Books of Information - Animals & Birds

Birdscapes: A Pop-Up Celebration Of Bird Songs in Stereo Sound

A multimedia extravaganza for the senses! A tour of North American bird habitats, from the Arctic Tundra to a Cypress Swamp, rendered in full-colour, three-dimensional landscapes, enhanced with choruses of authentic bird calls and songs.

Encyclopedia Prehistorica Mega-Beasts Pop-Up

Another spectacular, interactive delight from master paper engineers Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart. Saber-toothed tigers and wooly mammoths are among the highlights, with snippets of trivia that should encourage kids' desire for further knowledge.

Predators: A Pop-up Book with Revolutionary Technology

by Lucio and Meera Santoro

The 3-D artwork swings off the page, bringing spiders, bald eagles, crocodiles, tigers, and polar bears to life. Filled with interesting facts and statistics. The Santoros' next title: Wild Oceans.

Books of Information - Animals, Birds & Insects

Bugs Up Close

by Diane Swanson

photographs by Paul Davidson

A good introduction to insects for ages 3 and up. The language is clear and easy to understand, and the large print makes it easy to read. Chapters progress logically, beginning with a definition of an insect, followed by descriptions of its body parts, its mating and reproduction habits, and its unique characteristics. Spectacular close-up photographs add to the book's appeal. Includes a brief glossary and index.

Honk, Honk, Goose!: Canada Geese Start a Family

by April Pulley Sayre

paper collages by Huy Voun Lee

"Honk, hee-honk, honk!"

This noisy book tells the story of a Canadian Goose and his mate. The male goose spends most of his time chasing foes away from the nest until "crack! crick! peep!" six baby geese are hatched.

In My Backyard

by Margriet Ruurs

paper sculptures by Ron Broda

An introduction to backyard animals for ages 3 to 5. A legend at the end of the book provides more information on each animal and gives suggestions on how to make backyards appealing to animals. Artist Ron Broda's realistic paper sculptures can be found in other books, such as:

• Have You Seen Bugs?
  
• Waters
  
• Butterflies

Polar Worlds: Life at the Ends of the Earth

Acclaimed artist Robert Bateman invites young readers to join him on a journey to the Arctic and Antarctica. Fascinating facts and profiles of the polar inhabitants, including polar bears, penguins, seals, and whales, are brought vividly to life in Bateman’s paintings and sketches. An engaging and informative book.

Books for Older Siblings

When a baby is born, older siblings sometimes feel left out. The arrival of a baby is special, but becoming an older brother or sister is special too. Celebrate their new status with a book.

My Sister Gracie

by Gillian Johnson

Fabio is an only dog, but he longs for a brother. When his family decides to adopt another dog, she's not at all what he expected. A hilarious story about acceptance.

Koala Lou

by Mem Fox

Koala Lou is loved by everyone, especially her mother who never fails to tell her "Koala Lou, I do love you!" When her mother has more babies and gets too busy, she doesn't say the words as often. To win back her mother's love, Koala Lou tries to win a medal at the Bush Olympics. Perfect for older siblings who need a little reassurance.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together

by Mary Ann Hoberman

Easy-to-read stories for a child and a parent to read together, or for an older child to read with a younger one. I gave this book to a 7-year-old; her dad later told me that she'd been trying to read it with her baby sister!

A Boy, A Dog And A Frog 

by Mercer Mayer

Wordless picture books are ideal because a child can make up his or her own story to go with the pictures. Good for kids who are unsure about reading words out loud. Wordless books can also stimulate the imagination.

Where You Came From 

by Sara O'Leary

For curious kids who want to know where they came from. The parents in this book come up with creative, imaginative answers: you were grown in the garden, you were delivered by fairies, you were dropped from a spaceship, etc.

Where Willy Went

by Nicholas Allan

For kids who want answers, but don't need too much detail. The map of the woman's reproductive system is very vague, and the actual coupling is hidden under sheets, but most kids should get the idea. Suitable for ages 2-3.

Ten Perfect Books for Baby

10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. & John Archambault

Each Peach Pear Plum by Janet & Allan Ahlberg

Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Hug by Jez Alborough

Jamberry  by Bruce Degen

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

Rabbit Pie, by Penny Ives

Tails by Matthew Van Fleet

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox

Moon Landing Anniversary

Forty years ago today, Apollo 11 landed on the moon. To commemorate the event, here are a few moon-themed books:

The Mole Sisters and the Moonlit Night

by Roslyn Schwartz

The Mole Sister series by Roslyn Schwartz are gentle, humorous, light and dreamy. In the above story, the Mole Sisters discover that anything can happen on a moonlit night.

Stella, Princess Of The Sky

by Marie-Louise Gay

In 2006, Marie-Louise Gay was awarded the Vicky Metcalf Award, which recognizes a writers' work to be of high literary quality. Ms. Gay's Stella series, as well as her other stories, are distinguished by exuberant, joyful illustrations and imaginative writing. In Stella, Princess of the Sky, Stella reassures her little brother, Sam when they spend the night outdoors.

Coyote Sings to the Moon

by Thomas King

illustrated by Johnny Wales

Every evening, Old Woman and the animals serenade the moon. When Coyote wants to join in, the animals recoil in horror, telling him that his terrible singing voice will scare Moon away.

"Hummph," says Coyote, whose feelings are hurt. "Why would anyone want to sing to Moon, anyway? In fact, he thinks, who needs the moon? He then says, "That silly Moon is so bright, I can hardly sleep."

Unfortunately, Moon overhears him. Offended, she takes refuge in the pond, leaving the world in the dark. When Old Woman and the animals fail to entice Moon back, they resort to one last, desperate scheme to return her to the sky.

For kids and grown-ups who like to howl.

What If...?: Amazing Stories

selected by Monica Hughes

Stories and poems that answer one simple question: What if ....? Among the highlights are Moon Maiden (what if the moon is haunted?), A Wish Called Arnold (what if you only get one wish?), and Paper (what if you could breathe life into paper?)

Noah's Ark Stories

There are many versions of the Ark story, just as there are many different kinds of Ark toys, from soft stuffed versions to elaborate wooden carvings. The story of the Ark is timeless and appeals to both children and adults. Here are a few Ark books to enjoy.

On Noah's Ark

by Jan Brett

Imagine all the animals packed into Noah's ark, pushing and shoving each other to find room. As the Ark rocks gently in the seas, the animals fall asleep. Then Noah's granddaughter tiptoes around, untangling paws, tails, and wings in this original story.

The Ark: A Pop-up by Matthew Reinhart

A retelling of the classic Bible story with Reinhart's colourful and amzing paper sculptures. A captivating book.

Many Waters

by Madeleine L'Engle

Sandy and Dennys inadvertently interfere with their parents' experiment and find themselves transported to a different time and place, though still on Earth. They must find a way to get home before many waters flood the desert. A magical story about love. For ages 10 and up.

Not Wanted On The Voyage

by Timothy Findley

An interesting take on the Ark story with a tyrannical Noah, a talking cat, a unicorn, and a mutiny. For ages 14 and up.

The Boat

by Helen Ward & Ian Andrew

A tale about a hill, an old man, and a flood. With detailed, tinted illustrations.