I'm so excited to share 10 awesome new books from National Geographic Kids with y'all today! These engaging, educational, and entertaining books would make perfect gifts this holiday season. Plus, one teacher is going to win a set of all ten books for their classroom...
“This encyclopedia fills a gap in the availability of reliable information about indigenous peoples...It was produced under the aegis of expert consultants from each of those regions—experts who are not only members of Native communities but who are also professionally involved in the research, preservation, and documentation of indigenous matters….In sum, this book should be part of every classroom and school library.” - STARRED REVIEW, Booklist
More than 160 tribes are featured presenting a comprehensive overview of the history of North America's Native peoples. From the Apache to the Zuni, readers will learn about each tribe's history, traditions, and culture, including the impact of European expansion across the land and how tribes live today. Features include maps of ancestral lands; timelines of important dates and events; fact boxes for each tribe; bios of influential American Indians such as Sitting Bull; sidebars on daily life, homes, food, clothing, jewelry, and games; To help give kids the lay of the land, this reference is arranged by region, and all federally recognized tribes are included. Tribal members representing each region and experts at the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institution were involved in its creation.
“The writing is crisp and clear throughout…..Appealingly, this positive, highly accessible coding guide needs no computers.” - Kirkus
"Concepts such as algorithms, optimization, constraints, cryptology, and binary code are introduced with fun and workable hands-on activities...A strength of this title is its clarity. The conversational tone is perfect for the intended age range. - School Library Journal
Programming concepts come to life in this kid-friendly intro to the basics of computer science and coding, with puzzles, games, and quirky characters. As part of the Coder Crew and with the help of Cody the Robot, readers are “on a mission” to write algorithms to find hidden treasures, decode ciphers to read secret messages, create loops to program an expedition, and dive into concepts like constraints, debugging and binary code.
"A wide-angled survey of men who ruled—and not just empires or countries....roster also shows commendable racial and geographic diversity" - Kirkus
"A united nations of leading ladies of the past and present, commingled with luminaries in the arts, sciences, and annals of piracy…A carefully diverse roster of "dominant dames" demonstrably capable of breaking gender molds” - Kirkus
They're kings and queens wielding scepters and sitting on thrones, they're revolutionaries on the front lines of change, they're presidents and prime ministers leading their nations, or they're CEOs, scientists, sports legends, and artists who rose to the top of their fields. In The Book of Kings and The Book of Queens, being a mighty monarch doesn't just mean wearing a crown. Leaders like these come from all over the globe and have different talents. From Henry VIII to Steve Jobs to Lin-Manuel Miranda and Elizabeth I to Cleopatra to Beyonce and more, every regal ruler in these books showcase the kind of guts, smarts, and strength it takes to lead. And while there are some kings and queens who are very recognizable, others may leave you wondering why so many brave, smart, and hardworking people have gone unnoticed ... until now. Whether real-life royals or average Janes and Joes who rose to rule, their stories are sure to inspire.
From wretched rodents and beastly bugs to putrid plants and muck-filled moats, grab a seat at the table to revel in some of the most repulsive and downright disgusting true stories from around the globe. The gloriously gross stories go way beyond food to include art, plants, animals, fashion, pop culture, medicine, the human body, and beyond. It's a hot mess to digest, but it's sure to leave kids disgusted and delighted.
Who invented pizza? Why do people shake hands? Why do we wear underwear? Ever wonder how basketball got started? Why we have birthday cakes? And why some people use forks and some use chopsticks? From familiar foods to common clothing items to bizarre beauty regimens, this book covers all the surprising backstories behind the things you use everyday, including: who thought of that, where did that come from and why is that a thing?
