Nonfiction Monday came on a Tuesday, again. (Which is what happens when I have a program at the library on Mondays and come home too tired to type.)
About Penguins, a Guide for Children by Cathryn Sill. Illustrated by John Sill. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree, 2009. Available now.
I knew that Peachtree did luscious picture books, but I didn't know they also produced easy reading nonfiction with luscious illustrations like this one. Evidently part of a series. (The "About" series.) I'll have to keep my eye out for the rest of them. Evidently, John Sill is a prize-winning wildlife artist. It shows.
Double page spreads having the illustration on one side and the words on the other can often look very textbooky. (yes, Mr. spellcheck. I do know that's not a real word.) But the illustrations here are so photographic that the whole thing works. Not only that, but each illustration is labeled with "Plate #..." This refers to a section in the back of the book which gives more information about the penguins pictured there or what they are doing. Early readers will be satisfied with the simple sentence on the page. "Penguins are seabirds that cannot fly." Parents or advanced readers can learn more in the back section.
The product description on the Peachtree website says:
"Cathryn Sill uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what penguins are, how they look, how they move, what they eat, and where they live. Illustrator John Sill introduces readers to a variety of penguins (17), from Adélie to the Rockhopper, to Emperor."
This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Tales from the Rushmore Kid. Wow, she's created a whole new Nonfiction Monday symbol in my favorite color -- green.
-wendieO
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