Outstanding Science Trade Book for
Students K-12,
National Science
Teachers Association (NSTA) and the Children's Book Council A Children's Book of the Month Club Selection
CBC "Go Green!" Summer Reading List
CYBILS Award Nominee in Nonfiction
Eric Carle Museum Best Book of 2011 List
Society of School Librarians International Honor Book Award
Gr K-6 - 'Birds are some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth,' writes Munro, who proceeds to explain just how so with all the enthralling pizzazz of the Guinness Book of Records. The design of the book is a winner: page left - an illustration of some eggs; page right - clues as to what bird laid the eggs; overleaf - a two-page spread of the bird in its milieu (with a small company of other creatures typically found there) and additional, often wowing, information about the bird. The illustrations are scrupulous but friendly and inviting, with none of the antiseptic character of a guidebook. The selection of birds allows for both the familiar - ostrich, hummingbird, eagle - and the unusual: black-legged kittiwakes, cactus wren, pegged for both the musicality of their names and some good and strange facts. Birds that sleep on the water with one eye open? Birds that build a nest as big as a car? Birds that can dive 700 feet under water? A bird taller than a professional basketball player? Birds that squat on anthills for the stinging thrill of it? They are all here. Munro doesn't just dole out the odd facts, but paints - literally and figuratively - a fine portrait of each bird, the kind that will keep a young reader rapt. Kirkus January 15, 2011
K-Gr 4 - Which bird can turn its head 270 degrees? Which bird can stay under water for up to 18 minutes? Which bird never drinks? Which bird can run faster than a racehorse? Whose nest weighs more than a car? These and other fascinating facts about familiar and unusual avian species from the great horned owl and the emperor penguin to the cactus wren, ostrich, and bald eagle are presented in a fun and accessible format. A simple illustration of an egg or group of eggs is accompanied by large, bold text posing the question: "Can you guess whose eggs these are?" The facing page includes a brief description of the mystery bird. Turn the page and a detailed spread reveals an expansive colored-ink illustration of the species, its nest, and its offspring along with more information and interesting facts. A white text box at the bottom of the page lists other animals that share the featured bird's habitat, and readers will enjoy searching for them among the intricate illustrations. Useful for classroom units, this inviting and attractive book will captivate young nature lovers. School Library Journal, May 2011.
K - 3 Munro presents fascinating
fact-profiles of nine mostly familiar birds --owls, hummingbirds, penguins,
eagles, and the like --in an engaging guessing-game format. For each bird,
we start with a two -page spread: on one side, a close-up of eggs ...; and on
the other side, a series of clues about the producers of those eggs. It's
thinking about the clues that will help readers to guess each bird, as the
clues contain information with which readers might be familiar (e.g., a bird
with the same colors and name as a major league baseball team, or the
world's tallest, heaviest bird that can't fly). Turn the page to
find the answer as well as Munro's colorful, detailed illustrations of
each bird's nesting habitats. The art includes portrayals of adult birds,
baby birds, the eggs in their nests, and a view of their immediate
environments. An egg-shaped text box provides additional information that might
not already be known by readers, such as bird behaviors, reproduction, and
feeding patterns. A helpful list of the other animals in each illustration
encourages even more interactivity...The Horn Book Magazine, May/June 2011
PreK-3 Munro's
large-format picture book makes a question-and-answer game out of a series of
eggs and the remarkable birds that they produce...Munro's ink illustrations are clear and precise. The
compositions of the egg illustrations are suitably simple, while the shifts
between up-close and wide-angle perspectives in the habitat spreads give both a
specific picture of the birds in question and a sense of their broader
environment. Children will find the format engaging and discover more in the
intriguing preface, supplementary glossary, and lists of print and Internet
resources. Booklist, March 15, 2011
Munro uses a guessing game format to deliver an impressive
amount of trivia ... The answers are revealed, after a page turn,
in full-bleed scenes that show the birds flying, swimming, and caring for their
young in their natural habitats. Straightforward... packed with information.
Ages 5 to 11. Publishers
Weekly
Grades PreK - 3. This
informational title is a wonderful cuddle-up book for a small child.... Wonderfully realistic artwork provides many
teaching opportunities with a variety of wildlife, flora, and fauna. ...The birds, animals, and vegetation are
true to life; feathers, eggs, and other details are just right without being
overwhelming for a young reader...
