Education | Page 12 of 41

What Breathes Through Its Butt? is fresh air for curious kids

Our family has lots of non-fiction books on animals, nature, and science in the house. A reference book is a great thing to have around because you never know when school-age children will need something in it. Granted there is that whole internet thing, but a book allows for that random sense of discovery that online searching simply doesn’t satisfy. However, odds are that all of, or almost all of your non-fiction animal reference books are encyclopedic, or listing in the presentation. That certainly leads to discover and learn about new creatures, but might not motivate kids to read it page to page. What Breathes Through Its Butt? is a non-fiction book on animals, but it’s unlike any critter book you or your kids have seen.

A Stem book for elementary kids that asks questions

Little People, Big Dreams, Charles Darwin is go-to, smart fun for 4 and up

“This is not a baby book”, I told our nine-year-old. “Are you sure, it looks like a baby book”, he said with an unsure look. I understand why he questioned us. Little People, Big Dreams Charles Darwin looks like a book that demos young, and it can be. It does so in a way that the content is presented younger and certainly speaks to audiences that aren’t of his mature student behavior or the third-grade vintage. To us, it’s a book that takes a very smart subject and brings it down to a level that he can easily understand. This series is fun, engaging, makes young readers think about real people, and does so in a way that second graders can understand.

This series is great and this book is awesome.

Honeybee, a massive love letter to bees that young readers will relish

It’s a testament to an author when their work can be beautiful, moving, educational and disgusting all in the same book. Somewhere in a combination of those adjectives is the secret sauce for getting elementary-aged readers hooked into a subject matter they otherwise might not be attracted to. Honeybee, The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohman is an oversized illustrated book that wrangles all of those things, as well as a little poetry AND a narrative device. The result is a coherent story that has action, the wonder of life, the reality of death, and the promise of a new day. As a bonus, it’s also a true story about something all kids and parents know of, but really don’t know anything about.

The fabulous buzz on this book is true

Blades of Freedom, a smart mglit graphic novel that entertains

In speaking with our elementary school library one of their biggest desires is for kids to read more non-fiction books. For those older elementary students, as well as, anyone who appreciates smart books that educate through humor and real events the Hazardous Tales series must be on your list. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales is an ongoing graphic novel series on Amulet Books that cover a variety of people, events, or things. They’re also some of the best, not to mention educational series of books that have the potential to engage young readers on real-life happenings. Blades of Freedom is the tenth book in the series and it brings the elements that fans enjoyed from earlier books, but also digs deeper into history and unknown nuggets.

An educational… and fun non-fiction graphic novel? yup.

KIBO 10 Home Edition, go-to coding at home for ages 4-7

I am not a coding teacher. However, after trying to teach two elementary-aged students the basics of coding in a number of different ways I have determined the common stumbling block that both of them had. It has to do with the go, stop, turn left, go, stop, rotate, go, blink, go, conundrum. We reviewed a great product from Kinderlab Robotics the other year that was awesome but did have a high price point and geared at classrooms. That robot solved the aforementioned issue that our kids had in learning coding, and now they’ve released the KIBO 10 Home Edition that does so at a much friendlier level to your purse strings.

Coding need not be greek for those aged 4-7

Who Gives A Poop?, STEM, fun, edutainment for 10 and up

Regardless of your stance on books, STEM, mglit, or chocolate chip cookies, we can all agree that Who Gives A Poop?, Surprising Science From One End To The Other is one of the cleverest book titles you’ll ever run across. The book is a story of things that we see every day. Sometimes it’s hiding in plain sight and other times it smacks us on the shoulder while we’re sitting at the pool. It’s worth noting that actually did happen to our son this summer from a passing seagull. Now that I’ve read this book I know that so many things could’ve been gleaned by taking a look at that white splotch that splattered from him onto our stuff.

It’s science. Stem. funny. readable. and makes ages 10 and up curious

National Geographic Kids: Brain Candy, a rabbit hole of fun and learning

Our 11-year-old used to obsess over books like these from National Geographic Kids. He’d grab one from his collection and regale those in the car who were lucky enough to be near him. It didn’t matter who was in the car either. It could’ve been just the driver, his brother, or friends with him; he loved sharing those tidbits of information. National Geographic Kids Brain Candy is a square book that’s jammed with the kind of vibrant, emotive photographs that make books like these stand out from the crowd.

The book is called Brain Candy because the pages have factoids of knowledge that will make elementary school ages feel intelligent. Ironically, those same facts will make their parents or teachers think to themselves that they used to know these things and or why is it that kids are so much smarter nowadays.

National Geographic Kids Brain Candy has 500 facts with brilliant full-color photos that cover any interest in the universe.

Nat Geo Kids education and fun, or vice versa

50 Maps of the World, breeds curiosity for young minds

‘Young minds’ is relative when talking about 50 Maps of the World. As a kid, I remember scouring over the world atlas our family had. It was an atlas in the truest sense of the word. There were brown patches for mountains, greens for the valleys, tan for the dessert, and varying blues for the vast amount of water. It was a cold, serious atlas and I loved it. 50 Maps of the World takes that innate curiosity that kids have about the world, enlarges it on brightly colored engaging maps, and amps up the wanderlust.

Open only if prone to wanderlust or desire to learn about other cultures