See this post for an explanation of this Summer Book Club. Check out the Australia, Oceania, and Polar Regions post at Simple Homeschool, for free printables and other ideas.

Our final week of our summer book club! This section seemed a little catch-all, going from the frigid polar areas to the warm Australia. :-) So I tried to choose books from all the different regions. And of course, as soon as I saw one of the books was titled “Elizabeth”, I knew I had to get that one. :-) I’m so glad our library had it!

(All italic descriptions from Amazon.com, and asterisks mark my own thoughts on the book.)

Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas
by Lynne Cox

Here is the incredible story of Elizabeth, a real-life elephant seal who made her home in the Avon River in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. When Elizabeth decides to stretch out across a two-lane road, the citizens worry she might get hurt or cause traffic accidents, so a group of volunteers tows her out to sea. But Elizabeth swims all the way back to Christchurch. The volunteers catch her again and again—each time towing her farther, even hundreds of miles away—but, still, Elizabeth finds her way back home.

** We loved this book, and it was especially fun to see Elizabeth turn every time I read “Elizabeth!” The girls thought the elephant seal was really cute (the illustrated one, that is!). They loved that it was a true story.

Over in Australia: Amazing Animals Down Under
by Marianne Berkes

In the Down Under continent, baby wallabies learn to hop, brolgas learn to dance, and emus learn to zig-zag and children will want to hop, dance, and zig-zag right along with the amazing animals of Australia. As with all of Marianne Berkes award-winning Over books, children will also want to sing, clap and count to the rhyme of Over in the Meadow as they learn about wallabies, koalas, wombats, and more. What an easy, fun way to learn about these endearing, unique Australian animals! Jill Dubin’s cut-paper illustrations add to the fun.

** This book was so much fun to read! I had “Over in the Meadow” when I was growing up, which is in a similar cadence. We talked about how Australia is an island and so they have many unique animals. The book also has a lot of information in the end about the animals for people wanting to learn more, and a map of Australia showing the general regions and where the animals in the book are found. I also loved the collage illustrations. I think this book might be one I actually buy.

The Bravest Dog Ever: The True Story of Balto
by Natalie Standiford

It is one of the worst storms ever – the snow has not stopped for days and it is 30 degrees below zero. But somehow Balto must get through. He is the lead dog of his sled team. And he is carrying medicine to sick children miles away in Nome, Alaska. He is their only hope. Can Balto find his way through the terrible storm? Find out in this exciting true story!

** This is one of the books we’ll be reading this year in school, but at their request I went ahead and read it to them anyway. What an awesome story! I grew up reading this book a lot, and it never gets old. The idea of so much snow that you need a sled dog to get anywhere is beyond our comprehension, living in the Southeast US. As a side note, for adults who want to know more about the true story of the Nome Serum Run, I highly recommend the Stuff You Missed in History podcast episode on the topic. (I love that podcast! It’s a great one! You can listen from your computer if you don’t have a podcast player on your phone.)

Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems
by Judy Sierra

Dive, swim, and glide with this delightful pack of penguins as they slip and slide through their icy world.
Judy Sierra, Jose Aruego, and Ariane Dewey invite you into the world of an Emperor penguin family and their wild, slip-sliding, rhyming fun.

** As I suspected, Caroline especially enjoyed these fun poems of penguin life. (She’s really into penguins currently.) The books starts with the birth of a baby penguin and goes through the life of a penguin. I could have done without the “Regurgitate” poem though. ;-) It does approach things realistically, talking about predators and dangers.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins
by Richard Atwater

A classic of American humor, the adventures of a house painter and his brood of high-stepping penguins have delighted children for generations. “Here is a book to read aloud in groups of all ages. There is not an extra or misplaced word in the whole story.”–The Horn Book. Newberry Honor Book.

** This is another book we’re scheduled to read in school this year, so I didn’t actually read it to them this week. However, I read this multiple times growing up and it was one of my favorites. Such a charming story about a man who adopts some penguins. I’m a little surprised to see it on the list for Give Your Child the World, since it doesn’t actually take place outside the US, but I guess it talks a lot about what kind of conditions are in Antarctica, so Mr. Popper can attempt to recreate them for his penguins. Either way, it’s a fun story and I’m so excited to share it with my kids!