by Thornton W. Burgess
This book has been on my shelf for a few years now, purchased when I thought I might read it aloud before we went to the ocean for the first time (and still the only time), but it's never been read. Second Son heard much of The Burgess Bird Book for Children (one of the Level 1A science recommendations on the Mater Amabilis™™ syllabus) as I read it aloud to Second Daughter so I thought he might be interested in this alternative. I offered him the choice of the bird book or the seashore book and, based only on the cover (and maybe what he remembered), he chose the seashore book.
I read it this summer before the school year began because I am ambitiously asking him to read it independently and narrate it to me. I'm fairly certain he can handle the material, given what he reads on his own, though I don't necessarily recommend this route for all second graders. He's a great reader and is already 8 years old since we started kindergarten a year later than recommended.
If you have read any of the Burgess books for children, you will be familiar with the format. An animal or two wander an environment and learn about the creatures that live there. The Seashore Book follows mostly a mouse and a fox. Some of the conversations are stilted, but there are lots of opportunities for curiosity and wonder. If you're near a seashore or manage to find a copy cheaper than the Burgess Bird Book, feel free to substitute this one.
To get through the entire book without reading more than a chapter at a time, I'm assigning this twice a week. Because I have four children and my oldest is starting high school, I made no ambitious second grade science plans this year. We'll read this book and have our nature walk two or three times a month and consider it excellently covered.
I purchased this book used from another homeschooling family. I received nothing for this review. The links above are affiliate links to Amazon.
