Recently I received an armload of books from National Geographic. These weren't heavy manuscripts detailing the history of the world or simple picture books - these were kids books! For kids! Being from National Geographic, they were also heavy on the education and learning aspects of reading. This is a good thing. While I got quite the assortment of books for toddlers through teens, this post I'm highlighting some of the best ones to read to or with your little ones.
The Bones You Own & What's in That Egg?
These two books are about what is inside things we take for granted, and especially children take for granted. The Bones You Own, looks inside your body with a creatively entertaining style of crayon drawings over pictures of children in activity. It even goes inside the bone on a set of pages, explaining that "your bones are white, smooth and strong with jelly in the middle." There is even a picture of a child on the page giving a slightly disgusted look. These kinds of illustrations keep the book on the lighter side. At the end of the book, there is a collection of questions for the parent to answer with their child. Questions that children tend to ask like, "Most bones are in your hands and feet. Can you think why?"
What's in That Egg predictably looks at the different kinds of eggs that can be found, and the life cycle of the creature inside. Again, illustrated with a mix of actual photos of animals and crayon drawings the book does a good job of keeping the subject light and not overwhelming the child with too many facts. These are both great books to read with your toddler when they start asking why the grass is green. Cut them off at the pass.
Baines, Becky. (2009) The Bones You Own. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society
Baines, Becky. (2009) What's in That Egg. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society
Jump Into Science: Moon & Jump Into Science: Coral Reefs
It's pretty much guaranteed that if your child has been outdoors at night, and they are at that age they have asked you about the moon. Jump Into Science: Moon, will answer every single one of those questions and then some. From the moon's orbit around the Earth, to how craters were formed - every thinkable question (for the budding astronomer) will be answered in full. Each page has a paragraph of text, but only two or three sentences as not to overwhelm the young reader. The art style is fun and bright, with a cartoon cat and lightning bug leading the way through the discovery of the moon as Galileo (and his lightning bug sidekick) to the moon landing. In the back of the book there are craft instructions to make your own crater infused lunar landscape using a baking dish and flour.
Jump Into Science: Coral Reefs takes a similar approach to learning about the ecosystem surrounding the coral reefs. Instead of a constant character, each page is delightfully water-colored (actually ink and gouache) with an assortment of ocean creatures and their habitats. At the end of the book, the craft is finding out how a filter feeder creature (such as a sponge) eats. The series continues with subjects such as dirt, stars, sand, honey bees & earthquakes. A great series of books for the young reader.
Tomecek, Steve. Ill; Guida, Liisa Chauncy. (2008)* Jump Into Science: Moon.* Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society
Earle, Sylvia A. Ill; Matthews, Bonnie. (2009)* Jump Into Science: Coral Reefs.* Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society
Frogs! & *Penguins! *
These are two books in the National Geographic Science Readers series, there are five different reading levels. Frogs! is a level 1 reader, while Penguins! is a level 2 reader. Both books are full of great nature pictures and along with the narrative, little pop-up "did you know" questions. My three year old enjoyed the pictures, especially the penguins (she loves penguins) but is still too young to read the books herself. That's where the whole parent thing comes in. While the books are for young readers to start reading, they are great books to read to the non-reading children due to the pictures that only National Geographic can apty provide.
Carney, Elizabeth. (2009) Frogs! Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society
Schreiber, Anne. (2009) Penguins! Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society
There are many more National Geographic books available for children, most of the books reviewed here are just a couple books pulled out of whole series' of books. All of them are available at your local bookseller. These are a great way to not only get your child into reading, but into science and nature as well.
