Spring brings warmer weather, blooming flowers and this weekend brightly colored eggs will be hunted by families making Easter memories. I think my love and appreciation for books began with a family tradition at Easter time. My mother coveted her copy of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and each Easter she would get the old book out and read the story to us. Even as I grew up, I looked forward to that book coming out at Easter and the great memories of reading about the mischievous little rabbit.
Although the rabbits in Arbordale books don’t wear little blue jackets and sneak into gardens, you can learn a few great facts about rabbits and other animals in these books!
In My Backyard
Baby dogs are puppies and they belong to a litter, but what is a baby skunk and what is the name of its group? This clever, rhythmic story tells us just that! Counting from one to ten, familiar backyard animals are introduced by baby and family group name. Each stanza also tells a bit more about each animal by providing clues as to what they eat, how they sound or where they live. The “For Creative Minds” section includes more animal fun facts, information on keeping a nature journal and how to watch for wildlife in your own backyard.
Habitat Spy
Let’s spy on plants, insects, birds, and mammals in 13 different habitats. Told in rhyming narrative, Habitat Spy invites children to search for and find plants, invertebrates, birds, and mammals and more that live in 13 different habitats: backyard, beach, bog, cave, desert, forest, meadow, mountain, ocean, plains, pond, river, and cypress swamp. Children will spend hours looking for and counting all the different plants and animals while learning about what living things need to survive.
Little Skink’s Tail
While Little Skink hunts yummy ants for breakfast, she is suddenly attacked by a crow! But she has a trick to escape she snaps off her tail, and it keeps on wiggling! Little Skink is happy to be alive, but she misses her bright blue tail. Little Skink’s Tail follows Little Skink as she daydreams of having the tails of other animals in the forest. Readers will enjoy pretending with her, trying on tail after tail. The first is too puffy-fluffy, and another too stinky! Then one day Little Skink gets a big surprise and she doesn’t have to dream of tails anymore. The “For Creative Minds” section has information on tail adaptations and communications and a mix-and-match tail activity.
Animalogy
Compare and contrast different animals through predictable, rhyming analogies. Find the similarities between even the most incompatible animals . . . bat is to flit as eagle is to soar; dog is to bark as lion is to roar. Comparisons include sounds, physical adaptations, behaviors, and animals classes and are so fun, readers learn without even realizing it! Animals are to nature, as Animalogy is to fun!
Happy Spring Reading
-Heather Williams
Public Relations Manager
Test out these tips with Arbordale’s free Summer Reading ebooks that will be available through September 15th. And don’t forget we always have one free ebook of the month. In August we are going to the zoo with ‘Twas the Day Before Zoo Day!
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