Title: Charles Darwin and the Mystery of Mysteries
Author: Niles Eldredge and Susan Pearson
Age Range: 9-14
Reviewer: Rose
Note: This book will not be released until May 2010
This enjoyable book on the life of Charles Darwin is well worth reading. It's very informative and covers all aspects of his life and work in a way that is easy to understand without having to reread every sentence twice. It tells of how Darwin pieced together the mystery of Natural Selection and the people who influenced him to do so. In the margins are facts about those people and things that happened during Darwin’s lifetime, but they are not so frequent as to disrupt the story.
Charles Darwin and the Mystery of Mysteries is a must read book!
Showing posts with label Non Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Non Fiction. Show all posts
March 27, 2010
September 13, 2009
Drawing Made Easy by E.G. Lutz
Title: Drawing Made Easy
Author: E. G. Lutz
Age Range: 7+
Reviewer: Heather
This is a great book to learn how to draw. It gives easy to follow step-by-step instructions of how to draw all kinds of things—flowers, many different animals (though some of the animals aren’t my style) people and faces, plus other random stuff. You learn using a kind of outline technique, sort of doing the outside first and going in and doing the details after the main shape has been created.
In the beginning of the book it walks you through the basics, like how to use a pencil compass, what items you need to have for a good drawing session, learning how to draw smooth curves etc. This is a good place to start.
This is a review for the 2009 edition of Drawing Made Easy, there is a previous edition that is a bit different (less learning how to draw faces and it’s shorter).
And, the 2009 edition has a foreward by James Gurney, author of Dinotopia!
Author: E. G. Lutz
Age Range: 7+
Reviewer: Heather
This is a great book to learn how to draw. It gives easy to follow step-by-step instructions of how to draw all kinds of things—flowers, many different animals (though some of the animals aren’t my style) people and faces, plus other random stuff. You learn using a kind of outline technique, sort of doing the outside first and going in and doing the details after the main shape has been created.
In the beginning of the book it walks you through the basics, like how to use a pencil compass, what items you need to have for a good drawing session, learning how to draw smooth curves etc. This is a good place to start.
This is a review for the 2009 edition of Drawing Made Easy, there is a previous edition that is a bit different (less learning how to draw faces and it’s shorter).
And, the 2009 edition has a foreward by James Gurney, author of Dinotopia!
September 12, 2009
Redwoods by Jason Chin
Title: Redwoods
Author: Jason Chin
Age Range: 4/5+
Reviewer: Rose
Follow the adventures of a boy who steps off the New York Subway and into a giant redwood forest. Watch him learn about how these trees survive, grow, and even how their crown is an almost separate ecosystem! Written and illustrated in a fun and unusual way, this book will capture the attention of readers of all ages.
Author: Jason Chin
Age Range: 4/5+
Reviewer: Rose
Follow the adventures of a boy who steps off the New York Subway and into a giant redwood forest. Watch him learn about how these trees survive, grow, and even how their crown is an almost separate ecosystem! Written and illustrated in a fun and unusual way, this book will capture the attention of readers of all ages.
September 10, 2009
How to Write Your Life's Story by Ralph Fletcher
Title: How to write your life’s story
Author: Ralph Fletcher
Age Range: 6-12
Reviewer: Rose
From the author of A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You and Marshfield Dreams, this book starts in a new way. The introduction (a must read) is about his father’s ‘Buffalo’ and his memories around it. Ralph then goes on to describe how to map out your life. He also tells you four lies about writing your life’s story. Through out the book, he includes some samples of kids’ writings, which I find necessary in a book that is for kids. Interviews with three adult authors are also included.
I enjoyed this book, although it was not too inspiring. I would really recommend it if you were looking for a book that showed you a step by step process of how to write your life’s story, however if you already knew how to write a story, this book is more for beginners.
One part that I found particularly useful was the list of multi-genre. He listed several new types that I had not come across, including weather report (describing yourself as if you were weather), recipe, and obituary. I enjoyed his metaphors and found that he really knew how to begin and end a book. I look forward to read more of his books.
Author: Ralph Fletcher
Age Range: 6-12
Reviewer: Rose
From the author of A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You and Marshfield Dreams, this book starts in a new way. The introduction (a must read) is about his father’s ‘Buffalo’ and his memories around it. Ralph then goes on to describe how to map out your life. He also tells you four lies about writing your life’s story. Through out the book, he includes some samples of kids’ writings, which I find necessary in a book that is for kids. Interviews with three adult authors are also included.
I enjoyed this book, although it was not too inspiring. I would really recommend it if you were looking for a book that showed you a step by step process of how to write your life’s story, however if you already knew how to write a story, this book is more for beginners.
One part that I found particularly useful was the list of multi-genre. He listed several new types that I had not come across, including weather report (describing yourself as if you were weather), recipe, and obituary. I enjoyed his metaphors and found that he really knew how to begin and end a book. I look forward to read more of his books.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)