Back to School
sweet treats
It isn't that hard to sneak in library books during hot summer days. Especially if you head to the park to try out your new knowledge. Here is an assortment of fabulous new books, for homeschooling families with kids 4-10 years old. 
Happy reading - Melody
Drawing Zentangle Birds   (2018)
by Hannah Geddes

Teaches basic Zentangle patterns that can be used to create uniquely tangled birds, including a penguin, swan, and parrot. - Publisher
 
Zentangle is calming and quieting for some. Your area of focus is small; your pen strokes are short, and you are working to fill areas. These kid friendly Zentangle books remove a good many barriers to trying something new. This author has more in this series. - Melody
 
Ages 6-12
Art
A Bird Watcher's Guide to Orioles  (2018)
by Grace Elora

Presents facts about orioles, covering their range, nesting habits, and food sources. - Publisher
 
I like most of these short and informative books. Material is presented in a very kid friendly manner. - Melody
 
Ages 6-10
Science; Ornithology - the study of birds
Look Up! : Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard   (2013)
by Annette LeBlanc Cate

A conversational, lighthearted introduction to birdwatching encourages kids to get outdoors with a sketchbook and explains how to identify local varieties by referencing cartoon illustrations that whimsically profile bird characteristics. By the creator of The Magic Rabbit. - Publisher
 
THIS is a serious book, yet there are many little bird 'cartoons' throughout. Too long to read in one sitting, make it the 'fun' science book of the week. Laugh together, then go to the park, and see what you notice about the birds you see, that you hadn't noticed before. - Melody
 
Ages 8 - 12
Science
Fire Birds : Valuing Natural Wildfires and Burned Forests  (2015)
by Sneed B Collard

Collard follows the work of Richard Hutto, a Montana ornithologist, who has been monitoring birds in charred landscapes since 1988. The book is both a look at the benefits of these potentially dangerous events of nature and an exploration of ecosystems that thrive in their wake. Wood-boring beetles that detect the infrared radiation emitted by fires arrive to lay eggs, and woodpeckers come to feast on the beetle larvae and nest. With a steady supply of food and fewer predators, avian young survive in greater numbers, and so it goes. - School Library Journal
 
Sneed Collard is an award winning science author, and this fabulous book is a great example of his work. Illustrations are carefully, and correctly labeled. Charts are included that help readers understand which species might prefer burned forest areas. Don't miss this book. - Melody
 
Ages 8 - Adult
Science
Sophie Scott Goes South   (2012)
by Alison Lester

Nine year-old Sophie Scott embarks on a month-long mission to Antarctica with her father aboard an icebreaker and documents her adventure in the iceberg-strewn seas in a diary she fills with notes about the area's natural wonders. - Publisher
 
I love this book; call it a virtual field trip! Sophie does see birds, so the theme is still going in this post. - Melody
 
Ages 8-12
Science, journal keeping
Pipsie, Nature Detective : the Lunchnapper  (2016)
by Rick DeDonato

Pipsie and her turtle best friend, Alfred, are on the best school trip ever--a nature scavenger hunt! The team who finds Seven Wonders of Nature first wins. But that isn't all Pipsie and Alfred have to find. Someone has stolen the PB&J! - Publisher
 
This is a nature study book for preschoolers. Take note of the simple, but interesting items on their scavenger hunt, and then try it out with your preschooler. - Melody
 
Ages 4-7
Science
Merlin Bird ID app
 
Download this app, and use it on your nature walks. It can provide helpful information, and you will learn more about what to look for as you attempt to identify birds.
 
Find this in your app store. - Melody
Science!
 
Pikes Peak Library District
P.O. Box 1579
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80901
(719) 531-6333
ppld.org/