Recommended.Library Media Connection, August/September Issue
Don't let the five-letter title splashed across eggs and a duckling on the
cover lead you to think this book is small. The oversized picture book will
spread nicely across laps or hold up well in story hour, where children will
enjoy the guessing game structure. With every turn of a page, we see an egg -
plain, spotted, white, or colored - and are given clues about who might be in
it. The following pages are sure to be pored over with detailed illustrations
of the bird, its family, and habitat, including images of nests and suggestions
of food sources and predators. Of course it's a great book for spring, but can
be used anytime to learn about varieties of birds from around the world: birds
that we learn can be much taller than a person, or fit in a palm, or which can
fly eight miles high or migrate 25,000 miles in a year. Readers interested in
learning even more about incubation, parenting styles, flight, and birdcalls
can use the bibliography and glossary ("fun bird words to learn") in the back. Top of the Shelf book reviews/Eric Carle Museum.
A STARRED review in School Library Journal for EcoMazes: "...This is truly a complete package: it is engrossing and interactive, featuring finely and accurately detailed art and covering the basics of an organizational concept that is central to our understanding of the natural world." John Peters, NYPL
Smithsonian: Best Science Books for Children 2010
"Rarely has science been more fun or more accessible." --Nicholas A. Basbanes, Literary Features Syndicate
"This unique book with fantastic illustrations should be an essential for every home library or classroom this Earth Day." --Monica & Hannah McRae Young, Winston-Salem Journal
The following books ["EcoMazes"; 12 others] have been selected to motivate the earth-conscious spirit in all of us. --Bianca Schulze, The Children's Book Review
"Wherever on Earth you find yourself, you
are part of an ecosystem!" Twelve mazes from a bird's-eye perspective
challenge readers to find animals hidden in biomes ranging from the
tropical rainforest to the polar Arctic, with savannas and conifer
forests in between. Each colorful maze is filled with tiny but accurate
detail. Munro invites children to solve the mazes by tracing the
journeys with a finger. The answer key provides more detailed scientific
information about each landscape. The artwork is top-notch, and the
writing is pithy. A list of resources, both electronic and print,
completes the package. Grade: A Kathy Englehart, Cleveland Plain Dealer
"With extraordinary pictures and a wonderfully informative and
interesting text, this is a book that should be on every library and
classroom shelf." Marya Jansen-Gruber, Through the Looking Glass Review "This
elaborately researched book...make(s) Munro's latest creative endeavor a
timely, educational and adventurous odyssey. A bonus: "Ecomazes" is
big enough that several children can interactively read and work
together at the same time." --Lee Littlewood, Creators.com
"What do you get when you
combine a book of mazes, a
"search-and-find" type of feature, and an accompanying text that
provides appealing and interesting information? I'm holding the answer
in my
hands right now, and it's the new cute, fun and informative over-sized
picture
book by Roxie Munro." "Knowledge, especially
when
presented in this lighthearted and active way, can instill a respect and
awe
for all that our planet has to offer! " --Five Minutes for Books
"Fun facts reinforce the delicate balance and importance of these regions and subtly push a message of conservation.
Nature-loving youngsters and puzzle-hounds alike will enjoy repeat visits to these landscapes." Booklist
Roxie Munro's maze books
are brilliant combinations of facts and fun.
…Habitat/ecosystem is a tricky thing for a second
grader to wrap their mind around and differentiate. Oh certainly, it is
easy to understand the difference from Arctic/Polar regions and say the
Tropical Rainforest but where is the line between Grasslands and Tundra?
Munro's book allows the
reader to travel through the area, locating the hidden mammals, birds, and
reptiles that live there…
School librarians, you need
this title. BookMoot
EcoMazes
has been nominated for a CYBIL (Children and Young Adult Bloggers
Literary Award) in Nonfiction.
"This fully illustrated, large-format book features six North American deserts: the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Great Basin, Mojave, the Painted Desert, and Death Valley....Teeming with wildlife, the main illustrations create distinctive looks for the different ecosystems in detailed ink drawings washed with watercolors... An engaging introduction to American deserts." Carolyn Phelan, Booklist
"We often think of a desert as a
hot, arid, and uninhabitable place," Munro writes. But, she notes, deserts are
actually "full of life mostly insects, spiders, reptiles, birds and small
burrowing rodents."
In vivid watercolor illustrations, Munro devotes
two-page spreads to daytime critters and to nighttime critters who live in the
six deserts ...
Glenn Dromgoole, Syndicated reviewer/6 Texas newspapers..
