Can you believe Thanksgiving is almost here? Time is flying by as usual. It is time to think about gift buying and the holidays. Today I am doing a round-up of picture books that are perfect gifts for animal lovers!! Do you know any young animal lovers? Perhaps kids who love the Wild Kratts like Hazel did? To begin we will start with one with a thankful theme. It is from the World of Eric Carle. It is Little Book of Thanks from Brown Bear and Friends by Eric Carle and Odd Dot. It is recommended for babies through 3-year-olds.
From the Publisher:
It’s a wonderful world, hopeful and bright . . .Give thanks for life! It’s a beautiful sight.
At Thanksgiving and all year long, this rhyming, read-aloud is perfect for sharing. It’s a gentle reminder to appreciate the beauty and abundance of our wonderful world. With new original text and exciting original use of art from the World of Eric Carle collection, it’s a very special gratitude practice in a book—and the perfect way to say thanks.
From Me:
Here is the fun colorful World of Eric Carle giving us a book to remember to be thankful for all that is around us. It is perfect for Thanksgiving but is also not just fall oriented. There are pictures of flowers growing in a rainstorm and a meadow/garden full of bugs that looks very summery. The words are simple and remind us to be thankful for all the natural things in our world and to stop and enjoy the nature around us.
This book is perfect to bring for a little one this Thanksgiving as well as the perfect book to read at bedtime throughout the year. It is full of wonderful illustrations of Eric Carle and is inspired by his book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? The words are by Bill Martin, Jr. who is another one of our favorite picture book authors.
Our next book is a fun picture book about a girl looking for a pet to have adventures with and a lion looking for a pet. They meet and begin their friendship and adventures. The book is An Adventure for Lia and Lion by Al Rodin. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
From the Publisher:
A delightful picture book about what happens when two friends--a girl and a lion--want to be in charge, with glorious art and relatable characters!Lia is off on an adventure, and she'd like a pet to take with her.
In another corner of the meadow is Lion, who is also looking for an adventure and a pet of his own . . .
But both Lia and Lion want to be in charge! Will their adventure be over before it begins?
A story from a stunning new author-illustrator about a special friendship, the nature of play, conflict and compromise, and how much richer life is when you work out how to share it.
From Me:
Let's begin with the beautiful and colorful illustrations. You can see on the sample pages I am sharing what I mean. The illustrations are beautiful and full of so many things. It would be fun to sit with a young child and look for the various animals and other things hidden in them. The pages are vibrant with color, and I can see young children loving them.
The story itself is fun. They both want someone to spend their lives with, but both want to be in charge and boss the other one around. Eventually they get their adventure and discover that life is better with just a friend, and no one has to be the lead all the time. This book is a fun book about friendship. It is perfect for story time. I personally have a fondness for lions as a Leo, so I love this book! I also love that Lia and Lion become friends.
Our final book is the ultimate book for animal lovers! It is An Animal a Day by Miranda Smith. It is recommended for ages 6 to 9.
From the Publisher:
Discover a fascinating new animal for every day of the year! The perfect gift for animal lovers aged 6 and up.New day, new animal!
In this gorgeous calendarized collection, you'll travel through the incredible ecosystems and habitats of our wild planet and meet 365 of the amazing animals that call it home.
Dive into the oceans to find whales and giant squid, soar though skies with eagles and snowy owls, race across the African savanna with lions and wildebeest—and so much more.
Each day’s entry is filled with fascinating facts and breathtaking illustrations that bring animals to life. You'll encounter familiar favorites, plus find out new sides to critters you thought you already knew and learn about completely new animals.
Packed with engaging info, this book also features information about conservation and how we can protect endangered animals and their environments.
It's the ultimate gift for any animal lover, from age 6 to 106!
From Me:
Do you homeschool? Or are you an elementary school teacher who looks at different animals throughout the year? This book is perfect for you! It literally shares information about 365 animals--one each day. It goes through the dates of the year and shares an animal for each one. It gives an introduction to the animal. It gives a little hook and description of the animal, the scientific name, animal group, length/weight, diet, location and status. In the beginning of the book is information about the animal groups and status as well as information about how there are new animals discovered still. At the end of the book is a list of the animals shared with their page number of animals that are in danger. It explains the threats those animals are facing. The book also has a Table of Contents and an Index so if you are looking for a specific animal it is easy to find.
I see so many uses for this book. It can be the inspiration for a lesson for each day. It can be a fun way to assign animals for projects--the kids can research the animal featured on their birthday. I love how the animals vary and also share various species of different animals.
Looking for some more animal inspiration? Check out these posts.
