From: Heather Montgomery <sipsey21_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 15:09:33 +0000

I love helping students think critically about texts so at the risk of blatant self-promotion, I'd like to mention book pairs I use with my recent nonfiction book, WILD DISCOVERIES: WACKY NEW ANIMALS (Scholastic, 2013). • BABYMOUSE #14: MAD SCIENTIST; Jennifer Holm and Matt Holm; grades 2-5; Random House Books for Young Readers; 2011; ISBN 978-0375865749 In this fictional graphic novel packed with humor and kid appeal, Babymouse sets off to prepare for the science fair and ends up discovering a new species of amoeba. WILD DISCOVERIES also concludes with the story of a girl who discovers a new species – an ideal fiction/nonfiction comparison for elementary students.
• THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE; Jacqueline Kelly; grades 4 and up; Henry Holt; 2009; ISBN 0805088415With the help of her cantankerous grandfather, 11-year-old Calpurnia escapes her house full of brothers, becomes intrigued by the recent work of Charles Darwin, and learns how to explore nature. In the process, she discovers a new species. This Newbery Honor Book provides a fictional account of discovery – perfect for comparison with the nonfiction stories of discovery in WILD DISCOVERIES.
• WHAT ON EARTH? 100 OF OUR PLANET'S MOST AMAZING NEW SPECIES; Quentin Wheeler; grades 6 and up; Plume Publishers; 2013; ISBN 978-0452298149Written as a browse-able popular science book for adults, this nonfiction collection includes many of the same species as WILD DISCOVERIES. It provides ample opportunity to analyze the authors’ choices based on their purpose. For a powerful close reading assignment appropriate for middle school and high school students, contact Heather, sipsey21_at_hotmail.com. A simple way introduce students to text comparison is to have them create a Venn diagram on the topic: discovery of a new species. This leads to a discussion about the information which was included in/excluded from each book, which then leads to analysis of the choices authors make... Heather Heather L. Montgomery www.HeatherLMontgomery.com Nature and Science Books for Kids 256-426-5871

Now Available: Wild Discoveries: Wacky New Animals (Scholastic, 2013)

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Received on Wed 25 Sep 2013 10:22:14 AM CDT