Science Book Club Pick
Through meticulously detailed illustrations, this visually dynamic
survey contrasts day and night in five of North America's prominent
deserts - the Chihuahuan, the Great Basin, the Mojave (including Death
Valley), the Painted, and the Sonoran - and highlights the unique animals,
plants, and geological formations of each. From the desert spiny lizard
and the greater roadrunner to the spotted bat and desert banded gecko,
this survey examines the diverse array of animals, birds, and reptiles
occupying these arid lands. Intricate watercolor illustrations are
accompanied by lists of animals and names in each spread.
** for desert dwellers like us, and those who want to know our habitat** (Las Vegas Examiner)
"In a veritable visual panorama of dinosaurs, eight classic dinosaurs are presented in two ways: first as skeletons and then as living creatures...There's the massive fellow, alive and munching on leaves, set against a prehistoric landscape, with a volcano steaming in the distance... Children will recognize and identify, the three pterosaur-ish creatures flying by, the toothy T. Rex-like creature lurching toward a smaller dinosaur, and maybe that's an Ankylosaurus munching on ferns. It's an arresting scene, in gorgeous full color inks, that will transport readers to the old days. The real old days. They will have a fine old time flipping the pages, back and forth, and comparing bones to body, and saying all those gloriously tongue-twisty dinosaur names.
It's one big wow... The
handsome pictures portray a lake-filled background of plants, trees,
dinosaur babies hatching out of eggs, and lots of other wildlife. This
... will inspire children to draw their own dinosaur-filled scenes. The
final pages are a real treat: there's a paragraph about each dinosaur,
including a phonetic pronunciation..., and (a) thumbnail sketch of each
scene, with all of the additional dinosaurs (32 different ones, four or
five per scene) labeled..." Judy Freeman, judyreadsbooks.com
"Eye-catching illustrations and minimal text make this a good choice for young dino fans..."Booklist "Munro moves from architecture to paleontology for her latest Inside-Outside album ...young dinophiles will relish the cleanly drawn details. ... Pre-readers in particular will be drawn to this prehistoric primer." Kirkus
"Munro opens a wonderful window into a long-extinct world for young dinophiles...this title will be greeted with sighs of satisfaction by the younger set." School Library Journal
Kansas National
Education Association Reading Circle Recommendation
ReadKiddoRead: Ultimate Summer Reading List 2010 (100+ Best Recent Children's Books to Read Over and Over)
Children's Book-of-the-Month Club Selection
"...Roxie Munro's Inside-Outside Dinosaurs offers youngsters an opportunity to power up their imaginations
and envision prehistoric times. Each creature is introduced by a full-spread
illustration of its gigantic skeleton, along with its scientific name
("Triceratops") and English translation ("three-horned
face"). A turn of the page reveals the same creature, now fully and handsomely
fleshed out, set against a habitat brimming with vegetation, geological
features, and wildlife. These wordless illustrations convey a you-are-there
immediacy along with a healthy dose of information... An appended section provides a
few tidbits about each species and identifies the other dinosaurs depicted in
the scenes. The large illustrations make this book ideal for classroom sharing,
and the almost text-free approach will encourage young scientists to make
observations and draw conclusions. Joy Fleishhacker-Curriculum Connections--School Library Journal
"There's
much to contemplate here, and happily the book lays flat, a perfect
format for toddlers on their stomachs studying each page... After
hearing the book, children can read it on their own. Go! Go! Go!" Horn Book
"In
this fascinating picture book, people are on the go in a variety of
ways... Firemen put on their gear and then rush to an emergency with
their ladder truck. A hot-air balloon is prepared for flight. After
being saddled, horses and riders gallop along a steeplechase course. A
sea vessel voyages to the depths of the ocean. Pit crews service two
racecars, and the action switches to an auto race over an oval track.
The full-color illustrations are loaded with pertinent details.
