Bird Brains: The Wild & Wacky World of B... Bird Brains is an illustrated book that talks about the various ways birds learn and function. I thought it was interesting that it was illustrated via drawings, and not actual photographs. Coming right off of reading It's a Fungus Among Us, it definitely required me to shift gears a little bit. Not just because of how the birds are pictured, but also because of how the information is conveyed. (Very straight-forward presentation with little to break up the information into smaller, easier to digest bits.)

This is a good book for young readers who are developing a serious interest in birds. The pictures are bright and colorful, the line spacing is good. I didn't particular care for the font, but I can't say that it is a negative thing either. Each bit is broken into sections according to the type of brain a bird has. It's probably best deliberately looked through with breaks between the sections. I found my attention wandering about halfway through, and it was hard to stay on task.

There is some very interesting information in Bird Brains: The Wild & Wacky World of Birds. I particularly liked the bird skeleton near the beginning. I didn't know birds had wrists! Though, to be honest, I never much think about bird wings beyond what spices I want on them when I'm hungry. But beyond that, the amount of songs some birds can memorize, the tricks that some of them can pull off to get food, it's all very neat. It is obvious that the author has a fascination with birds and did his best to craft a book that would showcase that appreciation.

Not a book that's high on my personal recommendations list, but for the right type of young reader, it may be the perfect gift.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via Edelweiss for review consideration.

A Little Bit of Nonsense: A Wacky Collec... This was a surprisingly nice collection of poems for kids. I picked it at random when looking for a book to read with my 8 year old at bedtime and we were both happy with our choice.

Not all of the poems are perfect, and the book does need a bit of editing, but there's definite more hits than misses in this collection of funny poems.

I think fans of Shell Silverstein's work will find several poems they like in this book.

(Better review later.)

This is my favorite one in this series. I'm glad I didn't give up. The silliness is tempered out a bit with good storytelling. Harley is much more of a heroic antiheroine instead of a neutral character who has no concept of right and wrong. Also, we get to see her psychiatrist roots in this book. There is still some gross humor, but not as over the top. Loved the Batman/Bruce Wayne storyline and the lesson about you might not want what you thought you did when you actually get it. A lot of good moments and this one actually had a feel good vibe to it. Not helping my Harley Quinn obsession here, folks.

Pippi Longstocking, is such a cute book to read to your class!! Pippi is a little girl who has bright read hair, and silly pigtails! She is super wacky and goes one adventure after another! Pippi does like being told what to do by her parents, but she is such a sweet little girl! With this book, you can make a cute activity where the whole class can make their very own long stocking!This book is geared towards kindergarten-2nd!

70 Fun and Wacky Science Experiments

by Christine Taylor-Butler

age range: 8 years old and up

Portable Press

 

From the blurb: "Create exploding toilet volcanoes, oozing sink slime, and bubbling bathtub cauldrons…all in the name of science! Each step-by-step experiment uses household and other easy-to-find materials so the young scientist’s lab can be equipped quickly, inexpensively, and—for those who might worry—safely. Bathroom Science highlights the materials, the method, and the scientific “why” behind every experiment. It's spiral bound to stay open while young scientists-in-training measure and mix. And, best of all, Bathroom Science makes science as simple (and occasionally explosive) as going to the bathroom".

 

This book is amazing. What could be better than have a lab in the bathroom? The experiments are easy to follow, and the "why it happens" is explained in an uncomplicated manner. Many Physics and Chemistry concepts are covered in the activities, but always in an easy and entertaining way. The book is actually very funny and includes puns like "It's snot much trouble. Why would you want to make artificial snots? Who nose why?". The experiment have different level of difficulty, but you can easily see which ones need adult supervision, since those are in red in the table of contents. I guess that now all I have to do is take the plunge and try some experiments with my kids. 

 

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.