Both are little books, only roughly four by six inches, but they pack a big dose of laughs. Just to be clear, there is a bit of “potty” (well, litterbox) humor and referenced to being neutered, so the reader range is probably mature middle grade to young adult.

The illustrations are pen and ink cartoons with watercolor, in keeping with the light tone of the books.

Example of text:

What I do
Ce Que Je Fais

I meow
Je miaule

I purr
Je ronronne

I sleep
Je dors

If you own cats, you know about that last one.

French for Cats works as a fun introduction to vocabulary for beginners and a brush up for more advanced speakers. Advanced French for Exceptional Cats even has a mini-session in grammar.

To get you in the mood, here is a video of another French cat, Henrí. Although the humor of the video is more subtle than the books, it still makes me laugh out loud. Look for videos like this one to hear French being spoken.

Although the first editions were printed in the 1990′s, the books were bestsellers and were reprinted, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a copy.

French for Cats: All the French Your Cat Will Ever Need by Henry Beard, John Boswell and illustrated by Gary Zamchick

Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Villard; 1 edition (October 8, 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 067940676X
ISBN-13: 978-0679406761

Advanced French for Exceptional Cats:  Sophisticated French for a Cat as Smart as Yours by Henry Beard and illustrated by Gary Zamchick

Publisher: Villard; First Edition 2nd edition (October 27, 1992)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0679417648
ISBN-13: 978-0679417644

Why study world languages? The reasons and benefits for picking up a bilingual book, or a book written in another world language, are many.

1. It’s good for your brain

Neurobiologists are beginning to uncover a wealth of different benefits for studying a second languages. Young children who are bilingual show an enhanced ability to concentrate, which may have to do with increased development of the working memory. In older adults, learning a second language may stave off the onset of dementia. Scientists have even found that adults who have learned a second language have denser gray matter; their brains are changed structurally.

2. Early exposure is beneficial to learning a language

Evidence is mounting that the earlier a child is exposed to second language, the more likely he or she will be able to become fluent in that language.

3. Studying languages is a graduation requirement

Many colleges require that potential students to have studied at least two and up to four years of languages in high school.

How does a student decide which language to study if they have had little exposure, if they never heard or seen any other languages besides their home language? Other than taking the same classes as their friends, it may be difficult for a student to decide which one fits his or her needs and personality best. Exposure to a variety of bilingual books may help students figure out where their interests lie and concentrate their studies more effectively.

4. Employers value bilingual employees, as well as those who are knowledgeable of other cultures.

Being able to communicate effectively with customers from a diversity of backgrounds is a valuable ability in many of fields of work.

5. Opens up opportunities for travel and working in other countries.

Let’s face it, knowing a second language can lead to a variety of opportunities. The first step to opening that door may be a simple as opening a book!

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Where to find out more about the benefits to the brain:
Learning languages ‘boosts brain’ from the BBC
The Bilingual Brain
Second Language Translates Into Clearer Thinking

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The story follows main character Baby Bat, who isn’t sure he wants to learn how to fly because it will mean leaving the safety of his cave. Through an accident, he meets Pluribus Packrat. Pluribus shows him all the amazing cave creatures that depend on bats for their existence. Will Baby Bat find the courage to fly out to find food outside the cave and keep the food web going?

Included in the back of the book is a section called “For Creative Minds.” It gives a lot more information about caves and the animals that live in them. There are quizzes, such as distinguishing living things from non-living. On the following two-page spread is a hands-on activity about bat echolocation, a compare and contrast activity looking at bats, birds and humans, and an open-ended discussion of whether bats are good or bad.

For staunch fans of fiction, Home in the Cave is a way to stretch their wings into stories with an informational slant. Backed by tons of educational materials, it has benefits for fans of nonfiction as well.

Related posts about Janet Halfmann’s books:

• Star of the Sea
• Garter Snake at Willow Creek Lane
• Little Black Ant on Park Street
• Review of Astro:  The Steller Sea Lion, and interview with illlustrator Shennen Bersani at Growing with Science

Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing (February 10, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1607185229
ISBN-13: 978-1607185222

Electronic copy of the book was provided for review purposes.

If you have never heard of Sylvia Earle, she is a scientist and conservationist whose goals in life have been to delve deeply into the oceans and learn as much as she can, and then share her passion and knowledge with others. As Nivola quotes in her extensive Author’s Note in the back matter, Earle realizes, “You can’t care if you don’t know.”

As so appropriate for a children’s book, after a brief introduction to the immenseness and importance of the ocean, Nivola describes Earle’s childhood. Sylvia Earle spent her early years on a farm in New Jersey, where she began to study all the living things around her. If she had stayed there, things might have turned out very differently. Instead, when Sylvia and her family moved to Clearwater, Florida when she was twelve. Suddenly, she had a beautiful ocean to explore right in her own backyard. Her life was changed forever.

