MrsK Books: Pipsie Nature Detective by Rick DeDonato

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Pipsie Nature Detective by Rick DeDonato

Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar

ISBN: 9781477826300

Publisher's Synopsis:

Pipsie loves everything wild—from dragonflies to oceans to tall, tall trees. She also loves solving mysteries. That’s why she’s a nature detective! When she and her turtle, Alfred, notice that their new friend, Frannie the caterpillar, has vanished, Pipsie is on the case. She grabs her magnifying glass, goes to her tree-house headquarters, and begins to search for clues. It’s time to make this mystery history!

Bursting with personality, this engaging story introduces a spunky new girl detective, a scooter-driving turtle who loves to eat, and a string of simple scientific clues that will keep kids turning the pages until the mystery is solved. Two pages of nature fun facts at the end of the story offer even more information for young nature detectives.

MrsK's Review:
Pipsie is a nature detective. She is so inquisitive, so determined, and very savvy as a detective. Her mission is to find her friend Frannie. Now Frannie was an unexpected friend who showed up one morning on Alfred Z Turtle (not just her pet but her assistant, her partner, her catalyst)...

"As sure as the shell on his back,

there were Yellow and Black stripes on his head!"

As their friendship "transforms," it is with dismay that seven days later Frannie goes missing. "With out a doubt," Pipsie and Alfred will search in "dark and icky places... sweet and sticky places... inside and outside..." there is no place they won't search!

This delightful mystery is quite "snappy." Pipsie overflows with personality. The scientific explanation of a caterpillar's metamorphosis into a butterfly is detailed with perfected word choice, journal illustrations (of course a detective keeps a detailed notebook of inquiry), and factual information that matches the audience's sense of discovery. Leaving no learning unavailable, there is six fun facts for discovery, as well as a Pipsie learning link for "closer" inspection. The attention to detail, especially in the journal entries provides endless opportunities for reader's to discuss and choose to copy into their own "nature detective" notebooks.

A must read... re-read... read again... and share adventure,
MrsK

Delightfully inspiring, alluring, and perfected for all audiences.

http://www.pipsienaturedetective.com/caterpillars-and-butterflies/

click the above link for Pipsie discovery fun

Meet the Author:
Rick was introduced to the world of art and creativity by his parents, Audrey and Emil DeDonato. His mom could look at anything and draw it. His Dad owned an advertising agency in Manhattan, where Rick loved to hang out with the artists and designers. Everyone was creative there!

These days Rick spends his time creating marketing and advertising campaigns. He writes and art directs and produces all forms of advertising for print, radio, and TV. He has worked with and directed actress S. Epatha Merkerson (Lt. Anita VanBuren, Law and Order) and Steve Allen (comedian and talk show host) and has won several major advertising awards for his creative work, including two east coast ADDY awards.

Fatherhood started Rick on the road to writing books! He wrote personal stories and created books for his kids. Pipsie is a friend Alexis made up when she was little, and she appeared in stories Rick and Alexis used to write and draw—The Adventures of Pipsie and Alexis! Alfred Z. Turtle who is Pipsie’s sidekick, is the cousin of Matt’s pet turtle, Alfred E. Turtle.

Meet the Illustrator:
Tracy Bishop
Hello! My name is Tracy Nishimura Bishop and I am a children’s book illustrator working in San Jose, CA.

I attended San Jose State University and enrolled in the animation/illustration program because I wanted to become a Disney animator. I quickly discovered that I didn't like doing animation at all but loved telling stories with illustrations instead. After graduating, I worked as a designer for ten years at places like Gymboree and the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose.

These days you can find me working at home drawing and painting away. My daily inspirations are my son, husband, and a hairy dog named Harry.

Some facts about me:

I got hooked on drawing when I won an art contest in Kindergarten.
I grew up in a U.S. Army base in Japan from the age of 5 through 13.
As a kid, I LOVED reading lots of Japanese manga instead of English books. This became a problem at school when my Japanese became better than my English.
I have an ever-growing collection of pencils and pens.

"I received this book for free for this review."

Two Lions: Children’s Picture Books, Chapter Books, and Novels

Amazon Publishing

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MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)