Sea Turtle Scientist

Sea Turtle Scientist
By Stephen R. Swinburne
Published at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

About the book

Dr. Kimberly Stewart, also known as the Turtle Lady of St. Kitts, is already waiting at midnight when an 800-pound leatherback sea turtle crawls out of the Caribbean surf and onto the sandy beach. The mother turtle has a vital job to do: dig a nest in which she will lay eggs that will hatch into part of the next generation of leatherbacks. With only one in a thousand of the eggs for this critically endangered species resulting in an adult sea turtle, the odds are stacked against her and her offspring. Join the renowned author and photographer Steve Swinburne on a journey through history to learn how sea turtles came to be endangered, and what scientists like Kimberly are doing to save them.

My Thoughts

It is my first time putting my hands on a book from the Scientists in the Field series and trust me when I tell you that the series is definitively worth it.   One book was enough to convince me of the possibilities of this series and how it can be easily applied in homeschool or used in a science project at school.

In this marvelous book,  you will learn more about the leatherback sea turtle, how science can help, what the hatchlings can expect for a journey, how a community is trying to save the sea turtle and much more.  The book contains stunning photographs and helpful graphics to better understand and appreciate the sea turtle and the scientists who are studying them.  Through the pages of this book you will become more familiar of the threats for sea turtles, how glass can save them, discover how scientists study them, follow a baby turtle on its journey to the ocean, how they are tag and so much more.  What I particularly like about this book is that you can learn so much about leatherback sea turtles.

This book is definitively a great book to have if you decide to study about marine animals particularly turtles with your kids.   The book is from the series Scientist in the Field are listed on http://www.sciencemeetsadventure.com .  There are books on horses, elephants, manatees, polar bears, tapir, bats, and many more interesting subjects to discover.  

Sea Turtle Scientist is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

The Brontë Sisters

The Brontë Sisters – The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne
Written by Catherine Reef
Published at Clarion Books

About the book

The Brontë sisters are among the most beloved writers of all time, best known for their classic nineteenth-century novels Jane Eyre (Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (Emily), and Agnes Grey (Anne). In this sometimes heartbreaking young adult biography, Catherine Reef explores the turbulent lives of these literary siblings and the oppressive times in which they lived. Brontë fans will also revel in the insights into their favorite novels, the plethora of poetry, and the outstanding collection of more than sixty black-and-white archival images. A powerful testimony to the life of the mind. (Endnotes, bibliography, index.)

My Thoughts

One of the books I have read numerous times since my teenage years is Jane Eyre.   Somehow this book has grasped me to the point I needed to re-read it through the years.   I must admit that I never read anything else from the Brontë Sisters – yes I now hear the gasps of some of my readers as I wrote this…  But I promise that this will change in 2013.

Though I have read only one book from the sisters I have learned that their stories are fabulous and when I saw that this book was available for review I requested it.   I am not disappointed whatsoever as I enjoy reading biographies.  I am learning quite a bit abou the lives of the sisters and how they became authors.  The book contains ten chapters dedicated to their life, notes from the author as well as a list of the works from the sisters.   The book also contains pictures of where they lived, drawings made by their brother, and photos. 

While reading this biography on the Brontë Sisters, you have the feeling of being transported to their home and lives.    Reading more about them is encouraging me to explore other writings from their hands.   I am thinking that Wuthering Heights would be a great book to read in the early part of the 2013 year.  The Brontë Sisters would make a great Christmas gift for the fan of their writing as it will let her read their biography and learn more about their lives.

The Brontë Sisters is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

The book is also available on Kindle.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Island of Thieves

Island of Thieves
Written by Josh Lacey
Published at Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

About the book

Only boring people get bored… Interesting people can always find something to be interested in.

That’s what Tom Trelawney’s father says, anyway.   Tom knew he shouldn’t have been so interested in playing with matches – it’s just that he was…. well…. bored.  Now, with the garden shed in ashes, the only person willing to look after him while his parents are away is his father’s brother, mysterious Uncle Harvey.

As soon as Tom’s parents leave, Harvey announces he’s travelling abroad on “urgent business” and young nephews are not invited.   When Tom discovers his uncle is going on a treasure hunt, however, he proves that Harvey isn’t the only troublesome Trelawney and blackmails his uncle into letting him tag along.    But as with all of Uncle Harvey’s schemes, the details prove more complicated than he originally discloses.   Tom realizes there are two types of Trelawneys: those who follow the rules and those who chuck them in the wastebasket.   He must decide which kind of Trelawney he will be, and which kind will help him stay alive.

Who is Josh Lacey?

Josh Lacey worked as a journalist, a screenwriter, and a teacher before writing his first book for children, A Dog Called Grk (under the name Joshua Doder).   Josh lives in London with his wife and daughter , and is seldom bored.

www.joshlacey.com

My Thoughts

Before putting a book in the hands of my kids, I like to read it first and see if I consider it worthy for their eyes.   I am very picky when it is non-christian novels or books because I know that there is a lot of secular books out there that contains things I do not want my kids exposed yet.  But when I read the description of the book, I thought this particularly novel would be interesting.  After all, how would you react if you read the following?

An ancient map and a buried treasure harbor a mystery worth millions in this Treasure Island – meets – James Bond thriller.

Knowing that my oldest son loves mystery, I was curious about this title.     I must say that this book is exactly what it advertise…  It really does feel as though you have a mix of Treasure Island and James Bond together.    Packed with twists and turns, the novel will keep you on the edge and want to learn more about the main characters adventure in Peru.   The story is well written and will bring your in South America in the hopes to find an long lost treasure.   Intertwined in the novel are history facts that are also found at the end of the book.

I didn’t particularly liked the fact that the beginning of the story starts with the boy playing with matches and burning down the shed.   But I guess that the author needed a good reason to send him to his uncle.   My other problem during the reading of this book was the lies that the uncle was saying as though it was a natural thing.  The younger character was observing him and learning how to lie at the same time.   However, I tip my hat to the author who at the end of the book brought both the uncle and the young lad to the realization that it was better to say the truth to the parents.    So even though there were lies in the story, at the end the adult main character comes to the conclusion that it is better to saw the truth after all.      An important lesson learned by both main characters throughout their adventures.

In the end, I am quite pleased with the story and the lesson that the reader learns at the end of the book.    Would I recommend this book to my fellow homeschoolers?   Definitively.   To the point that I have just pass the book to my oldest son so he can read it as well.    Last week, he kept asking if he could start even though I had not finished my reading.    His interest was picked just by reading and observing the cover of the book.    And he will complete the reading in 48 hours….!  

Island of Thieves is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.