STEAMpunks Reading List: Water

This month at STEAMpunks, we are having fun with all things water!

Science & The Environment
All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon
The Magic School Bus Wet All Over: A Book About the Water Cycle by Joanna Cole
Oil Spill: Disaster by Mona Chiang
Saving Water by Rebecca Olien
Toilet: How it Works by David Macaulay
Water Everywhere by Jill Atkins
Water is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle by Miranda Paul
Water Wow! An Infographic Exploration by Antonia Banyard
Where Does the Bathwater Go? By Daisy Allyn

Fun with Water
Experiments with Water by Angela Royston
Puppy Pool Party! An Underwater Dogs Adventure by Seth Casteel
Step-by-Step Experiments with the Water Cycle by Shirley Duke
Super Simple Things to Do with Water: Fun and Easy Science for Kids by Kelly Doudna
Swimming for Fun by Andrew Willett
Water: Information and Projects to Reduce Your Environmental Footprint by Helen Whittaker
Water Parks by S.L. Hamilton
Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton

Water as Habitat
Blast Off Readers! Ocean Life Up Close  by various authors
Endangered and Extinct Fish by Jennifery Boothroyd
The Magic School Bus, On the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole
Rivers, Lakes and Wetlands 
Song of the Water Boatman & Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman
Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems by Kate Coombs
What is it Like to Be a Fish by Wendy Pfeffer

Bird City Book List

Did you know that Evansville is an official Bird City? Since 2011, Evansville has been recognized as a Bird City for its work in educating the public about birds and implementing sound conservation practices. In celebration of this, here are some great books for the birds!




Books for Children
Beautiful Birds by Jean Roussen
Birds by Kevin Henkes
Endangered and Extinct Birds by Jennifer Boothroyd
Every Day Birds by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Everything Bird: What Kids Really Want to Know About Birds by Cherie Winner
Have You Heard the Nesting Bird by Rita Gray
Hooray for Birds by Lucy Cousins
My Books of Birds by Geraldo Valerio
National Wildlife Federation's World of Birds by Kim Kurki
A Place for Birds by Melissa Stewart 
Wild About Wisconsin Birds: A Youth's Guide to the Birds of Wisconsin by Adele Porter

Books for Tweens & Teens
Aviary Wonders, Inc. Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual: Renewing the World's Bird Supply Since 2031 by Kate Samworth
Birds by Julie Beer (National Geographic Society)
National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Birds by Scott Weidensaul
National Geographic Angry Birds: 50 True Stories of the Fed Up, Feathered, and Furious by Mel White
This Strange Wilderness: The Life and Art of John James Audubon by Nancy Plain



Books for Adults

Birds of Wisconsin: A Field Guide by Stan Tekiela
Birds of Wisconsin by Owen J. Gromme
Easy Birdhouses & Feeders: Simple Projects to Attract & Retain the Birds You Want by Micheal Berger
For the Birds: A Month-by-Month Guide for Attracting Birds to Your Backyard by Anne Schmauss
North American Birds by Patrick Hook
The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Sibley
Tales of Remarkable Birds by Dominic Couzens
The World's Rarest Birds by Erik Hirschfeld

Picture Books About Feelings & Emotions

Emotional literacy is "the ability to identify, understand, and respond to emotions in oneself and others in a healthy manner" according to the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) at Vanderbilt University. Children with strong emotional literacy skills are able to cope with difficult situations and build strong connections with others in their lives.

Sharing books about emotions and feelings is a great way to build emotional literacy for children. Feelings and emotions are important, abstract concepts for young children to learn. Using books that prompt conversations about emotions are a great way to build up a child's emotional vocabulary which empowers children to be able to put their feelings into words.

Here is a selection of a few great titles in our collection:

Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Can I Tell You A Secret by Anna Kang (fear)

The Feelings Book by Todd Parr (emotions in general)

Have You Filled A Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud (happiness)

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney (anger)

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss (emotions in general)

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires (frustration, anger)

Nobody's Perfect by David Elloit (patience)

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty (embarassment, perserverance)

Sometime's I'm Bombaloo by Rachel Vail (anger)

Tiptop Cat by Roger C. Mader (fear)

Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods that Make My Day by Jamie
Lee Curtis (emotions in general)

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes (worry, anxiety)

When Sophie Gets Angry... Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang (anger)

For more suggestions, check out this extensive book list by CSEFEL.

Poetry Month for Kids

April is National Poetry Month! Now is the perfect time to check out a book of poetry. There are many great ones to choose from! Here are a few recommendations of recently published works of poetry for children.

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
Originally published by Golden Press in 1951, this new edition features restored artwork and classic poems for children. (Kindergarten - Grade 3)

Daniel Finds a Poem by Micha Archer
A lovely story about a young boy who asks all the animals he passes in the park, "What is poetry?" Together, they discover poetry all around. (Kindergarten - Grade 3)

Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko
Short poems on seasons and the natural world. (Grades 1-3)

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives & Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
A 2017 Newbery Honor Book and a 2017 Coretta Scott King Author & Illustrator Honor Book. This award winning poetry collection creates a powerful picture of the lives of 11 slaves. (Grades 4-6)

A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young by Michael Rosen
Silly rhymes and poems full of great rhythm. (Toddler-Preschool)

One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes
A collection of poems celebrating the poets of the Harlem Renaissance accompanied by beautiful artwork and historical notes. (Grades 5-8)

Somos como las nubes / We Are Like The Clouds by Jorge Argueta, translated by Elisa Amado
Bilingual poems that describe the experiences and emotions of children refugees and immigrants. (Grades 3-6)

Wet Cement: A Mix of Concrete Poems by Bob Raczka
A delightful collection of poems presented in interesting, visually appealing pages. (Grades 3-6)

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano
Short poems that capture a child's view of the different seasons. (Kindergaten - Grade 3)

For more resources on sharing poetry with children, check out the Poetry Foundation. Did you know that the Poetry Foundation appoints a Young Peoples Poet Laureate every two years? Author Jacqueline Woodson is currently serving in this role! You can learn more about the Young People's Poet Laureate here. This person "aims to raise awareness that young people have a nation receptivity to poetry and are its most appreciate audience, especially when poems are written specifically for them."

Happy Poetry Month!