We completed our second term of school just before Thanksgiving.
Here's a roundup of the books we read aloud together.
In astronomy, we studied the Earth:
Feel the Wind
by Arthur Dorros
This picture book explains what causes wind and the terms used for different types and speeds of wind.
How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World
by Faith McNulty
A long time favorite picture book of my kids. A boy explains (and demonstrates) how to dig a hole through the earth, describing the different layers of the earth and the problems one might encounter trying to go through them.
The Librarian Who Measured the Earth
by Kathryn Lasky
The story o fa Greek philosopher and scientist named Eratosthenes who put together the world's first geography book and accurately measured the circumference of the Earth. Very interesting.
Northern Lights
by Martha Rustad
A colorful book that explains how particles from the sun interact with the Earth's magnetosphere to cause the Northern and Southern lights.
And we read a bunch of books about the moon landings. These were all checked out back in July during the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, so I waited until the rush was over to get them.
A Computer Called Katherine
by Suzanne Slade
A young girl with a gift for numbers and geometry grows up to help make the calculations needed to send man to the moon and back to Earth. She overcame discrimination based on the color of her skin and broke into the male-dominated engineering field to become a trusted member of the team.
Counting on Katherine
by Helaine Becker
Another picture book about Katherine Johnson and how her calculations helped save Apollo 13.
Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon
by Suzanne Slade
Briefly talks about each of the Apollo missions that went to the moon.
The Darkest Dark
by Chris Hadfield
A boy is enthralled with the idea of space travel, but is afraid of the dark and the monsters he imagines. But after watching the Apollo 11 moon landing, he begins to overcome those fears and ends up becoming an astronaut himself.
Eight Days Gone
by Linda McReynolds
A fun picture book with short rhyming text. Geared more for the younger set with somewhat cartoonish illustrations.
The First Men Who Went to the Moon
by Rhonda Green
From a literary standpoint, this picture book was a fascinating example of a "chiasm" : the first rhyme is repeated at the end, the second rhyme is also next to last, etc.
Hidden Figures
by Margot Shetterly
Brief biographies of four black women whose mathematical calculations helped make the space race possible.
Margaret and the Moon
by Dean Robbins
Another picture book about another woman (a software engineer) who was instrumental in the Apollo program.
Marty's Mission
by Judy Young
A fictional account based on the true story of a boy who helped get an antenna in Guam unstuck so that it could relay necessary communication from Apollo 11 to mission control.
One Giant Leap
by Robert Burleigh
Reading this book with its gorgeous illustrations really made me think about how strange and amazing it must have been for the astronauts to actually be on the moon, looking back at Earth. It also made me wonder if God was enjoying watching some of his creatures hopping and jumping and having fun on this strange, new world.
The Night the Martians Landed
by Kathleen Krull
Tells the story of the panic that ensued during Orson Welles broadcast of "War of the Worlds" on October 30, 1938.
Several books about recycling:
Jennifer and Josephine
by Bill Peet
An old car is bought from a junkyard, driven hard, then left abandoned when she goes off the road. A small boy finds her and, with his father, rescues and restores her.
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
by Simms Taback
When his overcoat gets ragged, Joseph turns it into a jacket, then a vest, and so on until nothing is left but the story.
Curious George : Trash Into Treasure
by Bethany Freitas
Curious George participates in the neighborhood competition to clean up trash and recycling, with his own twist.
And about mail...
Mail Carriers
by Cari Meister
A simple picture book about mail carriers.
Seven Little Postmen
by Margaret Wise Brown
An old golden book about the travels of a letter carried by seven different postmen.
Snail Mail
by Samantha Berger
Four snails carry a letter from a girl to the Boy She Loves through all kinds of weather and terrain.
And banking....
Just Saving My Money
by Mercer Mayer
Little Critter learns about saving his money in the bank.
Lemonade in Winter
by Emily Jenkins
Two children decide to start a lemonade stand in the middle of winter. They don't make any money, but they do have fun.
The Fisherman and His Wife
by Rachel Isadora
A fisherman finds a magic flounder who is able to grant wishes. He is content with a simple request, but his wife is not. She keeps asking for more and more and more, till finally the fish returns everything back to the way they were.
Don't Le the Pigeon Drive the Bus
by Mo Willems
A bus driver leaves the bus for a while and warns the reader not to let the pigeon drive the bus. The pigeon then proceeds to try every trick from sweet talk to pouting to demanding to drive the bus.
Last Stop on Market Street
by Matt de la Pena
A little boy rides on a bus every Sunday after church. He has lots of questions about what he sees and especially about why they have to take this ride every week. Turns out that they go to serve in a soup kitchen.
Maybelle the Cable Car
by Virginia Lee Burton
And some miscellaneous books:
First Day Jitters
by Julie Danneberg
Sarah doesn't want to go to the first day of a new school and drags her feet all the way. At the very end, we find out Sarah isn't a student, but the teacher.
Dominican Republic
by Laura Sullivan
An overview of the land of the Dominican Republic.
On the Other Side of the Hill
by Roger Lea MacBride
The fourth book in the series about Rose Wilder, Laura Ingalls Wilder's daughter growing up in the Ozarks.
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