Review: Deadly Scorpion Sting! by Kevin Blake

DEADLY SCORPION STING!

Envenomators

by Kevin Blake

Bearport Publishing

Picture Book Non-Fiction

ages 8 to 12

Deep in the jungles of Thailand, Gareth Pike awoke one sunny morning in 2007. As he was getting dressed, he reached down to grab a pair of shorts off his floor. Suddenly, Gareth felt a horrible stinging pain in his thumb. Then he spotted a deadly black scorpion scurrying away. "I was in dreadful pain," said Gareth. Would he survive his encounter with a venomous scorpion? Learn all about venomous scorpions in this engrossing new narrative nonfiction book for young readers. It's packed with exciting wildlife encounters, cutting-edge science, and loads of info about venom and its deadly effects.

MY TIDBITS

Friends of creepy crawlies and more dangerous creatures will not only get a thrill but learn all sorts of things about the world of scorpions.

The theme of this book is very clear—deadly scorpions. The first page already introduces a wild environment in the jungles of Thailand and a man who lost his life thanks to a tiny black scorpion. The ominous tone is set...and it's clear why this book isn't recommend for younger readers. But this isn't a 'horror' story. Rather, facts are everything, and while the danger of the venom is clear, the scientific end stays front and center. A few real-life stories from victims, who've been stung by scorpions give the book a creepy setting which is sure to intrigue readers, but at the same time, the scorpions are explained, investigated and presented not only from a biological stand-point but also from a chemical one. Readers learn that the venom might be dangerous, but it also offers hopes for the future in medicinal areas.

Various species of scorpions are presented with bright, clear photos which present them in the natural habitat. The anatomy is briefly explained, habits, anti-venom and the truth about scorpion stings. While the main information is presented in paragraph form, other interesting tidbits are scattered in bubbles throughout the page, making it fun to flip through. At the end of the book, there's a glossary, a small chart of the three scorpions to really look out for, an index, places where more information can be found, and a website address to also learn more.

It's a short, bright book which especially reluctant readers will appreciate. The information is well laid-out, making it interesting and enjoyable to flip through time and again.

Welcome to the world of venomous animals! Discover a lizard that can take down a huge water buffalo, a small spiny frog that can kill a human, a tiny black scorpion that can sicken a person to the point of death, and much more. In this engrossing narrative nonfiction series for young readers, learn about which venomous animals are the most deadly to humans, the effects of venom, and how scientists are using venom to create lifesaving drugs. Packed with exciting wildlife encounters, cutting-edge science, and loads of info about venom and its deadly effects, this exciting new series will captivate young readers.

There are six titles in this series:

You can find more at: https://bearportpublishing.com/shop/show/12376

Deadly Scorpion Sting!

Deadly Frogs!

Deadly Lizard Bite!

Deadly Snake Bite!

Deadly Spider Bite!

Deadly Venomous Mammals!

Review: Titanic's Fatal Voyage by Kevin Blake

TITANIC'S FATAL VOYAGE

by Kevin Blake

Bearport Publishing

January 1st, 2018

Children's Non-Fiction

32 pages

ages 8 and up

"Iceberg right ahead!" yelled Frederick Fleet, a crewmember aboard the Titanic. The ship had only seconds to spare.Titanic'sofficers steered the ship to the left as quickly as they could to avoid a head-on collision. But they weren't fast enough. The right side of the ship struck the side of the ice mountain floating in the north Atlantic. The fate of theTitanic--and its 1,317 passengers and 885 crewmembers--had been sealed.Titanic's Fatal Voyage tells the devastating story of how the gigantic and supposedly unsinkable ship was swallowed by the sea on its maiden voyage. Readers will learn about the ocean liner's journey in vivid detail, as well as incredible tales of courage and survival. The fascinating content and large-format color images, maps, and fact boxes bring theTitanic's tragic story to life.Titanic's Fatal Voyage ispart of Bearport'sTitanica series.

MY TIDBITS

Although short, these pages hold a small wealth of information surrounding the history—from construction to passengers to the tragedy—of the titanic.

The first pages grab attention by giving a short glimpse of the Titanic the moment the iceberg was first spotted. After this raised tension, it slides back to explain the dreams behind the development and design of the huge, luxury ship. In two-page spread sections, various moments and facts leading up to the accident are presented. This lay-out keeps the information exciting and concise enough to hold the interest of even more reluctant readers.

Each section of the historical glimpses starts off with a short description, which gives the names of the people involved, various facts surrounding the ship and short explanations. The print is fairly large, making it easy to read. More difficult terms are placed in bold and can be found again in the glossary at the end of the book. While these paragraphs do hold the brunt of the historical facts, it's the added remarks thrown in among the pictures and illustrations which make this book fun.

The text is supported by bright and very clear photographs, which not only bring the historical side alive, but also add assistance on understanding more technical aspects of the history and ship. There are dabs of extra and fun facts scattered among the pages, which deepen the knowledge but also, are simply fun to read.

This books does stick to hard facts. Although it can be read in one sitting, it's the kind of book to go back to and check certain pieces of information later again. Some of the information is well-known, while other things will probably be a surprise. The addition of real photographs, especially of the passengers, adds a nice touch.

Discover more about the series here!

