Logan and I recently read “Claude: The True Story of a White Alligator.” We learned about albinism in nature and Claude’s life at the California Academy of Sciences. Click here for more information about Claude.
BOOK DETAILS // CLAUDE: THE TRUE STORY OF A WHITE ALLIGATOR by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Jennifer Potter // Published: August 4, 2020 // Hardcover, 32 pages // Little Bigfoot
AN EBOOK COPY OF THIS BOOK WAS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
OUR CHALLENGE // Read together August 5, 2020 // Book #32 in our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge
Rating: 5 / 5 coffee beans
A few weeks ago, thanks to Emma Bland Smith’s recently published non-fiction children’s book, Logan and I were introduced to Claude the White Alligator! This book is a great introduction to Claude, his history and biological significance, and also serves as a great explanation of albinism in nature. Claude is the star of the show in this delightfully illustrated book, and any child (and adult) will be curious to learn more about this unique animal. His biological vulnerability and contribution to science will prompt discussions of how we can best protect endangered and vulnerable species and give them a second chance to thrive. Although he’s not living in a natural environment, he’s lived a long life so far and probably has many more years ahead of him because humans are caring for him and others like him in a secure environment. We thought the book deserved 5/5 coffee beans and hope to revisit this book again when we can enjoy a physical copy. Highly recommend!
We’ll leave you with a picture of the real Claude, below:
Steinhart Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences. Photos by Kathryn Whitney. Copyright- California Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved.
Hope your August is rounding out well, folks! Stay tuned for more reviews.
Mama’s not too embarrassed to admit that she was a little scared to turn the page sometimes, the artwork was so detailed!! She’s not crazy about sharks but she liked the book because it was so informative and engaging. We recommend!
BOOK DETAILS Usborne Lift-the-Flap Sharks by Kirsteen Rogers, illustrated by Peter Scott 2005 Hardcover, 16 pages Usborne
Mama, Mimi and I read a great science book about sharks recently, and now we know more about this species than we thought possible!! Of course, the reason we loved this book so much is because it’s one of the awesome titles offered by Usborne Books and More!
The book is thoroughly researched with so many shark facts that when I’m older, I’m going to really dive into this one again. This is a Lift-the-Flap title and offers a fun, interactive way to explore the underwater world of sharks. We learned about some of the most recognizable players in the shark world (for example, great whites and hammerheads) but the book also highlighted some less well-known (but just as potentially dangerous) species as well.
We also learned that sharks rarely attack humans and when they do it’s because they’re mistaking them for food — not because sharks naturally enjoy snacking on humans. (In fact, they’d much rather have a fellow sea creature for lunch!)
The book is a nice size, full of colorful artwork and best of all, is as interactive as any kid would like! The Lift-the-Flap feature makes this already wonderful book a full 5/5 coffee beans for us.
Mama’s not too embarrassed to admit that she was a little scared to turn the page sometimes, the artwork was so detailed!! She’s not too fond of sharks but she liked the book because it was so informative and engaging. We recommend!
Logan and I read a stellar children’s book about Katherine Johnson. If you’ve seen the 2016 movie “Hidden Figures,” you already know about her. She was an amazing woman, and I was proud to introduce my son to her story. We will revisit this one when he’s older.
BOOK DETAILS A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison 2019 Hardcover, 40 pages Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Logan and I read another stellar children’s book a few days ago — this time about a real-life figure we were already somewhat familiar with: Katherine Johnson. If you’ve been living under a rock the last few years, you might not have heard of this awesome lady, but if you’ve seen the 2016 movie “Hidden Figures” or paid any attention to NASA, you certainly know about her. (In fact, you also probably know about Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, as well.) Katherine Johnson was the last surviving member of this empowered trio until she passed away at the age of 101 on February 24, 2020.
Photos courtesy of the publisher (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers); my photo arrangement in Pic Collage
Genres: Non-fiction, picture books, children’s books, history, African American, gender, women, artwork, biography Themes: motivation, intelligence, power of perseverance, heroes, education Recommended for: general audience
Katherine G. Johnson refused to be limited by society’s expectations of her gender and race while expanding the boundaries of humanity’s reach. – – former President Barack Obama, who presented Johnson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015
Portrait of Katherine Johnson, Credit: NASA For more information, click here
The beautifully-illustrated picture book “A Computer Called Katherine” was released in spring 2019 to much acclaim. Since our public library has been closed for a while now, we can’t access a physical copy of the book, so we read an ebook copy on Mama’s phone. We know without a doubt that the experience of the physical book would have made the reading of this book even more wonderful, and we hope to revisit it as soon as possible.
We won’t reveal the details of the book because we definitely want you to pick it up for yourself, but we will tell you without reservation that this is one great title, for littles and adults alike. The amazing (I can’t find a better word!) artwork by illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison and the biographical narrative by children’s book author and scientist Suzanne Slade provide ample evidence that they are wholly devoted to their subject.
Children’s book author and scientist Suzanne Slade has written over 100 books for children, many of them science-based
Illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison’s glorious artwork shines a light on Johnson, one of America’s scientific heroes
The authors of the biographical book “A Computer Called Katherine”
The cheerful full-page spreads visually invite the reader into the world of NASA and American society during the time in which Katherine was doing her history-changing work. It highlights Katherine’s lifelong ambition and intellectual gifts in a way that young children will devour, making her personal determination and enthusiasm to achieve and excel an important talking point.
This book will help start the conversation about personal goals and the importance of having dreams — no matter one’s gender or skin color. It will also demonstrate how critical it is to disregard any voices saying (sometimes shouting) that something can’t be done simply because it’s never been done before. The story of Katherine’s entire life proves that if we are able to do something in our lives, we must then be willing — no matter what.
It’s simply inspiring from the first page to the last, and a must-read for young and old alike. 5 stars for the artwork alone. One of our favorite reads so far!
This Usborne Beginners Series book is a great children’s introduction to the exciting world of kittens and cats. It’s a detailed book, heavy on the science and biology of the feline species, but still elementary enough for little people. We enjoyed it and rated it 5 stars.
Cats Usborne Beginners Series by Anna Milbourne, designed by Michelle Lawrence 2006 Hardcover, 32 pages Usborne Books
Read together April 25, 2020 Rating: 5 / 5 ⭐️ Book #25 in our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge
This Usborne book is a great children’s introduction to the exciting world of kittens and cats. It’s a detailed book, heavy on the science and biology of the feline species, but still elementary enough for little people. (Note: At almost 8 months, Logan is definitely not the target audience for this title — or most of the titles we read — so it is much more appropriate for an older child).
The book is interesting and full of facts, and I read some things that I didn’t know about cats, even as a cat owner. The graphics include both photographs and artwork and fill out the book in a streamlined way. It’s a good primer for cat newbies and lovers alike, or for anyone eager to learn something new about their feline friends. We will revisit this one when Logan is older, maybe about 4-5.5 / 5 ⭐️ for being richly informative and entertaining.
Another book review on the way. Continue to stay well and healthy, friends 🌼
Baby Stole My Book 