When "Earth Day" was first pitched to the world in 1970s it was viewed with skepticism and considered "peacenik" or "hippy" politics. Today we recognize that we must be good stewards of this globe suspended in the Universe that we call home - Earth. We must care for the bees, birds, animals, plants, water, air. Conservation and prudence of use are vital. We need to teach the children about bees, about plants and living things on the ground, in the ground, in the air, in the water.
Bruno the Beekeeper: A Honey Primer by Aneta Frantiska Holasová (Author, Illustrator)
My thoughts: At first glance, one might think this a little kiddie book. While it can most certainly be read to them to teach about bees and the value they are to our World's plant life, it is frankly an older children's book.
Originally published in the Czech Republic in 2013, this English translation by Andrew Lass and first USA printing is a book well worth purchasing and placing in personal, public, and school libraries. The book is educational with information about various bees and flying insects, drawings of bees, their life cycle, and the equipment a beekeeper needs. Then some detail about the seasons of beekeeping and how they follow Earth's seasons.
The book ends with a gingerbread cookie recipe that uses honey as the sweetner. These would be a real treat.
About the book: Follow a beekeeping bear through the seasons—and learn about the life cycle and ecology of bees—in this folksy step-by-step guide to caring for hives and harvesting honey.
With glowing, honey-hued illustrations and friendly text, this homespun year-in-the-life of a busy beekeeper and his bees is a definitive picture book primer—whether for families contemplating a new hobby or for readers just curious to know how bees make honey. Follow Bruno the bear through the seasons, beginning in late summer, as he demonstrates how he keeps his bees healthy and happy, from housing and maintaining the hive to harvesting honey and beeswax. Learn the anatomy and life cycle of bees, the difference between workers and queens, what flowers bees pollinate, and what predators they avoid. Gracefully translated from the original Czech—and paired with charming folk-style art that evokes the rural setting and cozy kitchen of a blended beekeeping family (complete with Grandma’s recipe for homemade honey-gingerbread cookies)—this charming ode to sustainability and fostering nature’s small wonders will delight readers of every stripe.
A World of Plants by Martin Jenkins & illustrated by James Brown
My thoughts: There is so much more to the world of plants than vases of flowers, trees (how many can you identify?), corn and other veggies. So much about how plants adapt themselves and manage to proliferate season by season.
About the book: A conservation biologist and a printmaker team up for a fascinating, visually arresting guide to botanical history, biodiversity, and the rich inner lives of plants. A must-read for budding gardeners!
Covering more than twenty-five subjects, from photosynthesis and permaculture to the hidden world of Victorian plant hunters, this stylish illustrated guide is packed with scientific insight into the critical role plants play in the drama of life on Earth. Did you know that some plants steal while others defend themselves against attack? That the largest cacti can reach sixty-six feet tall and weigh more than a car? That there are meat-eating plants the size of footballs? Readers young and old will marvel at the wondrous diversity and adaptability of plants, from trees and tropical species to those that have evolved to master extreme conditions. A brisk narrative bursting with facts—all carefully organized with maps and charts in richly patterned vintage-style illustrations—make for a vivid guide to all that grows . . . and a beautiful gift book for anyone interested in the environment.
Fungarium: Welcome to the Museum by Ester Gaya & illustrated by Katie Scott
My thoughts: What a pleasure to have another of the "Welcome to the Museum" books. This series is simply marvelous. Large books, packed with wonderful illustrations and informative text that entertains and educates.
Fungarium: Welcome to the Museum is a wonderful introduction for older elementary and middle school students to fungi.
Frankly, the book covers an amazing amount of information that, in my opinion, would give superb educational facts for older students in the study of biology. I was really surprised to learn a bit about the complexity of the plant, animal, and fungi world and dependence on each other and especially the intricate association of fungi to the others.
A fine book to grace library shelves of all types.
About the book: Welcome to the Fungarium! Step into the world of fungi and learn all about these strange and fascinating life-forms.
Illustrator Katie Scott returns to the Welcome to the Museum series with exquisite, detailed images of some of the most fascinating living organisms on this planet—fungi. Exploring every sort of fungi, from the kinds we see on supermarket shelves to those like penicillium that have shaped human history, this collection is the definitive introduction to what fungi are and just how vital they are to the world's ecosystem.
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