[New post] 9 books that combine reading and the outdoors
gqlshare posted: "Today we've got suggestions for books that combine reading and outdoor activities and a roundup of nature guides that help your family explore our natural environment and its inhabitants."Busco: We are all just mutts after all": by Robert J. Kowalski, ill" Times-Herald
Today we've got suggestions for books that combine reading and outdoor activities and a roundup of nature guides that help your family explore our natural environment and its inhabitants.
"Busco: We are all just mutts after all": by Robert J. Kowalski, illustrated by Larisa Ivankovic (Independently Published, $14)
Busco is a mutt who escapes from an animal shelter and wanders far away to a place where he sees big and small dogs happily playing in a park. Sleeping in the forest every night, Busco wishes he could join the fun but he's afraid he won't be accepted because of his mixed-color coat. Then the dog angels help him meet a little girl who's also lonely. Together they enter the park, and Busco frolics in the water with the other dogs, who don't care what Busco or any other of their friends looks like. Kowalski, a St. Paul native, made his writing debut with "Jaycee: A Heroine's Journey," a novel about what the world would be like if Jesus had been born a woman. After Kowalski completed "Busco" he wanted to make an impact on his St. Paul Highland Park community so he donated books to local classrooms.
Undated courtesy image, circa June 2023, of the book cover for "The House We Sheltered In," by Freeman Ng. (Courtesy of Three Daughters Press)
"The House We Sheltered In: A Pandemic Picture Book"/"The Masks We Wore": by Freeman Ng (Three Daughters Press,$14.95)
A child's view of COVID is told in rhyme in this pretty paperback made up of two stories. "The House We Sheltered In" recalls what the family did during the pandemic: "Greeting wakers, toasty warm,/After the stories, read and told,/After the video chats that pulled/Far off friends into the room,/After the games we played for fun,/After the meals we shared as one,/Passing food with grateful hands,/Washed with soap again and again,/That cleaned the knobs and panes and pans/of all the homes/we sheltered in." When the book is flipped it tells of "The Masks We Wore," remembering everything about the pandemic: "the distances we kept … the gatherings skipped for the people we treasure … And the troubles we took/and the pains we endured … And the masks we wore for each other." The books' lively illustrations are by 25 artists.
"Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series": by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Arigon Starr (Penquin Young Readers, $18.)
Youngsters who love baseball will want to learn the stories of Charles Bender and John Meyers, Native Americans whose paths converged at the 1911 World Series where, the author says, the racism from the press and public "was displayed in front of the world." But the two men went on to play a combined total of nine championship games.
Undated courtesy image, circa June 2023, of the book cover for "Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series," by Traci Sorell. (Courtesy of Penguin Random House)
Bender was born on the White Earth reservation in Minnesota and began playing baseball when he was at a boarding school in Pennsylvania. He eventually signed with the Philadelphia Athletics as a pitcher. John Meyers grew up on the Cahuilla reservation in southern California, played on four minor-league teams until he worked his way to catch for the New York Giants. Both men faced discrimination inside and outside the major league ballparks at a time when the big leagues lacked diversity.
Author Sorell is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and illustrator Starr is an enrolled member of the Kickapoo Tribe, both in Oklahoma. They say they wanted to tell the stories of Bender and Meyers because these Indigenous men remain an inspiration for achieving and maintaining one's dreams in the face of prejudice.
A review in Booklist said: "Starr's full-color, hand-drawn digital art uses archival photos for reference. She employs a realistic style that emphasizes facial expressions and incorporates both Cahuilla and Ojibwe designs in the art. The inclusion of newspaper headlines, baseball cards, and ticket stubs adds to the visual presentation. Appended with a timeline, author notes, and sources, this makes an excellent addition to the spots shelves as well as diversity units."
"Taylor Swift": by Wendy Loggia, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri (Little Golden Books, $5.99)
For all young fans of the multiple Grammy-winner who was in Minneapolis Friday, here's an easily read bio of Swift, from her birth in Pennsylvania through her visit to Nashville where she "ran into the offices of various record labels and handed out CDs she'd made of her music," to the offer from RCA Records to work with her when she was 13, and her clash with the record company that wanted her to sing other people's songs. But she didn't agree and one night at the Nashville's Bluebird Cafe she sang some of her own songs. In the audience was a music executive forming a new record label. He signed Swift to make her debut album, which came out when she was 16. After that — stardom. The text is big on Swift's virtues, including her dedication to hard work. Little Golden Books sure have come a long way since "The Poky Little Puppy."
Exploring the environment
"Follow the Flyway: The Marvel of Bird Migration": by Sarah Nelson, art by Maya Hanisch (Barefoot Books, $17.99)
This beautifully illustrated book, with a poetic text by a St. Paul author, follows ducks, geese, herons, giant-winged pelicans, egrets, sandpipers, swans, loons and snipes as their babies begin their fist migration down the majestic flyway. In a starred review Boolist said: "An impressive use of rhythm, rhyme, onomatopoeia, and word imagery endows this science-based book with a strong literary component." Illustrated endnotes provide factual information about bird migration, the four flyways of North America, the species of birds in the book, and sources for further reading.
If your family is hiking or camping, you'll want to check out these guides from Adventure Publications.
"Nature Explorer: Get Outside, Observe, and Discover the Natural World": by Jenny deFouw Geuder ($15.59) and
"Nature Explorer Sketchbook": ($9.95) — "Nature Explorer" is a hardcover that includes information about how children can become naturalists, outlining how to observe, identify, and record, plus giving tips on staying safe in nature. Young readers learn how to use their senses during observation, followed by an introduction to backyard wildlife, including butterflies, chipmunks, frogs, squirrels, and others, along with a selection of common trees, wildflowers, and other types of plants. The book includes 17 crafty activities and hands-on projects, such as starting a home terrarium, pressing flowers and painting rocks. "Nature Explorer Sketchbook," has open pages for the kids to draw or paint what they see or jot their impressions. It includes prompts and tips such as "Find a spot with some flowers, sit for 5 minutes and pay attention. You might be surprised at the insects and animals you might have missed!"
Undated courtesy image, circa June 2023, of the book cover for "Critters of Minnesota: Pocket Guide to Animals in Your State," by Alex Troutman. (Courtesy of Adventure Publications)
"Critters of Minnesota: Pocket Guide to Animals in Your State": by Alex Troutman ($7.95) — Wildlife biologist Troutman makes his debut as an author with this book, which presents 63 critters living in our state. Each species is showcased with a photo that's paired with details such as habitat, range, and preferred food sources. as well as illustrations of the animal's tracks. Did you know, for instance, that the northern raccoons who rummage in our garbage cans have tracks that resemble human handprints? A portion of the proceeds from sales benefits Wildlife Forever in its support of conservation efforts.
"Bird Tracks": by Jonathan Poppele ($12.95)
This pocket-sized, ring-bound book with a sturdy cover includes how to identify tracks of 55 North American species. There is a color photo for each bird, with brief information and illustrations of their footprints. The tracks are divided into groups — classic, game, webbed and K-Shaped. Poppele is author of an award-winning nature guidebook author and founder of the Minnesota Wildlife Tracking Project.
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