“You don’t have to be a nerd to be captivated by this combination of Guinness Book of World Records, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and short form encyclopedia…..the info blurbs are fun to know and in many instances educational. A bushelful of inviting, idiosyncratic subjects” - Kirkus
“VERDICT A treat for visually oriented and information-hungry browsers.” - School Library Journal
This superstuffed alphabetical compendium of must-know facts from science, pop culture, history, and more is perfect for kids who already know the names of every single dinosaur or want to understand exactly how the Millennium Falcon works. It's a book for grammar gurus, science snobs, music geeks, and history buffs. In short, it's a book for nerds. Inside, you'll find browsable, info-packed blurbs that'll give you the lowdown on everything from augmented reality to zydeco, with larger features that dive deep into fascinating topics like UFOs, pirates, artificial intelligence, and daring circus acts. And you'll hear from the world's most notable (and quotable) Nerds of Note from history and today.
"Bling is all around us," the author writes. Maybe so…but rarely is the razzle-dazzle this cranked up. Should come with a cautionary note: sunglasses a must!” - Kirkus
From upscale splurges to flashy fun in nature, this treasure trove is filled with wonders that will dazzle and delight. Read about how nature struts its stuff with tantalizing tidbits about animals, including a few that literally glitter with iridesence to confuse predators. Or maybe you'll strike it rich after reading about Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas, U.S.A., where anyone can go hunt for sparkling gems. Dig into info about the world's mysterious minerals, gorgeous geodes, and ritzy rocks. Discover extravagant expenditures like Canada's million-dollar solid gold coin. Learn all about the splendid science of diamonds that rain from the sky in space. Get the secret behind glowing bioluminescence. And go back in time to uncover palatial palaces, the riches of royalty, and other ancient treasures. To show off the lush content in proper fashion, readers will be dazzled by hundreds of fun flashy photos throughout.
"Napoli brings her literary eye to yet another ancient tradition. Balit's bold illustrations accompany each tale and feature a diversity of skin tone that reflects the many lands from northeast Africa to the Middle East where the drama unfolds… Sidebars throughout add historical and scientific context to the stories presented while backmatter includes maps, timelines, and brief biographies of the major players. A worthy cultural treasury with appeal to both the faithful and irreligious.” — Kirkus
Noah's Ark, Moses, David and Goliath, the ten plagues, Daniel and the lions' den, Jonah and the giant fish, and many more of the Bible's most powerful stories — 27 in all — are compellingly retold in this beautifully illustrated treasury. Readers will be fascinated by the ancient people and events they encounter, surprised by some of the lesser known accounts revealed, and inspired by the lessons these tales impart. Stories cover important ground beyond religion, such as culture, history, and geography, and they touch on issues that remain relevant today--faith, loyalty, kindness, violence, generosity, greed, jealousy, and more. These accessible, readible stories give kids a rich picture of biblical times, which encourages them to think about our role in the world and to learn more.
This offbeat, "stocking-sized" book is like a sweet treat that will satisfy any reader's fun fact cravings. Cranium “cavities” will be filled to the brim with 500 fascinating knowledge nuggets about numbers, fun facts, and cool trivia on all kinds of topics. With features that dive into why potatoes and tomatoes are a dynamic duo, amazing animal tongues and how they are used to ”lick” their competition and dental care through the ages, Brain Candy is a tasty approach to feeding kids tantalizing tidbits about the world.
Win a set of all ten books above for your classroom!
Thanks to the folks at Nat. Geo and Media Masters Publicity, I have one set of these ten books to give away and I'd love to give them to one lucky teacher to share with their students!
-US only
-ends 11/24/19
-please only enter if you are a teacher or know a teacher who you can donate these books to (honor system y'all!)
-winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
-Word Spelunking is not responsible for lost, damaged, stolen prizes
It sounds like kids will be fascinated by these books. Many readers love reading nonfiction and learning information.
ReplyDeleteI think Brain Candy will definitely appeal to young readers!
ReplyDeleteI want to share all of them but first would be The Book of Bling: Ritzy Rocks, Extravagant Animals, Sparkling Science and More! I can get their attention with that.
ReplyDeleteBrain Candy will be the first book many students will want to read during free reading time.
ReplyDeleteI think my kids would read Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture first. The book looks really interesting and has beautiful pictures.
ReplyDelete"which book are you most excited to share with your students?" I think my teacher friend would find "Code This!" and "Nerd A To Z" really useful!
ReplyDeleteGreat set of books.
ReplyDelete