amphibians and then discusses the characteristics, habitats, life cycle, diet, and more about frogs.

• Frogs by Gail Gibbons - In steady Gibbons' style, full-color illustrations show readers the life cycles of frogs, exploring the stages from tadpole to adulthood. One helpful feature is the presentation of scientific terms in phonetic form. If you download the teacher's guide from her web site, there are two pages devoted to this book.

• What's In the Pond? by Anne Hunter - This volume in the Hidden Life series looks at the frogs, tadpole, painted turtle, red-winged blackbird and more. On 10 double-page spreads, readers are presented with information on the left and illustrations on the right. Each section of text describes the physical features and behavior of each animal.
  

• Frog Heaven: Ecology of a Vernal Pool by Doug Wechsler - Vernal pools are temporary wetlands that dry each summer, then refill during the fall, winter and spring. This book examines the changes in a vernal pool in the woods of Delaware and describes the creatures that live there.

• From Tadpole to Frog by Wendy Pfeffer - This book in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces readers to the life cycle of frogs.

• Red-eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley - Accompanied by the amazing photographs of Nic Bishop, this book describes the life of the Central American red-eyed tree frog.

• The Moon of the Salamanders by Jean Craighead George - One of the books in the 13 moons series, this title describes the emergence of a spotted salamander from his winter hibernation.

• The Frog by Sally Tagholm - Part of the Animal Lives series, this book focuses on the common frog (European) and describes its life cycle in rich detail.

• Pond Life by Barbara Taylor - A title in the Look Closer series, this book uses amazing photographs and snippets of text to describe newts, jelly babies (frogs from egg to tadpole), adult frogs, and other pond inhabitants.

• At the Frog Pond by Tilde Michels - Originally published in Germany, this English translation begins, "Did you ever wonder how a tadpole turns into a frog?/Did you ever stumble onto a secluded spot where you could hear and see the wondrous ways of nature--a clearing, a marsh--or a small frog pond?" From here, readers discover the ecology of a frog pond.
  

Poetry

• Toad by the Road: A Year in the Life of These Amazing Amphibians by Joanne Ryder - Grouped by season, readers learn about the life cycle of the toad in pages that include a poem, illustration and brief bit of informational text. Read Elaine's terrific review and sample a few of the poems.
  

• Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs by Douglas Florian - In 21 poems, brilliantly illustrated, Florian introduces readers to all manner of amphibians and reptiles, including polliwogs, the midwife toad, glass frog, wood frog, red-eyed tree frog, bullfrog, poison-dart frog, and spring peepers.

• Pollywog Fishing in Water Pennies and Other Poems by N. M. Bodecker - This book contains poems about a variety of pond creatures. This one begins:
  

  Pollywoggle-wiggle,
  polly woggle-woe
  pollywoggle
            oops!
                 splash!
          --where did Polly go?

• Don't I Look Delicious? in Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman - This concrete poem describes a toad.
  

• Listen for Me in Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman - The first poem in this book describes spring peepers waking from their winter hibernation. It begins:
  

  Listen for me on a spring night,
  on a wet night,
  on a rainy night.
  Listen for me on a still night,
  for in the night, I sing.
  

Fiction

• It's a Frog's Life: My Story of Life in a Pond by Steve Parker - Written in journal format and accompanied by illustrations in different styles, a frog describes his life in spring when he wakes from hibernation, to winter, where he prepares for another long sleep.

• Tuesday by David Wiesner - This Caldecott medal winner is a wordless picture book (almost!) in frogs riding lily pads like magic carpets sail over the countryside and into an unsuspecting town for an evening of fun.
  

• The Frog Prince Continued by Jon Scieszka - We all know the story that ends when the princess kisses the frog, but do you know what happens next? This humorous tale lets readers know that they did NOT live happily ever after. Here's a lesson related to the book called Slimy Advertising and a Wicked Resume.

• Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel - This is my favorite of the books that describes the adventures of two friends. Also in the series are Frog and Toad Are Friends, Frog and Toad All Year, and Days with Frog and Toad.

