Betsy Lewin

I really enjoyed this book because it was a very fun, engaging way to present counting to students who are beginning to learn about number sense. First, the author used first person to describe the amount of cats his friends and family had. This immediately would draw in students because it is more personable and exciting to read in first person. For example, the author would say, “I have one cat” or “My neighbor has seven”. Another reason this is a great book is because the actions show more of the cats and description of what they are doing is something funny to students at that age. Although it is personification of animals that can’t speak or have human-like tendencies, the author draws cats dancing and playing music, sitting at desks in a school classroom, walking a tight rope, and so much more. These silly things make students more eager to read and pay attention to what is going on and remember so that they can count the cats. Finally, this book encourages readers to count using cats as a distractor for plain old numbers. The big idea of this story is that when you have small groups of numbers they add up to something larger. show less

Habibi, the camel, is out of sorts. Ahmed, his owner, is worried, but cannot figure out the problem. Habibi sorts it out on his own, and all is well. It's a slight story, but pleasant and loving, with an interesting exotic background pictured matter-of-factly and Habibi is indeed a very handsome camel.

Previously I read Gorilla Walk by the same authors. This book, done in the same fashion with detailed text and exciting illustrations, is well worth reading.

The authors write of a very special expedition in the highlands of Angola, At the beginning of the year, the highlands begin to swell with rain and usually in May, the floodwaters reach the Moremi Reserve located in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. This is a unique time with wildlife travels along the delta, moving in the water. Now, show more hippos, buffalos, lions, leopards, wildebeests and giraffes, as well as approximately seventy thousands elephants can be found in this now dangerous area. Flying through a thunderstorm, the authors find a wild heard of impalas. They are met at the edge of the forest by a highly trained Bushman.

Traveling through water via a heavy vehicle, a camp is found. Lion cubs are found with their mother who protects them, the color of the growth, they are difficult to find. Unlike the lions, the Great Kudos with their long, spiral horns can now be seen, majestic in body, color and horns, they are a beauty to behold.

Giraffes are abundant as a baby nurses from her mother as she feasts high in the acacia pods. Finally the large herd of elephant, including two babies are see. The safari group remains downward of where the elephant are drinking, and the engine of the vehicle is always ready to react quickly should the elephants find them and charge.

This is a lovely book filled with a plethora of information about all the animals found on the trip of this couple who love to learn and shared their knowledge. show less

Another beautiful account of Ted & Betsy Lewin's travels around the world, this time to Mongolia for the Nadaam Festival. The illustrations tell the story as much as the text and does an amazing job depicting the lives of the children jockeys.