And the Weather is…

Weather is in our lives every day. This fall, we debut a new series that looks at the “What, Why, and Where” of everyday occurrences—which starts with the weather. What’s the Weather asks readers to consider the conditions outside and how it affects their everyday life. 

About the Book

Weather changes daily. Sometimes it can even change from one moment to another—like a sudden storm. Weather affects our daily lives from what we wear to what outdoor activities (or lack thereof) we can do. Learning about weather and how to dress and prepare for it is an important skill to learn. Maybe even more important is the skill of observation. By asking simple questions, children become engaged and can start to observe and make correlations about the weather around them so they will understand how the weather impacts their lives.

To celebrate the release of this book, we decided to go a little more in-depth and created a fun temperature comparison where kids can learn a little bit more about the numbers we use to tell if it’s hot or cold.

Download the Worksheet! And, you can order copies of What’s the Weather: A What, Why, or Where Book and find more resources on the book homepage.

Go on an Adventure with Little River Otter

Linda Stanek and Shennen Bersani are back! This year, they visit the zoo with a little river otter who finds her identity through pretending to be other animals. You can pretend right along with the little river otter with your ticket to our at-home zoo!

About the Book

When a young river otter sneaks into a zoo, she wonders if she should be more like some of the other animals she meets. She wants a trunk like the elephant or be loud like the gorilla… By imitating and comparing herself to these other animals she learns to appreciate herself. Educational components are woven throughout this fun, read-aloud story and sidebar information complements and extends the learning, making it a perfect book for a wide variety of ages.

As an early and middle childhood educator, Linda Stanek wants to inspire young learners, including children with written language disabilities, to write about things that excite them. Her own passion for teaching children about the importance of each link in the natural world provided the inspiration for River Otter’s Adventure. Linda has also written Cheetah Dreams, Night Creepers, and Once Upon an Elephant (CBC Children’s Choice Book Award) for Arbordale. Linda has two grown sons and lives in Ohio with her husband and feline family members. Visit her website at www. lindastanek.com.

Shennen Bersani is an award-winning illustrator with 2 million copies of her books cherished and read by children, parents, and teachers throughout the world. Her art delivers heartfelt emotion, the wonders of nature and science, and creates a unique joy for learning. Some of Shennen’s other illustrated works include Night Creepers; Cheetah Dreams; Animal Partners; Astro: The Steller Sea Lion; Home in the Cave; The Glaciers are Melting!; Once Upon an Elephant (CBC Children’s Choice Book Award); Salamander Season; Sea Slime: It’s Eeuwy, Gooey and Under the Sea; The Shape Family Babies; and Shark Baby for Arbordale. She is also the author and illustrator of Achoo! Why Pollen Counts. Shennen lives with her family near Boston. Visit her website at www. shennenbersani.com.

Have Fun at the Zoo

When you can’t get to the zoo, you can create your own. Learn about each animal in your stuffed collection. Download the guide here!  You can also order River Otter’s Adventure and find other educational activities at arbordalepublishing.com.

Happy Birthday And That’s The Tooth!

And That’s the Tooth is Terri Fields fourth book with Arbordale. She has written about dangerous animals, making tortillas and tornadoes. This month she releases her first photographic nonfiction book with us, and kids are sure to chomp on these facts.

But we wanted to go behind the book and learn a little more about Terri’s writing process. Here is that interview.

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
From the time I was a little girl.

You have written many types of books; do you have a favorite genre of book to write? Or read?
No.  I love to read, and I like to read different genres. I think it helps me be more creative to write different types of books.

Why teeth? What inspired a picture book on types of teeth?
It’s thrilling when a baby gets their very first tooth and a significant moment in most children’s lives when the tooth fairy arrives. Those things helped me see the significance of the topic, but it was a random question that actually inspired this book. A six-year-old chomping on popcorn said, “I’m sure glad I have teeth to chew this! Do all animals have teeth?” I had no idea, but it led me to start investigating animal teeth as a topic for a book. I love puns, so “And That’s the Tooth!” popped into my head for a title.

The question answer format is different from your fictional picture books, how was the writing process different for this book?
I did a lot of research for this book. In trying to decide which animals to feature, I researched about thirty different animals before choosing the ones in this book. While I didn’t have to develop characters for AND THAT’S THE TOOTH, I had to create riddles and hints that would be hard enough not to give away the answers, but not so hard that kids wouldn’t want to take a guess. I think this format will encourage children to look at the page carefully and then predict the answer. I’m excited about that because prediction is an important reading strategy.

Did you find any surprising facts as you researched this book? I think a lot of the facts in the book will surprise both the children and adults.

And That’s the Tooth releases on February 22^nd in paperback and digital editions. You can preorder from arbordalepublishing.com or from your local bookstore.

Book Launch: Once Upon an Elephant

On the African savanna Elephants are gentle giants that have an incredible impact on the ecosystem. Once Upon an Elephant by Linda Stanek debuts this week, and the amazing facts about elephants are sure to make any child want to know more about how they can help this important animal.

Learn how this book came to life from the author Linda Stanek:

It’s funny how researching one thing can lead to something else. While working on a book for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium about their baby elephant, Beco, elephant expert Harry Peachey mentioned the words “keystone animal” to me. Keystone animal? I was embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know what that was. When he explained that these are animals so critical to maintaining their ecosystems that without them, other species would die, I was shocked. This was important stuff! How did I not know about it? If didn’t know about this, then who else didn’t know as well? And what an important concept to share those who would inherit this fragile Earth—our children.

That was the beginning of Once Upon an Elephant. What if, I thought, elephants were only “Once Upon a Time?” It was a heartbreaking thought. And if they did, indeed, become extinct, what else might become once upon a time as well?

After writing this manuscript, I shared it with my friend, Harry and got his thumbs-up. Then, I sent it to a handful of publishers. Within two weeks (which is quicker than lightning, in publishing-time) Arbordale made me an offer. And even more quickly, I accepted.

Two days later, I got an offer for Once Upon an Elephant from another publisher. “Drat!” my sister said. “You could have an auction!”

But I was satisfied. I knew that Arbordale produces beautiful books. And, I appreciate that they place their books not only in bookstores, but in museum, aquarium, and zoo gift shops as well—where interested readers are likely to be found. When they signed Shennen Bersani to illustrate it, I was even happier. She crafted the amazing images to make this book complete, allowing me to share with children the concept of the keystone animal, and my love of elephants.

Learn more! Teaching activities, quizzes and other printable activities are available on the book’s homepage, check it out!

Enter to win your own copy of Once Upon an Elephant on Goodreads!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Once Upon an Elephant

by Linda Stanek

Giveaway ends February 29, 2016.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway