Tag: Abi Cushman

Posted in Non-Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads

Funky Flamingos? But of course!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis
Flamingos are Pretty Funky: A (Not So) Serious Guide, by Abi Cushman, (June 2024, Greenwillow Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063234444

Ages 4-8

Abi Cushman has a companion book to Wombats are Pretty Weird (2023), and it’s all about flamingos. Friendly Joey the Snake is back as our guide through the world of flamingos, with more amusing commentary (we find out who he was named for this time). Cushman fills Flamingos with fun facts and entertaining dialogue from the birds themselves, especially the “Lesser Flamingo” who is not really thrilled with their name. You may have heard that flamingos get their pink pigmentation from their food, but did you know that during mating season, a gland near their tail provides an oil that they can use as DIY makeup? Or that their nests look like little volcanoes? You may also not want to wade out in water to catch a better look at a flamingo: they can withstand water that’s boiling hot or corrosive chemicals. Yikes! Side-bars and cartoon art, speech balloons and labeled pictures all facilitate learning, and informational backmatter, including glossary, make this a good addition to your animal collections. Visit Abi Cushman’s author webpage for some free downloadable resources!

Want a fun extension activity? This flamingo craft from Simple Mom Project is easy to print and assemble.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Wombats are Pretty Weird… and pretty awesome!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis
Wombats Are Pretty Weird : A (Not So) Serious Guide, by Abi Cushman, (May 2023, Greenwillow Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063234437

Ages 4-8

This fun book is all about the wombat; a cute marsupial primarily known for pooping cubes. Wombats are Pretty Weird gives kids the full scoop on these marsupials, with some laugh-out-loud moments, usually to do with the aforementioned cubic poop. Joey the Snake is a comic sidekick to the wombats in this story, acting as a self-insert character for readers. There are loads of interesting facts: a wombat’s teeth never stop growing, and they have backward-facing pouches, unlike a kangaroo. They also have very tough behinds, made of cartilage, to protect their hind quarters from predators!

Kid-friendly with fun sidebars, cartoon art, narration and speech balloons, this is a good addition to animal nonfiction collections and early nonfiction collections. Backmatter includes a glossary and more facts about the three types of wombats.

Visit Abi Cushman’s author webpage for some free downloadable resources, including a Wombats are Weird activity guide!