Get ready to set sail on the greatest—and most doomed— ship ever built. In this riveting new series, children will learn about all things Titanic. They will explore how the massive ship was built, get to know the Titanic’s passengers and crew, and experience, in vivid detail, the terrible accident that sealed the ship’s fate. Readers will also delve into the famous shipwreck, as well as uncover the spooky and mysterious tales that surround the Titanic. The fascinating content and large-format color images, maps, and fact boxes bring the tragic story to life.

Poster Also Available! Order Direct and Get a FREE poster when you buy the complete 6-book set of Titanica. No promo code necessary. There are six books in the Titanica series. When ordering the entire series, the poster is added automatically as the seventh product.

Review: Eco-Disasters Series from Bearport Publishing

This is a non-fiction, picture book series for kids ages 5 and up (and was immediately a favorite of my son.)

Black blizzards. Toxic water. Killer smog. Deadly oil spills. In this compelling new narrative nonfiction series, readers will learn about the world's worst environmental disasters. Through riveting stories and first-person accounts, each book traces an ecological catastrophe from the beginning to its aftermath. Readers will uncover the truth about what caused the tragedy, the disaster's devastating toll on people and the environment, steps taken to remedy the problem, as well as what can be done to prevent another catastrophe from happening in the future. Fascinating photos of the actual events, maps, and fact boxes enrich the compelling text. The personal, and often heart-breaking, stories will grip and inspire young readers.

Eight titles are in the series, all of which you can find here.

Here are the two titles, which I've read (after prying them out of my son's fingers....seriously.)

DEADLY MINE

Libby, Montana

Eco-Disasters

by Kevin Blake

Bearport Publishing

Non-Fiction Picture Book

32 pages

In 1963, Les Skramstad came home after a hard day's work at the local mill and mine in Libby, Montana. His wife kissed him at the door and his kids playfully grabbed his legs. They didn't mind that he was covered in powdery brown dust. Little did Les and his family know that the dust was deadly. Deadly Mine: Libby, Montana traces the tragic story of a small mining town that eventually became poisoned by a deadly mineral called asbestos. Fascinating photos of the actual events, maps, and fact boxes enrich the compelling text. The personal and heart-breaking story will grip and inspire young readers. 

 MY TIDBITS

With careful explanations and descriptions, this book gives young readers a glimpse into one of the largest environmental catastrophes in United States' history.

The first pages set the mood with the tragic story of a miner and his family, who became sick from poisonous dust in the town of Libby, Montana. Young readers are emotionally pulled into the situation, which sets a perfect seen for the more historical and factual information. The next chapters explain how the mineral was discovered, what this discovery meant at the time, and how people were able to benefit from the mining during the early years. Like a mystery, the problems unfold. The information is concise but told with enough excitement and emotion to keep younger readers engaged. Everything for the chemical aspects, the medical results to the governmental policies is covered in a way readers of this age group will understand. More difficult words are highlighted and placed again in a glossary at the end of the book.

The seriousness of the situation is ever present, but never overwhelming. Readers are not talked down to, but given solid facts and arguments, which will lead them to thought. Information concerning how the situation is being taken care of is also included, allowing the book to end on a slightly higher note without undermining the horrible aspects of the occurrence. A website address at the end leads kids to a little information concerning the catastrophe and offers a crossword puzzle as well.

The real-life photographs are bright and bring clarity to the explanations found in the text. Young readers gain a greater appreciation for the event and can easily slip into the shoes of those effected by the disaster.

Children, ages six and up, who are interested in science, nature or world happenings are sure to enjoy this book and soak up the information. My own son thoroughly enjoyed this book and is determined to read through the entire series.

KILLER SMOG

London, England

Eco-Disasters

by Joyce Markovics

Bearport Publishing

Non-Fiction Picture Book

ages 5 and up

32 pages

In December 1952, a thick layer of black smog blanketed London. The filthy air blinded people on the streets and brought traffic to a screeching halt. Worst of all, the pollution was deadly. It sickened 100,000 people and took the lives of 4,000. Killer Smog: London, England traces the devastating story of air pollution that took thousands of lives and brought London to a standstill. Fascinating photos of the actual events, maps, and fact boxes enrich the compelling text. The personal and heart-breaking story will grip and inspire young readers.

 MY TIDBITS

Natural disasters can come as unsuspecting as a fog, and this book explains how The Great Smog of 1952 occurred as well as the effects it had on all of London.

The first sentence opens like an eerie mystery and immediately draws young readers into the scene. Readers will sympathize with the little girl as she tries to make her way through the mysterious fog. The accompany photographs enrich the atmosphere, making the entire event come to life. The history behind the fog and its causes remains rooted in facts, while keeping the information from getting too dry. Quotes from people who experienced the situation as well as little bubbles of extra tidbits dabbled among the photographs make it fun to glimpse through the pages and grab up pieces of information on the way.

Although the seriousness of the catastrophe is never down-played, the ending offers a ray of hope and explains what has been done to hinder a future occurrence, and what is still being done to improve air quality in general. A glossary at the end offers definitions to the more difficult, high-lighted words in the book. There's also a link to a website, where kids can discover more about the smog and play a crossword puzzle.


You can find out more about the series as well as the rest of the books at. . .

http://bearportpublishing.com/shop/show/12209