Celebrate Nonfiction

Exploring the Joy of Nonfiction Reading and Writing

6 Summer Reads to Encourage Outdoor Exploration

Being Frog by April Pulley
Sayre, Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster

From award-winning author and photographer April
Pulley Sayre comes a stunning photographic look at the fascinating lives of
frogs.

A frog is a being.
It is watching.
It is seeing…

Frogs are amazing creatures, and this book offers young readers an up-close and
revealing peek at their everyday lives. Follow them from egg to tadpole to
froglet crawling up onto land for the first time. Watch them resting on a
favorite log, searching for food, and leaping through the air. And see how
frogs are unique, individual beings with rich lives all their own in the wild.From
award-winning author and photographer April Pulley Sayre comes a stunning
photographic look at the fascinating lives of frogs.

A frog is a being.
It is watching.
It is seeing…

Frogs are amazing creatures, and this book offers young readers an up-close and
revealing peek at their everyday lives. Follow them from egg to tadpole to
froglet crawling up onto land for the first time. Watch them resting on a
favorite log, searching for food, and leaping through the air. And see how
frogs are unique, individual beings with rich lives all their own in the wild.Stunning, up-close
photographs and rich, evocative language immerse readers in the watery world of
frogs, allowing them to experience daily life from an amphibian’s perspective. Follow
frogs as they transform from egg to tadpole to froglet and hop onto land. Join
them as they rest on a favorite log, search for food, and leap through the air.
Discover how frogs are unique beings with rich lives all their own. An author’s
note clarifies
the difference between scientific and anecdotal research—and the value of both.

Daylight Starlight Wildlife
by Wendell Minor, Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House

Using a clever
compare-and-contrast text structure, this charming book offers a fascinating
look at diurnal animals that surround us when we’re
awake as well as nocturnal critters that are active while we’re sleeping. Simple, lyrical text and lifelike illustrations
invite readers to experience the movements,
sounds, colors, and textures of nature as they compare the roaming habits of common
North American wildlife. Two pages of Fun Facts at the end of the book provide
more information for curious minds.

A Leaf Can Be by Laura
Purdie Salas and Violeta Dabija, Millbrook Press/Lerner

Discover the many surprising roles leaves play
in this poetic exploration through the seasons. Children
will be captivated as they work out the meaning of simple, playful rhymes that
highlight how leaves provide food and water, offer shade from the sun and shelter
from rainfall, purify the air, warm the ground, and more. Soft, luminous
illustrations lend a warmth and vibrancy to the text. A section at the end of
the book elaborates upon the poetic descriptions, providing more insight into
the integral roles that leaves play in nature.

Mama Built a Little Nest
by Jennifer Ward and Steve Jenkins, Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster

Lively rhyming main text accompanied by engaging factual descriptions and richly-detailed cut-paper collage art introduce young readers
to an amazing variety of birds’ nests from around the world. Made of everything
from twigs and grass to moss and mud to a few scratches on the ground, nests
have a shared purpose—to protect eggs and house chicks as they grow into
fledglings. An author’s note provides additional information and explains why
the author felt compelled to write the book.

Play Like
an Animal! Why
Critters Splash, Race, Twirl, and Chase by Maria Gianferrari
and Mia Powell, Millbrook Press/Lerner

Bursting with joy and energy, this delightful
exploration of how and why animals play is irresistible! From somersaulting
parrots and boxing kangaroos to dolphins diving through the surf, animals play
to practice critical survival skills, encourage brain development, and build
bonds with one another. Vibrant illustrations are a perfect match for the high-spirited
text. A section at the end provides more information about the featured animals
and encourages readers to make time to play every day.

You’re Invited to a Moth Ball: A Nighttime Celebration by Loree Griffin Burns and Ellen Harasimowicz, Charlesbridge

Large, appealing photos and engaging, conversational text describes
how to plan and carry out a moth ball—a fun group activity for
attracting and studying moths. As Burns enticingly states, “Did I mention we get to stay up late? Because
we do!” In addition to experiencing
a moth ball vicariously, readers learn about the moth life cycle, the anatomy
of moths, and how moths differ from butterflies. This appealing hands-on
science book is sure to inspire budding scientists to host their own moth ball
in a nearby open space.

2 Responses

  1. What a list of gorgeous books–thank you for including A LEAF CAN BE… A few of these are already favorites, and a couple are on my tbr list. Time outside is such a necessary and rewarding part of my day every day–even though I rarely get more than a mile away from my city block.

top 25 nonfiction blog award
Return to Blog Archive

Most Popular Posts

Topics
top 25 nonfiction blog award
Return to Blog Archive

Most Popular Posts

Topics

© 2001–[current-year] Melissa Stewart. All rights reserved. All materials on this site may be copied for classroom or library use but may not be reprinted or resold for commercial purposes. This website is COPPA compliant. If you are a child under age 13 and wish to contact Melissa Stewart, please use the email address of a teacher, librarian, or parent with that adult’s permission. Webhost Privacy Policy.