Look Inside an Igloo by Mari Schuh

Am I on a non-fiction kick? Not really but I did visit the library again yesterday and picked this up for Ricky too. Same author and publisher as the previous book!

When snow builds on our patio set we refer to it as an igloo. We had a pretty good snowstorm a few weeks back and Ricky was able to hide in his "igloo." Mark and I have explained what igloos are to him, but I thought I would pick this book up to show Ricky.

The book talks about Inuits and how igloos are built. It also describes how the Inuit cook food and sleep. We found it fascinating the way they used a sheet of ice as a window - among a few interesting tidbits.

This is a great brief snapshot of an igloo but I feel like the book could have been longer. Just when Ricky was getting more interested, it was the end of the story. Still, I thought this was a decent snapshot for a preschooler. The photos were excellent.

As in typical non-fiction fashion, the book has a glossary and index at the end of the book. I also want to note that the publisher also offers "A Look Inside" a log cabin, pyramid, and tepee plus other titles as well. I foresee reviews of these books in the future if I can find them.

Published by Capstone Press, 2009

Other Countries, Other Cultures - A National Geographic Picture Book: One World, One Day by Barbara Kerley

With the earthquake in Haiti, we've all been thinking about a country other than our own (for a change) and what it is like living in another country. So when I came across this book at the library on the "new" shelf, I grabbed it and wanted to share it with Ricky.

Other than brief clips on Sesame Street, Ricky's never really been exposed to other countries. I mean, we went to the Dominican Republic on vacation 2 years ago when he was 3 but that was on a resort - so he didn't really experience much other than the resort.

This book is interesting because it shows how kids across the world get up in the morning, eat breakfast, go to school, learn in school, eat lunch, go home, do homework, eat dinner, and prepare for bedtime. Ricky liked this book because he could relate to what all these kids were doing. He found it interesting that 2 girls in the pictures had nose rings and we ended up having a conversation about nose rings and why people want them and what they mean. He was actually grossed out!!

Anyways, this is a good book for kids because it exposes them to other cultures. The photography is excellent but I expect nothing short of excellent from a National Geographic book!

Published by National Geographic Society, 2009

I Know It's Autumn by Eileen Spinelli, Illustrated by Nancy Hayashi

Besides the fact that this book is nice to read to your child when the leaves turn colors, this book is also the first picture book I have encountered that features an inter-racial couple as the mommy and daddy. The mommy is Caucasian and the father seems to be American Indian or Asian. Since my son is half Caucasian and half Filipino, I think it is neat (and I *never* use that word - it's so very 80s) that there is a book out there that features an inter-racial family.

The story is sweet and the illustrations are great too - thanks to the talents of Nancy Hayashi. Ricky is starting to memorize this book...a Fall favorite!