(58) Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann

Fur and Feathers

By: Janet Halfmann
Illustrated by: Laurie Allen Klein

Reading level: Ages 4-8 
Hardcover: 32 pages 
Publisher: SylvanDellPublishing (August 10, 2010)

*copy provided by publisher for tour review

A delightful story that will captivate the young and the young-at-heart, Fur and Feathers is a must-have for all homes with young children.  Geared toward the 4-8 age range, Fur and Feathers tells the story of a young girl, Sophia, who falls into dreamland after reading an animal counting book with her mother.  The bedtime story comes to life, within Sophia's dream, as the animals come to visit Sophia in a whirling wind that leaves the poor animals without covering, only bare skin.  Imagine a polar bear without fur, a duck without feathers, a snake without scales and a porcupine without quills.  Feeling bare and distraught, the animals ask for Sophia's help in covering them, for their comfort and protection.  It is with that, that Sophia digs out her grandmother's huge sewing basket and hand-in-hand with a wonderful imagination, Sophia goes about creating proper coats for each of the animals - adding her own personal touch to each as well.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Sophia created the snake's scales from light and dark pinecones, overlapping the different colors to create a pattern and adding bright yellow bows for stripes.  This makes the snake very proud as he slithers away with a smile upon his face.  Pride is a reoccurring theme throughout the book as well as creativity and helpfulness, instilling these important values in children.  I also loved how the story ends, in a way coming full circle and hinting at a delightful secret.

Janet Halfmann is one of my favorite children book authors.  Her stories are entertaining, appealing and educational.  Illustrator Laurie Allen Klein brings the words and story to life with her incredibly beautiful, colorful and lifelike illustrations.  Combine the story and illustrations with the "For Creative Minds" learning section brought by Sylvan Dell Publishing Company and you have an unforgettable and "sneaky" fun way to education for your children.  After living within Sophia's dream, readers can learn the scientific classification of living things including mammals, fish, reptiles, gastropods, birds , amphibians and insects.  This includes commonplace ways to identify each animal such as their body/skin coverings, internal/external skeletal structure, as well as ways in which they breath and reproduce.  The learning doesn't stop after closing the cover on this delightful story.  Sylvan Dell Publishing provides a website with free online resources, unique to each book.  Activities include interactive quizzes, teaching activities from language arts, science, math, research and geography, character and citizenship.  As a bit of extra added fun, stuffed animals are also available, which enable your child to bring the stories to life on their very own and use their imaginations to create stories of their own.

Fur and Feathers is a wonderful story of creativity, learning and the magic of animals.  Any child who loves animals will thrill in this book, as well as adults.  I can't recommend Fur and Feathers enough and I greatly look forward to future works by Janet Halfmann!

*overall rating 5/5

About Fur and Feathers:

When Sophia dreams that howling winds whisk the fur and feathers off her animal friends, she shares her clothes with them. But her clothing doesn't work well for the animals. Seeing their disappointment, she finds her grandma's huge sewing basket and offers to sew each animal the "right" coat. Animals line up to explain what they need and why. Polar Bear needs white fur to stay warm and hide in the snow. Fish needs scales, but with slime. Snake needs scales too, but dry ones. And how will Sophia make a prickly coat for Porcupine? Fur and Feathers is an imaginative, fun tale of animal coverings (and classification).

A "For Creative Minds" section at the back of the book features scientific classification, skin coverings, and animal classification.



About Janet Halfmann:

Janet Halfmann (Fur and Feathers, Fall 2010, and Little Skink’s Tail) is the award-winning author of more than thirty children’s books, both fiction and nonfiction. Other recent titles include Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea, Good Night, Little Sea Otter, Little Black Ant on Park Street, and Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story. Janet is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Before becoming a children’s author, Janet was a daily newspaper reporter, children’s magazine editor, and a creator of coloring and activity books for Golden Books. She is the mother of four and the grandmother of four. When Janet isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, exploring nature, visiting living-history museums, and spending time with her family. She grew up on a farm in Michigan and now lives in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Visit Janet at her website: http://www.janethalfmann.com

About Laurie Allen Klein:

Laurie Allen Klein has been a freelance artist for nearly 20 years. Over the last several years, she has worked as the on-staff artist for a marine park, where she does everything from painting life-size sea animal murals, to illustrating children's activity books. In addition to the Fall 2010 release Furs and Feathers (color pencil, water-color color pencil, a bit of acrylic paint wash, and gesso), Laurie also illustrated Where Should Turtle Be? (Prisma color pencil and acrylic paint), the award-winning Little Skink's Tail (acrylic paint), and If a Dolphin Were a Fish (colored pencils) for Sylvan Dell. Laurie lives in Florida. 

See more of her artwork at http://www.lauriekleinart.com/.

*Please be sure to follow along on this wonderful tour for Fur and Feathers by visiting these other great blogs!

Join us for reviews, interviews, guest posts, giveaways and more.

Day 1 Thurs., Aug. 5: Review—Cafe of Dreams

Day 2 Fri., Aug. 6: Interview with me and Giveaway—Katie's Nesting Spot

Day 3 Sat., Aug. 7: Interview with Illustrator Laurie Allen Klein and Giveaway—Write for a Reader

Day 4 Sun., Aug. 8: Review—She Is Too Fond of Books

Day 5 Mon., Aug. 9: Guest Post by Laurie Allen Klein and Giveaway—Pudgy Penguins Perusals

Day 6 Tues., Aug. 10: Review and Giveaway—Brimful Curiosities

Day 7 Wed., Aug. 11: Review and Giveaway—Outnumbered 3-1

Day 8 Thurs., Aug. 12: Guest Post by me and Giveaway—Lori Calabrese