H is for Honey and T is for Thor: 2 Alphabet Book Reviews and 1 Giveaway

Congratulations to Danielle Hammerlef who won Little Thief! Chota Chor! from last week's blog.

This week I'm reviewing two new alphabet books from Sleeping Bear Press. Giveaway details are below. True to other books in this series, each letter has a short poem for young readers and a sidebar with more detailed information for older kids. 

H is for Honey: A Beekeeping Alphabet 

"Apis mellifera, otherwise known as the honey bee, is one of the most important insects on the planet." Written by beekeeper, Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen, and illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen, this book would be a great curriculum resource for grades K-4. 

Here are a few of the poems and illustrations which interested me and I shared with my third-grade granddaughter. 

C is for Communication

With their bottoms in the air

as they dance the comb,

it's the bees' way of saying,

"Hey, this is our home."

E is for Egypt

G is for Guard

They keep their hive safe

from robbers and thieves

like skunks, birds, or bears.

Only family members, please!

K is for Keeper

P is for Propolis

Propolis is a mixture of plant resins, wax, oils, pollen, and bee saliva. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used this bee glue as an antiseptic to kill germs and it is still used in toothpaste!

U is for Urban Beekeeping

Whether or not your young reader wants to be a beekeeper, this book presents a lot of information about the history of honey and beekeeping, honey's medicinal properties, and the science of bees. Habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change are threatening bee colonies around the world. The end matter provides information on helping bees, fun facts, and how to become a beekeeper. Illustrator Eileen Ryan Ewen's pastel color palette amplifies the book's contents. 

T is for Thor: A Norse Mythology Alphabet

"Norse refers to areas in Northern Europe, including Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. Ancient Norse people believed that powerful gods and goddesses ruled over them all." This book, written by Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan and illustrated by Torstein Nordstrand, shows everything you might meet in the Norse world: realms, halls, beings, gods, giants, monsters, humans, landmarks, and weapons. 

Here's a peek at a few things I learned:

A is for Asgard

Filled with fields of green

and castles of gold,

Asgard was home

to the strong and the bold. 

 

E is for Elivagar

Elivagar rivers were filled

with venomous snakes.

To swim in these waters

would be a deadly mistake.

 

F is for Freya and Frey

I is for Idunn

J is for the Journey of Life and Death

After starting one's journey

to the realm of the dead,

Norse afterlife was based

on the life one had led. 

P is for Prose Edda and Poetic Edda

Q is for Queen of Asgard

T is for Thor

Of all the Norse gods,

Thor is the most known;

nothing can stop him

once his hammer is thrown.

If you know readers who enjoy myths and Scandanavian folklore, then this would be a book for them. It would be a good classroom resource for a discussion of the Vikings, who were devoted to the Norse gods. A comprehensive glossary in the front and a list of Norse connections in the back complete this book. For example, every day of the week is named after a different Norse god. Which one isn't? 

The illustrations in this book are somber and dark (except for Ildun) and are markedly different than those in H is for Honey. Since I can barely draw a stick figure, it is interesting to see how different artists reflect the tone and content of the books they illustrate. 

I recently listened to a webinar by author-illustrator Elizabeth Dulemba who spoke about focusing the reader's attention. She pointed out that illustrators accomplish this by contrasting light with dark. I was aware of that as I paged through this book; the illustrator effectively focuses the reader's attention exactly where he wants by the use of shades of gold and white. 

GIVEAWAY

My grandkids will be the fortunate recipients of H is for Honey Bee, but I am giving away my copy of  T is for Thor. Please leave your name and email address (if you are new to my blog) by 6 PM on November 6 when a winner will be drawn. 

D IS FOR DOWN UNDER: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

Look at this cover.

Now, look again. 

This is a great example of illustrator, Geoff Cook's self-defined quirky sense of humor. The illustrations in D is For Down Under: An Australian Alphabet are just part of what will engage readers in a book that is part of Sleeping Bear Press's Discover the World series. The text by Devin Scillian combines poems for young readers and longer exposition for students in grades 2-4. Facts, trivia, and history are packed into spreads about every letter of the alphabet. 

REVIEW

The perfect opening for this book is A for Aboriginal People. The reader immediately learns of the ancient people who first populated this island continent. Their art, music, and traditions still influence Australian culture. 

The following pages contain both familiar facts and unusual information that will entertain and educate. Take "G" for example. You probably would expect that in a book about Australia, G might be for the Great Barrier Reef:

You're swimming round in snorkel and mask staring in disbelief, 

surrounded by our letter G, the Great Barrier Reef. 

Sharks and starfish turtles and whales, fish of every size.

The colors of the rainbow parade before your eyes.

In the same way, you might guess that K would be for kangaroos, koalas, and kookaburras. 

But, would you have guessed that  E is for Echidna? This spiny anteater rolls up into a ball to defend himself and is only found in Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea. 

Maybe you have heard of a Jackaroo, but I guarantee the illustration of this modern farmhand will get some laughs out of young readers!

Q is for Qantas Airline--what else? Here's another example of Geoff's artistic humor and Scillian's poetry:

Do you know what Vegemite is? It's a brown sticky paste that Australians and New Zealanders love to eat on toast. It tastes salty and slightly bitter and apparently is a treat that the rest of the world doesn't quite appreciate.

W is for Waltzing Matilda. I remember singing this folk song in elementary school--without a clue as to what the words mean!

All of the other letters of the alphabet are appropriately honored with their contributions to Australia's landscape and people. This book would make a great classroom resource as well as a fantastic read-aloud at home or in a library.  

GIVEAWAY

I am giving away one copy of D is For Down Under through my blog, and another through the spring issue of Talking Story on Australasia. Leave a comment on my blog (along with your email address if you are new to my blog) for one chance to win. Leave another comment through the link provided in Talking Story and you'll be entered twice. (Tip: You'll find other giveaways through the newsletter too!) Winners will be drawn on April 25.