The sun is shining, the air is warm, and your kids are spending more and more time in the great outdoors, whether it’s in your backyard or at a local playground. Curiosity comes naturally to children, and a perfect way to capitalize on this desire to explore and discover is to provide resources and experiences to support their interests. If your children are like mine, all this outdoor play has them wondering about the many types of bugs and other aspects of nature all around them.
Blue Apple Books has two new books for preschoolers and elementary school aged children that are perfect companions for outdoor exploration. Lisa Campbell Ernst’s How Things Work in the Yard provides information about both the natural world in a child’s backyard, such as birds, dandelions and fireflies, as well as familiar toys and items like balls, wheels and bubbles. The presentation includes colorful illustrations with labels and tidbits of information on each 2-page spread. Ernst has done an impressive job predicting the typical questions young children ask about this environment, resulting in a resource book to keep handy while playing outside.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m raising one or two future entomologists, but I don’t mind because I’m just as interested in buggy creatures as my kids! I’ve read a lot of nonfiction picture books about insects and bugs in my days as a mom and a preschool teacher, and I’m thrilled to share with you what has risen to the top of the stack for me. Bugs by the Numbers by Sharon Werner and illustrated by Sarah Forss is truly an incredible book- imaginative and informative with huge kid appeal. I could go on and on about the creative approach this book takes to teaching children about bugs, incorporating numbers that relate to information about the bugs right into the illustrative figures, and I could gush about the cool facts that even I learned from my new favorite book. Or, I could just ask you to take a look yourself:
If you’d love to share How Things Work in the Yard and Bugs by the Numbers with your own curious kids, you may be in luck. We have two copies of each book to give away! Leave a comment here to be entered. For one additional entry, you can like Blue Apple Books on Facebook– just post on their wall that 5 Minutes for Mom sent you and leave a second comment here indicating that you’ve “liked” them. We’ll announce our winners on 6/20.
Nonfiction books may not be some parents’ first choice for story time, but I can attest to the joy my own kids express every time we’ve read each of these two wonderful books! If you’re interested in yet another nonfiction picture book, be sure to read my review of A Butterfly is Patient on 5 Minutes for Books today.
The winners of the Love Your Veggies books and garden supplies are:
- #18 Deb
- #27 Heather Belden
- #89 Janelle
- #64 Beth T.
- #49 Al
Written by 5 Minutes for Books contributor Dawn, whose love for bugs often shows up on her blog, my thoughts exactly.
These look like such fun books!
like blue apple books and left comment
ruthhill74
Please enter me!
I liked Blue Apple Books on FB and left a post saying you sent me to the site!
skkorman AT vbellsouth DOT net
This would be great for my boy Joey!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
Looks like they’re great books!!!
we would love a chance to win these great looking books we love alphabeasties
I stay outdoors all the time and my son would love this book.
This is great, thanks for the chance to win. You ladies are great!!
My grandchildren would love this and so would I!
liked on fb and said from 5 minutes for mom
These books look great!
Thanks for this gift package, it is great for kids of all ages.
This is a great opportunity for families to spend time outside together
Love these books!!
This is wonderful, thanks!!
We’d love to win these books – thanks for the chance!
zenzart at hotmail dot com
My girls would love these books! I hope we win!
I would love to take all my grandkids outside and learn a lot about bugs!
Every kid could use these! Thanks for having this as a prize.
My kids would keep me outside all day with this, and that would be great with me!
I love this! This is a great offer. Thanks for the chance.
Hey Christopher, congratulations, you’re one of our winners! Please email me your mailing information at morninglightmama (at) gmail (dot) com.
I think my children would stay outside with this book.
THis would be a really fun thing to do with my grankids. Thanks for the chance!
This would be right up my son’s alley!
Great for summer fun…thanks!
I have tomboys and they love bugs and outdoors!
This would be a fun family outdoor activity.
Great books for the outdors.
My son would love these!
like sponsor on facebook ID angie stewart church
shopannies@Yahoo.com
what a fun book to read when all the bugs are here in the summer would love to win and share with my grands.
shopannies@Yahoo.com
My 5 kids would love this giveaway. They love all things outdoors, especially the 3 year old.
