Search Results: 60 books from 1 publisher. Learn more

Pass the Energy, Please!

Barbara Shaw McKinney (author), Chad Wallace (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584692225

Here is a favorite of elementary science teachers for the food chain. Each of the creatures passes the energy in its own unique way. In this upbeat rhyming story, the food chain connects herbivores, carnivores, insects and plants together in a fascinating circle of players. All beings on Earth--from the anchovy to the zooplankton--depend upon the green plant, which is the hero of the story. The special talent of the author shines again (see also A Drop Around the World) for being able to present the science curriculum so concisely, creatively, and cleverly. A 48-page Teacher Guide based on the book is also available.

Around One Cactus: Owls, Bats and Leaping Rats

Anthony D. Fredericks (author), Jennifer DiRubbio (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584691969

This wonderful book is natural science - in this case, about desert animals - with a flair. A boy walks up to an impressive saguaro cactus and wonders who could be living on this arid ground? As night falls, he walks away. And then the place comes alive! A haven for creatures in a waterless land. The entertaining, repetitive rhyme is an attention-grabbing read-aloud that culminates in successful learning. Field Notes at the end of the book describe the animals in detail and include an unusual fact.

Forest Bright, Forest Night

Jennifer Ward (author), Jamichael Henterly (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584692898

Someone is always awake in the forest--and someone else is always asleep! Some animals are alert in daytime and sleep at night. Others are alert at night, and are sleepyheads during the day. Plus be sure to count the animals. Teachers: this book is a very pleasant way to combine science and literature.

Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration

Marianne Berkes (author), Jennifer DiRubbio (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584691884

Teachers! This book is like a whole unit on migration wrapped in a winning combination of easy verse, factual language, and beautiful illustrations. For animals, migration is a powerful compulsion to travel, sometimes over long distances, often skipping many meals. Sometimes, as in the case of the monarch butterfly, a round-trip takes several generations. Why do they do it? How do they succeed? The ten featured species offer a broad representation of migration: loggerhead turtles, monarch butterflies, manatees, ruby-throated hummingbirds, Pacific salmon, Canada geese, California gray whales, caribou, Arctic tern, and emperor penguin. The book is loaded with additional tips for teachers. Once again Marianne Berkes combines her teaching, writing, and theatrical skills to combine entertainment with education--creative non-fiction at its best.

Eliza and the Dragonfly

Susie Caldwell Rinehart (author), Anisa Claire Hovemann (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584692836

This book is a rare find, well deserving of the prestigious Picture Book of the Year award from CBC-NSTA. The science about dragonflies is perfectly integrated into a story in which the remarkable metamorphosis of a dragonfly from a mucky nymph ("Eeeewww," says Eliza) to a beautiful winged creature ("Magnificent!" says Aunt Doris) is a metaphor for the magic of how Eliza, too, is growing up. Teachers will find it useful primarily in an elementary science unit on insects, life cycles and habitats, but also in for language arts lessons in theme, symbolism, and metaphor. The watercolor illustrations are rich, whimsical, and fun. There are two pages of additional science in the back. This is an exceptional example of creative non-fiction writing.

Do Animals Have Feelings, Too?

David Rice (author), Trudy Calvert (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584692683

This collection of true stories of animal behavior is not only captivating and thought-provoking, but also a terrific way for teachers and parents to have children to consider feelings--whether animal or human. A young antelope was being dragged into a river by a crocodile. A nearby hippopotamus saw what was happening and charged the croc, which released the antelope. The hippo gently pulled the antelope up the riverbank, comforting and protecting it until it died. Was this compassion? A zoo monkey routinely used a banana to bribe a moose to carry him across a moat designed to keep him confined to a small island. Was this cleverness?

A Drop Around the World

Barbara Shaw McKinney (author), Michael S. Maydak (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584692232

This book is a year-after-year favorite with teachers. It engagingly leads readers around the world following a drop of water--whether as steam or snow, inside a plant or animal, or underground--teaching the wonders and importance of the water cycle. (There is lots of geography, too.) Four pages of science about the qualities of water are included.

Around One Log: Chipmunks, Spiders, and Creepy Insiders

Anthony D. Fredericks (author), Jennifer DiRubbio (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584691976

Years after a great oak tree tumbled to the ground, a whole community of animals made it their home. Roly-polies and daddy longlegs prowled here and there, while chipmunks and salamanders dashed everywhere. Question: Is the old tree alive? Or is it now dead? This lighthearted book offers a marvelous insight into a unique and easily-accessible community of forest animals. Jennifer DiRubbio's vivid close-up illustrations bring these fascinating creatures to life. Parents and teachers: the author offers over a dozen "activities, projects, and lots of cool ideas" ranging from suggestions for an animal diary, readers theatre, finger play, and much more that will help make learning fun.

Gobble, Gobble

Cathryn Falwell (author), Cathryn Falwell (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584692263

Arrow-shaped footprints lead a young backyard naturalist to a flock of funny-looking birds with big strong feet - Wild Turkeys! Once nearly extinct, these comical critters now gobble their way across North America. Follow Jenny through a year of enchantment as she shares her discovery of these wonderful birds. Gobble, gobble! Jenny wrote a journal, too, with lots of fascinating stuff about a distinctly American bird. Although it once numbered in the millions, wild turkeys nearly disappeared with overhunting and habitat destruction, but are now making a comeback. The illustrations are block prints over collages. The collages are made from cut and torn paper plus all sorts of things from nature--bark, leaves, feathers, even wasp nests! The author also offers tips for children to make their own cut-paper pictures and how to keep a nature journal.

Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme

Marianne Berkes (author), Jeanette Canyon (illustrator)

Publisher: Dawn Publications ISBN: 9781584691686

Teachers and parents, here is the easiest, most entertaining way ever to teach about this important habitat. The special talent of this author is entertaining kids while the adults think it is a lesson about the rainforest. Kids will sing, clap, and count their way among monkeys that hoot, ocelots that pounce, parrots that squawk, and boas that squeeze! It will not take much to have your child joyfully hooting and squawking too. And the illustrations are painstakingly all done in polymer clay and then photographed, giving a 3-D effect. They are truly remarkable, vividly conveying the abundant energy of a rainforest, and will inspire many an art project. Plus there are several pages of extension ideas for curriculum and art projects as well as resources on the web and elsewhere.