By Janet Halfmann
Soundprints
www.soundprints.com
353 Main Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06851-1552
800-228-7839
Little Black Ant on Park Street is more than a pretty paperback picture book. It is a 30-page book filled with information about the life of a black ant. The ant travels from his place in the ground through a number of locations, including a picnic. After the story narration, there is a page filled with factual information about the black ant and a glossary. Author Janet Halfmann integrated a lot of facts about the ant into the story line of the little black ant.
I found it to be a primary reading level book with gorgeous illustrations. The Smithsonian's Backyard series of books is for "children intrigued by the wildlife outside of their windows." One purpose of the series is to excite children about reading, and this book definitely did that. Little
Black Ant on Park Street would be a great addition to a science study of ants or of basic entomology. It would be great for the artist in the family who wants to study nature drawings as well as perspective drawing.
I love the perspective of the book. Illustrator Kathleen Rietz did an excellent job. The ant is drawn in perspective of the giant caterpillar and flower. It described a scent trail that I never knew about! The science in the book was amazing. It kept my science-loving kid listening as well as my kindergartner. It inspired my artist child to draw more. The story line in Little
Black Ant on Park Street is captivating. I found the price to be reasonable too.
This book was not written specifically for a homeschool audience or for a creation science reader. However, there is nothing in the book that is contradictory to a God-created universe.
I am going to look into more books in this series. Little
Black Ant on Park Street is a keeper in our home, a book that will be read month after month by each child in our home.
Product review by Maggi Beardsley, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January 2010
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