Linnea's Almanac (Linnea books) (Hardcover)

by Cristina Bjork (Author), Lena Anderson (Illustrator), Joan Sandin (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Linnea, from Linnea in Monet's Garden and Linnea's Windowsill Garden , is back, and she is inspired by the Old Farmer's Almanac to track the growing things in her city world. Month by month, the round-faced girl with stick-straight hair never lacks for activities, whether making flower garlands, identifying birds or creating a Christmas-present collage out of beach debris. She's an urban child who visits with her friends Mr. Bloom and Mr. Brush to get ideas. The information contained here is solid and written in an extremely articulate (and likable) young voice. Photographs are sprinkled throughout, as are Anderson's intricately drawn illustrations. This treasure of a book is a handy reference as well as a delight to read straight through. All ages.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5-- Charming Linnea is back from previous appearances in Linnea in Monet's Garden (1987) and Linnea's Windowsill Garden (1988, both Farrar). Here, she and her friends and neighbors study nature month by month. The intent of being simultaneously instructive and entertaining is a tall order, yet Linnea makes learning fun. Altogether, there are more than 30 ideas--from recipes to craft projects to keeping nature records--for readers' delight. Even more impresssive is the book's visual appeal. The watercolor and ink pictures are captivating; the well-planned layout and varying lettering styles are sure to appeal to readers. Because the book is a Swedish import, some objects of nature (e.g. the chaffinch) will be unfamiliar to American readers. Still, this beautiful book deserves to be placed within reach of nature-loving and inquistive children. Sara Midda's In and Out of the Garden (Workman, 1984) is another appealing book that will spur children to make the nature discoveries listed and others of their own. --Amy Adler, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, OH
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 60 pages
• Publisher: R & S Books (October 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9129591767
• ISBN-13: 978-9129591767
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #294,861 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #33 in

  Books > Literature & Fiction > Foreign Language Fiction > More Languages > Swedish

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Linnea's Almanac, June 14, 2000

By	[e-mail] (Dwight, Illinois) - See all my reviews

Linnea is a delightful young lady that finds gardening, nature and life in general interesting and waiting to be explored. She takes the reader young and old alike on a wonderful exploration of nature each month. Her story telling puts the reader in the mood to try the activities she discribes, while providing information and facts for use in the future. The illustrations put the reader into the story and show the finished product of the monthly activity.

I use Linnea's Almanac to introduce each month to my special education students, kindergarden to third grade and they love her. Linnea's adventues have peeked their interest in nature. They have put this interest to use by creating a Garden Learning Center just outside our classroom window, to share with the rest of the school.

Linnea's Window Garden and Monet's Garden in Giveny are also favorites and are used in the classroom. Working with plants and seed was fun after reading about the window garden and Monet has become a familiar artist to the students after reading about Linnea's visit to his garden.

Linnea's books make wonderful gifts for all ages young and old. I would suggest starting with Linnea's Almanac. It introduces the reader to Linnea in such a way that she is an instant friend. Plus, the illustrations are interesting and discriptive even for the non-reader. I have been Linnea's friend for almost five years and enjoy rereading about her again and again.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Young gardeners, February 25, 2002

By	Britt Arnhild Lindland (Norway) - See all my reviews

... Long before [my daughter] was born I discovered the wonderful books by the two Swedish women Lena Anderson and Christina Bjørk. They have made several books together, one of them is Linneas Almanac.

Linnea is a little girl we meet in several of their books, and in this one we follow her for a year, taking part in all her garden activities. There are 12 chapters in the book, one for each month. And in the first one, January, we meet her feeding the winter birds. We also get to know her best friend, an old man named Blomkvist. We already know both Linnea and Blomkvist quite well, visiting Monet's Garden together with them.(Another book by the same women)

In February Linnea shows us what is happening under the snow during the winter months, in March we can start planting, and then every months comes and goes, each with a new activity.

The paintings are simple, charming and filled with life. Linnea is a girl easy to love, and it is easy to follow her activities following the text and the illustrations. We use this book all year round, and discover old and new treasures every year...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Linnea in love with nature, month by month!, August 13, 2000

By	"iloveprovence" (Columbia, S.C. United States) - See all my reviews

Linnea is delightful and fun and exhuberant. She has energy and zest for life that is wonderfully contagious. Her almanac introduces the calendar year through the exploration of nature. Her happy, enchanting, written voice is a motivator for children like no other. This is a book for learning and loving life and nature --- again and again and again. I never tire of Linnea; her appeal is universal. The only thing that would be better is if she was a real person!