Interested in writing for beginning readers? This series strikes me as a good model. Especially if you can include very appealing photos. The ones in this series are stock, a.k.a. uncopyrighted, photos. Who knew there were photos out there of a bald duck growing in its adult feathers? I didn’t. The series is about baby animals and is entitled Animal Babies. Well, what else would you call it? The series focuses on several different types of animals, from mammals to birds. The pictures of the bald eagle are especially interesting. The series lends itself to a teacher adding on concepts such as what is a mammal. So pick up the whole series for your classroom.
Animals Babies: Bunnies
Kelsey Jopp
This book, as the title indicates, is about baby rabbits, bunnies, and has a picture of newly born rabbits with its eyes closed and pink skin. There is something to learn every day no matter how old you are. The vocabulary words the reader is to learn, such as eye and ear and nest and mother and fur and tail and grass are pointed out by an arrow in the text and, a photo in the glossary. Different colors of rabbits are shown, giving the new reader an understanding that not all bunnies are the same.
BIBLIO: 2020, Focus Readers/North Star Editions, Ages 5 to 6, $24.20 list/$16.95/ school.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 978-1-64185-747-5
Animal Babies Chicks
Kelsey Jopp
This book, as the title indicates, is about baby chickens, a.k.a. chicks, and has pictures of newly hatched chicks, all fluffy and cute. The vocabulary words the reader is to learn, such as feathers and legs and feed and beaks and coop,are pointed out by arrows in the text and with a photo in the glossary. Even when they’ve left their mothers, chicken live in groups. Most of the chicks shown looked to be your basic backyard, chicken-coop residents, but some of the more colorful breeds are included.
BIBLIO: 2020, Focus Readers/North Star Editions,
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 9781641859516
ISBN: 9781641858823
ISBN: 9781641858137
Animals Babies: Ducklings
Meg Gaertner
This book, as the title indicates, is about baby ducks, a.k.a. ducklings, and has pictures of newly hatched ducklings. The vocabulary word the reader is to learn, such as feathers and wings and nest and grass and seeds, are pointed out by arrows in the text and with a photo in the glossary. The photo of the duckling growing its adult feathers is gross, but fascinating. Talk about an ugly duckling. Even when they’ve left their mothers, ducks live in groups.
BIBLIO: 2019, Focus Readers/North Star Editions, Ages 5 to 6, $24.20 list/$16.95 library & school.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 978-1-64185-745-1
Animals Babies: Eaglets
Meg Gaertner
This book, as the title indicates, is about baby eagles, a.k.a. eaglets, and has pictures of just hatched eaglets with fluffy white feathers. The picture of the mother catching a fish is stunning. The vocabulary word the reader is to learn, such as feathers and mother and nest and wings,are pointed out by arrows in the text and with a photo in the glossary. Different colors of eaglets are shown, giving the new reader an understanding that not all eagles are the same. When they leave their mothers, eagles live alone. The series focuses on several different types of animals, from mammals to birds.
BIBLIO: 2019, Focus Readers/North Star Editions, Ages 5 to 6, $24.20 list/$16.95 library & school.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 978-1-64185-7436-8
Animals Babies: Foals
Meg Gaertner
This book, as the title indicates, is about baby horses, foals, and has a picture of new born foal with its eyes closed. Did you know a foal’s eyes are closed at birth? There is something to learn every day no matter how old you are. The vocabulary words the reader is to learn, such as eye and leg and hooves and body and grass are pointed out by an arrow in the text and, a photo in the glossary. Different breeds and colors of horses are shown, giving the new reader an understanding that not all horses are the same. The mare and foal shown at the beginning have the distinctive dish face of an Arab.
BIBLIO: 2020, Focus Readers/North Star Editions, Ages 5 to 6, $24.20 list/$16.95/ school.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 978-1-64185-747-5
Animals Babies: Kittens
Meg Gaertner
This book, as the title indicates, is about baby cats, a.k.a. kittens, and has pictures of new born kittens whose eyes and ears are closed. The picture of a mother cat washing her sleeping kitten is sweet. As the kitten grows, its eyes and ears open and it grows teeth. The vocabulary word the reader is to learn, such as tooth and mother and eye and ear and tail and leg, are pointed out by arrows in the text and with a photo in the glossary. The photo of a kitten chasing a butterfly will endear the reader to cats. When they leave their mothers, kittens generally adopt a human. Though the book indicates that all cats live with humans, but that’s not always the case.
BIBLIO: 2019, Focus Readers/North Star Editions, Ages 5 to 6, $24.20 list/$16.95 library & school.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 978-1-64185-748-2
Animals Babies: Piglets
Meg Gaertner
This book, as the title indicates, is about baby pigs, a.k.a. piglets, and has pictures of new born pigs whose eyes are closed and are born in a bunch. The picture of them nursing blissfully with their eyes shut is delightful. The vocabulary word the reader is to learn, such as eye and nose and mother and leaves and roots, are pointed out by arrows in the text and with a photo in the glossary. Different colors of piglets are shown, giving the new reader an understanding that not all pigs are the same. Even when they’ve left their mothers, pigs live in groups.
BIBLIO: 2019, Focus Readers/North Star Editions, Ages 5 to 6, $24.20 list/$16.95 library & school.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 978-1-64185-743-7
And finally, but not least:
Animals Babies: Puppies
Meg Gaertner
This book, as the title indicates, is about puppies and has pictures of new born puppies whose eyes and ears aren’t open. Did you know puppies’ ears are closed at birth? There is something to learn every day no matter how old you are. The vocabulary words the reader is to learn such as ear and eye and tail and teeth and food are pointed out by an arrow in the text and with a photo in the glossary. Though the mother with her fluffy, blond pups is a golden retriever, different breeds and colors of dogs are shown, giving the new reader an understanding that not all dogs are the same.
BIBLIO: 2019, Focus Readers/North Star Editions, Ages 5 to 6, $24.20 list/$16.95 school.
REVIEWER: Sarah Maury Swan
FORMAT: Beginning Reader
ISBN: 978-1-64185-750-5
Now don’t you want to read with young children and cuddle each of the babies in these books? No? Where’s the farmer in you?
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