Gatefolds, flaps, and fold-out pages ... create
a wonderfully energetic sense of motion. The complexity of the art
demonstrates the careful planning that went into the book's
preparation. Young readers will devour this appealing title. Teachers
might use it as a basis for writing story extensions." School Library Journal
Mazeways: A to Z...Real life mazes! A is for Airport, B is for Boatyard, K is for Kitchen, M is for Mountain....26 mazes, from real life. And over 700 objects to look for, count, and name. Answers in the back. "Hours of fun...a bright enticing book" Booklist "Munro presents fans of her previous maze challenges new fodder to delight and intrigue. From A (airport) to Z (zookeeper), Munro's fantastical paintings provide an abundance of detail to entrance and enchant even the most jaded maze-whiz. Munro's paintings are just plain fun to look at." Kirkus 2008 Edition of Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year
Fifty flaps/fold-outs. Watch the Bronco buck off the cowboy, a cowgirl Barrel Race, the Calf Scramble, Mutton Busting, and all events in a real Rodeo. Each double page spread has the event history and rules, and after the Rodeo, Square Dance with a Cowboy Band. 24 pages in brilliant color, published by Bright Sky Press. "One of the year's Top Ten Texas books" Houston Chronicle "Clear, concise text and clever lift-the-flap illustrations capture the action and excitement of a rodeo..." School Library Journal Finalist, Texas Institute of Letters, Friends of the Austin Public Library Award for Best Children's Book
Written by Mike Spradlin and illustrated by Roxie Munro. Walker, 32 pages. Thrilling history detailed in a fast-paced richly illustrated account. "Paying handsome tribute to the doughty crew that brought the rule of law to some of the wildest parts of the Wild West...the best short introduction since Stephen Hardin's Texas Rangers" Kirkus "The abundant color, cartoon illustrations are well suited to the text, and provide competent visual support to the facts. Give this to children who have a strong interest in Texas history or the Wild West." Booklist
A lift-the-flap fold-out picture book. Vibrant color throughout. 24 pages, all ages. Includes finding/naming games. Check out the Elephant Ballet, the Astounding Agile Acrobats, the Trapeze Twins, Agonsky's Amazing Animals, High-Wire Harry and Harriett, and more lively acts. Watch the clowns getting ready, and then tease and trick each other. Look for Max the Cat and Fred the Dog and their antics. And be prepared for the grand finale! Over 50 flaps! A Children's Book of the Month Club.
"A winning concept expertly executed; could become a young child's favorite book." Kirkus
"...Roxie Munro's Circus, an interactive extravaganza that portrays all the hullabaloo of the center
ring. Detailed spreads highlight assorted spine-tingling acts and seek-and-find
lists encourage close examination of the pictures. Children get in on the
action by unfolding flaps to watch the Pippin Brothers pile assemble a human
pyramid, Hi-Wire Harriet prance across a tightrope, and much, much, more." SLJ Curriculum Connections
Join the Crooked River Ranch cowboys on a trail ride through canyons and over rivers, across prairies and mountains to the cattle pens on the range, and then to the camp, and wind your way back home on a different path. Look for hidden ABCs, find the wily coyote in each maze, count the cattle, and play more games! Answers in the back of the book. A Children's Book of the Month Club selection. Bronze Medal, Interactive Children's Books, IPPY (Independent Publishers).
Published by Sterling
36 pages;11"x11";ages 6-12;full color
Each eye-popping maze connects to the next one - travel through the Park via the rides (the Cyclone, Dinosaur Daze, Marsburg, the Winding River...) or the Toot-toot Train. Stop in the Food Court. Then wind your way back on a different path. In each maze, look for Mrs. McCourt's class, the balloon man, an ice cream stand.
Washington Post Best Books for Boys Choice; Children's Book of the Month Club; "Reading Rockets" Summer Vacation List
Published by Chronicle Books
24 pages;11"x9";ages 3-8;full color
A "brilliant" lift-the-flap book...explore a fire station, a train, a doctor's office; sail a boat, go behind the stage door, check out the space station; open the barn door, peek into a mechanic's garage....over 50 flaps to lift and explore.
A Children's Book of the Month Club selection; CHILD magazine Best Book of the Month; Horn Book Summer Reading choice; Bank Street College Best Book of the Year Selection; Tumblebooks pick; Scholastic Parent & Child Best New Book.
Written by Bo Zaunders
published by Dutton Children's Books
48 pages;11x9;ages 7-13;full color
Fascinating biographies of famous architectural creators through history - Brunelleschi (Pippo's Dome); the great Turkish builder Sinan; the story of the Brooklyn Bridge; Eiffel's Tower; Barcelona's Gaudi; the Chrysler Building's race for the sky; and more....
A Bank Street College Best Book of the Year; a NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.
Published by Bright Sky Press
36 pages,10x10,ages 5-10,full color
Horned toads, roadrunners, and rattlesnakes, cowboys, and chuck wagons... from the open range where the buffalo roam to the horse barn and the cowboy's bunkhouse, RANCH invites you to a dazzling display of real life on a working Western ranch. Includes counting and finding games, with answers in the back of the book.
