Modeled after the traditional song “Over in the Meadow,” this (for the most part) easily chanted rhyme introduces a variety of land and sea animals and birds found in the tundra. Standard number-recognition and counting concepts are augmented by additional ideas and vocabulary in the active text, which highlights the Arctic climate, animal habits and the proper names for the animals’ young. “Over in the Arctic / Where some creatures migrate, / Lived a mother snow goose / And her little goslings eight. / ‘Honk,’ said the mother. / ‘We honk,’ said the eight. / So they honked and flew south / Where some creatures migrate.” Graceful, stylish cut-paper collages in a mixture of bright colors and patterns create icy backgrounds for each scene. Well-conceived extension ideas for curriculum and art connections follow a “hidden animal” game and a “Fact or Fiction” explanation about the rhyme’s tundra environment. A value-added exploration of the Arctic for preschoolers and early elementary-age children.
— Kirkus Reviews (August 1, 2008)
Following Over in the Ocean (2004) and Over in the Jungle (2007, both Dawn), this latest spin on the familiar “Over in the Meadow” rhyme takes readers on another adventure. Each page highlights a different animal, including a polar bear and her cub, an Arctic hare and her leverets, and a wolf and his pups. The last verse tells of 10 “surprise” animals hiding in the previous pages and invites children to go back to the beginning for a closer read. An author’s note gives more information about the Arctic tundra and explains that while most of the details in the book are factual, the number of babies each animal would have according to the rhyme is not accurate. Spreads feature chunky cut-paper collages in a cool palette. An artist’s note explains the process for creating the illustrations. Other interesting back matter includes tips for extended activities and notes for the traditional “Over in the Meadow” tune with the altered Arctic lyrics. This book serves as a useful introduction to the area.
— School Library Journal – Julie Roach (September 2008)
An assembly of arctic animals and their babies present themselves in cut-paper art to young readers in a new sing-along counting books, Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Winds Blow by Marianne Berkes. Baby walruses learn to kick, baby wolverines learn to growl, and little owlets learn to swoop ‘ in fact, each baby of these arctic species has a distinctive learning task, and the young humans looking at this book are likely to take it all in while singing along to the tune of “Over in the Meadow.” The book stands out because of Jill Dubins cut paper illustrations, which combine color, pattern and texture. In a tips from illustrator addendum, Dubin encourages children to look for interesting colored paper, or to use wrapping paper to make their own designs. The book features ten arctic species, but Dubin “hid” ten additional species throughout the book. The additions are identified in the back of the book and provide another learning activity for children who will go through the entire book once again to find the hidden animals.
— Kids Vermont (December 2008)
This counting book, cleverly illustrated by Jill Dubin, features Berkes’ charming counting rhyme filled with interesting facts about animals of the Arctic. Included in each picture are hidden animals that will encourage readers to search the illustrations to learn more about the Arctic region. Both the author and the illustrator provide tips for using the book with children. Berkes includes several suggestions for extended activities, as well as a list of other print and web resources on arctic life. The final pages also include information about the Arctic Tundra, Hidden Arctic Animals, a brief paragraph about each of the Arctic animals in the rhyme, and the text put to the music of “Over in the Meadow,” which can also be used to teach this counting exercise. Dubin offers information on her illustrative style for the book, which uses cut-paper illustrations to create beautifully-rendered examples of the animals and their Arctic habitat. This engaging book can be read, sung, or studied by individuals and groups as they learn how to count these amazing animals.
— Children’s Literature – Naomi Williamson (January 2009)
We love, love, love this book. We have Over in the Ocean, which is a favorite and Over in the Arctic is right there with it. The syntax is fun and the wealth of arctic information is perfect. My first grader is studying arctic animals and this fits beautifully to enhance her school curriculum.
— iParenting Media Awards – Reviewer comments (December 2008)
Following the pattern of the traditional “Over in the Meadow,” this version takes the tune to the Arctic, with pleasing cut-paper art showing animals such as the hare, polar bear, snowy owl, beluga, and wolverine. . . . the book has child appeal. Facts, activities, and music are appended. Reading list, websites.
— Horn Book Guide – (February 2011)
Over in the Arctic Where the Cold Winds Blow is an enchanting children’s work showing and counting arctic creatures in lyrics set to the familiar tune, “Over in the Meadow.” The beautiful cut paper full color illustrations contain little hidden secret creatures on each two page spread, in addition to the 10 theme creatures. To maximize its impact as a teaching tool, Over in the Arctic contains additional information about the Arctic tundra, hidden Arctic animals in the illustrations, and tips from the author and the illustrator. “Over in the Arctic” is a beautiful and informative children’s book for ages 3-8 that uses multifaceted learning approaches, adaptable to many levels.
