Elephants
Elephants is written by Kate Davis and illustrated by Rocio Martinez. I found this book both appealing and informative. Like The Chilly Little Penguin, this book is well illustrated. The images are cute and appealing for young readers, but not over stimulating. Elephants is not just a book about cute elephants. It is an informative book. I learned a few things about elephants that I didn't know.
The words are large and appropriate for developing readers. Baby elephants are just too cute so the story captures the reader's attention right away.
Elephants are mammals. They take care of their young. The elephant in the story is feeding her baby.
Your young reader will learn that some elephants come from Africa and others come from Asia. You can sneak in a little geography lesson here.
There are differences between African elephants and Asian elephants. African elephants are bigger than Asian elephants and they have bigger ears and longer tusks. Female Asian elephants don't even have tusks. You can sneak in a bigger/smaller concept lesson here. :)
Did you know that elephants can swim? I thought they just waded in water and enjoyed the mud, but those big ole' animals can swim!
Throughout the rest of the book, children learn that elephants in Africa don't usually swim because they don't get enough rain. The water they do have dries up easily. They travel together in herds. Children learn that lions feed on elephants, but if the mother elephants sense the danger, they have ways to protect the baby elephants. They'll learn that female elephants live in herds with their babies but male elephants live alone or with other males. If male elephants want a female elephant to notice them, they will fight. When the female elephant picks a male, they move away from the herd for a while and then soon a baby elephant grows inside the female.
I learned something else as I neared the end of the book. When it's time for a baby elephant to be born, the mother elephant moves away from the herd and another female elephant goes with her to help with the delivery. I had no idea. I think I enjoyed this book as much as children will enjoy it. I've always wanted to go on an African safari journey. Now I want to go more than ever.
By the way, if you have always wanted to go on an African Safari trip, here's your chance. Answers in Genesis has posted their 2020 Event Calendar. You can go on an African Safari with them. Learn more here.
At the end of the book, your developing reader will learn more elephant facts. Like me, moms and dads might learn new elephant facts too! Children will learn how to use an index that is printed on page 47.
You'll love Usborne Quicklinks. I took the liberty of going there and typing in "first reading elephants" as described on page 47. Go here now and learn more!
The Chilly Little Penguin and Elephants are part of the Read with Usborne Reading Program. Up next is Stories of Dogs by Russell Punter. Stories of Dogs is in the level 3 group for confident readers.
Find more facts about elephants and plan fun elephant activities. Follow my elephant board on Pinterest.
PIN ME!