Children's Book of the Month Club selection; 2006 NAPPA Family Honors Award (National Parenting Publications); Texas Reading Club 2009
Published by Chronicle books
36 pages;11x11;5-11;full color
Navigate through thirteen amazing aerial landscapes, each connecting to the other, on your trip to the zoo, and then find your way back on a different path through the towns, constructions sites, airports, cities, mountains..... There are also hidden ABCs, items to count and find, hours of interactive play. School Library Journal starred review; Parenting magazine Pick of the Month
Written by Bo Zaunders
published by Abrams
32 pages;9x11;ages 7-11; full color
The true story of an unlikely hero - a 19th century West Virginia furniture maker with a third grade education who, through humor, showmanship, and know-how, build one of the country's most famous covered bridges. Almost destroyed during the Civil War, the great bridge still stands today. Eighteen other US covered bridges are featured.
For these and other books, go to amazon.com ("BOOKS"; then go to "Roxie Munro") or ask at your local bookstore.
There are still original illustrations available for purchase from some of Roxie's books. The art is created with colored inks on 100% cotton rag Strathmore. Most illustrations are approximately 25% larger than the book trim size (usually double page spreads are 24" wide and 15" high, paper size approximately 18x26).
Check out the Mazeways ABC prints for limited edition giclee prints. There are also prints available from many of Roxie's other books, including Inside-Outside Dinosaurs.
For availability and prices of original art and specific print images from other books, email Roxie at roxie@roxiemunro.com
Book Awards (selected):
"The Inside-Outside Book of New York City" : A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Award; a TIME Magazine's Best Children's Book of the Year "EcoMazes: 12 Earth Adventures": Starred review, School Library Journal; CYBIL (Children and Young Adult Bloggers
Literary Award) Nominee in Nonfiction; Smithsonian Best Science Books for Children 2010 "Hatch!": Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12, National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the Children's Book Council (CBC); Children's Book of the Month Club Selection; CBC "Go Green!" Summer Reading List; CYBILS Award Nominee in Nonfiction; Eric Carle Museum Best Book of 2011 List; Society of School Librarians International, Honor Book Award. "Christmastime in New York City" and "Blimps": New York Times Best Children's Books List "Blimps": NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children; a New York Times Best Picture Book of the Year "Gargoyles, Girders & Glass Houses"; "Crocodiles, Camels, & Dugout Canoes"; and "The Inside-Outside Book of Washington DC": NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies "Mazescapes": A School Library Journal Starred Review; Parenting magazine Pick of the Month "Inside-Outside Dinosaurs"; "Amazement Park," "Doors," "Ranch," and "Circus": Children's Book of the Month Club "Mazeways: A to Z": 2008 Bank Street College of Education: The Best Books of the Year; Chicago Public Library "Children's Books for Year Round Giving" List "The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries": A School Library Journal Starred Review; a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; Smithsonian Notable Books for Children; Horn Book Guide, Starred Review; American Booksellers Pick of the Lists; Lasting Connections, ALA; Finalist: Nevada Young Readers Award; Rhode Island Children's Book Award nomination; Texas Reading Club; Children's Crown award Nominee; San Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle "Editor's Choice"; Bank Street College of Education Best Book; Children's Crown Award Nominee "Feathers, Flaps & Flops": School Library Journal Starred Review; a SLJ Best Book of the Year; Center for Children's Books Best Book of the Year List "Doors": Child Magazine Best Book of the Month; Horn Book Best Summer Reading List; Children's Book of the Month Club; Bank Street College Best Children's Books of the Year Selection; Tumblebooks Pick; Best New Book selection, Scholastic Parent & Child "Amazement Park": Washington Post "Best Books for Boys" pick; Horn Book Summer Reading List "Ranch": 2006 NAPPA (National Parenting Publications) Family Honors Award "Gargoyles, Girders & Glass Houses": Bank Street College Best of of the Year Choice; Notable Social Science Trade Book for Young People "Inside-Outside Dinosaurs": Kansas National Education Association Reading Circle Recommendation; ReadKiddoRead: Ultimate Summer Reading List 2010 "Desert Days, Desert Nights": Science Book Club Choice "Rodeo": One of the Top Ten Texas Books of the Year, Houston Chronicle; Finalist, Texas Institute of Letters, Friends of the Austin Public Library Award for Best Children's Book "Wild West Trail Ride Maze": Bronze Medal, IPPY (Independent Publishers) Other book awards include American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, Booklist and Publisher's Weekly starred reviews; NYPL: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing; works from "The Inside-Outside Book of New York"; "The Inside-Outside Book of Paris"; "The Great Bridge-Building Contest"; and others chosen for The Original Art Exhibit, Society of Illustrators, NYC.
All work on this site Copyright 2012 Roxie Munro. All rights reserved.
