Welcome in Fall With a Good Book -- New Books from Prestel Publishing Not to Be Missed - Includes a Weather Pop-Up and Super Cool Labyrinth and Maze Book (Review)

 Disclosure: I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an hones review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

I am loving this time of year, not just for the beauty of the fall foliage here in New England, but because so many wonderful children's books have or will be released. And, I get to review and feature many of them in my 13th annual "Welcome in Fall with a Good Book" feature.  Today, I wanted to share a handful of recent releases from Prestel Publishing that my girls and I have been enjoying reading together, and that have come in handy for our homeschooling to cover such topics as the importance of microbes, history behind labyrinths and mazes, all about time zones and even a super cool weather pop-up book not to be missed.  Read on to learn more about these amazing books, perfect for kids of all ages...

Buy now in hardcover from Amazon for only $14.95

The Day Time Stopped by Flavia Ruotolo (October 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7489-5; Hardcover $14.95; Ages 5+; 48 pages)

This is a cute book that shares all about the different time zones around the world, and explains in a way children understand, why the time is not the same for everyone at any given point in a day. As kids flip through the book, they will get to experience 26 countries and 24 time zones.  With colorful and playful illustrations, young children will want to flip the page to see the next country and their time zone and what they are up to.  Such a fun and quick read, and one kids will enjoy time and again.

More about this book:

"One afternoon in Italy, a little girl is about to take a bite of her delicious popsicle when time . . . stops. At that very moment, across the planet, people and animals are frozen in action— captured by this book’s warm, quirky illustrations and clever, time-stamped captions. A penguin hatches in South Georgia; a little girl gets a haircut in Brazil; a family sits down to breakfast in California; a tiger falls asleep in Bangladesh; a boy’s football ball gets stuck in a tree in Cape Verde. The sheer enormity of planet Earth can be impossible for young kids to grasp. Here, in this playful introduction to time zones, hemispheres, and life in different climates, kids will identify with all the ordinary things going on at the same time in our extraordinary world."

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Buy now in hardcover from Amazon for only $14.19

Is There Life on Your Nose? by Christian Bortslap (September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7497-0; Hardcover $17.95; Ages 6+; 56 pages)

Do you have a science loving kid your life?  Or, maybe your kids are curious about how the body works, like my two girls?  If you said "Yes," to either of these, then "Is There Life on Your Nose?: Meet the Microbes" is the perfect book for them.  This book introduces kids in a full and informative way to microbes, that are found in our bodies, in the air we breathe and in foods we eat.  My girls really enjoyed the colorful and playful illustrations, as they helped them understand microbes even more. 

And, by the time they got to the end of the book, they were asking if this author has other science type books available, as they loved everything about the book.  

They learned so much and were able to school me on microbes.  Who knew learning about microbes could be so much fun?  Well, Christian Borstlap has made this topic fun with his illustrations and this wonderfully put together book. I highly recommend this book, especially for homeschooling families, as it would be perfect to add to your schooling and add on microbe experiments with it.

More about this book:

"Germs, microbes, bacteria—these days those words are fraught with fear and uncertainty. But they’re not all bad. In fact, most of them make life and nature possible. Christian Borstlap’s playful, boldly colored illustrations and cheerful text will help kids understand that microbes are everywhere—in our noses and tummies, in the food we eat, in the air we breathe. From the world’s largest organism in Oregon’s Blue Mountains, to the bacteria that started life on earth; from microbes that help recycle plastic, to yeast that makes bread taste good—this book shows the incredible diversity of these tiny beings and how they affect every aspect of our lives. Borstlap uses both science and humor to demystify a potentially scary subject, and closes with double-page spreads that are packed with information to satisfy the most curious readers"

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Buy now in hardcover from Amazon for only $25.00

The Weather Pop-Up Book by Maike Biederstaedt (September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7393-5; Hardcover $25; Ages 5+; 15 pages)

Wow! So Amazing!  I can't believe they made a book about weather like this...all these were comments my girls said when I shared "The Weather Pop-Up Book" with them recently.  They love pop up books -- don't all kids (and adults) -- but, especially loved this one for the fine detailing and close up of weather events, while also providing easy to understand informative descriptions to go along with each.  From storm cloud towers to snowflakes and a breathtaking arched rainbow, this book really is a sight to see. I found myself sitting down with the girls to read and enjoy this book, whenever they pulled it from the bookshelf.  They have learned so much about weather, and really love how artists can turn the topic of weather into a pop up book in such a cool way. Just look at some of the pop up scenes from the book...they are all so cool!

