Saturday, April 19, 2014

"Plant a Pocket of Prairie" Children's Book Review



            Hey folks! Today I have a non-fiction children's book I'd like to share with you: Plant a Pocket of Prairie by Phyllis Root. Recommended ages: 5-10. Published by the University of Minnesota Press.
            This is a great book to introduce young children to an ecosystem they probably aren't familiar with: the prairie! Plant a Pocket of Prairie talks all about the insects, birds, reptiles, and other creatures you can find there and how you can attract some in your own yard. The colorful illustrations also bring these creatures to life so that children will know what to look for.
            The book also talks about how much prairie land has disappeared over the past 100 years or so. Along with that, it also mentions the animals that have become endangered because of hunting or disappearing prairie.
            The "end" of the book also goes more into depth about the different flowers, insects, amphibians, etc. that live in the prairie. It also explains the differences between endangered, threatened, and of special concern species.
            Although, this book is recommended for 5-10 year olds, I would definitely suggest it for the older end of that range. I think kids at that age have a better understanding of the environment and the impact humans can make on it.
            I loved all of the extra information in the back of the book. Because of the opportunity to expand upon what they have read in the book, I think Plant a Pocket of Prairie would be a great book for a science class/lesson in older elementary.
            This book mainly focuses on the prairies of Minnesota, but I believe it will still give children a better understanding of the prairie ecosystem in general. If you happen to live in Minnesota and have a child that's really into nature, conservation, and that sort of thing, the book also lists places you can still find prairie land in the state!
            You can read more about Plant a Pocket of Prairie and purchase it yourself by visiting the publisher's website HERE.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book for free through Netgalley.com. Regardless, all opinions are my own and may differ from your own.

4 comments:

  1. This book sounds really good. Thanks for sharing :0)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have heard so many good things about this one.. Am definitely going to look for it. Thanks for reminding me of this one and for sharing an excellent review on Kidlit Bloghop this week.
    -Reshama @Stackingbooks

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a wonderful book for spring! Love the valuable knowledge children will gain from reading this story. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This sounds like a great book, especially for this time of year. Thanks for pointing it out :)

    ReplyDelete