We've read a few of the board books in this series, and found them a very fun and foundational way to introduce science topics to preschoolers. In Baby Loves Quarks!  we learn that quarks are like the building blocks of everything around us, because they make up atoms, which make up molecules.

I like how this is communicated in an ordinary way, with the illustration of a baby building a tower of blocks, which keeps the concept at a concrete level that young children can understand. We've also enjoyed Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering! which looks at flight, but begins simply, with a bird.

Scrounged From: Our local library

Format: Board book
Author: Ruth Spiro
Illustrator: Irene Chan
Pages: 20
Content Advisory: None

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Ideas from Nature is a simple early reader book featuring different aspects of nature that engineers and inventors have copied for people to use. 

The clear photos illustrate ideas such as hook-and-loop closures (like Velcro) and the burrs that inspired them, snakes and snake-bots which have a few different uses, architecture shaped like a giant flower, and more.

This is a great way to inspire kids to look around at the ingenuity present in nature, as they grow in confidence with reading.

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

Scrounged From: NetGalley

Format: Kindle
Author: Mary Lindeen
Pages: 32
Content Advisory: None

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Time for Bed, Miyuki is a charming, fantastical story of a girl who doesn't want to go to bed. While that is not an unusual theme for children's literature, this story stands out by its use of amusing fantasy elements (such as a family of giant snails, and creative use of character sizes), as well as the celebration of certain aspects of Japanese culture.

I love the colors in the illustrations, and the way that fantasy is incorporated into reality -- I think it strikes a good balance. Miyuki's grandfather patiently plays along with each of her requests to complete all the different things she must do before bed, but by the end she finally does lie down and go to sleep, making this a great, whimsical bedtime story.

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

Scrounged From: NetGalley

Format: Kindle
Author: Roxane Marie Galliez
Illustrator: Seng Soun Ratanavanh
Pages: 26
Content Advisory: None

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Jane Austen is one of the latest in the Little People, Big Dreams series (I previously reviewed Ada Lovelace), and I'm glad to see the inclusion of one of Britain's most famous female authors. I'm not quite as enormous a fan as some, but I did enjoy Pride and Prejudice, and respect what Jane accomplished in her time.

This book introduces Jane Austen to young children, focusing on her large, close family, and emphasizing that Jane received an education that was more expansive than what many girls received in those days. We also see her love of reading and writing and her determination to be a good storyteller, and to use writing to make the best of a sad situation in her life.

Her life is covered fairly quickly since a book for young children can't be too wordy, but overall it is an interesting peek into the past and thorough introduction to a beloved author.

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

Scrounged From: NetGalley

Format: Kindle
Author: Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Illustrator: Katie Wilson
Pages: 32
Content Advisory: None

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We enjoy reading about dinosaurs and fossils around here, so I found The 50 State Fossils: A Guidebook for Aspiring Paleontologists not only a great introduction to fossils, but also a unique viewpoint on American geography. Since fossils are found all over the world, it's sometimes hard to remember which dinosaurs roamed when and where, etc. This book helps to give fossils a distinctly American context.

Of course, while dinosaurs are probably the most famous and cool fossils out there, the general category of "fossils" involves a lot more: mammoths and other ancient mammals, plants, shells, footprints, and more. It was interesting to read about which kinds of fossils are more common in which states. For the few states that do not yet have an official state fossil or dinosaur, the book gives a brief history of attempts as well as a suggestion or two of what might make a good choice. I really had no idea what my state's fossil was, so I appreciated getting the chance to read more about it (pertica -- a unique plant).

There is a page here for each state, which includes the fossil name, scientific name, time period, a couple illustrations and/or photos, and a several-paragraph description. The beginning of the book gives some information about how fossilization occurs, time periods, etc., while the end of the book includes a glossary and also a list of places (such as museums), per state, where you can visit to see fossils. Very cool and informative!

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

Scrounged From: NetGalley

Format: Kindle
Author: Yinan Wang
Illustrator: Jane Levy
Pages: 64
Content Advisory: None

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