life cycles

Author: Elana K. Arnold
Illustrator: Doug Salati
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2022
Age: 3-7
Themes: ducks, eggs, life cycles

Opening: Once, when we all had to stay home for the whole long springtime, when schools were closed and work was closed and everything fun was cancelled,…

Summary: (from my library’s catalog) When a family brings home two abandoned duck eggs and waits for them to hatch, they read, learn and laugh, until one day Pip and Zip are born!

I picked this book because: Lots of layers here : bit of science, bit of contemporary timeframe (lockdown), family life, unusual experience, and all so heartwarming! The illustrations are the perfect fit too. I love the writing, feels almost lyrical, poetic, and like slipping on a soft glove. Find it, enjoy it!

Resources/activities: discuss your own lockdown experiences, or encounters with wildlife. Visit a local bird sanctuary or city park with duck – but don’t feed them, especially not bread! Take a walk in a natural space and notice changes upon returning a month later – repeat!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.

Author: Görlitz Kristina Näslund
Illustrator: Kristina Digman
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2005 (orig.2002)
Age: 3-7
Themes: apples, trees, seasons
Opening: All winter long, our apple tree rests. But not everyone is asleep.

Summary: (from Amazon) Here’s a whimsical and very useful look at the life cycle of the apple tree. With two helpful tree sprites as guides, readers travel from spring, when the apple tree blossoms, through summer, when the fruit grows, to fall and the harvest. Along the way, you’ll learn about the life of the tree and the animals that visit – from insects that pollinate the flowers to deer that eat the fallen fruit.

I like this book because: the story and pictures do so much more than describe the life cycle of apple trees. I love the magic that is brought to the experience, and amplified by the illustrations! A crisp and juicy example of the chemistry of a perfect picture book!

Resources/activities: Visit an apple orchard if possible, or take your time at a farmer’s market to talk to apple growers, taste a variety and bring them home to share with others! Make apple prints on paper (save to use as gift wrap during the holidays!), make a special apple dessert, or ne of my favorites: grated apple and carrot salad with a bit of lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.