Elusive Moose

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 6, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1905236751
ISBN-13: 978-1905236756
Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches

Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–

An unseen narrator lists the variety of northern wildlife she has seen, while expressing her desire to see a moose. Even just one glimpse of the elusive beast would fulfill her wish. The simple text is brought to life by endearing fabric appliqué illustrations. Each spread brims with cuddly looking felt animals and birds, adorned with button eyes, sequin spots, and pom-pom noses. The textured artwork lovingly depicts horses in a green pasture, beavers gnawing white birch trees, ducks swimming in a blue-patterned pond, etc. Colorful flowers made from an assortment of beads, fabric scraps, and creative stitch work add depth and contrast to the pictures. Observant children will notice that the yearned-for moose appears in each spread, often partly hidden but sometimes in plain view, adding to the fun. Back matter includes an annotated picture catalog of the animals mentioned and shows their tracks. A cozy fall-turns-to-winter story to share with budding nature lovers.–Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Fabric and felt collages, accented with tiny sequins, buttons, and beads, make a cozy, tactile backdrop for this humorous, winning lament. The narrator, whom viewers never see, gives a rhyming catalog of all the animals he or she has seen in the north woods: "Far off in the north / I've seen horses with foals. / I've spied beaver families / And marmots and moles." But never has the narrator seen a moose. The joke of the book, which grows richer with each reading, is that moose are present in part in every double-spread--antlers peeking through forest foliage, "moose hoof prints / On land white with snow." Finally, on the last spread, the narrator's wish comes true: there's a moose looking right at the viewer. Appended are several pages that picture and identify the animals that appeared in the book as well as a selection of animal tracks and a "Meet the Moose!" page of intriguing information about the shy creature. Connie FletcherCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A cozy fall-turns-to-winter story to share with budding nature lovers." --School Library Journal

Product Description

Travel to the northern lands to search for the elusive moose hidden in every scene of this charming book. You'll learn about the animals and the changing seasons in no time with the informative notes at the end.

About the Author

Joan Gannij began her career as a writer/photographer in America, before moving to Amsterdam to focus on her writing. She has written a number of travel guides and poetry collections, and Elusive Moose is her first project for Barefoot Books. Clare Beaton has been charming audiences for years with her handcrafted children's picture books. She has published many titles with Barefoot, including How Big is A Pig? (PB: 9781841480787; BB: 9781841489582), Mother Goose Remembers (HC with CD: 9781846860034), Secret Seahorse (HC: 9781841480787; PB: 9781841488769; BB: 9781905236145), and I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur (HC: 9781841482378; BB: 9781846860157). Clare lives in London. --This text refers to the Board book edition.

Lesson Plan Ideas

1. Moose Facts

http://www.moosefoundation.org/moose_facts.htm

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/moose.html

http://www.mymoose.com/Moose_Facts/moose_facts.html

http://eduscapes.com/nature/moose/kids.htm

http://mooseworld.com/

http://www.facts-about.org.uk/animals-moose.htm

2. Unit on Alaskan moose, using all subjects by Michelle C. Massion

http://www.col-ed.org/cur/misc/misc17.txt

3. ANKN searchable lessons and units

http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/curriculum/units/moose.html

I Dreamt I Was A Dinosaur

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 3, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1841482382
ISBN-13: 978-1841482385
Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.8 x 0.5 inches

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal (PreSchool-Grade 2)

Fantastical dinosaurs in a medley of plush hues are introduced in this charming picture book. The narrator begins by stating, I dreamt I was a dinosaur./You should have seen me romp and roar! Creatures created out of antique fabrics, felt, and other bric-a-brac cavort across the spreads; chomp on dyed yarn grass; forage for food among lacey flowers and ribboned stems; and swoop across the sky next to a sequined lava-spewing volcano. The sweet and simple text keeps the rhythm moving and works well with the art, always complementing and never competing for space. The pictures really do steal the show, though, with their incredible detail and inventiveness. Sequins have never looked so good. A small snail, hidden on each page, also entices readers to pore over the pages. At the end, the young narrator is seen in his bed, clutching his toy dinosaur. Then everybody disappeared–the dinosaurs had fled./Just my baby diplodocus lay beside me in my bed. A turn of the page reveals a plethora of information that will hold the attention of dinosaur fans. Even better are the Meet the Dinosaurs pages that identify the reptiles from the story, offering pronunciation guides and brief facts on each. This is easily one of the most adorable dinosaur books out there for the preschool-primary crowd.–Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"This is easily one of the most adorable dinosaur books out there for the preschool- primary crowd." --School Library Journal

Product Description

If you could be a dinosaur, which would you be? Would you roar like the ferocious T-Rex? Or soar overhead like the pterodactyl? In this playful early-learning book, Stella Blackstone s lyrical, rhyming text takes readers on an unforgettable Jurassic journey, while fabric artist Clare Beaton recreates the prehistoric world of dinosaurs using a colorful array of felt, sequins, beads and buttons.

About the Author

Stella Blackstone has written many best-selling titles for Barefoot Books, including the popular Bear and Cleo series, An Island in the Sun (HC: 1-84148-193-9; PB: 1-84148-0797-7) and Secret Seahorse (HC: 1-84148-704-X; PB: 1-84148-937-9; BB: 1-905236-15-8). Stella lives in Somerset, England. Clare Beaton has been charming audiences for years with her handcrafted children's picture books. She has published many titles with Barefoot, including Mother Goose Remembers (1-84148-073-8), Who Are You, Baby Kangaroo? (HC: 1-84148-217-X; BB: 1-905236-19-0) and Secret Seahorse (HC: 1-84148-704-X; PB: 1-84148-937-9; BB: 1-905236-15-8). Clare lives in London, England. --This text refers to the Board book edition.

Lesson Plan Ideas

1. Dinosaur theme page http://www.cln.org/themes/dinosaur.html

2. Dino activities from Children's Chicago Museum http://www.cln.org/themes/dinosaur.html

3. Dinosaur unit http://www.prekinders.com/dinosaurunit.htm