• A Toad for Tuesday by Russell Erickson - This is the story of an unlikely friendship between and owl and the toad he intends to eat for his birthday dinner. Read Puss Reboots review of the book.
  

• A Frog in the Bog by Karma Wilson - A frog in a bog, sitting on a log, eats nearly everything in sight, from 1 tick to 5 snails. Now that he's fat from his meal, imagine his surprise when the log he is sitting on turns out to be alive!
  

Finally, and just for fun, you can download directions on folding an origami frog from the New Zealand Frogs site. You can also try this origami math lesson which includes a "fabulous frog" reproducible. Thanks to everyone who suggested titles on my original post. If I've missed a favorite of yours, please let me know and I'll add it to the list.

**Updated on 2/29/08** - Elaine at Wild Rose Reader has written a fabulous post called Leaping Lizards! It's the year of the Frog. In it she presents an original poem and highlights a number of outstanding poetry titles for studying frogs, toads and other amphibians.

We're well into fall already, though you wouldn't know it here. Until recently our temperatures were still in the 80's and our leaves were barely changing color. But yesterday we got some rain and cooler temperatures. Pumpkins are dotting the landscape, the squirrels in my yard continue their frenzied gathering of acorns, and the sound of geese in flight have me convinced that fall is finally here. There are many, many good books about the seasons, and fall in particular. I know I cannot name them all, so instead, here are some of my favorites.

• Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert - Made of leaf collages, leaf man must go where the wind takes him. Along the way he will meet ducks, rabbits, and many other animals composed of collections fall leaves.

• Autumnblings by Douglas Florian - One in a series of seasonal poetry, this book contains a variety of inventive poems about fall.

• Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber - Beautiful colored linoleum prints and rhyming text showcase the leaves and events of the fall season. Eight leaf types are identified for children who want to try some identification on their own.

• Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest by Ellen Jackson - The book introduces the history of the Autumn Equinox and describes how many ancient cultures celebrated the harvest.

• Why Do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro - This book in the Let's Read-and-Find-Out Science nicely explains what happens to leaves in the fall.
  

• How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara - This is a terrific book for examining pumpkins. Read my review, with lots of ideas for instruction, here.

• When Autumn Falls by Kelly Nidey - Illustrated with beautiful cut-paper collage, poetic text describes many fall events, like bobbing for apples, selecting pumpkins, and jumping in leaves.

• It's Fall by Jimmy Pickering - One in a series on the seasons, this one follows Sally and Sam (a dog) through an apple harvest festival, hayrides, Halloween and more.

• Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson - The change of seasons is coming, and Fletcher the fox doesn't understand why the leaves are falling. Text and illustrations come together beautifully in this moving tale.

• Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell - This text describes the joy of visiting a farm in fall to pick the reddest apples and the perfect pumpkin.

• Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems by Barbara Rogasky - This book contains 25 poems on fall accompanied by beautiful photographs. Here you will find poems by Yeats, Whitman, Poe, and more.
  

• In November by Cynthia Rylant - This is a lovely poetic text that captures the mood and feel of November. It's also a wonderful book for thinking about the seasons with your senses.

• Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur - This is one book in a seasonal series featuring acrostic poetry. In this installment, you will find one acrostic poem for each letter of the alphabet, from acorn to zero. How does zero fit with fall? You'll have to pick up the book to find out!

• I Know It's Autumn by Eileen Spinelli - In rhyming text, a young girl describes all the signs that tell her it is fall.

• Leaves by David Ezra Stein - A young bear becomes concerned when the leaves begin to fall from the trees. This is a beautiful, quiet story that captures the feeling of fall.

• Nancy Elizabeth Wallace has created two terrific books for fall. Both feature cut paper collage illustrations that hold hidden facts and riddles. There is much to be found in a close examination of the pictures.
• Pumpkin Day - Follow the rabbit family on a trip to Pumpkin Hollow Farm where they select pumpkins for cooking, decorating, and carving.
• Apple, Apples, Apples - Follow the rabbit family on a trip to Long Hill Orchard as they learn about how apples grow before picking their own.
  

