Kid Konnection: National Geographic Kids Books

Every Saturday, I host a feature called Kid Konnection -- a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. This week I'm going to share with you three books for the budding science lover!

Summary: Summary: Happy 100th Birthday, National Parks! Join the centennial celebration by reading all about these greatest of American treasures—from Acadia to Zion. Filled with color photos, information on animals, fascinating lists, fun facts, maps, cool things to do, conservation tips, and much more, this book is your trusted guide to America's majestic National Parks. -- National Geographic Kids

Today is the perfect day to feature NATIONAL PARKS GUIDE U.S.A. because it's the first day of National Parks Week! NATIONAL PARKS GUIDE U.S.A. was produced in partnership with the National Parks Trust, and it is full of color photos, lists, interesting facts, maps, fun things to do on those long car rides, conservation tips and more.

As someone who has never visited one of the big National Parks, I found this book to be incredibly interesting... and beautiful. What I loved is that this guide featured so much about these parks including historic structures, cultural artifacts, the terrain, and even the wildlife. The information was presented in such an interesting way with a mix of photos, facts, and maps. There was so much to look at on every page. In addition, I really liked the way this book would help visitors prioritize what they need to see and do on in the parks. There were "Discover" sections as well as "Dare to Explore" ones.

And here's something fun: National Geographic is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service by offering the chance to win a spectacular family vacation for four to Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion National Parks.

This fabulous 8-day family adventure from National Geographic Expeditions is a dream trip come true. Discover the incredible geological treasures of the American Southwest and marvel at the rainbow colors of the high desert; explore the Grand Canyon’s North Rim on foot or mule; hike amid Zion’s wonderland of slot canyons, hanging gardens, and waterfalls, and splash through the Narrows of the Virgin River; wind through Bryce Canyon’s whimsical maze of red rock spires, and go on a scavenger hunt. Stay in historic park lodges with Old West atmosphere, and take part in activities and excursions geared for explorers of all ages. The National Geographic National Parks Sweepstakes runs from April 1-August 31, 2016. To enter or obtain full Official Rules go to: NationalParksSweeps.com.

If this contest doesn't pan out for you, keep in mind that, through the Every Kid in a Park program, every 4th grader can visit ANY national park for free though August 2016! 

I loved NATIONAL PARKS GUIDE U.S.A.! It's fun and educational! After reading this book and watching the video below, I am even more convinced than ever that I need to visit our National Parks!

Summary: This fun, photo-filled, and fact-packed bird guide will make kids Stop! Look! and Listen! to find the feathered friends right in their own backyards. From ducks to hawks, sparrows to sandpipers, kids will learn how, where, and when to spot birds all over the United States. With tons of info and interactivity prompts, it's the perfect companion for backyard or field trip, camping or vacation. Durable and portable, it's just right for pocket or backpack. -- National Geographic Kids

ULTIMATE EXPLORER FIELD GUIDE: BIRDS is another great book by National Geographic Kids. This book has photos and descriptions of over 170 birds with color-coded maps showing kids where each bird can be found.

Truth be told, I am not a big fan of birds; however, I think this book is great for "bird nerds." (The front cover uses that term!) And I will even admit that I did like looking through this book. The photographs on each page are gorgeous, and I was impressed by how much information was available on each and every bird.

As a mom, I really liked that this book had all of the pertinent information on the various birds while also making learning fun. There are "Try This!" sections which give kids suggestions on activities they can carry out to learn even more about birds. There are also fun sections called "Look for This" to give kids things to look for when it comes to birds in our world.

ULTIMATE EXPLORER FIELD GUIDE: BIRDS is a fun way to learn about birds. I actually recommend it to adult and kid birders who want a easy-to-use field guide!

Summary: This fun, photo-filled, fact-packed guide to rocks and minerals will get kids outside to discover the amazing world underneath their feet. Created for the ultimate explorer, this book gives kids the knowledge and skills they need to identify just about anything they dig up and become true rock hounds. With tons of info and interactivity prompts, it's the perfect companion for backyard or field trip, camping and vacation. Durable and portable, it's just right for pocket or backpack. -- National Geographic Kids

And finally, I enjoyed the ULTIMATE EXPLORER FIELD GUIDE: ROCKS & MINERALS. As a kid, I had a book on various rocks and minerals that I looked at all of the time... but it was nothing like this! ULTIMATE EXPLORER FIELD GUIDE: ROCKS & MINERALS has all the information you need to identify any rock you find.

I loved ULTIMATE EXPLORER FIELD GUIDE: ROCKS & MINERALS! Not only were there photos of tons of rocks and minerals, but the book gives interesting background information on how humans have used rocks and minerals and how they got their names. The book also makes learning fun by offering jokes, activities and fun facts; and it even offers activity ideas for outdoor play!

Overall, ULTIMATE EXPLORER FIELD GUIDE: ROCKS & MINERALS is perfect for rock hounds young and old alike!

Thanks to the Media Masters Publicity for providing review copies of these books.

If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, please leave a comment as well as a link below with your name/blog name and the title of the book! Feel free to grab the little button too!