Weather can be a scary thing, especially storms and tornadoes.  But, weather can also be a fascinating topic to study. And, this book gets kids and adults excited about learning about the different weather patterns and scenarios. And, the pop up art is definitely not something you will see every day in a children's book. I highly recommend this book, and know your family will fall in love with it, and want to flip through it time and again, like my family has.

More about this book:

"In her hugely successful books Creatures of the Deep and What’s in the Egg?, as well as her enormously popular series of greeting cards for the Museum of Modern Art, Maike Biederstaedt has established herself as one of the preeminent paper artists working today. Now Biederstaedt takes book engineering to new heights as she immerses readers in five electrifying weather scenarios. As each spread unfolds, a meticulously designed landscape emerges—a freighter balances like a nutshell between high waves in the sea; a tornado takes terrifying aim at a truck trying to outrun it; a rain-spewing storm cloud towers like a skyscraper over a farm house. Nature’s delicate beauty emerges in the intricate shapes of a snowflake and in the luminous arc of a rainbow. Each page features an informative description of its weather event and the book closes with sobering commentary on the effects of climate change. A wondrous introduction to weather for budding climatologists, this is also an artistic tour de force that collectors will treasure."

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Buy now in hardcover from Amazon for only $19.99

The Book of Labyrinths and Mazes by Silke Vry and illustrated by Finn Dean (September 2021; ISBN: 978-3-7913-7474-1; Hardcover $19.95; Ages 7+; 96 pages)

Due to Covid, we spent a lot of time outside this summer, hiking or going on long car rides to check out of the beaten path places to explore.  One of our journeys took us to a garden labyrinth that my whole family fell in love with.  It was created by a husband who wanted to honor his late wife, and he intermixed her favorite flowers throughout the garden maze.  I was surprised that it was open to the public to walk through and enjoy. But, was so happy it was, as we had never seen an actual man-made labyrinth up close, nor walked through one.  And, after finding ourselves in the center of the beautiful garden maze, we decided we would continue to seek out and try and find other labyrinths that you can travel to and view in the United States.  

Seeing just how much my girls got into this labyrinth and wanting to learn more about them, and also mazes, I was excited to share this book of labyrinths and mazes with them.  I have always been a fan of Prestel Publishing and their books as they are so well made, and the illustrations and content is top notch. And, this book didn't disappoint. It contained so much great information about maxes and labyrinths in history and around the world, and really got my girls and I excited to research and find out more abut them, as well as try and find some close by to visit.  My girls have even created their own mazes after being inspired by this book and all the interesting facts and information learned, using straws and wooden sticks, along with a marble.  If you kids love mazes or puzzles,  or are just looking for fun and interesting book to read, then I highly recommend you check out this book.  It is one that the whole family will enjoy, and also makes for a great book to leave out on the coffee table, to be enjoyed time and time again.

More about this book:

"This brilliant book on mazes and labyrinths in history and the modern world encourages young readers to really think about why these puzzles are so appealing. Filled with photographs, drawings, artwork, illustrations, and puzzles, it takes a thematic approach to these enigmatic works. Why are we sometimes afraid to get lost—and why does the idea excite us? How do mazes and labyrinths figure in history and mythology? What can nature tell us about humankind’s obsession with lines, spirals, and patterns? Along the way children will learn about the labyrinth designed by Daedalus for King Minos in the ancient city of Crete; the mystery of the Hemet Maze Stone in southern California; and the magnificent labyrinth at the Cathedral of Chartres. They are encouraged to trace their fingers along a labyrinth to experience its soothing effect, to solve maze-related number puzzles, and to create their own mazes and labyrinths. Packed with fun facts and engaging ideas, this book will help children understand why mazes and labyrinths are so popular, while inspiring them to identify and create these fascinating puzzles in their own world."

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You can learn more about these and other great recent and upcoming children's book releases from Prestel Publishing by visiting https://prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de/PublishingHouse/Prestel/58500.rhd.  And, with the holidays fast approaching, why not consider picking up some new books for your kids to enjoy together. Books are a wonderful gift idea as they will be enjoyed time and time again, and never get boring or old, like all those expensive toys kids ask for and then stop playing with shortly after the holidays.

 Disclosure: I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an hones review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.