5th December World Soil Day

World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 th December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.

Did you know that there are more living organisms in a tablespoon of soil than people on Earth? Soil is a world made up of organisms, minerals, and organic components that provides food for humans and animals through plant growth.

Soils are complex mixtures of minerals, water, air, organic matter, and countless organisms that are the decaying remains of once-living things. It forms at the surface of land – it is the “skin of the earth.” Soil is capable of supporting plant life and is vital to life on earth.

We have a considerable number of books about soil and they are used. The preschool are always in the garden digging and the Yr 1 often look in soil as part of a minibeasts unit. The school gardener was often called upon to talk about what was happening in the playground and the worm farm and compost help maintain interest as well. 

Some of the best soil books are here, but don't forget to look at worm books because these often speak of soil too.

• Exploring Soils: A Hidden World Underground  by Samantha Grover and Camille Heisler

 

This wonderful book published by the CSIRO is written by soil scientist Samantha Grover and tells the story of James who wants to be a soil scientist. He discovers that soil is not just dirt for digging in, but an essential part of our world. He explores how plants and animals live in soil, how soils are formed, how they differ, and the ways that soil is essential in our lives.

• Dirt: The Scoop on Soil  by Natalie Rosinsky and  Sheree Boyd

In this introduction to soil, young science and nature lovers will discover the components of dirt, how it's made, and how to maintain healthy soil for the environment.

• Soil Basics  by Mari Schuh

Plants grow in it. Animals live in it. Read more to find out the facts on soil. 

• Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal

Down in the dirt there is a busy world of earthworms digging, snakes hunting, skunks burrowing and all the other animals that make a garden their home. In this exuberant and lyrical book, discover the wonders that lie hidden between stalks. 

• Under Your Feet... Soil, Sand  and Everything Underground  by Wenjia Tang

 Learn how one handful of ordinary soil contains more organisms than there are people on Earth, and carry out experiments using dirt from your own back garden.

•  Carl and the Meaning of Life by Deborah Freedman

Carl is an earthworm. He spends his days happily tunnelling in the soil until a field mouse asks him a simple question that stops him short: "Why?" 

24th May Escargot Day

Escargot Day is observed each year on May 24th. This day is in honour of the famous French dish of cooked land snails. Escargot is French for edible snails, an acquired taste that was popular in French restaurants in the past, but not so much now. I couldn't find when Snail Day was celebrated so decided to put together a display of 'snail' books to honour the 24th. The students at my school learn French and we have an abundance of wonderful books which feature snails, so why not?

If you are doing this too, start with these picture books:
• Escargot by Dashka Slater & Sydney Hansen. This is such fun and can be found here on Youtube if you don't have a copy of the book.
• Snails Legs by Damian Harvey and Korky Paul
• Super Snail by Elys Dolan
• Snails Are Just My Speed by Kevin McCloskey
• Snail Trail by Ruth Brown
• The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
• The Story of Fish and Snail by Deborah Freedman
• The Biggest House in the World by Leo Lionni
• Snail and Turtle Are Friends and Snail and Turtle Rainy Days  by Stephen Michael King
• Matisse's Magical Trail by Tim Hopgood and Sam Boughton 
• Snippet the Early Riser by Bethanie Deeney Murguia
• Clementine by Sebastian Loth
• Sylvia  by Christine Sharp


Just a few information books:
• Watch Out Snail! by Gail Hay
• Let's Look at Snails by Michelle Levine
• Snail-Snaily-Snails by Bonnie Bader
' Here are some chapter books worth looking for:
• Snail and Worm by Tina Kugler (this is a series)
• Annie's Snails by Dianne Wolfer
• The Adventurous Snail by Dick King Smith
• Sophie's Snail by Dick King Smith (this is one of six Sophie adventures)
• The Worst Child I Ever Had  by Anne Fine
• The Story of a Snail Who Discovered the Importance of Being Slow by Luis Sepulveda



And for fun look for these two art books
• Snail Trail: A Journey through Modern Art by Jo Saxton
• How the Snail Found It's Colours by Jeong-Yi Kee