Science Nature Books

My four year old daughter enjoys this book. It gives a simple overview of the universe. One to three sentences a page. In the begining, I just read the similest sentences, as my daughter has gotten older, I have read it all, and expanded on some concepts that she asks about. I think any book with transparnt pages is fun.

Although a comprehensive and well-referenced history of sightings, testimonials, evidences, and analysis is presented, I am left with more of an inclination towards disbelief and that Bigfoot advocates are simply motivated by the intrigue of the search, the mystery and fun of the puzzle-like assembly of facts and conspiratorial theories. Their brainy tendencies make them adept at explaining away the dearth of evidence.

I read my first "bigfoot book" in the third grade and this one tops every one I've read since that eye opening day. Coleman not only recaps important historical events and encounters, but offers fresh perspective on the origins of the name "bigfoot", the effect the media has had in spreading the legend, and humorous stories on the sexual traits and behaviour of sasquatch. A "must read" for those interested in the subject, as obviously lots of research and fieldwork went into this book. My only minor complaint: more pictures would have been nice.

I've read a lot of Bigfoot and Sasquatch books, but Loren Coleman did such an excellent job on this book, it has to stand of as the "Bible" of the subject. This book is well written and covers areas that I never thought about before. He presents each story in such a way that it lets the reader make up their own mind.

Thank you Mr. Coleman work a great read.

Cliff Johnson
Author; Wrong Side of the River
www.mistypeak.com

As with most books by Loren Coleman, this book is very much worth having. Once I got to reading it I had a hard time putting it down. It not only discusses bigfoot but North American Apes. I'm not a big book reviewer who can give an in depth review of what I have read but I can say that if you are into bigfoot and cryptozoology that you will not be disappointed.

Let me make it very clear right up front: I do NOT believe that Bigfoot/Sasquatch exists. However, when I was a child I was fascinated by this phenomena, and read several books on the subject.

In picking up this volume, I have returned to the topic after several years of not giving it much consideration. So initially, the book served as a sound and fairly measured refresher about the history of Bigfoot sightings and the search for more clues.

All this changed, however, when I reached the chapter about that "taboo" subject of Bigfoot sexuality. I was not sure whether I should be bemused or offended--that is, until the spurious account of a Bigfoot supposedly engaging in an indecent act in the middle of a field with a cow.

As a child, reading about Bigfoot was innocent fun. Of course, living in this society, it was inevitable that I would eventually be over-exposed to all of the problems plaguing our society. But at least for a time there were things that were safe and clean. Well, not anymore.

The inclusion and content of that chapter really shows how things have changed, and I suppose someday even this will be considered tame... And it's also a little absurd (considering what little amount of documented evidence there is for this probably non-existent creature) to even be speculating on such a subject in the first place.

So I give this book a 3-star rating; 5-star for the content exclusive of that chapter, 1-start for the chapter.

This book is amazingly interesting and informative. I can't wait to travel the state of Utah with this book as a guide!

I'd recommend a little study of geology, and the formations found in Utah before hitting the road with this book. KC Publications 48 page glossy color "Colorado Plateau", which I found at one of the National Parks, gives you a great introduction to a good fraction of Utah and shows the positions of the formations along with a time line. If you are a layman at geology, unless you prepare, you will get dizzy with references to formations aided only by black and white pictures. The lack of color illustrations is puzzling when color means so much in identification of rocks in the area. If you can easily recognize formations, this book is a great aid as you travel.

If you are interested in Geology, Utah is a wonderful place to travel in. From the layercake sedimentary rock of the colorado plateau, to the contorted ranges of the great basin, there is much to see in Utah. The author gives you a basic understanding of Utah's geologic history and then applies it as you travel through various bi-ways.

For more indepth discussion of Utah's geology, try to find a copy of William Lee Stokes or Lehi Hintze's book. You might be able to find them at the Dept. of Natural Resources bookstore in Salt Lake City.

I welcome feedback on this and all reviews at wstrnlibwarrior@yahoo.com

I just spent two weeks on the Colorado plateau with a geology field studies class. This, a geo dictionary and Desert Solitaire were the only books I brought with me (I came home with more of course!), and I was OK. I would say that the layout of the book is fairly accessible. If you are familiar with the series, you know it is arranged by highway. Compared however with the lecture notes I was taking, the geology was rather rudimentary. But, if you are just passing through (be sure to haul along Roadside Arizona, Colorado, or wherever else you may be when you run out of Utah road, and the book dead ends) than this book is sufficient.

Five stars because it is exactly what it says it is.

You, the reader, must assist Dr. Frankenstein in his quest to create a living, breathing human being. This book does not contain tons of bells and whistles, i.e. flaps, maps, stickers, etc. It's brilliance is born out of fabulous illustrations and photographs, a good, clean page layout, and concise, interesting text. While the book may be written for 8 to 12-year-old students, the other huge bonus is that the book has durable board book like pages that can surmount the destructibility of younger readers . The only drawback is the book's price. It's $24.95, but I think $19.95 might have been more suitable. Even with the higher price point, though, the card-stock pages and padded cover are going to allow this book to survive more than one reader per household, giving it a bit of added value.

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I have been pleased by the presentation of this Item; I like to get exactly what I am offered.

Hi, I am ten years old and I think that this book, Gaia Girls Way of Water was a GREAT book. It is the second book in the seires. It's about a girl who has to learn a lot. Like how to speak a whole different language! She also makes a couple of friends who teach her much. I really liked this book. But I think you should read the first one first! It is called Gaia Girls Enter the Earth. So if you like adventure books like Harry Potter and Warriors and other books that have to do with fiction and animals you will certainly like this one!!! :)

This is the mom of a 10 year old. She's dictating to me. I think Gaia Girls is amazing and made me look at the world in a whole different (positive) way! James Taylor is one of my favorite song writers and this really made me think about his song "Gaia." I can't wait for more!!!!

Gaia Girls Way of Water is better than book I. It's hard for me to say that because I loved the first book so much. Book series can be scary, if you like them you want them to get better and Book II does not disappoint. Way of Water is a beautifully crafted tale about a Gaia Girl and her "fish out of water" adventures in Japan. The characters were believable and 'real' the ECO issue was powerful and heart breaking. The series just leaves you wanting MORE. That is my only complaint, the next one is NOT out yet.

Author Lee Welles set herself a daunting task with her second book, "Gaia Girls: Way of Water." Her first book in the series, "Gaia Girls: Enter the Earth", won the National Outdoor Book Award and the iParenting Media Award, garnered critical acclaim, and brought her invitations for book signings at schools, libraries, and fairs across the country. That's a hard act to follow, even for a seasoned author, but "Enter the Earth" was Welles' first book.

Furthermore, in writing "Enter the Earth", Lee drew from her own experiences, growing up on a farm in upstate New York. In "Way of Water", the main character, Miho, is an American-Japanese girl who has spent her entire life traveling to Pacific Ocean ports with her whale-observing parents, while the book itself mostly takes place in Japan, where Miho must go to live when the sea claims the lives of her parents. In choosing this premise and this setting for her second story in this series, Welles breaks one of the oldest guidelines for writers - "Write what you know."

The large focus on Japan works for Welles, though, in part because Miho has never before been to Japan. Though her mother was Japanese, and she knows a little of Japanese language and culture, Miho's culture shock and her feelings of being an outsider with much to learn helps the reader identify with Miho, and gives the book a much deeper ring of truth than if Welles had tried to write Japan from an inside perspective. And, as the author confesses in her blog at [...], she had to do "massive amounts of research." As Miho adjusts to the sudden, difficult changes in her life, I found her a believable, fully-developed character with whom I could easily sympathize - a heroine, in fact, who bravely deals with the death of her parents, the move to a new country and culture, and the fantastical experience of meeting a talking otter!

With the Gaia Girls series, the fantastic blends quite well into the normal experiences in the lives of the girls around whom each book centers. I am reminded of the Narnia series, or of Philip Pullman's "Golden Compass", where children encounter creatures and ideas beyond the scope of everyday reality. The characters respond at first with surprise, shock, disbelief, curiosity - as most of us would. Then, because children are better are adapting and using their imaginations, they accept the new creatures as comrades or foes and step forward into the quest. In this case, the quest is a very real and laudable one: to save the Earth from the damage we humans are doing. And thus is born a new kind of fantasy book for kids, a new kind of super-hero, presented in a creative and fun way, but with very practical, concrete applications.

Lee Welles' Gaia Girls are "eco-heroines", advocates and activists for caring for the Earth, and therefore, caring for ourselves. The message is one of environmentalism and stewardship without being too preachy. The scientific explanations, the political message is not too heavy-handed, and the storylines are exciting in and of themselves. I continued reading because I wanted to know what happens to Miho, and along the way I thought more about the amount of earth that is covered by water, the mind-boggling amount of life that inhabits our oceans, and our place in these things.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

I loved this book even more then the first. It is a great mix between fantasy and what is really going on in the world. You feel for the characters... not just the human characters but all the animals in the book as well. I was able to learn the Way of Water along with Miho and all I wanted to do was find some way to help her help the ocean. I can't wait for book three, and in the mean time this book makes me want to do somthing about the way people treat this planet.

Quite a few errors were found.
However, the book appears to give a thorough review of NY State Regents material for Chemistry: The Physical Setting.

This is an excellent book for learning about the rainforest. I used this book in a special education summer school program during our rainforest unit. The book piggy-backs the song "The green grass grew all around"- and is easy to sing along with. There is information in the back of the book that increases understanding of animals and plants for older learners. Additionally, there is a rainforest cookie recipe at the back of the book that is delicious!

I saw the artist Connie McLennan's work online and heard about this book from her website. It is a beautiful book! The writing is perfect for a beginning reader as well. It's a nice story.

I bought it for my granddaughter who is a budding artist- I thought she would love the pictures as much as I do!

Susan K Mitchel has written a wonderful book about the rain forest that is suitable for many different age groups. Younger children will love the familiarity of the text, more advanced readers will enjoy reading the sidebars full of interesting facts about the rain forest. Everyone young and old will enjoy the beautiful illustrations. A very appealing read! A great choice for the elementary classroom.

Beautifully written by Susan K. Mitchell and superbly illustrated by Connie McLennan, "The Rainforest Grew All Around" is an ideal introduction to rainforest ecology and eco-systems for elementary school and middle school students. Young readers will learn amazing facts about a variety of animals and plants native to rainforest habitats. Kids will enjoy looking for rainforest bugs and butterflies nicely embedded in the detailed and complex illustrations. The text is enriched by the inclusion of 'Animal Sidebar Fun Facts' and 'Plant Sidebar Fun Facts'. Kids will learn abut rainforest animal adaptations, plant adaptations, seed dispersal, as well as what can be obtained from rain forests. There is even a rainforest cookie recipe! A special note for parents and teachers is the Sylvan Dell Publishing website's learning links and teaching activities associated with utilizing "The Rainforest Grew All Around" as an educational resource. As fun as it is informative, "The Rainforest Grew All Around" is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to family, school, and community library Nature Studies and picturebook collections.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

Great to help students that are having trouble with sciences. This give you help and ideas how to help them. Do not let our kids fall behind.