Sunday, November 25, 2012

Nonfiction Monday is Here!

Hi Folks! Welcome to Nonfiction Monday. I'm offering up a review of a book about autumn, as well as rounding up today's posts. Read on!

Author/Illustrator: Bruce Goldstone
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: August, 2012
Pages: 48 pages
Grades: K-4
ISBN: 978-0805092103
Source of Book: Borrowed from my local library

Inspired by Thanksgiving, the mounds of leaves in my yard, the rising of Orion in the sky, and the chill in the air, fall is still very much on my mind. As classrooms prepare to head into winter, I hope they'll hold onto to fall for just a bit longer and delve into Bruce Goldstone's book AWESOME AUTUMN. One of the most comprehensive books on fall I've seen in a long time, the text opens with the heading "AUTUMN IS A SEASON OF AWESOME CHANGES." In text and bright photographs Goldstone explains how these changes affect plants, animals, and humans. Readers learn how days get colder and clothes get heavier, days get shorter and nights get longer, leaves change color, frost forms, crops are harvested, animals migrate and hibernate, and so much more. In addition to a cause/effect approach to some of the double page spreads, there are pages about the feel, tastes, shapes, and sounds of autumn. There are also nods to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and what people do in autumn.

The scientist in me is particularly thrilled with the treatment of leaves changing color, how leaves "know" when to fall off the tree, what happens to fallen leaves (decomposition, anyone?), and how frost forms. The text is straightforward and highly accessible for kids. Here's an excerpt.
Leaves that fall can help keep the environment healthy. As they break down, they give food to the earth and to tiny living things in the soil. Fallen leaves also act as sponges. They mix with the soil to help it hold rainwater.
The book ends with pictures of autumn activities and then directions on how to do them.

Overall, this is an engaging and wide-ranging book about fall. Highly recommended.
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And now, on to the round up!

Myra from Gathering Books shares a review of Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg.

Tara from A Teaching Life tells us about a number of books she's been reading including Count on Us: American Women in the Military, Spirit Seeker: John  Coltrane's Musical Journey, and Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America. Check out these Monday reads and more.

Jean from True Tales & A Cherry On Top features the picture book biography Helen's Big World - The Life of Helen Keller.

Jeff from NC Teacher Stuff has a review of Apples A to Z by Margaret McNamara.

Sarah Albee shares an interview and review of Michaela Muntean's book Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs.

Louise from A Strong Belief in Wicker shares Alison Lester's book about Macquarie Island (a remote subantarctic island), One Small Island.

At Booktalking, Anastasia Suen is reading A Christmas Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Kids by Sarah L. Schuette.

Alice from Supratentorial is sharing three picture book biographies on the likes of Thomas Edison, Julia Child, and Abraham Lincoln.

Jennifer from Jean Little Library also has a picture book biography. See her review of Annie and Helen by Deborah Hopkinson.

Roberta from Wrapped in Foil shares a review of the picture book biography I, Galileo by Bonnie Christensen.

Wendie Old from Wendie's Wanderings writes about the Common Core Standards and encourages us to read the NYTimes article about why kids should read nonfiction.

Ami from A Mom's Spare Time reviews From Peanut to Peanut Butter and Circles, Stars, and Squares: Looking for Shapes. Be sure to leave a comment and your ideas for pairing the books with gifts for a chance to win these titles!

Cindy from Bookends is digging up a hoax with a post about Jim Murphy's book The Giant and How He Humbugged America.

Margo from The Fourth Musketeer shares a review of The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau by Michelle Markel.

Tammy from Apples with Many Seeds writes about The Ruins of Detroit by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre.


Keep those links coming and check back frequently as I round up today's posts. Happy Nonfiction Monday all!

15 comments:

  1. Hi, thanks for hosting this week. Here's my Nonfiction Monday contribution, Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg. :)

    http://gatheringbooks.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/nonfiction-monday-reading-and-graphic-novels-galore/

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  2. Thanks for hosting this week! Here is my post:
    http://tmsteach.blogspot.com/2012/11/its-monday-and-heres-what-im-reading_25.html

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  3. Thanks for hosting Nonfiction Monday! True Tales & A Cherry On Top features a new picture book biography, Helen's Big World - The Life of Helen Keller at http://jeannewalkerharvey.blogspot.com/2012/11/helens-big-world.html

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  4. Thank you, Tricia! At NC Teacher Stuff, I have posted a review of Apples A to Z:

    http://ncteacherstuff.blogspot.com/2012/11/apples-to-z.html

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  5. Hi Tricia,
    I wrote about Michaela Muntean's Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs
    http://www.sarahalbeebooks.com/2012/11/9862/
    Thanks! Sarah

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  6. Hello, I read Alison Lester's book about Macquarie Island (a remote subantarctic island), One Small Island. It's amazing.

    http://astrongbeliefinwicker.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/one-small-island.html

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  7. Thanks for hosting Patricia! At Booktalking we're reading A Christmas Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Kids by Sarah L. Schuette (Author)http://asuen.com/blog/?p=595

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  8. Thanks for hosting!

    I have three new picture book biographies to share.

    Alice@Supratentorial

    http://supratentorial.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/nonfiction-monday-three-biographies/

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  9. I also have a picture book biography! Jennifer@JeanLittleLibrary

    http://jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com/2012/11/nonfiction-monday-annie-and-helen-by.html

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  10. Oh, we have an exciting lineup already this morning.

    I'm in with a picture book biography, I, Galileo at http://blog.wrappedinfoil.com/2012/11/i-galileo/

    Hope you had a good turkey-day

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  11. I loved the NY Times article about the Common Core State Standards so much that Roberta Gibson recommended, that I wrote about it on my blog today. -Wendie Old at Wendie's Wanderings. (It's okay if you don't think this qualifies for your roundup.)

    http://blog.wendieold.com/2012/11/why-read-nonfiction.html

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  12. I'm not only reviewing two nonfiction books from Lerner, I'm giving them away! http://amomssparetime.blogspot.com/2012/11/christmas-giveaway-day-3.html

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  13. Bookends is digging up a hoax with a post about Jim Murphy's The Giant and How He Humbugged America. http://bookends.booklistonline.com/2012/11/26/the-giant-and-how-he-humbugged-america-by-jim-murphy/

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  14. I have a review of Michelle Markel's The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau at http://fourthmusketeer.blogspot.com/2012/11/nonfiction-monday-book-review-fantastic.html

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  15. Hi Tricia.
    Seems like autumn is long gone in Calgary. We've already gotten into winter mode which seems a wee bit early in my books. Anyhow... Your recommendation looks good.
    At Apples with Many Seeds, I've blogged about The Ruins of Detroit which I think would be a fascinating resource in a secondary classroom.
    Thanks for looking after today's event.
    Tammy

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