The Giverny Award Criteria
- This singular annual award is bestowed to the author and to the illustrator of the chosen book.
- The book must be a children's science picture book written in the English language and published within five years of the award date. These books typically have ~ 32 pages and serve children between ages 4-8.
- The book must teach its young reader at least one important scientific principle well, or encourage the reader toward specific science-related attitudes, pursuits, or inquiries.
- The book's artwork, illustrations, photographs, or graphics must work in harmony with the text to tell an important story well.
- The text must have a story with a plot and characters.
- All other factors being equal, books about plants and/or plant science or biology will have preference. However, books on geobiology topics are also considered and have been chosen.
- A book must be published in the English language to be eligible, but the ward is an international in scope.
Sam Plants a Sunflower
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/6/5/13650558/2323082.jpg)
Author: Petty, Kate
Illustrator: Scheffler, Axel
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books, 1997
Plot summary: This lift-the-flap picture book tells the story of Sam, a cat who loves the
sun and wants to grow some big yellow sunflowers. Children can read about how he
plants his seeds and watches them grow, and, by lifting the flaps, can see what
is happening to the plant under the ground.
Recommended audience: Elementry aged children grades K - 2
Illustrations: Bright colors and flaps to lift to interact with the story
Activities: One activity would be to disect seeds after reading the story so that the students can look at what makes up the seeds.
A second activity that the students could do in relation to Sam Plants a Sunflower is to make their own story book of a plant. The first thing that the students would do is plant a seed in a cup and everyday the students could look at what their seed/plant has goe through since the previous day. Also students could make predictions about what their plant would look like for the next day. The Students could also draw a picture of their plant each day sot that the would be able to see the progression of the plant.
Book Review can be viewed here: http://www.amazon.com/Sam-Plants-Sunflower-Life-The-Flat-Lift-The-Flap/product-reviews/0836252594/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
Author's website: http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/authors/kate-petty
Illustrator: Scheffler, Axel
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books, 1997
Plot summary: This lift-the-flap picture book tells the story of Sam, a cat who loves the
sun and wants to grow some big yellow sunflowers. Children can read about how he
plants his seeds and watches them grow, and, by lifting the flaps, can see what
is happening to the plant under the ground.
Recommended audience: Elementry aged children grades K - 2
Illustrations: Bright colors and flaps to lift to interact with the story
Activities: One activity would be to disect seeds after reading the story so that the students can look at what makes up the seeds.
A second activity that the students could do in relation to Sam Plants a Sunflower is to make their own story book of a plant. The first thing that the students would do is plant a seed in a cup and everyday the students could look at what their seed/plant has goe through since the previous day. Also students could make predictions about what their plant would look like for the next day. The Students could also draw a picture of their plant each day sot that the would be able to see the progression of the plant.
Book Review can be viewed here: http://www.amazon.com/Sam-Plants-Sunflower-Life-The-Flat-Lift-The-Flap/product-reviews/0836252594/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
Author's website: http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/authors/kate-petty
A Tree for Emmy
![Picture](/uploads/1/3/6/5/13650558/2030811.jpg)
Author: Rodman, Mary Ann
Illustrator: Mai-Wyss, Tatjana
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, 2009
Plot summary: This joyful story of a spirited young girl's steadfast affection for a wild
mimosa tree is sure to appeal to all who cherish a special dream, and help
readers appreciate the natural world around them.
Recommended audience: Young girls in the middle elementry 2 - 4
Illustrations: Full color
Activities: One activity that students could do is write about a tree or a plant that is very special to them. An example of this would be to write about a tree or plant that may have been planted before they were born.
Another activity idea for use with this book would be to create a drawing or model of a plant that they find very pretty and magical looking. This could be a made up plant or one that actually exists.
Book Review can be viewed here: http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Emmy-Mary-Ann-Rodman/product-reviews/1561454753/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
Author's Website: http://www.georgiacenterforthebook.org/Georgia-Literary-Map/Georgia-Author-Detail.php?record_id=183
Illustrator: Mai-Wyss, Tatjana
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, 2009
Plot summary: This joyful story of a spirited young girl's steadfast affection for a wild
mimosa tree is sure to appeal to all who cherish a special dream, and help
readers appreciate the natural world around them.
Recommended audience: Young girls in the middle elementry 2 - 4
Illustrations: Full color
Activities: One activity that students could do is write about a tree or a plant that is very special to them. An example of this would be to write about a tree or plant that may have been planted before they were born.
Another activity idea for use with this book would be to create a drawing or model of a plant that they find very pretty and magical looking. This could be a made up plant or one that actually exists.
Book Review can be viewed here: http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Emmy-Mary-Ann-Rodman/product-reviews/1561454753/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
Author's Website: http://www.georgiacenterforthebook.org/Georgia-Literary-Map/Georgia-Author-Detail.php?record_id=183