Been There, Done That: Reading Animal Signs

Physical & Behavioral Adaptation

by Jen Funk Weber, Andrea Gabriel (Illustrations)

Spotting wildlife is a thrill, but it s not easy. When Cole comes to visit his friend Helena, he can t wait to see all the wildlife the forest has to offer and is disappointed when all he sees are a few birds. Together the kids set out on a hike and encounter plenty of animal signs along the way. Through observation and her knowledge of animal behavior, Helena helps Cole learn what each of the signs something had been there; something had done that.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

Published February 10, 2016

Reviews

[Katie Harder-schauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads giveaway program in the hopes that I would leave an honest review.

As a homeschooling parent, I'm always on the lookout for educational books that are more interesting than your standard textbook. This book fits that bill in my opinion. The language is simple enough that a first grader could read it with minimal assistance. There is a matching activity in the back that could reasonably help demonstrate information retention from the book (as well as problem solving in the event that information was not retained well). And the animal sign spotting activity that is described at the end could feasibly be implemented to a degree at a zoo if you live in a more urban area. The facts about the wildlife discussed in this book are an added bonus. This is a book I will definitely be using with my children.

5 out of 5 stars.

Review originally posted on Just Another Girl and Her Books blog.
http://www.justanothergirlandherbooks...

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of the first time I ever went on a hike with a naturalist. Their ability to turn a seemingly empty forest into a world full of animals through insightful observation was seemingly magical. In Been There Done That, two children go on a walk in the woods together. Cole doesn't see any animals, but Helena is watchful and perceptive about the small changes to the environment that indicate "something had been there." Easily read as an interesting story or used as a launch pad for your own scientific discoveries, Been There Done That is a fascinating adventure in the woods sure to inspire everyone to look a little more closely at the world around them.

[Viviana · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.9 stars

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cole and Helena are spending time in the out of doors, but Cole is disappointed to have seen hardly any animals. As they wander through the woods, Helena points out signs that show that animals have been in the area. When I first opened the book, I expected the signs to be animal tracks, but as it turns out, they are spots where the animals have been eating or resting. When the story concludes, a fox finds evidence that the two youngsters have been in the area. After all, even when we sit or stand or fashion a snowman, we leave proof that we've been somewhere. Animals do the same thing. Youngsters will enjoy thinking about all the actions that occur in the hidden world around them and imagining what's out there that they never see. The book has many uses for an elementary or even an intermediate science class.

[C3zh · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a parent, educator and nature enthusiast, I found this book a real treasure. The simple sentence structure and clear images don’t overwhelm, and new words and concepts are introduced naturally. The story had a cute ending, tying humans to nature. While the story itself was enjoyable, I particularly appreciated the quiz and extra information at the end of the book. It makes it very simple to structure an educational unit for a classroom or for a homeschool science curriculum. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about nature.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of us, like Cole, expect to just walk into the woods and see animals sitting around waiting for us. If we're lucky, we have a friend like Helena, who can identify animal signs as proof that "They're here...we just can't see them." A little twist at the end gives us the perspective of a fox who finds signs that humans have been there!
This book reminds me of the "Who's Been Here?" books by Lindsay Barrett George.
Backmatter includes activities and more information about identifying animal signs.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cole and Helena explore the woods looking for animals by following their tracks and trails. Each page shows a different mark left by a different animal. The end of the book has some great activities for kids to explore the world around them. Recommended for ages 7-10.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had several good features, especially the information at the back. However, the illustrations were a little dark. Also, children reading this book might be disappointed that the characters in the book never found an animal they were tracking.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be good for Book It to Nature.