Here are some poems touching on the theme of fall to round out your study. I have included the first few lines of each, along with a reference to the book where you can find the poems in their entirety.

• October by John Updike, in A Child's Calendar.
The month is amber,
   Gold, and brown.
Blue ghosts of smoke
   Float through the town,



• November by John Updike, in A Child's Calendar.
The stripped and shapely
   Maple grieves
The ghosts of her
   Departed leaves.



• Bullhead in Autumn by Marilyn Singer, in Turtle in July.
   in autumn
I settle
   belly down in the shallows
above me
   leaves
      red and yellow



• Why do leaves change colors? by Amy Goldman Koss in Where Fish Go in Winter And Answers to Other Great Mysteries
The oak tree always lets me know
   When autumn has begun.
But why do its dark green leaves
   Change colors one by one?



• Moon of Falling Leaves by Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London in Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back.
So, each autumn, the leaves
of the sleeping trees fall.
They cover the floor
of our woodlands with colors
as bright as the flowers
that come with the spring.



• Signs by John Frank, in A Chill in the Air: Nature Poems for Fall and Winter.
Songbirds hushing,
Maples blushing,
Rivers rushing --
Fall is here.

I have just scratched the surface here of some wonderful books that celebrate autumn. You will notice that I have not included books that cover the full change of seasons (year), or those that cover life cycles of plants. I know that The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree, From Seed to Pumpkin, and Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf are missing (among others). These titles, and the aforementioned topics, dear readers, are for the next lists. As always, if I have missed a terrific book about fall, please let me know.

I have finally finished a four-part series on books and poems for studying animal adaptations. You should see my desk. Oh, wait! You CAN'T SEE my desk, because it's covered with books! Alas, I love doing these lists, but now I'm left with a mess that I must address. I'd better do it soon, as I have class this afternoon!

While I take a brief interlude to straighten my world, I highly recommend that all my readers interested in teaching and/or science read last week's news from the NSF.
Back to School: Five Myths about Girls and Science

If you want to check out the finished series, here are the entries.

• Animal Adaptations (Introduction)
• Animals on the Move (Migration)
• Dreaming the Winter Away (Hibernation)
• Hidden in Plain Sight (Camouflage)

When I was young I often wished for clothing that resembled the woods around my home, largely because I wanted to win at hide and seek. I so wanted to be the last person found. Blending in with one's environment can come in handy, particularly when someone wants to make a meal of you. Camouflage is nature's way of hiding animals in plain sight. While those stripes may make a tiger stand out in his/her zoo home, they allow him/her to vanish in that stand of tall grass in the wild.

Whether it's zebra stripes, a body shaped like a stick, or fur that changes color with the seasons, an animal's ability to camouflage itself is an amazing adaptation. In this list you will find some books that will help you uncover the mysteries of this art of disguise.

This wraps up a lengthy series on animal adaptations. I hope you find some useful resources here. If I've missed any of your favorites, please let me know. I'd be happy to add them to the list.

Okay, here we are with the third entry in a series on animal adaptations. The first two entries focused on thematic lists for adaptations in general and animal migration. For those animals that choose not to move to warmer climes for the winter months, hibernation is the way to go. Many animals spend the summer and fall fattening up for the long months of sleep ahead of them. It is an effective strategy that enables them to live in places where food is not abundant year round. While we tend to think about bears when we hear the word hibernation, snakes, frogs, turtles, woodchucks, ground squirrels and bats also hibernate in winter. To learn more about hibernation, check out these terrific resources.

• Bear on the Train by Julie Lawson - When a bear follows his nose, he ends up climbing in the hopper car of train, munching on grain, and hibernating in a rather unusual place.

• Do Not Disturb: The Mysteries of Animal Hibernation and Sleep by Margery Facklam - Though out of print, this is one of the most thorough and well-written books about animal sleep. In addition to discussing the three types of hibernation (deep sleep, light sleep, and daily dormancy), readers also learn about estivation, or summer hibernation.

