How Old is a Whale?: Animal Life Spans from the Mayfly to the Immortal Jellyfish
by Lily Murray (Goodreads Author), Jesse Hodgson
In this book we learn about the lifespans of different animals. Their habitats, their diet, and their life cycle all play a part in how they live a short or long time. We start with the mayfly, which only lives for a few minutes, and go all the way to the immortal jellyfish, which appears to be able to regenerate itself over and over.
We learn about insects, birds, mammals, fish, and whales. There are crocodiles, grizzly bears, elephants, bees, and spiders. There is even a long-lived sponge.
My favorite section was about the Monarch butterfly, because I have actually seen them, millions and millions of them in the mountains of Mexico. I traveled to Michoacan, Mexico when I was a teenager, and visited the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary there. It was magical! Millions and millions of butterflies covering the trees and the ground. If you sat still long enough, they would land all over you. But when you know the full story of how each generation of butterflies make their 3,000 mile journey from Canada to Mexico and back, it becomes even more amazing!
I loved the beautiful art work in this book! Every page is full of gorgeous illustrations of the animals and their natural habitats. It really brings the beauty of nature to life, and highlights just how special these animals are.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Pick a Perfect Egg
by Patricia Toht, Jarvis (Illustrator)
Children choose their own eggs from the chicken farm, and boil and dye them to be ready for Easter! They add glitter, stickers, and pretty designs to their eggs. The children dress up in holiday costumes, and they all gather for the big Easter Egg Hunt. Some of the plastic eggs have toys and candy inside. Together the families all enjoy their Easter celebration and have a picnic.
This is such a cute book about making Easter eggs! I love the colorful illustrations and the cute designs. The characters all look so sweet! I think it’s cool that they try some alternate food dyes when they color the eggs, like using spinach for green and berries for a blue color. The book also shows little bunnies “hiding” the eggs during the night, but that might have been the dream of the child.
However, I found it odd that a book about a religious holiday didn’t even mention the reason for the Easter holiday – the resurrection of Christ! The characters don’t go to church or celebrate in any of the traditional ways for this Christian holiday. I guess they only care about the eggs. haha!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
The Tree and the River
by Aaron Becker (Goodreads Author)
A young sapling grows by the river when a family builds their home nearby. Soon there are two villages, one on each side of the river. The villages grow into cities which prosper until war and flooding changes the landscape of the valley. The tree silently watches through ages of time as civilizations come and go and technologies develop and fade.
There is something so peaceful about the continuity of life beyond all the ages of time. The tree sees generations of humans pass by, but remains steadfast through all the changes of each era. You can really feel time passing as the tree grows bigger and stretches its branches.
There are no words to this story, but each little detail in the artwork tells a special story. People get married. Their children grow up. They build houses and tear down what those before them had built. Cultural traditions fade as different traditions spring up. It’s the never-ending change that creates a sense of unity.
The artwork is absolutely gorgeous! I love the brushstroke style, and the way light and shadows play across the page. The layout for each scene is so clever. It really gets you immersed in the story, looking for what has changed and what has stayed the same in the different scenes.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Luminous Libro 