LISSA LOVES BUGS and 2 other Ecology/Conservation related titles!
Having an interest at an early age in animals and plants will serve to benefit our world. Here are several choices to engage middle grade readers with what they can do to become a friend of the earth.
First up is a fun story centered around an ecological mystery and a little bit of magic. Geared toward 7-9 year olds, LISSA LOVES BUGS is a perfect title to bridge the gap to lengthier middle grade books.
Lissa is a true bug lover and on her 9th birthday she finds a magnifying glass when pointed at something not only reveals facts but also hidden messages. What it does to Wren, one of her friends, is even more of a mystery.
The two of them have a big challenge: find out the cause of what is making the garden behind Lisa’s house sick. The ecosystem is in danger and there’s not much time to convince city leaders of a solution that will save their community.
The ten chapters are filled with black and white illustrations showing the range of emotions for the main characters. They are skillfully done, accompanying the text in a pleasing way.
LISSA LOVES BUGS would make a great read aloud at school or home. A cliffhanger at the end leads us toward the next book in the WONDER LENS FRIENDS series: LUNA LOVES SPACE. Young readers will be anxious to find out what happens next.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR
Tracy Blom is an award-winning author of over forty published books. Her work has received STEM accreditation, Teacher’s Pick Awards, Reader’s Favorite Awards, and has appeared in magazines and blogs internationally and domestically. She is very involved in her community and offers creative writing workshops through The Girl Scouts of Ohio, The Ohio Learning Project, Ohio Wesleyan University, and the Arts Castle. In the Spring of 2024 she co-created the Byrd & Blom Storytelling Contest to boost literacy rates across Ohio, and offer one child the chance to have their story turned into a cartoon. Tracy is a host on the Authors On The Air Global Radio Network, which is available in 153 countries and has over 4 million unique listeners. Her show, Books, Kids & Creations, features people worldwide who inspire future generations with their work. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently resides in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband and two rescue dogs. Learn more at www.theblomdotcom.com/.
Cathy Morrison is passionate about nature, science and the environment. Combining her degrees in fine arts and education along with her background in animation and graphic design she researches and illustrates a variety of books, including picture books, chapter books and creative nonfiction. Cathy’s studio is in the foothills northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado, with a panoramic view of Rocky Mountain National Park.
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Another series, WILDLIFE RESCUE, debuts this fall. HOW TO SAVE AN OTTER and HOW TO SAVE AN OWL are the first books that will be available on September 2nd. Here’s a video preview from author Kate Messner.
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Last up is CONSERVATION SUCCESS-Protecting Wild Spaces and Species, a fantastic learning resource.
The guide features areas of the world where conservation has a winning record with success stories from the past. The emphasis is on protecting species, habitats, and our planet. The 8 chapters begin with an essential question that helps readers focus on an answer as they are reading. The chapter titles are a hint as to what is included:
- Ecosystem Restoration
- Ready for Rewilding
- Discover Reintroduction
- Species Recovery
- Habitat Reconnection
- Community Based Conservation
- Encouraging Ecotourism
- Laws and Protections
If you find words you may not understand, they are listed with definitions right on the page. Frequent inclusion of QR codes are a great extended resource included throughout. There are also hands-on projects with detailed directions. Ones like EXPERIMENTING WITH OIL SPILL CLEANUP and DEVELOP SEED BOMBS extend learning past the written words in each chapter.
Even the most reluctant learner will find success with CONSERVATION SUCCESS . Highly recommended for home or classroom.
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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights from other individuals blogging about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.
It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. Email me the title of the book or feature and a link to your blog at gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com
Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and don’t forget to say what you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for that week’s MMGM.
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.