• Every Autumn Comes the Bear by Jim Arnosky - This beautifully illustrated book describes what happens in fall as a black bear looks for a suitable den in which to spend the winter.

• Moon Glowing by Elizabeth Partridge - A terrific selection for younger readers, or nice poetic example for older students, this book show how a squirrel, bat, beaver, and bear prepare for colder weather.
  

• Animals Hibernating: How Animals Survive Extreme Conditions by Pamela Hickman - Realistic drawings accompanied by engaging text provide an introduction to true hibernators, deep sleepers, and estivators. This title also includes ideas for some easy science activities.

• Do Polar Bears Snooze in Hollow Trees? A Book About Animal Hibernation by Laura Purdie Salas - Do you know who burrows in the mud and who hangs from a ceiling while sleeping the winter away? In engaging question and answer format, this book answers these questions and more while looking at where different animals hibernate.

• The Bear by Douglas Florian, in mammalabilia.
  
  Come Septem-bear
  I sleep, I slum-bear,
  Till winter lum-bears
  Into spring.
  
  
  
• Lewis Cardinal's First Winter/El Primer Invierno de Luis, el Cardenal by Amy Crane Johnson - Lewis Cardinal is confused as his woodland friends get ready for winter, but his friend Solomon Raven explains hibernation and migration in an effort to help him understand. This bilingual book is one in a series of four.
  

In addition to the books listed above, there are others that look generally at what happens to animals in winter.

• When Winter Comes by Nancy Can Laan - In rhyming question and answer format, a child asks where leaves, flowers, caterpillars, songbirds, field mice, deer, and fish go when the winter comes.

• Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft - This Let's Read-and-Find-Out Science book looks at how various animals prepare for winter, with some migrating, some hibernating, and other collecting and storing food.

Finally, I highly recommend the following picture books as just plain fun reads for younger students studying hibernation, though not particularly scientific.

• Karma Wilson has a wonderful series of books featuring a bear and his woodland friends. A few of these touch on some aspects of hibernation. In an attempt to be inclusive of all students, I have left off the Christmas title (you can find it easily), but will mention these two:
  
• Bear Snores On
• Bear Wants More

• Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming - In this warmly illustrated book, bear smells winter in the air and gets ready to hibernate, but must first tell his friends.
  

Please let me know if I've missed any of your favorites.

Following the seasonal movements of animals was one of the ways we marked the changing of the seasons where I grew up. Even though we tend to think about birds when we hear the word migration, many different types of animals migrate, including insects, fish, and mammals. While many animals fly these annual treks, others must walk or swim to reach their destinations. The books on this list highlight the wonders of migration in all its forms.

First, let's begin with general books about migration and animals other than birds.

• Animals on the Move by Allan Fowler - This Rookie Read-About-Science selection presents the migration of salmon, whales, zebras, caribou and many different types of birds for the youngest readers.
  

• The Journey: Stories of Migration by Cynthia Rylant - This book provides readers with a series of narratives relating the migratory habits of the American silver eel, the Arctic tern, the blue whale, the caribou, the desert locust and the monarch butterfly.
  

• Seymour Simon, a prolific and extraordinary writer of science books, has three titles that should be in any collection about migration. They are:
• Ride the Wind: Airborne Journeys of Animals and Plants
• They Swim the Seas: The Mystery of Animal Migration
• They Walk the Earth: The Extraordinary Travels of Animals on Land

• Animals Migrating: How, When, Where and Why Animals Migrate by Etta Kaner - Realistic drawings accompanied by engaging text provide an introduction to migratory animals and the patterns they follow. Included here are Arctic terns, gray whales, lemmings, army ants and more.

• Do Lobsters Leap Waterfalls? A Book About Animal Migration by Laura Purdie Salas - In question and answer format, this book looks at where migrating animals go when the weather changes.
  

• Being Caribou: Five Months on Foot with a Caribou Herd by Karsten Heuer - This book documents the trip of a wildlife biologist and his wife who travelled on foot with a herd of caribou across the tundra to the shores of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where the calves were born.
  

