Non Fiction Book Reviews: How Do Scientists Ask Questions? and How Do You Share with Your Friends?

How Do Scientists Ask Questions? by Madeline J Hayes

How Do Scientists Ask Questions?: A Book About the Scientific Method
by Madeline J Hayes, Srimalie Bassani (Illustrations)

3.5 out of 5 stars

This children’s book introduces the scientific method, teaching children how to conduct their own experiments, collect data, and draw conclusions or theories. There are experiments and crafts to try at the back of the book to prove Newton’s laws about gravity, create your own DNA model from candy, or make a fossil from salt dough.

One section has inspiration from great scientists in history, like Isaac Newton, Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison. It also includes a little section about Charles Darwin, saying that he was the “originator of the theory of natural selection.” I was glad that this book makes it clear that natural selection and evolution are theories and are not proven fact.

This is such a fun book! I love the cute illustrations and the hilarious characters. The information is clearly explained step by step in a playful way that makes it memorable.

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.

How Do You Share With Your Friends? by Lucy D Hayes

How Do You Share With Your Friends?: A Math Book About Fractions, Decimals, & Percents
by Lucy D Hayes, Srimalie Bassani (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

We use fractions and percents in our everyday lives without even realizing it. We use fractions to tell time, saying “half an hour”. We use decimals to calculate money when we buy or sell something. We can even use these math skills to divide up the work between friends, cut up slices of cake to share, or run a lemonade stand and split the profits.

I really liked how this book makes math simple and fun. There are so many everyday scenarios where we need to use fractions or decimals, and we can even use them interchangeably for the same amounts. Some of the examples are hilarious as the characters have to do their chores, or clean up the kitchen, or eat a pizza. If they only do half the chores, or eat 1/4 of the pizza, they are using their math skills!

This is such a fun book! I love the cute illustrations and funny characters. The information is clearly explained step by step in a playful way that makes it memorable.

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

Non Fiction Book: Insectopia

Insectopia by Jiri Kolibac

Insectopia: The Wonderful World of Insects (Large Encyclopedias)
by Jiri Kolibac, Pavel Dvorský (Illustrator)

3 out of 5 stars

There are millions of species of insects in this world, and in this book we get to learn about some of the interesting habits, environments, and communities of various insects. There are sections about beetles, butterflies, ants, and flies. The book begins with an introduction to the body structure of insects and how different insects are scientifically categorized. We learn about how insects are born from eggs, how some of them metamorphosis and mature, and even how they communicate with each other or hide from predators.

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Book Review: Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew (Five Little Peppers, #1)
by Margaret Sidney

5 out of 5 stars

The Pepper family are quite poor, living in a small house in the country. They have five children who all get the measles, and poor little Polly is in serious danger. A kind doctor helps the family and nurses them back to health.
One day little four-year-old Fronzie Pepper is nearly kidnapped and is rescued by Jasper, a boy from a wealthy family on vacation in the country. The two families start up an unlikely friendship, leading to opportunities and adventures for the Pepper family.

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Book Review: The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

The Little Mermaid
by Hans Christian Andersen (Original Author),Ashly Lovett (Author / Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

The Little Mermaid awaits the day when she will be old enough to swim to the surface and observe the world above the sea. Her older siblings are each allowed to see the surface when they reach their 18th birthday, and finally it is her turn. She rescues a prince from drowning, but he never knows that she was the one who saved his life. She makes a deal with the sea witch to exchange her voice for a potion that will give her human legs, but each time she takes a step she feels as though she is stepping on broken glass.

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Picture Book Review: Cat’s Seasons

Cat's Seasons by Airlie Anderson

Cat’s Seasons (Child’s Play Library)
by Airlie Anderson

5 of 5 stars

Cat and her kittens go through the seasons, absorbing the colors of each change in the weather. In the summer, they turn yellow as the warm sun. In the fall they jump in a pile of leaves, and the kittens turn every color of orange, red, and brown. In the winter, the kittens are blue with the cold. In the spring, they have green fur with pink flowery blossoms on their backs. A storm turns them grey as the clouds, until a rainbow appears and they are every color!

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Picture Book Review: The Fearless Little Farm Boy

The Fearless Little Farm Boy by Astrid Lindgren

The Fearless Little Farm Boy
by Astrid Lindgren, Marit Tornqvist (Illustrator), Polly Lawson (Translator)

5 of 5 stars

Goran the bull has decided to be angry and snort and charge at the farmer. He will not calm down. He roars and stalks around in the barnyard. The farmer cannot get into the barn to milk the cows. The situation goes on for hours, until the entire village has come to see the wild bull. While they are discussing how best to deal with Goran, a little boy sweetly calls to the bull. Goran stops to listen to the boy’s whispering voice. He meekly walks over and allows himself to be petted. The tiny boy holds onto the big bull’s nose ring, and gently leads him into the stall in the barn. The village are all astonished, and the boy gets a reward for his courage.

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Picture Book Review: Happy

Happy by Mies van Hout

Happy
by Mies van Hout

5 of 5 stars

Each page of this book features a fish who embodies an emotion. There are startled fish, bored fish, angry fish, delighted fish, and jealous fish. Each one is drawn in a different color, with very expressive body language and facial expressions. The curious fish is drawn with yellow scales with wide eyes. The nervous fish has wavy lines and a wobbly frown. The amazed fish is bright orange with a mouth wide open in astonishment! The sad fish is a deep blue with sleepy eyes and drooping fins. The furious fish is shouting in vibrant red and purple. Whether proud, loving, or confused, these fish reflect strong emotions!

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Book Review: The Dark is Rising

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper

The Dark Is Rising (The Dark is Rising, #2)
by Susan Cooper (Goodreads Author)

4.5 out of 5 stars

Will Stanton is the seventh son of a seventh son. On his 11th birthday, he discovers that he is an Old One, a special race of people who are endowed with magical abilities so that they can protect humanity from the Dark. Will is trained in his new abilities by Merriman Lyon (the modern Merlin). Will is sent on a quest through time to retrieve the Signs, which will help the Light to keep back the Dark Rider.

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Comic Book Review: Bunnygirl

Bunnygirl by Holly  Jayne

Bunnygirl: The First Adventure
by Holly Jayne

4 out of 5 stars

Bea loves all things cute and sweet. Her greatest wish is to be a superhero, so she can help her friends. She even has her sidekick dog, Woofs. But she doesn’t have a superhero costume. She tries a cape and maybe sunglasses or a mask, but nothing seems right. Bea helps a hurt bunny and discovers that being a superhero is about more than just the perfect costume. It’s about being a super friend.

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Book Review: Doomwyte

Doomwyte by Brian Jacques

Doomwyte (Redwall, #20)
by Brian Jacques

3 out of 5 stars

The good creatures of Redwall discover a riddle that could lead to the lost treasure of Gonff, the Prince of Mousethieves. Hundreds of generations ago, Gonff stole four beautiful jewels from the Doomwyte caves, and hid them somewhere in Redwall Abbey. Now a new generation of young creatures are following the clues to find the priceless jewels.

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