2010 Review of Children’s books dealing especially with evolution

Children’s Science Videos, Magazines and Books

These are some books, videos, etc. my kids (and I) have enjoyed.

Where to get them:
NIU’s Founders Memorial Library has a children’s book section.
DeKalb Public Library (corner of Franklin St and 2nd) has a great selection (bottom floor); books are loaned for 3 wks, videos for 1 week. Residents can get a library card for free. NF = nonfiction section; E = easy reader  picture book section
Ages give an idea of amount of text. Focus on very little text initially. Or text broken into short pieces of information. Try quizzing style: kids love to tell you things.
 

Videos
Magic School Bus (ages 3+) (DeKalb Public Library, some volumes), e.g.,

    Busasaurus
Kratt’s Creatues (ages 2+) +) (DeKalb Public Library, some volumes)
Bill Nye the Science Guy (ages 3+) (DeKalb Public Library, some volumes). e.g.,
    Dinosaurs
    Solar System
National Geographic Really Wild Animals (ages 3+) (DeKalb Public Library, some volumes)
Eyewitness (DeKalb Public Library, some volumes), e.g.,
    Plants
    Mammals
    Insects

Magazines
Your Big Backyard (ages 2+) (DeKalb Public Library, can be checked out)

Ranger Rick (ages 8+) (DeKalb Public Library, can be checked out)
Zoobooks (ages 6+)
 

Books
Evolution by Linda Gamlin, an Eyewitness book, lots of photos (ages 9+)


Relevant to Organismal Diversity, Taxonomy, Adaptations
(See also list under Entomology and Behavioral Ecology below)
Reasoner, Charles. Whose House is This? A Sliding Surprise Book (ages 1+)
Carle, Eric. Do You Want to be my Friend? (ages 2+)
George, Lindsay Barrett. In the Woods: Who’s Been Here? (ages 4+)
Bernard, Robin. Look-Alike Animals (ages 3+): how to distinguish between apes vs monkeys, etc.
McNulty, Faith. Endangered Animals (ages 2+)
MacLulich, Carolyn. (ages 5+) only 16 pages each and brief text
    Bats
    Snakes
    Frogs
    Sharks
    Lizards
Aliki. Fossils Tell of Long Ago (ages 4+)
Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus (ages 4+) (DeKalb Public Library, some volumes)
    In a Pickle: A Book about Microbes
    Meets the Rot Squad: A Book about Decomposition
    In the Time of Dinosaurs
    Gets Cold Feet: A Book about Warm- and Cold-Blooded Animals
    Hops Home: A Book about Animal Habitats (Note: female frog should have been drawn bigger than male)
    Gets all Dried Up: A Book about Deserts
    Takes a Dive: A Book about Coral Reefs
    Gets Eaten: A Book about Food Chains
Wood, A. J. Egg! A dozen eggs. What will they be? (ages 4+)
Golden Books. Totally Amazing (ages 4+)
    Totally Amazing Rain Forests
    Totally Amazing Spiders
    Totally Amazing Sea Creatures
Eyewitness Juniors Series: (ages 4+) +) (DeKalb Public Library, NF, some volumes)
    Amazing Birds, #1
    Amazing Mammals, #2
    Amazing Snakes, #3
    Amazing Spiders, #4
    Amazing Cats, #5
    Amazing Frogs & Toads, #6
    Amazing Lizards, #7
    Amazing Crocodiles & Reptiles, #10
    Amazing Fish, #11
    Amazing Monkeys, #12
    Amazing Bats, #13
    Amazing Tropical Birds, #15
    Amazing Wolves, Dogs, & Foxes, #16
    Amazing Bears, #23
    Amazing Birds of Prey, #24 Amazing Animal Babies, #25
National Geographic Nature Library (ages 4+)
    Reptiles & Amphibians
    Mammals
Brenner, Barbara and Chardiet, Bernice. Where’s that Reptile?
Landau, Elaine. A True Book. (ages 4+) (DeKalb Public Library NF: J597LAN)
    Electric Fish
    Jellyfish
Montgomery, Sy. The Snake Scientist ? (ages 9+) (DeKalb Public Library)
Browse NF section of DeKalb Public Library

Relevant to BIOS 433 = Behavioral Ecology
Jenkins, Steve. What do you do when something wants to eat you? (E, DeKalb Public Library) (ages 4+)
Evans, Lisa Gollin. An Elephant Never Forgets its Snorkel (ages 5+)
Eyewitness Juniors Series: (ages 4+) (DeKalb Public Library, NF, some volumes)
    Amazing Animal Disguises, #19
    Amazing Armored Animals, #20
    Amazing Poisonous Animals, #8
Kaner, Etta. Animal Defenses (ages 5+)
Kitchen, Bert. And So They Build (ages 9+)
Singer, Marilyn. Prarie Dogs Kiss and Lobsters Wave: How Animals Say Hello (ages 9+)
Golden Books. (ages 4+)
    Wolves
    Sharks
    Snakes
Settel, Joanne. Exploding Ants: Amazing Facts about How Animals Adapt (ages 9+)
 

Relevant to BIOS 453 = Entomology
Pallotta, Jerry. The Icky Bug Alphabet Book (ages 2+) [Note: Katydid ‘s antennae are drawn too short]
Robinson, Fay. Mighty Spiders (ages 2+) short rhyming text
MacLulich, Carolyn. Insects (ages 3+) only 16 pages
Magic School Bus (ages 4+) (DeKalb Public Library, some volumes)
    Butterfly and the Bog Beast: A Book About Butterfly Camouflage
    Gets Ants in its Pants
    Spins a Web
Eyewitness Juniors Series: (ages 4+) (NF DeKalb Public Library, some volumes)
    Amazing Butterflies & Moths, #9
    Amazing Beetles, #14
    Amazing Insects, #26
Preller, James. Kratt’s Creatures What’s Bugging You (ages 4+)
Kitchen, Bert. And So They Build (non insects too) (ages 8+)
Markle, Sandra. Outside and Inside Spiders (ages 9+)
Golden Books. Totally Amazing Spiders (ages 4+)
Leahy, Anita. The Insect Workbook (ages 5+) color by number drawings, info on collecting

General Science, Not Just Biology
Wells, Robert E. What’s Smaller Than a Pygmy Shrew? (E, DeKalb Public Library) (ages 4-8)
           (covers quarks, protons, neutrons, electrons!)
 

Kits  (Amazon.com has several of these, search under toys)
Electro-Whiz:  Electricity

Electro-Whiz:  Magnetism
Chemistry-Whiz
Wave-Wiz