— Midwest Book Review (October 2008)
This sing-along counting book introduces young readers to a variety of Arctic animals and their young. Playful cut-paper art shows walruses paddling, beluga whales diving, snowy owls swooping, and wolverines growling. At the end of the story, the reader is asked to find other Arctic animals hidden in each illustration. An informational section at the back of the book provides extra facts about the Arctic Tundra and its inhabitants. Fun activities for educators and parents to do with young children are included as well.
— National Wildlife Federation – Your Big Backyard Magazine (January 2009)
Arctic animals have adapted to live where it’s very cold and the nights are very long. Young children learn about these creatures with this new sing-along counting book .
— Learning Magazine (January 2009)
Apparently, I’m “missing interaction with the little ones” now that I’m working with the “big ones” because I want to share with elementary librarians one of the best books that I’ve seen in a while (okay, since yesterday, at least)! This came out in 2008, so you may already have it in your collection but if you don’t, then you HAVE to order it (and many of the others that I’ll give the link access to below.)
The book is called, “Over in the Arctic Where the Cold Winds Blow” by Marianne Berkes. This is a beautiful rhyming / singing book that follows the musical theme of “Over in the Meadow.” Instead, this book incorporates arctic animals with a paper-cut collage theme throughout the book. I love the sing-song reading made available through this fun counting book.
For example:
“Over in the Artic, Where the cold waters run, Lived a mother polar bear and her little cub one.
‘Roll,’ said the mother. ‘I Roll,’ said the one. So they rolled on the ice, Where the cold waters run.”
In addition to the wonderful story that obviously leads to the song with children, the book also includes extended information at the end for further review. The “Fact or Fiction” content, the “Arctic
Tundra” information, the “Hidden Arctic Animals,” and “About the Arctic Animals” sections help for further extensions in the classroom. THEN, just when you thought that this book was just TOO cute to be
published….the book continues with a section called, “Tips from the Author” which offers extensions on the use of verbs in the story (Language Arts), migration (science), and even activities for “fun in
the snow!” (What an idea—again, I don’t normally live in a snowy area, but the idea of filling a spray bottle with water and drops of food coloring to allow children to “snow paint” outside is just TOO
cool!! (Art)
Finally, the author provides a link to download Arctic bookmarks from the book http://dawnpub.com/activities/Arctic_Bookmarks1.pdf and provides a short bibliography of book “About Arctic Life!” that can be used, along WITH additional websites for teachers to use with their
students.
THEN…there’s the Tips from the Illustrator page!! (Does this book EVER end???) The illustrator, Jill Dubin, is shown compiling the book and how she uses the different papers to create the “Eric Carle-like”
book for readers. She also provides directions to make your own snowflakes!!
FINALLY, The music to “Over in the Arctic” is included at the end of the book, along with 10 verses (which match the 10 segments in the book) to sing along.
If you are interested in learning more about this author, go to: http://www.marianneberkes.com/over_in_the_arctic__where_the_cold_winds_blow_67978.htm
If you want to see this book (and others like it), go to:
http://www.dawnpub.com/
Check out their Teaching Guides (that align with their books):
http://www.dawnpub.com/teaching-tools/
And download some activities from here:
http://www.dawnpub.com/teaching-tools/downloadable-activities/
Love this stuff!!
— School Library Media & Network Comm. – Shonda Brisco (February 1010)
Marianne Berkes has written a wonderful verse in perfect rhythm that introduces children to the animals of the arctic. Jill Dubins illustrations compliment the story beautifully. This book is not only a counting book, but also introduces the readers to collective nouns. Students will love each two-page spread and will willingly read it again to find even more animals depicted in each illustration. Included is additional information about arctic animals, tips from both the author and illustrator, and a song melody into which each lyric can be sung. With no doubt, this book belongs on every elementary library shelf and earns a rating of 5.
— The ESD Book Review Program – Pat Engelking (April 2009)
Over in the Artic is a Sharing Nature with Children Book from Dawn Publications. It is a counting book that teaches about a variety of animals that live in the Arctic like polar bears, wolverines, walruses, and whales. At the end of the book there are various activities along with more information about the animals.
Cayden: “I like counting books!”
Max: “One, two, three!”
Cayden: “The Arctic looks like a very cold place!”
Max: “Brrrrrr!”
Cayden: “I wonder if that water that the walruses are swimming in is as cold as the water that comes out of our hose?”
Cayden: “Walruses use their flippers to help them swim.”
Max: “Grrrrrr!!”
Cayden: “I think wolverines are mean!”
