Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Two New Books from National Geographic

National Geographic is known for producing informative books with amazing pictures. Here are two new books to add to your TBR piles. 


by Sarah Wassner and Kathy Furgang
Published July 2015 by National Geographic Children's Books
208 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher

I think the title sums up this book perfectly. It is chocked full of animal records of every kind, from loudest to weirdest to deadliest (you will never guess what the deadliest animal is, I was shocked). 
Along with the records, there are nuggets of info tucked in every corner of the book. There are also repeated sections called "Blast from the Past" where a dinosaur is compared to animals in the record category. 
Of course the photographs are extraordinary, filling each page with vibrant color. I can imagine students huddled around this book in groups sharing the facts they are learning. 
This book is a must-have classroom libraries of grades 3+. 

by Boris Diaw, Kitson Jazynka
Edited by National Geographic Kids
Published July 2015 by National Geographic Children's Books
112 Pages
Nonfiction chapter book
Review copy provided by publisher

Boris Diaw is a famous basketball player who plays for the San Antonio Spurs. However, there is much more to Diaw than just his basketball skills. Several years ago Diaw began to combine two of his other passions, photography and animals, but particularly animals of Africa. Hoops to Hippos, narrated in first-person, tells of Diaw's many adventures on his trips to the African Savannah. 

I did not expect to like this book. I figured that since I am not a sports fan, I would no connect with Diaw's story. I was wrong. I found the his stories of close encounters to be very interesting and his passion and excitement radiate off the pages. The amazing pictures, many taken by Diaw, certainly hold up to National Geographic standards. 
Kids will really like this book. I would recommend it mostly for grades 3-5. 

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