GAIL GIBBONS
Gail Gibbons was born in Oak Park Illinois in 1944. While she was still a
child she enjoyed making books, and she has always loved drawing and painting. She also
was very curious and asked a lot of questions.
When she grew up she attended the University of Illinois and studied
graphic design. Later she moved to New York City where she was employed creating art for
television shows. It was while doing artwork for a children's television show that she was
encouraged by the children to do a children's book. And she decided to do one -- Willy
and His Wheel Wagon -- which a publisher bought at once. Since then Gibbons has
written and illustrated over 100 books. She prefers to write non-fiction because she
enjoys the research so much. She also enjoys traveling and meeting interesting people.
Mrs. Gibbons lives most of the time in Corinth, Vermont on 300 acres with
her husband, dog, and two cats. They have a lot of wild animals that roam and live on
their property. She and her husband also spend a lot of time at their little farmhouse on
an island off the coast of Maine.
I love Gail Gibbons' books because I learn so much from them. She can take
almost any subject and bring it into focus in just 32 pages, with enough detail to satisfy
the initial curiosity of a young child, while whetting the appetite of of the adult
who is reading the book for more detailed information. The stunning, bold, colorful
pictures will hold the attention of all ages, though the books are, for the most part,
aimed at children K-3.
In the books described below I have made the covers big enough for you to
get a feel for Gibbons' style. I wish I could also show you the insides, but that would
violate copyright laws. I have not done reviews of all her books here, but have
included some of my favorites. I hope to add to the number of scans as time goes on.
Meanwhile, read the reviews while the pictures load. They are worth waiting for.
We can order any Gibbons book for you if its in print, and we will offer
it as 10% off the list price. We try to keep the ones listed here in stock in paper, if
available that way. Although all books have not been reviewed, you can expect each book to
explain the basics of the subject it covers, enhanced by Gibbons' superb illustrations.
 Art
Box: This book has very large print to accommodate the very youngest
readers. It introduces the tools and colors that artists use. Everything in the large,
bold illustrations is labeled, so this book is great for teaching art
vocabulary. But the main point is that art comes from the artists imagination,
and the tools and colors bring the artist's ideas to life. Trade paper. Square shape.
BTH-2259 $6.26-D
Bats:.
Although many people are afraid of bats, most have never seen these creatures of the
night. Mrs. Gibbons examines the rumors that give them a bum rap, describes their
physiology, and shows in vivid detail how different species live and hunt. She also
explains how they benefit man and their place in the balance of nature. She pictures the
Giant Flying Fox, the Mexican Free-tailed Bat, the Epaulet Bat, the Kitti's Hog-Nosed Bat,
the Little Brow Bat, the Nectar Bat, the Fishing Bat, the Vampire Bat, the Dawn Bat, the
Tube-Nosed Fruit Bat, and the Jamaican Fruit Bat. This book is a must for anyone
interested in learning more about these often misunderstood creatures. Paper. Square
shape. For beginning readers. BTH-2260. $6.26-D
Bicycle Book: Explains the history of bicycles,
the different kinds, and how they work. BTH-2261 $6.26-D
Boat Book: Different kinds of boats are moved by
oars and paddles, the wind, and engines. Cat # HH-07098. $5.36-D
 Cats:
This book gives a glimpse into the history of cats, explains their physiology, and
introduces several different breeds as it explains how cats use their paws and claws; how
they use their senses; and how they communicate, reproduce, and play. Children are
instructed in how to care for both kittens and adult cats. In this book Gibbons uses one
of her common techniques -- dividing the pages into halves or quarters to get more
pictures on a theme in a page or to illustrate details. Trade paper. Square shape. $6.26-D
Catch the Wind: All About Kites: This book
explains the history of kites, the different kinds of kites, and how to make and
fly them. BTH-2256. $4.46-D
Caves and Caverns: Join a guided tour of a
cavern and learn how these caves were formed, what we call the different formations, what
the temperature is like, what living things are inside, and what, including safety rules,
a spelunker need to know. As usual, Gibbons' bold, colorful illustrations clarify the
text. She does hold the view that the limestone formations took millions of years to
develop. Trade paper. BTH-2257,. $5.40-D
Check it Out! The Book About Libraries. Explains
the different kinds of libraries and how they are used. BTH-2258. $5.40-D
Click image to enlarge it.
Deserts: Learn the characteristics of a desert,
and how plants, animals, and people live in them. Trade paper.
Cat # HH-15198. $6.26-D
Emergency!: Gail Gibbons uses her bright, bold
illustrations to show how emergency vehicles and personnel respond and what they do when
they are called upon. Trade paper. Cat # HH-12016. $6.26-D
Frogs: Illustrates and explains the
life-cycle and habits of frogs as only Gail Gibbons, with her bold, simple, bright
pictures, can do it. For preschoolers and early primary ages. Trade paper. Cat #
HH-11346. $6.26-D
From Seed to Plant: Gail Gibbons' bright, bold,
simple pictorial explanations show the process of a plant's growth from seed to sprout, to
mature plant. Trade paper. Cat # HH-10250. $6.26-D
 How a House is Built: Explains the
different types of houses one can build, the people involved in the work of
building it, and the various steps between planning the house on paper to
completing it. This book will be fascinating to those children who love to watch
construction going on because it will explain what they are seeing. Trade paper.
BTH-2262. $6.26-D
Monarch Butterfly:
This is a clear and beautiful story of the life cycle of a monarch butterfly
from the time the adult lays the eggs until the new adults migrate. There are
also instructions for keeping a caterpillar and watching it go through its
changes until it emerges as a butterfly and then releasing it. As usual, Gibbons
puts all the spare facts that wouldn't fit into the story at the back of the
book for those who want to know. Please click on image to enlarge it. Trade paper.
BTH-2299.
$6.26-D
Penguins: Trade paper. Cat # HH-15163. $6.26-D
 The Planets: Explains how planets
differ from stars, and how they move around the sun in their orbits. Then it
describes what we know about the planets in our solar system and a bit about how
astronomers work. Trade paper. BTH-2263.. $6.26-D
 The
Pumpkin Book: Trade paper. Cat # HH-16364. $6.26-D
Reasons for the Seasons: Gail Gibbons' bold,
brightly colored pictures illustrate her easy-to-understand explanation for why we have
seasons. Trade paper. Cat # HH-12385. $6.26-D
Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree: Arnold's very
own secret place is his very own apple tree. It keeps him busy all year. In spring he
watches the buds grow and develop into blossoms. He makes a swing and gathers blossoms. In
summer he builds a tree house and he watches his small apples grow big enough to juggle.
In fall he eats apples and rakes leaves. His family makes pies and cider. In winter he
hangs popcorn and berries on his tree for the birds to eat and builds a snow fort,
complete with snow man, at the bottom of his tree. This book teaches young children about
the changing seasons, a variety of creative outdoor activities, and an appreciation of the
apple tree. Cat. # HB-2712453. $5.40-D
 Sharks: Describes the varieties of
sharks, their anatomy, how they live and reproduce, and how they are useful to
man. BTH-2264.. $6.26-D
Spiders: Trade paper. Cat # HH-10811. $6.26-D
Thanksgiving Day: Trade paper.Cat # HH-05761.
$6.26-D
Tool Book: Trade paper. Cat # HH-06946. $6.26-D
 Trains.
Explains how trains move and what powers
them. It also describes the various kinds of cars on the train and their uses.
BTH-2265.$6.26-D
Weather Words and What They Mean: Trade
paper.Cat # HH-0952X. $6.26-D
Whales: Describes the various kinds of
whales and how they breathe, navigate, talk, migrate, and reproduce. Trade
paper. BTH-2266. $6.26-D
 Wolves: Describes the types of wolves,
how they hunt, how their packs care for each other, how they communicate and
reproduce, and how they interact with man. Image is cut off a bit on top and
bottom because the scanner was too small to get it all. Trade paper. BTH-2267.. $6.26-D
| 
