January 13, 2012

Look who is on the front of Barnes & Noble’s "Ages 6-8" eBook homepage! If you have been thinking about trying a Seymour Simon eBook for your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch or Nook Color, now could be the time. Seymour is running an end of season blowout sale, with some of his very popular eBooks priced under $2.

Parents and Educators who have followed Seymour Simon’s work over the years know that he has always been very forward looking when it comes to technology. Back in the 1980s, when personal computers were first becoming available, he wrote a whole series of books for kids about using computers. The titles seem very quaint now (remember THE BASIC BOOK, or MEET THE COMPUTER?!), but he has always embraced technology and the wonderful opportunities it presents for kids to learn and explore.

Today, Seymour Simon has embraced eBooks as a new technology for encouraging young readers. Some of these books are new titles that he has created specifically for eReaders (like WHY DO KITTENS DO THAT? and SILLY ZOO ANIMAL JOKES & RIDDLES). But, he also sees this as an opportunity to bring some of his treasured, out-of-print older books like ANIMAL FACT / ANIMAL FABLE, and the PLANET books back to life. 

If you have access to a digital reader (or you know a kid who does), this is the time to give these eBooks a try. After all, lifelong readers find their way in through all sorts of different channels.

April 13, 2011

What animal can . . .

• run so fast, its feet don’t always touch the ground? 

• weigh more than 2,000 pounds?

• sense people’s emotions by their smell?

•  . . . and wear shoes?

A horse, of course! Horses are some of the most fascinating - and historically important - creatures on Earth. Are you, or your class, interested in horses? We received this letter last week from a teacher:

"Your books are awesome and so engaging for elementary school, middle, and high school students.  I am a 4th grade English Language Arts Teacher and I plan to get your book, HORSES, to use as part of a unit.  Does your book discuss the impact of horses on Native Americans for hunting buffalo?"  

Our answer was "yes," Seymour Simon’s book HORSES includes the role of horses in American history, including their role in making Native Americans "the mounted buffalo hunters and warriors of the Great Plains."

Then we realized that we had never uploaded the free Teacher Guide which you can download from Seymour’s website and use with HORSES. We have added it now now, and it is quite extensive, with Questions for Before and After Reading, Activities, Additional Resources, and a Student Activity page.

If you haven’t yet tried one of Seymour Simon’s Teacher Guides (which are suited for either classroom or home use), try this one today!

All photographs from Seymour Simon’s HORSES (HarperCollins, 2006)

April 12, 2011

Today’s "Cool Photo of the Week" features 15-year-old Regina Mayer, who lives in Germany and wanted a horse in the worst way. Unfortunately, her parents didn’t agree.

So, Regina did the next best thing. When this cow, named Luna, was born on her family’s farm, Regina decided to train her. She put a halter on the calf and started taking her for long walks in the woods. Then, she tried walking her with a saddle on, and finally, she sat in the saddle. Now, she not only rides Luna, but she has taught the cow how to jump!

Photo: Kerstin Joensson / AP

May 28, 2010

I came upon a lovely scene while driving on this pre-Memorial Day afternoon.