Sunday 1 February 2015

Reptiles With No Legs


As nature is slowly preparing for spring, a process still hidden away from us under a blanket of snow, reptiles will soon wake up from their long hibernating slumber, slowly warming their bodies to life again.

Isn't this an amazing feat?

So, why not anticipate spring with a set of some of the best children's books on snakes?

A Snake's Body, by Joanna Cole (of Magic School Bus fame) was a great one to read! I have never learned so much about snakes! Very engaging, hard to put down and filled with many interesting close-up photographs, this book will surely stay with kids for a long time. Highly recommended!

A Snake-Lover's Diary, by Barbara Brenner, is equally captivating. As children accompany a young boy in his snake-collecting endeavor over one spring and summer, they will learn many, many interesting things along the way.

"This vivid story is full of adventure: imagine finding fang marks on your boot where a Timber Rattlesnake has struck. Or losing your Kingsnake in a dishwasher. Wouldn't you be startled to see two constrictors, feeding in the same tank, try to swallow each other instead of their dinner? What do you do when a Water Snake lets loose his secret weapon?''

For a delightfully readable look at rattlesnakes, try Buzztail, by Robert McClung. Children will easily absorb many facts about rattlers that are embedded in this exciting narrative.

More fun facts about snakes can be found in Reptiles Do the Strangest Things, by Leonora and Arthur Hornblow! The hog-nose snake has a repertoire of fascinating tricks to scare an enemy away, which are almost ... downright cute! (By the way, this is one of the snakes collected by the boy in A Snake-Lover's Diary!)

The True Book of Reptiles, by Lois Ballard, is another good introduction, especially for younger kids.

All these books will be available at our next library day but can now also be reserved by members in advance at:

CTL: Children's Treasury Library









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