Sunday, October 15, 2017

Fall Reading 2017 A Sampling of Titles from Arbordale Publishing

The narrative progresses from January through December, with each month showing a different animal from the prairie ecosystem. The various shelters the animals use, the types of weather they encounter, and the groups they live in are some of the facts shared. The illustrations show the animal, details of their habitat, and the typical weather for that month. Back matter contains more details about the grassland habitat, a map of where such habitats are found around the world, a vocabulary matching game with weather and seasonal words, and two true and false games to check for understanding. 



As a family prepares for a hurricane, a young boy wonders what animals do before and during the storms. The first few pages show the family gathering supplies and putting up storm shutters, and then the following pages show various animals and how they react to the approaching hurricane. From fish sheltering deep in coral to butterflies finding a hollow tree, animals on land and in the water all find a safe place to ride out the storm. The final spread of the waves and wind hitting the beach and blowing the palm trees will remind young readers of coverage from the Weather Channel or local news. Back matter includes an description of what a hurricane is, there it a map showing locations that are affected by hurricanes around the world, an explanation of how storm winds are measured, a guide to preparation for a hurricane, and a discussion of the animal behavior shown in the book and how scientists know what animals do.  



Beginning with one wolf in January, this book builds from month to month until there are 12 wolves
singing in the December forest. Each spread shows wolves in a different activity - hunting, caring for pups, playing, napping. The way it is organized makes it easy to use the book with various grade levels. It can be a counting book, a sequencing book, or an introduction to wolves and their behavior and habitat. Back matter includes a section on interpreting wolf communication, fun facts, an explanation of the wolf life cycle, a calendar activity, details on how wolves hunt and why they are endangered. 



Based upon "The Emperor's New Clothes," this book tells of a proud Mayor Peacock who promises the town that he will protect them from tornadoes. When Mouse asks how he will do this, the mayor says he will hire a tornado tamer. When a sly weasel comes to town and promises to create a tornado cover that will surround the entire town, only Mouse has doubts. On the day of the unveiling, the Weasel announces that only those who are smart and special will be able to see and feel it. Guess what happens. Yes - and when the tornado comes, the weasel is nowhere to be found. Back matter includes a weather glossary, questions and answers about tornadoes, a discussion of tornado safety and the Fujita scale, and even directions on how to create your own tornado in a bottle. 



A good book to introduce the study of clouds and use in a weather unit, this could also be used as an example of how to write a comparison and contrast essay. Illustrations show clouds colorful with the sunset or dark and heavy with rain. The clouds are pictured at the beach, among the trees, over farmland and in other locations to emphasize their presence around the world. The photographs capture vivid blues in sea and sky, the gray of storm fronts and shadows, and even the eerie yellow of fog. Back matter includes an explanation of clouds, water cycle experiments, matching games, and pointers on how to use clouds to predict the weather.

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