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7th out of 93 books
—
207 voters
Step Gently Out
by
Helen Frost,
Rick Lieder (Goodreads Author)
Stunning close-up photography and a lyrical text implore children to look more closely at the world around them.
Be still, and watch a single blade of grass.
An ant climbs up to look around.
A honeybee flies past.
What would happen if you walked very, very quietly and looked ever so carefully at the natural world outside? You might see a cricket leap, a moth spread her wings,...more
Be still, and watch a single blade of grass.
An ant climbs up to look around.
A honeybee flies past.
What would happen if you walked very, very quietly and looked ever so carefully at the natural world outside? You might see a cricket leap, a moth spread her wings,...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
March 13th 2012
by Candlewick
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Step Gently Out by Helen Frost, illustrated by Rick Lieder features close-up insect photography and a lyrical poem encouraging children to look more closely at the natural world around them.
Lieder's stunningly beautiful close-up photography features honeybees, a Praying Mantis, a Tussock Moth caterpillar, an Eastern Black Carpenter ant, Striped Ground cricket, Chickweed Geometer moth, Orb Weaver spider, Common Yellow Jacket, Pavement Ant, Big Dipper Firefly, Greater Angle-wing Katydid, and Ebony...more
Lieder's stunningly beautiful close-up photography features honeybees, a Praying Mantis, a Tussock Moth caterpillar, an Eastern Black Carpenter ant, Striped Ground cricket, Chickweed Geometer moth, Orb Weaver spider, Common Yellow Jacket, Pavement Ant, Big Dipper Firefly, Greater Angle-wing Katydid, and Ebony...more
I have lots of little soapboxes scattered around my home that I like to pounce on in idle moments. Big soapboxes. Little soapboxes. Anyone who knows me is forced to hear me expound from one of them at least once daily. It's rare that I get to shove two of them together, though. Usually they represent separate entities that don't overlap. Picking up the remarkably gorgeous work that is Helen Frost and Rick Lieder's Step Gently Out, however, allows me to stack one soapbox on top of another. That m...more
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Richie’s Picks: STEP GENTLY OUT by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder, photographer, Candlewick, March 2012, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-7636-5601-0
“…the creatures shine with stardust,
they’re splashed with morning dew.
In song and dance and stillness,
they share the world with you.”
“Then Sam saw Gus do another bad trick. It made the firefly laugh and laugh. It was funny to see them go in free to the movie show.
“’Stop your tricks,’ called Sam. ‘No more words!’
“’Stop, Gus! Stop! Now STOP!’”
--from SAM AND THE FIREFL...more
“…the creatures shine with stardust,
they’re splashed with morning dew.
In song and dance and stillness,
they share the world with you.”
“Then Sam saw Gus do another bad trick. It made the firefly laugh and laugh. It was funny to see them go in free to the movie show.
“’Stop your tricks,’ called Sam. ‘No more words!’
“’Stop, Gus! Stop! Now STOP!’”
--from SAM AND THE FIREFL...more
Step Gently Out gives readers the opportunity to view the world through the eyes of an insect in this beautifully photographed book. Frost’s simple rhymes paired with Lieder’s close-ups will inspire the reader to slow down and discover the world with new eyes. Children will love to pour over the pictures and identify every arm, hair or mouth of the insects as well as the details of their environment. The story also encourages children, parents, and teachers to get out into nature and discover th...more
In this simple poem readers are reminded to approach with gentleness the natural world and quietly observe the busy insect and spider world. The photographs are incredible, almost eliciting gasps of awe at the miniscule beauty of an orb-weaver spider or a common yellow jacket whose colors make her decidedly uncommon. Some of the phrases used to describe the insects are particularly memorable; for instance, a yellow jacket is "balanced lightly on a leaf"(unpaginated), and a spider is "splashed wi...more
It was the title that grabbed me first. Step Gently Out. There is an ethic in those words, and they have deep meaning for me. When the book was finally in my hands, though, it was the ant on the cover that pulled me in. He is not rendered in paints as I’d thought when I’d seen the book online, but photographed. Captured atop a slender leaf, antennae waving, stepping gently. Completely enchanting.
Would you believe that things got better from there?
Helen Frost’s text is charming, and I can tell yo...more
Would you believe that things got better from there?
Helen Frost’s text is charming, and I can tell yo...more
This is a children's book about different insects that we share the world with. Each page has a different insect on it with some sort of description. Though not every description discusses what the insect does and looks like, every one has something informational embedded into it. This book is a 2013 Orbis Pictus contender for a reason. It is an informational story that many young readers would be drawn to. The pictures are absolutely amazing and the words are light yet effective. The flow throu...more
I've had this book on my shelf for awhile. At first glance, it looks like one of those generic bug books you see all the time on the nonfiction shelf. I was quite surprised to find how much I enjoyed it after opening up; Helen's Frost words with Rick Lieder's BEAUTIFUL photographs of simple, every day bugs make it seem like you've never seen insects before (even though you probably have). A handy index in the bag identifies what kind of bug they are specifically, which is useful if you're using...more
Who would have thought a photograph of a yellow jacket would ever be a good choice for bedtime? Despite my aversion to creepy-crawlies (which many young readers won't have, anyway!), I found this book to be a soothing read-aloud. Helen Frost's subtly elegant poetry ("A spider spins a silken thread and steps across the air") joins with Rick Lieder's art, photographs with all but the closest objects softened and blurred, simulating the eye's natural focus on the tiny insects and spiders in their n...more
This book is a must-see. Beautiful, delicate photos highlight the beauty and wonder of nature's tiniest creatures. A short poem dances through the pages, encouraging children to slow down, stop, and just look at all of the wonder surrounding them outdoors.