• Hurry and the Monarch by Antoine Flatharta - A migrating butterfly meets a tortoise in Texas and teaches him about the Monarch's life cycle and long migration.
  

• Wings of Light: The Migration of the Yellow Butterfly by Stephen Swinburne - This book, complete with map, describes the one way trip some yellow butterflies make from the Yucatán rain forest to the northern states in the eastern United States.

• Moon of the Monarch Butterflies by Jean Craighead George - One of the books in the 13 moons series, this title describes a female Monarch butterfly’s solitary flight from Arkansas to Michigan as she lays the eggs that will hatch and repeat her life cycle.
  

• Marcelo, the Bat/Marcelo, el Murciélago by Laura Navarro Juan Sebastián - This bilingual storybook tells the story of Marcelo, a little bat who is confused about his family's winter migration from the U.S. to Mexico.

• Adelina's Whales by Richard Sobol - As gray whales migrate down the Pacific Coast to their winter home, many end up off the coast of Baja, California. This lovely photoessay follows Adelina and others in her small Baja fishing village as they see and hear the returning whales, first from the shore and then from small boats.
  

• Adventures of Riley--Survival of the Salmon by Amanda Lumry - Two adventurers, Riley and Alice, visit Southeast Alaska in order to solve a puzzling salmon migration mystery.

• The Magic School Bus Goes Upstream: A Book About Salmon Migration by Joanna Cole - Though I'm not particularly fond of the books written specifically for the television series, this one does a nice job of introducing salmon migration.

In this section you will find some outstanding resources for studying bird migration.

• Flute's Journey: The Life of a Wood Thrush by Lynne Cherry - In this fictional account, readers learn about the first year of a wood thrush's life, from its hatching in a forest in Maryland to its migration across the Gulf of Mexico to the Costa Rican rain forest and back again.
  

• How Do Birds Find Their Way? by Roma Gans - This entry in the Let's Read-and-Find-Out Science series describes what ornithologists know about migration patterns and presents some of their theories about how birds know when to fly and their different means of navigation.
  

• Red Knot: A Shorebird's Incredible Journey by Nancy Carol Willis - This amazing book follows the migration of a red knot shore bird as she makes her way north, beginning in Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America, continuing through Brazil, along Delaware Bay and St. James Bay, and ending at the bird's arctic nesting grounds in Canada's Northwest Territories. A detailed map is included.
  

• Welcome, Brown Bird by Mary Lyn Ray - In this story, two boys living in different countries share a common desire to protect the small brown wood thrush that migrates between their homes each year.
  

• Flight of the Golden Plover: The Amazing Migration Between Hawaii and Alaska by Debbie S. Miller - Learn about the animals of Hawaii and Alaska as the transoceanic trek of the Pacific Golden Plover is described. This one is accompanied by beautiful, realistic watercolors.
  

• The Flight of the Snow Geese by Deborah King - This book follows a group of snow geese from their breeding grounds in the far north to New Mexico. The text is poetic and would make a terrific read aloud.
  

• The Far-Flung Adventures of Homer the Hummer by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds - This fictional account of the migration of a ruby-throated hummingbird describes Homer's flight from the Costa Rican cloud forest to the eastern United States.
  

Finally, here are some poems touching on the theme of migration to round out your study. I have included the first few lines of each, along with a reference to the book where you can find the poems in their entirety.

Migration by Georgia Heard, in Creatures of Earth, Sea, and Sky.

In the winter, we say good-bye
to the feathered compasses in the sky.

Canada Goose by Marilyn Singer, in Turtle in July.

Did I tell you?
I should tell you
Going home
We're going home
Are you coming?

The Monarch Butterfly by Douglas Florian, in insectlopedia.

He is a monarch.
He is a king.
He flies great migrations.
Past nations he wings.

Finally, here is an acrostic poem I wrote using the word flutter, the scientific name for a group of butterflies.

