Picture Book Frenzy

     I have a stack of beautiful books checked out from my public library.  I love the library but I struggle with their return on time policy.  I dislike paying fines for overdue books.  I'm much better with Netflix's return policy (keep it as long as you like-you'll get more when you return it)-that is within my power.  On the other hand the library lets me take out stacks and stacks.   Hmmmm.

Since these are due back before I return from camping-I'm going to review them in batch and return them tomorrow before we leave so I skip out on the hefty fine.

Lucky for me I've read them all:

First up, About Habitats; Mountains written by Cathryn Sill; illustrated by John Sill (2009)

Peaceful Girl and I loved this book.  It is the perfect kind of nonfiction for elementary students....not a lot of text!   It begins:  "Mountains are places that rise high above the surrounding land." and a glorious illustration of Mount McKinley (Alaska Range).  Each page has one or two descriptive sentences matched with a mountain scene.  The afterword gives greater detail to each mountain illustration and a glossary is included.  Highly Recommended-Elementary Nonfiction

Stuff! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Steven Kroll; illustrated by Steve Cox (2009)

Stuff!  tells the story of Pinch, a pack rat (how perfect)who looks like a cute big-eared mouse.  Pinch has trouble getting rid of anything and his house and yard are overflowing.  Bumper Bunny and Heddy Hedgehog come knockin' one day to ask for donations and he turns them down!  Yes, he's a hoarder!  He tells them he just can't part with any of it.  He finally has a change of heart and loads up a wheelbarrow to sell at the town tag sale.  He does it at first to make money (more money means I can buy new stuff) but ends up enjoying his newly clean home!  This is a great story to help children understand how important it is to buy responsibly-a good lesson for many adults.  Recommended-Elementary Fiction

What Bluebirds Do by Pamela F. Kirby (2009)

This book has fantastic photographs of a bluebird family-it's a play-by-play of their relationship, which takes place in Kirby's backyard.  My peaceful girl is fascinated by the bird activities in our own backyard and so loved this book.  It shows such clear detail of what the birds look like compared to other blue birds, their mating flirtations (the male flaps his wings and offers her food-sounds easy enough) and how the beautiful eggs fare in the nest.  The sentences are easy to read with the photographs taking center stage.  It has a ton of useful information in the back as well.
 Highly Recommended (if I were to buy any of these three it would be this one)elementary nonfiction.


Enjoy these three lovely books.  Hopefully I will have a chance to review three more tomorrow before my library trip.  My husband should love that.  "Sure honey, I'll be right there to help you load the car-right after I finish this blog post!"  Can you picture it?