Swan Harbor: A Nature Counting Book by Laura Rankin (1 book) (32 pages)

Bibliographic Information:

Rankin, L. Swan Harbor: A Nature Counting Book. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Grade Level Appropriateness:

K – 2nd

Author Credibility:

Laura Rankin has written and illustrated several children’s books. Her inspiration for this book was her home in Maine.

Summary of the Book:

This is a counting picture book. Each page has a different number and the name of a plant or animal at the bottom of the page. In the illustration above, that number will be displayed. For example, if it says “3 squirrels” at the bottom of the page then there will be three squirrels in the picture on that page. It starts at one and goes all the way to twenty.

Illustrations:

The illustrations were done with acrylic inks and paints on Arches watercolor paper. Swan Harbor is an actual place in Maine, and that is where the illustrator got her inspiration for the paintings.

Features:

At the end of the book, there is a map of Swan Harbor labeling where you can find each of the animals, insects, or plants mentioned in the book. There is also a section titled “Intriguing Nature Facts” where each animal, insect, or plant is described. The paragraph lists several interesting facts about each one.

How I would Use the Book in My Classroom:

I would use this book with younger children to tie in counting with science. The book gives interesting facts about each thing that would interest the children and that is on their level.

Response:

This book was beautiful! I could look at the illustrations all day. They were beautiful. I loved the fact that it was illustrations from an actual place and how at the end the map showed you where each thing was located.

Related Text:

The Handmade Alphabet by Laura Rankin