Cayden: “I liked counting the baby animals and then naming them in that game at the end. I also liked going through and finding the other animals that were hidden on the pages. I liked learning more about the animals when you read those other parts at the end too, like that the polar bears have fur between their toes so they dont slip on ice.”
Parents comments:
Over in the Arctic is a great, fun, educational nature book! I love how the book presents so many different opportunities for the child to participate from counting to finding hidden animals. I found the facts about the Arctic and its inhabitants at the end of the book to be very interesting and my children learned a lot. We definitely will be trying some of the extended activities listed in the “Tips from the Author” section like filling spray bottles with water and food coloring and painting the snow, and doing the blubber activity with shortening. Over in the Arctic by Marianne Berkes is an excellent book and we highly recommend it!
— Kids Reader Views – Cayden (age 4) and Max (age 2) and Mom (August 2008)
Designed to be sung to “Over in the meadow,” this rhyming counting book features arctic animals, parents and offspring doing something they would actually be doing in the wild. Different action verbs are used with each animal. There is a good amount of information following the text: extra facts about the tundra, extra arctic animals “hidden” in the illustrations, and animals covered in the regular text. This is followed by tips from the author on activities to use with the books, and a short bibliography; tips for the illustrator, the music to the song and colophon information.
The text is large print, mostly black, except the featured number is in a color. The bright cut paper illustrations look like something done by a scrap booker gone wild. There are patterns on almost everything. While some of the wild patterns are a bit much for a close-up, from a distance they work well together. This book has been carefully designed for use with young children to get them moving and participating with the storyteller or reader, but group use would probably be more fun.
— Highlands Reg. Library Coop. Book Evaluation Program
Barbara A. Rose, Washington Public Library (Dec. 2008)
Over in the Arctic Where the Cold Winds Blow, a picture book by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jill Dubin, is a rhyming account of the animals in the arctic like a polar bear, arctic hare, whale, seal, snowy owl,wolverine and many more. The rhyme is set to the rhythm of “Over in the Meadow”. Here’s a sample page, “Over in the Arctic, Paddling in the icy sea, Lived an old mother walrus, And her little calves three. “Kick,” said the mother. “We kick,” said the three. So they kicked with their flippers, Paddling in the icy sea.” I believe this is a good read aloud for children since it has rhythm, rhyme and movement. How many books? I would give it four out five books. Well done!
— ChildrensAuthorBook.blogspot.com – Lily Erlic (July 16, 2008)
Cut paper illustrates amazing Arctic animals one by one in this rhyming counting book. Readers will learn about arctic animals and their specific behaviors in addition to the arctic tundra in which they live.
Berkes and Dublin both include tips, resources and additional activities for readers. Berkes offers tips on extended activities relating to the arctic while Dubin, the illustrator provides guidelines on creating paper collages. Over in the Arctic is much more than a typical singing counting book.
— Decorah Public Library Reviews (December 2009)
This book is about different arctic animals and how they live. Baby walruses learn to kick, baby wolverines learn to growl, and little owlets learn to swoop, kangaroos learn to thump, foxes learn to hide, whales learn to click and many other animals you will learn about. Each baby of the different arctic species have a distinctive learning task. The children looking at this book will learn how to mimic the animals and sing along to the tune of the children’s classic, “Over in the Meadow.” Jill Dubin did the beautiful illustrations in this book. In the back of the book, it tells about the “Hidden Arctic Animals,” different activities that children can do and how to make different things out of paper. There are ten additional arctic species throughout the book.
Marianne Berkes has spent much of her life as a teacher, children’s theater director and childrens librarian. She is the author of seven entertaining and educational picture books that make a child’s learning relevant. Jill Dubin has illustrated over 30 childrens books. Her cut paper illustrations reflect her interest in combining color, pattern and texture.
— The Nashville News – Mary Brrett (June 10, 2009)
Over in the Arctic Where the Cold Winds Blow introduces readers to the Arctic, the many animal families that inhabit the region and some of their behaviors. This romping rhyme is also a counting book:
Over in the Arctic
Where the cold waters run,
Lived a mother polar bear
And her little cub one.
?Roll,? said the mother.
?I roll,? said the one.
So they rolled on the ice
Where the cold waters run.
Delightful cut paper illustrations set the scene, and the back matter includes tips from the author and illustrator, facts about the arctic tundra, a hidden animal game and sheet music and lyrics so readers can ?sing? the book if they wish. This book is the winner of the 2008 iParenting Media Greatest Product Award and 2009 Mom?s Choice Gold Award.
— Wild About Nature – Kim Hutmacher (June 26, 2009)