Flapping, flying, flitting

Lepidopteras

Unite! Blanketing vast landscapes

Thousands swoop and swarm

Traveling southward

Engaged in the migration dance

Replaying the cycle of life

Studying animal adaptations is a part of the elementary science curriculum in VA in both second and third grade. Students study hibernation, migration, camouflage and more. One of the things that kids find most fascinating (teachers too!) are the interesting and outrageous way some animals take the art of adaptation to the extreme. The books listed below are wonderful resources for examining the many ways animals adapt to their environments.

• What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? written by Robin Page and illustrated by Steve Jenkins - Beautifully illustrated with cut paper collage, this book explores the amazing things animals can do with their eyes, ears, noses, mouth, feet and tails.

• What Do You Do When Someone Wants to Eat You? by Steve Jenkins - This book, also illustrated with Jenkins' signature cut paper collages, describes how various animals, including an octopus, a bombadier beetle, a puff adder, and a gliding frog, escape danger.

• Exploding Ants: Amazing Facts About How Animals Adapt by Joanne Settle - Who can resist a book with chapter titles like fooled ya, invasion of the body snatchers, and sucking blood? Learn about frogs that use their eyeballs to help swallow their food, caterpillars that look like animal droppings, worms that live in a dog's nose mucus, and many other approaches to survival.

• Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth by Nicola Davies - On double-page spreads with cartoon illustrations, students can learn about the ways in which animals survive in some of the most inhospitable places on Earth.

• Picture Window Books has a terrific series on Animal Extremes. Written by Michael Dahl and published in 2006, this series includes the following titles:


• Cold, Colder, Coldest: Animals That Adapt to Cold Weather
• Deep, Deeper, Deepest: Animals That Go to Great Depths
• Fast, Faster, Fastest: Animals That Move at Great Speeds
• High, Higher, Highest: Animals That Go to Great Heights
• Hot, Hotter, Hottest: Animals That Adapt to Great Heat
• Old, Older, Oldest: Animals That Live Long Lives


• Claws, Coats and Camouflage by Susan Goodman - Using photographs and questions to get kids thinking scientifically, this informative text looks at all the different adaptations animals use to adapt to their surroundings, stay safe, get food, and reproduce.

The books on this list provide a good introduction to a myriad of adaptations. Since the topics of migration, hibernation and camouflage are topics unto themselves, they will be tackled in the upcoming weeks.

With Father's Day just around the corner, I thought this would be an appropriate time to celebrate Dads -- animal Dads. Yes, believe it or not, there are many species where Dad takes more than a passing interest in his offspring. Some of these amazing animal dads even show up in books for kids. Here are a few that might interest you.

• Animal Dads written by Sneed B. Collard III, illustrated by Steve Jenkins - Okay, you know I'm a sucker for the work of Steve Jenkins. This book is no exception. The collages are fantastic and help to highlight animal dads that actually take on caregiver responsibilities in the wild. Included you will find the Emperor penguin, gorilla, wolves, Nile crocodile, and more.

• Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle - In this tribute to animal dads of the sea, readers meet Mr. Seahorse, who has just taken over the duty of caring for the eggs deposited in his pouch. As he moves through the sea, he meets five other fish fathers, a stickleback, tilapia, Kurtus nurseryfish, pipefish and bullhead catfish, all of whom help with prenatal care.

• Just Us Two: Poems About Animal Dads by Joyce Sidman - I love the poetry of Joyce Sidman. This wonderful volume of appealing poems highlights such animal dads as the poison arrow frog, ostrich, and giant water bug.

• Animal Fathers by Russell Freedman - Okay, my copy is old and worn (published in 1976), but this is a really terrific volume that discusses the child care behavior of fifteen animal fathers including the Downy Woodpecker, House Wren, White-handed Gibbon, Common Marmoset, and others. You may be able to find a copy in your local library.

You can also find some interesting resources for this topic at the following web sites.

• How about a song? Check out Animal Dads by Two of a Kind
• Read A Father's Day Top Ten (Animal Fathers) at National Wildlife Magazine.
• National Geographic did an article a few years back entitled Father's Day Special: All-Star Animal Dads.
  
• Time for Kids did a story on Dads at Work, highlighting animal fathers. From this page you can link to the story, teacher's guide and reproducibles.
• Try out this scavenger hunt focusing on animal dads.
  