Nivola has allowed her subject to tell her own story without excessive crafting. Nivola’s delicate and whimsical watercolors are lovely, and they rise to a new level in the underwater scenes, where Sylvia becomes a sea creature herself.

Life in the Ocean is will be a hit with children who are interested in oceans, in science, in history and/or in conservation. The incredible story of Sylvia Earle’s life is sure to inspire future explorers.

Adults who are interested in learning more about Sylvia Earle, should try her TED presentation or the Mission Blue website.

If you’d like to learn more about Claire Nivola, Seven Impossible Things has a fascinating author interview.

Other reviews of Life in the Ocean may be found at:

Jean Little Library

Shelf-employed

The Nonfiction Detectives

Included in a list of biographies of 20th Century Women Scientists at The Miss Rumphius Effect.

Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (March 13, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0374380686
ISBN-13: 978-0374380687

Book was provided by my local library.

Capstone held a student writing contest inviting students to create a unique and inspiring character to be the next member of the Revolution team, a group of teens on a quest to find the remaining pieces of Tony Hawk’s shattered skateboard. This week they announced the finalists and are encouraging students to vote for their favorite. Voting runs through May 4, 2012, with the winner revealed May 11.

The finalists are:

•  Allison Wehrman, a 4th grader at Parkview Center School, Roseville, Minn.

•  Autumn Bray, a 7th grader at Meisler Middle School, Metairie, La.

•  Ayman Slamani, a 6th grader at Springfield Estates Elementary School, Alexandria, Va.

•  Elijah E. Foster, a 4th grader at Tri-City Elementary School in Springfield, Ill.

•  Lauren Johnson, a 5th grader at Rowland Elementary School in Victoria, Texas

The top five finalists will receive a Tony Hawk autographed copy of Impulse: Volume Two.The winning character will appear as part of the Revolution in a Tony Hawk’s 900 Revolution book available August 2013. The winner will also receive a trip to Tony Hawk’s Stand Up for Skateparks 2012 event in Beverly Hills and a VIP pass to meet Tony Hawk in person.

The five finalists were selected from entries nationwide featuring dozens of different sports. Descriptions of the finalists’ characters, as well as professionally-illustrated renderings of the characters are available at www.TonyHawkReadingRevolution.com.

What a great way to motivate those reluctant readers (and writers) out there!

(Based on a News Release by Jennifer Glidden, Capstone PR Manager)

Rachel Carson’s life story is a complex and inspiring one. She was a trained biologist, conservationist and writer. Marie-Therese Miller starts with a focus on Rachel Carson’s most famous book, Silent Spring, and the controversy that swirled around it when it was published. Next she delves into Carson’s childhood, explaining how Carson came to be both a nature-lover and a writer. Miller writes about Carson’s education, her love of the ocean and her earlier books. She also explains how Carson was suffering from many health problems, including breast cancer, while she was defending herself against the critics of Silent Spring.

The book is illustrated largely with black-and-white photographs, giving the book a distinctly period feel. Unfortunately, they do little to entice the young reader who is skimming the book to delve deeper, which is too bad.

Rachel Carson is likely going to be placed on shelves as a resource for research reports, but it deserves wider circulation. It is likely to encourage future conservationists, as well as enlighten those interested in women’s history. Young writers will definitely enjoy learning about how Carson became a writer and the powerful influence her writing had on others. Readers will discover Rachel Carson’s work and life story still are very relevant today.

Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Library Binding: 135 pages
Publisher: Chelsea House Pub (L); 1 edition (March 2011)
ISBN-10: 1604139501
ISBN-13: 978-1604139501

For Earth Day celebrations, this book would be great paired with The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson and Nick Kelsh

The biography was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

This week’s round-up is at Books 4 Learning.

To say Sneed Collard’s book is special is an understatement. First of all, the text is written is a conversational, second person style that is relaxed and friendly. He starts out with “Meet Joe Lizard,” detailing the life of “your average” western fence lizard. Sometimes books that use the second person try too hard to be cool, but this one hits just the right note. I was also impressed with the detail and accuracy of the text.

Second, most of the lavish full-color photographs in the book were taken by the author. This allows the text and images to fit perfectly, plus there’s less chance that the photographs have been misidentified, a real hazard when using stock photographs. The best part is Sneed Collard is a fantastic photographer.

Third, the author reveals a real passion for his topic, and in fact admits a “special love of reptiles” in the author blurb on the book jacket. This love of reptiles has led him to include a section on lizard conservation and also a realistic look at keeping lizards as pets, which he doesn’t encourage for reasons he has obviously thought carefully about.

