A Leaf Can Be: A wonderful book that shows very simply and beautifully, in flowing rhymes with soft, whimsical, yet vibrant illustrations that a leaf is not just a leaf – it is and can be many different things – other than the obvious. It can, of course be, a sun-taker, and it can also be a moth-matcher! The book takes us through the seasons to show the many faces of the leaf during the many phases of the year. Author Laura Purdie Salas and illustrator Violeta Dabija have blended their talents to bring together a book that is entertaining, enchanting, and educational at the same time. By showing us that a leaf can be so much, this book teaches us not only the many uses of leaves (and thus plants/trees), and it also subtly tells us that each of us can be so much more!
The book also includes a glossary, a list of books for further reading, and a useful index called ‘More about Leaves’ where each of the phrases used in the book is described in detail. One example is below:
Air cleaner: When leaves take in air , they also take tiny bits of pollution out of the air. Leaves also send out clean oxygen , a chemical in the air that people need to breathe
Rating: A (I have read it many times already at the request of my six year old and for myself, just to see the illustrations themselves)
Reading Level: Ages 5 to 8
You can download delightful bookmarks here with images and rhymes from the book.
Beep and Bah: This book is supercute – since I read it first, I have read it so many times over already. The kids love it too and cannot resist returning to read it. Beep the robot and Bah the goat, along with the many other animals they meet on their adventure are delightful.
A missing sock – that is something everyone is familiar with; who has not wondered where a single sock from each of our pairs has vanished to?
Well, in this story, when Bah finds one single sock early one morning and goes to his friend Beep, Beep decides that the best thing to do is go find out where the missing sock has gone and takes Bah along with him on the adventure.
There is minimal text in the story and the illustrations convey a whole lot bringing whole new meaning to ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’. Readers of all ages can enjoy the book and follow the story without a problem. The illustrations are fun, silly, and bright and engage the reader from the start to the end.
The end – it is perfect! Both my son and I are trying to see if I can come up with a new adventure for Beep and Bah and enjoying making up stories in our mind for now. In the meantime, I just hope the author/illustrator of this continues to create more adventures for Beep and Bah for us to enjoy.
You can download delightful bookmarks here with images and rhymes from the book.
Rating: A
Reading Level: Up to 8 yrs
Reread Level: A
Titans of Business – Steve Jobs: Concise, inspirational, informative – a good book for young children to learn about Steve Jobs. This book provides a brief overview of Steve Jobs life and achievements without going too much in detail. It provides a glimpse into his personality, the visionary that he was, his value for perfection and simplicity, and the inspiration he continues to be even after his death. NeXT, PIXAR, and APPLE itself are all included as part of his professional journey in the book.
Nick Hunter lists Jobs’ successes and failures as well as his strengths and weaknesses. Snippets of interesting facts as well as quotes are highlighted in different colored boxes making the book visually pleasing along with the many photos included (many of which are Jobs’).
Examples of the facts/quotes from the book:
“The bite was added so people would know it was an apple and not a tomato.”
‘“Do you want to sell sugar water all your life or do you want to change the world?” Jobs tries to persuade Pepsi’s John Sculley to join Apple’
It includes a ‘Glossary’ of words used in the book for the young reader (though I am sure most young readers nowadays are born knowing many of these words!), a helpful list of more books to read and websites to explore, and a section for the young entrepreneur with Steve Jobs’ ideas on how
to be one.
to be one.
Rating: B – the book by itself is great for kids to introduce Steve Jobs and presented well.
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 11
Disclaimer:Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a digital review copy of all three books above. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They
are my personal opinions formed when I read this book.
are my personal opinions formed when I read this book.
All books go towards the Read-to-Me Picture Book Challenge
A Leaf can Be and Steve Jobs go towards the Non-Fiction book challenge at KidLitFrenzy Monday Memes:
What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey.
It is a time when we share what we’ve read, currently reading, or what is up next on our reading list.
Completed reading:
Books reviewed here today
It is a time when we share what we’ve read, currently reading, or what is up next on our reading list.
Completed reading:
Books reviewed here today
Currently reading:
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
The Lilac House by Anita Nair
(digital ARC)
(digital ARC)
Next to read:
Lots and lots and lots to pick from…
Lots and lots and lots to pick from…
Thanks for visiting me and the comment too. 🙂
Thank you…
Thanks so much for sharing my new book! I'm thrilled that you like it–and happy to say that Violeta and I will have a companion book out in 2014, and I can't wait to see her stunning illustrations for that one.
Thank you so much for visiting,Laura, and your comments. I will look forward to your next book also – 2014 seems too far away…but will be patient.