The Daily Shark

The Daily Shark – Shark Facts for Kids (Newspaper Facts for Kids, Book 1) — IP Factly and IC Beasties

Nonfiction / 8 and under

28 pages / 3960 KB

5 Star

This delightful book about sharks reads like a newspaper. Each page features a headline, photo, short article. Many of the articles were about sharks I'd never heard of. The cookie cutter shark was the most fascinating, too me. I'd like to know how it got that name, and what, besides submarine sonar is there preferred diet.

I did have one quibble, about the time sharks first appeared in our oceans, and when dinosaurs first appeared on earth; however, I don't think it's enough of a quibble to downgrade it to 4 stars.

The book is geared to young readers of about eight years of age, though I think older children would also enjoy it. If you're looking for books to spur the reading habit in your youngsters, be sure to add this book to their collection. You won't go wrong!

Here Come the Bears

Bears: Fun Facts and Amazing Photos of Animals in Nature by Emma Child

Nonfiction / Children

31 pages / 965 KB

5 Stars

I have read all but one of Ms. Child's books (the one on Spiders is the exception) and I have found all of them to be well researched and entertainingly written. This book is no exception.

Truly, I thought her book on Dolphins was the best, but now I fear it has slipped a half a degree down the scale, with Bears on the top.

Ms. Child's series of books is a great series to add to any child's library. If your child is too young to read, these books are written so an adult can read them. Several times if need be, and not become bored. I think these books would be great "Read Along" books, and the photos are marvelous!

As a child, I frequented the Portland (OR) Zoo, especially the Himalayan Sun Bear, my favorite of the bears, so I was particularly pleased to see one in the book.

Not only does she talk about the different kinds of bears, but at the end of the book is a list of fascinating facts that kids will enjoy learning and sharing.

Job well done, Ms. Child. Keep up the good work!

Fun Facts About Horses

Horses: Fun Facts and Amazing Photos of Animals in Nature (Amazing Animal Kingdom Series) –by Emma Child

Nonfiction, Children

1056 KB / 33 pages

4 Stars

Like her book about Dinosaurs, this book on Horses is written in a child-friendly manner. Her style is easy to read, engaging, and her subject matter interesting.

What child, especially a girl, hasn't dreamed of owning her or his own horse at one time or another?

There are lots of interesting facts in this book, such as the classification "pony" refers to the size of the horse, not a breed or age. Male horses have more teeth than female horses, who knew?

The photographs compliment the text beautifully.

If you have a child in your life, especially one born and raised in the city, this is an excellent book for them to read and broaden their horizons and knowledge base.

I was furnished with a review copy.

Dinosaurs: Fun Facts and other things

DINOSAURS: Fun Facts and Amazing Photos of Animals in Nature – by Emma Child

Nonfiction

Children

718 KB / 34 pages (approx)

4 Stars

This small book is chock full of facts, and photos of dinosaur bones and pictures. I think it a good introduction for children, especially if the parent/teacher reads it, and discusses it. There are a couple of small "issues" with the book, nothing earth shattering, however they exist, which is why I recommend an adult read it and discuss it with the child.

Ms. Child uses the term "pack" to describe the herbivores and how they moved about. According to various online sources, "packs" are predators and therefore carnivores while "herds" are prey and normally herbivores.

Also, we do know that there were dinosaurs with feathers, fossils have been found of the Archaeopteryx lithographica that clearly shows feathers. Could it fly? That is another question. I believe they can even tell the colors of some of those feathers.

Although dinosaurs no longer roam the earth, their descendants do, and I truly wish Ms. Child had spent a page or two, not to mention a photo or two, of the crocodilians and birds that inhabit our planet along with us. I hope she will write another book about the various descendants of those extinct animals that we see on a fairly regular basis.

This book is written in an engaging and conversational style I think any child will enjoy, not to mention the parent who may be asked to read it. Again and again, and perhaps once again. As a dinosaur, I mean grandmother, I would read this book to my grandson with pleasure.