Book Review: Bluebonnet Time! by Lucas Miller

As a fifth-generation Texan, I was excited when BioRhythms Publishing and PRBytheBook offered the e-book version of this charming and educational book via NetGalley.com.  Like most Texans I have a great fondness for our beloved state flower and look forward to their arrival each spring. As a mother of 10 and homeschooler, I'm always on the lookout for good books for children.

This book immediately caught my attention. It's an educational book about our beloved bluebonnets. What a terrific idea! Bluebonnet Time! is a great  combination of colorful illustrations, fun facts, and lovely photos. I really enjoyed the story, which was humorous, educational and wonderfully honoring of family at the same time.

The story involves a mom and dad and two kids who go to visit their family in Texas during bluebonnet season. The children's grandmother just happens to be a retired science teacher so you can see a lesson coming, but it's done in such a charming way that it feel forced at all.

The author, Lucas Miller is a musician and science/environmental educator and has an obvious love of learning and children. My mother was a science teacher and an environmental educator, so I grew up with a love of science and nature. I have a great appreciation for things that point to the both the wonder and complexity of the natural world. This book would make a great basis for a unit study. It covers growing conditions, plant structure and pollination in a much more interesting way than a standard textbook would.

Here is a video preview of this delightful book:



There is more information about the book at the book's website. Be sure to check out the page on bluebonnet science.

A final note: While I received this in e-book form, I would not recommend purchasing it in that format. The Kindle version was awful. The artwork in this book is brightly colored and frequently spans two pages which doesn't translate well to an e-reader. Get yourself a physical copy and enjoy.