From the Children’s Room — April 2023

Check out these awesome new science books that just arrived in the Children’s Room! Put one on hold today. Then join us on Wednesday, April 19 at 6 pm for Get Charged! Family STEM Night. We’ll learn about electricity and circuits through fun hands-on activities. Recommended for kids ages 5 and up accompanied by an adult. Advance registration is required. You can drop by the Children’s Room to register, call (309) 343-6118, or email children@galesburglibrary.org

The Monkey Trial: John Scopes and the Battle Over Teaching Evolution by Anita Sanchez

Revealing little-known facts about the fight to teach evolution in schools, this riveting account of the dramatic 1925 Scopes Trial (aka “the Monkey Trial”) speaks directly to today’s fights over what students learn, the tension between science and religion, the influence of the media on public debate, and the power of one individual to change history.

Arrested? For teaching? John Scopes’s crime riveted the world, and crowds flocked to the trial of the man who dared to tell students about a forbidden topic—evolution.

The year was 1925, and discussing Darwin’s theory of evolution was illegal in Tennessee classrooms. Lawyers wanted to challenge the law, and businessmen smelled opportunity. But no one imagined the firestorm the Scopes Trial would ignite—or the media circus that would follow.

As reporters, souvenir-hawking vendors, angry protestors, and even real monkeys mobbed the courthouse, a breathless public followed the action live on national radio broadcasts. All were fascinated by the bitter duel between science and religion, an argument that boiled down to the question of who controls what students can learn—an issue that resonates to this day.

How Old is a Whale? Animal Life Spans from the Mayfly to the Immortal Jellyfish by Lily Murray, illustrated by Jesse Hodgson

We are all on Earth but for a fleeting moment, yet no two lives are the same. From the delicate mayfly, which lives for just a few precious hours, to the death-defying immortal jellyfish, this book about animal life cycles is a celebration of creatures big and small.

Beautifully written by best-selling children’s author Lily Murray, this book explores life spans across the animal kingdom, beginning with the very shortest and ending with the longest. Learn about the lives of the incredible monarch butterfly, the mysterious axolotl, the grand Galápagos tortoise, and many more in this uplifting and eye-opening book. Discover creatures who are born within a day of their mothers and others who stay infantile for almost one hundred years.

The Egg Book: See How Baby Animals Hatch, Step by Step! by Robert Burton

Learn about the remarkable beginnings of life with this adorable book of baby animals hatching from their eggs.

Find out all about how eggs hatch step by step in this fascinating baby animal book for children. Many animals start life inside eggs and this book explores these magical capsules in detail, with stunning photographs of the moment the creatures emerge.

Featuring more than 20 animals – including a penguin, a tortoise, and even a slug – this book documents the moment of hatching in detail. Children aged 5-7 can learn how birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates hatch from their eggs, as well as what happens inside an egg’s shell.

Eat Your Rocks, Croc!: Dr. Glider’s Advice for Troubled Animals by Jess Keating, illustrated by Pete Oswald

When animals have problems, they call on Dr. Sugar Glider to help!

Help me, Dr. Glider. My stomach is killing me! I eat all the same food as my family, but I’m the only one that feels sick. What’s wrong with me?

Dr. Sugar Glider travels around the world to help animals (and, on occasion, plants!) with all sorts of problems. Whether it’s a crocodile with a sick stomach, a creeped-out krill, a stressed meerkat, or a male praying mantis trying to date, Dr. Glider is ready to offer advice!

From powerhouse duo Jess Keating (Pink Is for Blobfish) and New York Times bestselling illustrator Pete Oswald (The Bad Seed), Eat Your Rocks, Croc! features hilarious stories, charming illustrations, and awesome true facts that will leave young readers enthralled by the real world of the animal kingdom. Robust back matter, featuring a glossary and a list of the featured creatures, makes this the perfect fit for the school curriculum.

Okapis by Joyce Markovics

This high-interest narrative nonfiction title introduces young readers to okapis–rare giraffe-like animals that live in African forests–and an amazing scientist who studies them. This book is packed with exciting wildlife encounters, basic facts about okapis, and first-hand accounts from a scientist at work in the field. Each book includes a table of contents, sidebars, glossary of key words, fast facts, index, and author biography.

All book descriptions courtesy of the publisher.