I like blue apple books on fb and commented
These look like wonderful books for kids!
mearley1979 at gmail dot com
These sound great to share with the kids!
would love it
nannypanpan at gmail.com
Thanks for the chance!
My son would probaby be outside a lot more if he had these books. He loves to read!!
My kids would love this book and would spend hours listening to me read to them.
This would be a great outdoor activity and so much fun for kids of all ages!
As a mother with kids that LOVE being outdoors, this would be a great treat for them. Also, a nice addition to my classroom during the school year. 🙂
I’d love to win. Thanks!
What a wonderful giveaway, I know a few children that would love these books
Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to get these for my 6 yr-old. She loves butterflies and is always full of questions.
Gosh, my girls are always digging up worms and they would certainly love this book!
My son loves to read and he would love this book!
Bugs are a hit at my house! Outside of course!!!!!
Yay We love bugs here!
What great books. Thanks for the chance to win.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Two great books for my son
Would like to win
My son would love these books… thanks for the giveaway!
My daughter would love these, thanks!
like Blue Apple Books on Facebook
vickiecouturier
vlbelk(at)hotmail.com
My grandchildren would love these books
vlbelk(at)hotmail.com
I have two girls that love worms, bugs, and any insects. This is the book for them!
My son would love this book.
What a great gift. My girls love bugs and critters so they would love this book.
What fun books! My little scientist will love these.
We love new books here! 🙂 Thanks for the chance.
liked on FB and told them you sent me!
Anything with the words “how things work…” is always a hit around here!
These books look so fun!
I would love to win these for the kids!
What neat books! Thank you for the chance to win! 🙂
Oooooh. I have been teaching my friend next door and my son about gardening. This would be sooo cool for our next play date with my neighbors little one.
Both sound like great books for curious kids! My boys can spend an entire afternoon turning over rocks and looking at bugs…
These look awesome….I know my boys would love them!!!
good boy books! will have to check them out. thanks to the publisher for openning this contest up to canadians.
I “Like” Blue Apple Books on Facebook…
Also, I left a comment on their wall that you sent me.
Again, many thanks for the opportunity to win these two
books to share with our two sons!
Cindi
Summer is the perfect time to sit outside and read bug books!
I love the way both books are written and the graphics are fabulous…
Many thanks, Cindi
Awww….how cute! My 5 year old grandson would love these! Thanks for the chance!
How delightful!
I would love to share these w/ the younger grandboys.
LIKED on Facebook and told them you sent me -Mia Dentice
CUTE BOOKS!!!!!! My son would get a kick out of these! =)
These books look great. My two year old son has recently fallen in love with bugs. Last night he spent a long time in the driveway with a flashlight watch them. 🙂
Both of those look like lots of fun. My little nature lover would totally appreciate them! Thanks for a chance to win!
Perfect for summer!
would enjoy these – thanks!
My kiddo would love these books–he’s currently enamored with bugs (and encouraged by his nature-loving mama!)
Just liked the FB Page
https://www.facebook.com/ericamueller/posts/10150199810116091
I know a certain little boy who would adore these books!!
These books look awesome!!! Would love to win them and add them to the summer reading at our house 🙂
Would love to win – my kids love bugs and my students study them!
My son would love these!!
Would love to win and read to my nephew (loves bugs!) and my niece (who is terrified of them)! Might help show my niece there is more to bugs than scary hairy legs and wings. =)
These books look super- I would love to win for my daughter!!! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love non fiction books for my kids and these are right up their alley!
Congrats Jenn, you’re one of our lucky winners! Please email me your mailing info at morninglightmama (at) gmail (dot) com.
Maybe this would help my little girls get over their fear of bugs!!!
These 2 books would be wonderful for my niece and nephew. Thank you!
These look like books my kids would really enjoy. We love exploring outdoors and do so everyday. Thanks for the wonderful review and giveaway 😉
Oh, both of these look really good! Thank you for sharing them!