In this third and final post in my series on exploring the natural world, I thought it would be helpful to point you to some of my best resources for outdoor education. Some of these are designed specifically for teachers, while others are actually written for kids. These are the books I turn to over and over again for great ideas for exploring nature.

First, a general plug for environmental education programs. I am a facilitator for Project WILD, Project Learning Tree (PLT), Population Connection. and Wonders of Wetlands. All of these groups publish comprehensive curriculum materials that provide background information and useful activities, many of them outdoor. If you can get to a workshop and receive these materials, by all means do.

In addition to these resources, the following books help to round out my collection of resources for teachers.

• I have two well-worn copies of the original books published by Joseph Cornell, Sharing Nature with Children and Sharing the Joy of Nature. You can find the 20th anniversary edition of Sharing Nature with Children, and Sharing Nature with Children II at Dawn Publications. These are filled with a variety of games and activities that will help young and old get more in touch with the world around them.

• Nature with Children of All Ages by Edith Sisson - This publication from the Massachusetts Audubon Society is chock full of ideas for exploring the natural world. I particularly like the thematic organization, where topics such as tree, plants, seeds, invertebrates, birds, etc. can be found.

• Hands-on Nature: Information and Activities for Exploring the Environment with Children edited by Jenepher Lingelbach - I have the "old" version of this publication, but it still serves me well. Produced by the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, this guide is divided into chapters on adaptations, habitats, cycles and designs of nature.

• The National Gardening Association Guide to Kids' Gardening by Lynn Ocone with Eve Pranis - Gardening is a terrific way to get kids outside and looking closely at the life cycle of plants. This guide was my gardening "bible" for a long time.
  

• The Kids' Nature Book: 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences by Susan Milord - Structured in calendar format, this book provides an activity for every day of the year.

• The National Wildlife Federation has published a series called Ranger Rick's NatureScope. Covering a range of subjects, such as weather, geology, trees, endangered species, etc., these guides provide extensive background information and activities.

There are many books written for kids that I use not only to guide my selection of activities, but as wonderful resources for grabbing their attention and focusing them on what they may find/see outdoors.

• Nature Detective: How to Solve Outdoor Mysteries by Eileen Docekal - Set up in a mystery format, this book includes information on animal tracks, animal houses, pond creatures, bird songs, animal scents, seeds, fungi, weather, and nocturnal creatures. Each chapter presents a "case" for children to solve.
  

• Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie - This wonderful book offers simple techniques to motivate readers of all ages to go outside, observe the natural world, and sketch and write about what they see.
  

• Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird Watching, Shore Walking by Jim Arnosky - This book, written in field-journal format, provides helpful hints for taking successful outdoor field trips with kids.

• My First Green Book by Angela Wilkes - This practical, oversized volume provides hands-on activities that demonstrate the importance of pitching in to protect our planet. Similar in format to the Eyewitness series, the book is filled with large-scale, color photos that effectively illustrate such experiments as those that show how clean the air is, how acid rain affects plants, how various objects biodegrade at different rates (if at all) and why rain forests are so crucial to the Earth. Other projects include creating a wildlife garden in a flower box, planting a tree and organizing a "green campaign" with one's friends.
  

• My First Nature Book by Angela Wilkes - Also an oversized volume in the format of the Eyewitness series, this book provides an introduction to nature through a variety of simple indoor and outdoor activities including collecting seeds, feeding birds, watching a butterfly grow and more.

• Woods Walk: Peepers, Porcupines & Exploding Puffballs! What You'll See, Hear & Smell When Exploring the Woods by Henry Warren Art and Michael W. Robbins - Organized by season and filled with fun and interesting facts, this book explores what you will find in the forests of North America.

• Nature in the Neighborhood by Gordon Morrison - Each double-page spread in this book reveals the diversity and abundance of life that can be found in your own backyard.
  

Please let me know if you have any favorite resources for getting kids outdoors and teaching about our wonderful world. I would love to hear about them.

**If you missed the earlier entries, please do read Part 1 and Part 2.