Monthly Archives: November 2018

Resource Review: National Geographic’s Field Guide to Birds

One of my favorite activities to undertake with my kids is heading out into nature and taking a look at what different forms of flora and fauna we see. I’ve been meaning to build a collection of field guides so I can help my kids to identify the different things we see. When I was offered the chance to review National Geographic’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America, I was happy to do so.

This volume is a really great reference to have on hand – both for any nature studies and just for watching outside of your windows. I wish I’d had it on hand months ago when we had a large bird of some sort hanging out on one of our trees (I think it was a hawk). There are greatly detailed illustrations of the different birds, depicting adult birds and their young. Each entry has a map showing where the bird is commonly found – to help with identification – and a little summary of the bird. I’m sure it will come in useful many times in the coming years, and I would argue that good field guides are must-haves for anyone teaching biology and ecology at home.

About Field Guide To The Birds Of North America

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 7 edition (September 12, 2017)

This fully revised and updated edition of the best-selling North American bird field guide is the most up-to-date guide on the market.

Perfect for beginning to advanced birders, it is the only book organized to match the latest American Ornithologists’ Union taxonomy. With more than 2.75 million copies in print, this perennial bestseller is the most frequently updated of all North American bird field guides. Filled with hand-painted illustrations from top nature artists, this latest edition is poised to become an instant must-have for every serious birder in the United States and Canada.

The 7th edition includes 37 new species for a total of 1,023 species. Sixteen new pages allow for 250 fresh illustrations, 80 new maps, and 350 map revisions. With taxonomy updated to recent significant scientific rearrangement, the addition of standardized banding codes, and text completely vetted by birding experts, this new edition will stand at the top of the list of birding field guides for years to come.

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Purchase Links

National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Resource Review: The Splendor of Birds

I have a confession: I don’t like birds. I mean, I think they’re absolutely beautiful creatures, but for some reason, they terrify me. That said, every one of my kids has been fascinated with birds – and with good reason. They fly, they’re beautiful, and they’re covered in feathers. National Geographic’s The Splendor of Birds is the first of two resources on learning about birds that I had the opportunity to review  (the second resource will be reviewed later this week).

This volume goes through the history of art and photographs depicting birds in National Geographic. This is a visually stunning volume. In addition to the imagery in the book, there are excerpts from National Geographic covering birds. My kids enjoyed looking through the book and seeing the vast variety of birds that there are in the world. This is a great volume ot have in your homeschool library for artistic reference (for kids wanting to draw birds), biology reference, and just for kids who are curious about birds to look through.

About The Splendor of Birds

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (October 23, 2018)

An elegant collection of the best artwork and photography from the National Geographic archives depicting the magnificence of birds.

Bird, nature, and art lovers alike will treasure this sumptuous visual celebration of the colors, forms, and behaviors of the winged wonders who share our world as they have been explored, displayed, and revealed throughout the years by National Geographic. The book moves chronologically so readers witness the tremendous growth in our knowledge of birds over the last 130 years, as well as the new frontiers in technology and observation–from luminous vintage paintings and classic black and white photographs to state-of-the art high-speed and telephoto camera shots that reveal moments rarely seen and sights invisible to the human eye. The wide diversity of pictures captures beloved songbirds outside the kitchen window, theatrical courtship dance of birds of paradise, tender moments inside a tern’s nest, or the vivid flash of a hummingbird’s flight. Readers will delight in seeing iconic species from around the world through the eyes of acclaimed National Geographic wildlife photographers such as Chris Johns, Frans Lanting, Joel Sartore, and Tim Laman and reading excerpted passages from Arthur A. Allen, Roger Tory Peterson, Douglas Chadwick, Jane Goodall, and other great explorers. Exquisitely produced and expertly curated, this visual treasury displays as never before the irresistible beauty, grace, and intelligence of our feathered friends.

Purchase Links

National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Resource Review: National Geographic’s Space Atlas

My kids love space and all things planets and astronauts. I suspect a lot of kids feel the same (I know I did as a kid). When I was offered the opportunity to review National Geographic’s Space Atlas, I was thrilled to do so. This volume is nothing less than stellar. The illustrations are vivid and informative. Who knew there was so much of the surface of Mercury mapped? As I flipped through it with my nearly-three year old looking over my shoulder, I appreciated how the book provides a nice visual aid in teaching about our solar system on a very basic level, but then it also provides a nice reference resource for middle schoolers and high school students.

In addition to mapping out the universe, National Geographic’s Space Atlas also has information about the history of astronomy, the origins of the universe (The Big Bang), and the history of space travel. It makes for an outstanding reference resource for all homeschooling families.

About Space Atlas

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 2 edition (October 23, 2018)

Space Atlas combines updated maps, lavish photographs, and elegant illustrations to chart the solar system, the universe, and beyond. For space enthusiasts, science lovers, and star gazers, here is the newly revised edition of National Geographic’s enduring guide to space, with a new introduction by American hero Buzz Aldrin.

In this guided tour of our planetary neighborhood, the Milky Way and other galaxies, and beyond, detailed maps and fascinating imagery from recent space missions partner with clear, authoritative scientific information. Starting with the sun and moving outward into space, acclaimed science writer and physicist James Trefil illuminates each planet, the most important moons, significant asteroids, and other objects in our solar system. Looking beyond, he explains what we know about the Milky Way and other galaxies–and how we know it, with clear explanations of the basics of astrophysics, including dark matter and gravitational waves. For this new edition, and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his moonwalk, astronaut and American hero Buzz Aldrin offers a new special section on Earth’s moon and its essential role in space exploration past and future.

Purchase Links

National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Resource Review: Visual Atlas of the World

Every household should have an up-to-date-atlas, especially if that household is a homeschooling household. Recently, I received National Geographic’s Visual Atlas of the World to review on this blog. The book is rather large (as an atlas should be) and it comes with a slip box to help keep it looking nice. In addition to containing many maps, the atlas has sections on how to use an atlas and geographical features.

The illustrations and photographs are gorgeous, of course, one expects nothing less when it comes to National Geographic. What really impressed me, however, is that the educational value of this volume goes much deeper than just looking to see where things are. My preschooler poured over the pages while I was flipping through, pointing at different landmarks and asking what they were. It’s going to be an invaluable resource, both as we learn geography and as we learn about history and current events through the years.

About Visual Atlas of the World

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic; 2 edition (September 19, 2017)

Uniting National Geographic’s incomparable photography with state-of-the-art cartographic technology, this is the most compelling, authoritative, and up-to-the-moment visual atlas on the market.

Reimagined and completely updated for the first time since 2008, National Geographic’s visual atlas of the world will delight and inspire. From spectacular space imagery to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this stunning book showcases the diverse natural and cultural treasures of the world in glorious color. Featuring more than 200 fascinating maps, more than 350 new photos, and state-of-the-art cartography and satellite imagery, this is a must-have reference for families, travelers, students, librarians, and scholars. Each page was created in collaboration with the world’s premier scientists, geographers, and cartographers and is populated with the most up-to-date information available, making this book the most beautiful and authoritative visual atlas available today.

 

Purchase Links

National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble