As parents ourselves, we find activity sheets a great way to entertain and educate our children. So here’s the first of many activity sheets to come – an animal-themed activity sheet from GLO Books.
http://www.glo-books.com/Activities.aspx
Hope you like it! And do send us your feedback!
My nephew asked me about Tasmanian tigers the other day. As often with questions kids ask, I was stumbling around for an answer. So, if you are ever faced with the question, here goes.
DID YOU KNOW? Tigers are native only to Asia. People often talk about “tigers” in Australia. They are actually referring to the Tasmanian tiger, found in the Australian states of Tasmania and New Guinea. It is not really a tiger but got the name because of the stripes on its back. It is also known as the Tasmanian wolf.
These animals became extinct during the 20th century though occassional reports of sighting still surface (without any proof).
Young minds are so inspirational! At GLO we believe in looking to our young readers for answers. We ask for them to voice their thoughts on various topics. One young reader sent us a note on ways to prevent tiger poaching after reading GLO Books title on the Indian Tiger. In her honour, this months FB and blog posts will be dedicated to the ever-fascinating tiger! Here are Ishita’s ideas around protecting tigers. Add yours to this post!
1. There should be a guard in every place of a forest.
2. At night nobody should go in the forest.
3. We have to see that no poacher or hunter gets into the forest.
4. There should be long fencing and gates so that no one can enter in the forest to hunt.
GLO Books was covered by Times of India this past Sunday. Read more to find out how we got started:) While the coverage is exciting we have a long way to go! So, please do try the books/recommend the books to others – we small publishers need all the support we can get!
“It takes a village” to to do something significant. Swaminathan Ganesan is a key pillar on the team as well – we are small enough that everyone does a little bit of everything but he drives getting our books into stores! GLO’s team includes a few other full time employees and part time folks who help us on specific projects – a huge shout out to Gail Ellen Skroback Hennessey, Vindhya Joseph, Mahalakshmi Panchapakesan, Supriya Unnikrishnan, Kathaleen Kathleen Jones Kotomaimoce, and Anjanaa Vasugi. We are excited that the article got our purpose right and that we got two book covers in there;-) Thanks for all the support and do spread the word folks. We are humbled and grateful!
It’s been GLO’s dream from the very beginning to get our books in front of Dr. Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India (2002 – 2007), Bharat Ratna winner, and simply put – more of a scholar, more of a statesman, more of a leader than many other of our time. If you are not familiar with his work, you should check out his site – www.abdulkalam.com.
Anyways, Sunday, January 8th, 2012, at 9:10pm (IST), Swami and I had the chance to realize our dream of meeting Dr. Kalam in person. He had participated in three major events that day and only reached Raj Bhavan at 8:45pm. There were 12 visitors waiting for him and if he gave everyone the same time he gave us, he would have only been done with his meetings well past midnight.
He was only a bit tired despite the time and remained completely attentive and engaged during the meeting. We talked about GLO and about Ramanujan (GLO’s most recent title) and what lessons kids and adults could learn from the life of the genius. He looked through the Ramanujan book and all the other titles, commenting and asking questions with genuine interest.
We talked about some upcoming GLO events and requested his attendance. He took the time to provide suggestions on how to structure these events and the best ways for him to participate. He’s eager to reach out to the current generation of kids and inspire them – which fits right into our plans.
Here’s the really crazy part of the whole meeting…
When we gifted him the entire GLO Journey through India series, Dr. Kalam’s response was: “Good books should never be given free to just anyone. I will buy them from you.”
HUH? Wait. Had we heard him right?
Yep – we had.
He said again (almost as if he knew we were speechless), “How much are these? Don’t give them free to me. I will pay for them.”
I expect we’d have received a cheque or cash if we had said, “Ok!”
This man really is something else:-) After much insistence he accepted only the one book on Ramanujan.
It is safe to say (an understatement as well) that we left his presence humbled, inspired, and so much more energized than when we had entered. It’s a memory that will motivate us for a long time to come.
So – time to put all that inspiration to work, folks! Thanks for your support and wishes. You can stay tuned to GLO via www.facebook.com/glo-books.
Ready to win some prizes? We will be posting 3 questions in the next week – and the first ten to answer them all correctly will be entered in a prize drawing:-) The contest is running on FB and other media as well – so act fast!
A very Happy New Year to all our readers out there. 2012 has taken off with a bang for Glo. Our latest title, Ramanujan, is on the stands now. And guess who we have added to our growing readers list! India’s own, Dr. A.P. J Abdul Kalam, ex-president of India. Check out the GLO Books Facebook page for pictures!
‘A leopard cannot change it’s spots’, says an old Greek proverb. The proverb means to say that it is very difficult to change something that is intrinsic or inborn. The leopard’s spots have intrigued scientists and artists for centuries. There are many stories, folk-tales, mythological stories and fictional literature that talk about how the leopard got it’s spots.
Scientists have also been curious about the leopards spots. By studying the coat patterns of various cat species and comparing it with their habitats and hunting styles, researchers have concluded that leopards, like cheetahs, jaguars and other wild cats, developed spots to help camouflage themselves in their surroundings. Cats that hunt on open, rocky ground by daylight tend to have plain-coloured coats, while those that spend more time stalking from tree branches typically sport spotted fur. In each habitat, the cat’s markings improve its camouflage and make it a more effective predator.
Mathematical models trace how the chemicals, called morphogens, secreted from the pigment cells in the leopard’s skin, diffuse and combine to form each leopard’s unique markings. They also explain why there aren’t any mice or elephants with tiger stripes or leopard rosettes. Isn’t that cool?
Check out the latest Glo book, “Leopards of India” to learn more about this amazing animal.
Also, here are some articles with interesting info on stripes and spots:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101019212914.htm
http://news.discovery.com/animals/leopard-spots-cat-color.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100113172308.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/oct/20/leopard-spots-kipling-just-so
http://io9.com/5841941/the-mathematical-formula-for-designer-babies-with-tiger-stripes-or-leopard-spots
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11575214
http://www.livescience.com/950-leopard-spots.html
The latest Glo book in the adventurer series, “Leopards of India”, is ready and waiting for you. Join Vicky and Jo as they learn about the leopard, the sleek, strong and beautiful wild cat that lives in habitat varying from the snowy Himalayas to the thick jungles in the southern plains. The adventure awaits!
Glo Books has undergone a makeover. And the results are stunning! The books in their new avatar are available in bookstores. Visit the following stores in Bangalore, India to get your copy:
Book Paradise, Jayanagar
The Bookworm, Brigade Road
Gangarams, MG Road
Sri Book World, Basavangudi
Blossoms, Church Street
Nagashri Book House, Jayanagar
and
all Sapna Books outlets (Jaynagar, Gandhinagar, Indira Nagar, Koramangala and Sadashivnagar)
What do you think of the new format? Let us know!