The bottom line is that Sneed B. Collard III’s Most Fun Book Ever About Lizards is a must-have for budding herpetologists, and an interesting and entertaining read for the rest of us. I am definitely going to pick up a copy for our family (we have been known to wear our local lizards*).

For some lizard science for kids, try Growing with Science

Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580893244
ISBN-13: 978-1580893244

(*Note:  It was entirely the lizard’s own decision to climb up this person. It was not picked up or handled.)

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

Today’s round-up is at Ana’s Nonfiction Blog.

Rolling on the rug
Frolicking on the floor
These little babies want
More
More
More!

Marilyn Janovitz knows what is appropriate for babies. The illustrations are simple and colorful. The text contains both rhyming and repetition. The soft roundness of the babies’ faces is captivating. Babies are going to love this book.

Although I usually review books for older children, I jumped at the chance to talk about this one because board books for babies are so important. Reading Play Baby Play! (or a similar book) for a few minutes with a baby is not only enjoyable, but is also a crucial step to early literacy. According to the Zero to Three organization, attempting to teach babies and toddlers to read is not developmentally appropriate, but allowing them to turn pages and chew on a board book is exactly the right thing to do.

Play Baby Play! would be a wonderful gift for a new baby. You also might want to look for the companion board books, Baby Baby Baby! and Go Baby Go!

Time to go read to a baby.

For more information about early literacy, try the free .pdf file What We Know About Early Literacy and Language Development available on the Early Literacy and Language Tips and Tools page at Zero to Three (The link is third on the list).

Reading level: Ages 1 and up [Board Book]
Board book: 24 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; (April 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402262248
ISBN-13: 978-1402262241

The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

“School is done.

It’s a sunny day.

Goodbye, TV.

Let’s go out and play!”

Marilyn Singer’s poems are fast-paced, upbeat, and succinct. She effortlessly creates the rhythm and energy of children at play.

LeUyen Pham’s watercolors also capture the joy of children playing outdoors. All the children are smiling, laughing, moving.

It is easy to get caught up in nostalgia reading these poems. Remember the joys of blowing bubbles, playing with jacks or jumping rope? The reality is, however, that many children will never have the memories we adults take for granted because they don’t have many opportunities to go outside and play. Hopefully this book will inspire them to do just that.

Spring is a perfect time to read A Stick Is an Excellent Thing and then go outside and enjoy some of the activities pictured. When they come back inside, perhaps it will also entice children to read and enjoy poetry, and even write their own poems.

(Personal Note:  Kudos to Singer for suggesting children release their fireflies after only a minute or two.)

Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books (February 28, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0547124937
ISBN-13: 978-0547124933

Nonfiction Monday is a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. We invite you to join us. For more information and a schedule, stop by Booktalking to see who is hosting each week.

Today’s round-up is at Rasco From RIF.

If you are not familiar with the Basher Science series, Simon Basher creates illustrations that have the flavor of Japanese chibi. They are sure to intrigue visual learners, especially those interested an manga and anime. Each “character” (organism or ocean feature) describes itself in the first person voice and in a light, conversational tone.

Don’t be fooled by the tone, however, the book is well-organized and packed with interesting facts. Starting with a heartwarming bow to “Captain” Jacques Cousteau, the authors proceed to describe the general features of oceans and seas in “Water World.” Waves, currents and tides are the subjects of “Ocean Motion,” and then the following chapters discuss groups of organisms in different habitats, such as the “Shoreline Gang” and the “Open Water Crew.” In the final chapter, “Ocean Explorers,” the authors explore the human part of the equation, as well as some environmental issues. With a final nod to visual learners, the book also includes a poster with many of the characters from the book.

Oceans: Making Waves! is for everyone, but it really fills the gaps for students who may struggle with more stuffy textbook-style nonfiction. The illustrations pull them in and the light tone keeps them reading. It is also great for younger advanced readers who can handle the vocabulary, but aren’t ready for huge blocks of uninterrupted text. In a world of meat-and-potatoes nonfiction, Basher Science books are the sushi.

Related hands-on activities:

1. Let’s make waves (for younger children)
2. Wind and waves (more advanced)
3. Tide-pool invertebrates and other beach science activities at Growing With Science

My review of another Basher Science book, Chemistry:  Getting a Big Reaction

Reading level: Ages 10 and up
Hardcover: 128 pages
Publisher: Kingfisher (March 27, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0753468212
ISBN-13: 978-0753468210

The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Take a look at the bright, cheerful titles in the Basher Science series:

Come visit the new  STEM Friday blog each week to find more great Science, Technology, Engineering and Math books.