Tuesday, December 26, 2017

#64

London: From Roman Capital to Olympic City

Author: Richard Platt

Summary: A history of the city London from when it was first created to how it is today

Personal thoughts about the book: I was actually expecting the book to be about the city as it looks today, the people of that city, and tourist attraction. But it wasn't. A good read about history in England nonetheless.

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 8

-Jessi

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

#63

Everything Dolphin

Author: Marty Crisp

Summary: Questions kids and adults have about dolphins and the answers to them

A few things I learned:
1. Their breathing is different than ours - They have to think about breathing while with us, it just comes naturally. 
2. They use echolocation to hear and detect changes in their environment
3. Dolphins have only one set of teeth, no baby teeth. Their teeth are peg shaped without molars, so whatever they catch to eat, they swallow whole. 
4. While dolphins do mate quickly, sadly, they don't show interest in one particular dolphin of the opposite sex. Rarely ever do males stay to help raise calves. 
5. Very intelligent animals with a brain the size of a person's. Bottlenose dolphins are used commonly in shows because they're more flexible and playful. 

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10

#62

Beluga Whales

Author: Ann O. Squire

Summary: Facts about the white whale also called a beluga

Things I learned:
1. They're found mainly in the Arctic ocean
2. Very small compared to most whales - They grow to be only about 15 feet long
3. When they're born, they're a brownish-grey color and start changing to white as they grow up
4. Known to be called "canaries of the sea" due to their ability to make various sounds to talk with each other and the noises are very loud. 
5. Although they have no dorsal fin, they do have a ridge on their back that helps them break through ice to come up for air. 

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10

#61

Killer Whales

Author: Kate Riggs

Summary: Facts about these beautiful creatures that are also called orcas

Some things I learned: 
1. The other name for killer whale is orca
2. They're considered dolphins because they have a snout very similar to them
3. An orca's diet consists of fish, seals, walruses, birds, and sometimes other whales. 
4. A group of killer whales is called a pod and can consist of 15 or more members. They can be found in all oceans. 

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10

#60

What to Do When You're Sad and Lonely

Author: James Crist

Summary: Shows various types of causes to feeling of sadness and loneliness, including mental illnesses.

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 9

-Jessi

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

#59

Chicken Soup For the Soul Christmas Treasury For Kids

Authors: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Patty Hansen, and Irene Dunlap

Summary: A compilation of Christmas stories by both kids and adults

Personal thoughts: Thinking back on Christmases Past, I always looked forward to the lit-up tree, decorations, and the presents underneath them. But years later AND after reading this book, I realized that Christmas is about giving and being grateful for what I have. There are indeed a lot of people in this world that are less fortunate than my family and me. 

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10

-Jessi 


Tuesday, December 5, 2017

#58

Raggedy Ann & Andy

Author: Johnny Gruelle

Summary: Various stories about the beloved dolls Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy that deal with meeting for the first time, friendship, getting in and out of sticky situations, being willing to share, and the importance of loving one another. 

Personal thoughts: I love Raggedy Ann and Andy. I do still have a Raggedy Ann doll and I did have some figurines of her and Andy when I was small. Unfortunately, I don't know whatever happened to them. But at least I still have my Raggedy Ann doll. :)
Anyways, I thought all these stories were so cute. While we all know that the characters are indeed dolls, they're still involved in important themes to real life such as making friends, treating everyone the way they'd want to be treated, and loving one another. 


Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: Definitely a 10

-Jessi

Monday, December 4, 2017

#57

What Was the Age of the Dinosaurs?

Author: Megan Stine

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 10

-Jessi

#56

Eyewitness: Dinosaur

Authors: David Norman, Ph.D and Angela Miller, Ph.D

Rating on a scale of 1 to 10: 9 

-Jessi