This is a book you'll want to add to your humane education unit, especially if you're focusing on nature and poetry. Step Gently Out evokes the preciousness of the world around us, and the fascination even the tiniest lives can evoke.
This one...more
This is a book you'll want to add to your humane education unit, especially if you're focusing on nature and poetry. Step Gently Out evokes the preciousness of the world around us, and the fascination even the tiniest lives can evoke.
This one...more
This book is written in lyrical form with stunning photographs for illustrations. The lyrical narrative tells about a variety of bugs found out in nature, which would be perfect for any age. The minimal text does make it more appropriate for younger age ranges. This book would be a perfect integration with science and discovering the outside world within your fingertips.
Author: Helen Frost
Title: Step Gently Out
Illustrator: Rick Lieder
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date: April 13, 2013
Genre: Poetry/...more
Author: Helen Frost
Title: Step Gently Out
Illustrator: Rick Lieder
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date: April 13, 2013
Genre: Poetry/...more
Step outside, take some time to be still and just watch the world. Get down low to the ground or close to some plants, and you're sure to see tiny animals going about their business. Frost and Lieder have captured the wonder children experience as they notice these creatures.
Lieder's photography will be the first thing to grab children's attention. Each page brings the reader up close to an insect, as if you were right there crouching in the garden. The animals are caught in crisp, clear detail...more
Lieder's photography will be the first thing to grab children's attention. Each page brings the reader up close to an insect, as if you were right there crouching in the garden. The animals are caught in crisp, clear detail...more
I don't like bugs, but I absolutely adored this book. Stunning photography of bugs in their natural element with bright, rich colours accompany a beautiful, calm poem. The main part of the book is engaging, but also calming, I found my busy mind still while reading this book. I found myself absorbed into the poem, the stress of my day disappearing, if only for a bit. Extra bonus for curious young minds at the end of the book, with information about each of the bugs featured. Highly recommend.
Lyrical text set against up close photos of nature inspire children to look more closely at the world around them. On a two page spread in the back there are sections of brief info on the insects featured in the book.
The photos are so clear and close up that delicate details are revealed for the reader such as the fine hair on the legs of a dragonfly or the fuzzy antenna of a moth. Soothing, gentle read where text and pictures work together seamlessly. Must read/see.
The photos are so clear and close up that delicate details are revealed for the reader such as the fine hair on the legs of a dragonfly or the fuzzy antenna of a moth. Soothing, gentle read where text and pictures work together seamlessly. Must read/see.
I love Helen Frost's writing, so when I heard she had a new book I knew I had to read it. I've also heard a lot of buzz surrounding this book for the 2013 Caldecott. I think her poetry is better utilized in longer books where the form can really take shape. However, this was a fun picture book with fabulous photographs by Rick Lieder and was overall enjoyable.
There are some breathtaking close ups in this book. Insects seem to look at readers as though we are the strange creatures. As odd as it may sound, you can hear the quiet in these photographs, and feel a certain fragility of life. Frost's poem encourages children to examine the world around them, and understand that insects are living important lives of their own. Each insect is named and discussed briefly at the back of the book. I'm giving Step Gently Out 4 stars instead of 5 because while the...more
Helen Frost's wonderful opening words, "Step gently out, be still and watch..." fit perfectly with Rick Lieder's amazing photographs of insects - which will make even the biggest "bug haters" fall in love with ants, moths, spiders and bees. This is a book brimming with beauty, guaranteed to make the reader smile and feel awe that there is such a world out there waiting to be discovered.
Nov 21, 2012
Melody
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Melody by:
Wendy
Shelves:
burton-browbeating
Simple and lyrical, the poem illuminates the photographs, the photographs inform the poem. This is a book that Owen would have worn out from reading over and over. The photos are stellar- macro-lens insects and arachnids. It reads the way being a bug-obsessed kid feels, and brought back with crystalline clarity a certain afternoon I stood frozen in a cornfield watching one particular spider go about her life.
A simple poem about the wonders of insect life is illustrated with close-up photographs of various critters. Readers are invited to sit still and watch. Wonders are all around. An afterword shares introductory information about each of the insects pictured. Kids will delight in both the images and trying to read the few words on each page. (essential for elem sch lib)
I've wanted to read this for a long while, and finally I got it from the library. I am very glad I did. This is quite a beautiful book of less than fifty words, showing, in poetry, the small insects that inhabit our world. Here's one example: A spider spins a silken thread/ and steps across the air." It's a beautiful book to add to a poetry collection.
Truly beautiful in words and images. You can tell it was written by a poet and not someone who decided it would be nice to write a rhyming picture book. And Rick Lieder's photographs of tiny creatures are soft, sparkly, and magical. This whole book is like a meditation. Don't forget to look closely at the world and it will reward you with beauty.
Beautiful close up photographs accompany a gentle poem asking us to look closely and see the wonder of small insects. End papers show bee at dawn (front) and fireflies at night, completing the cycle of the day. Notes at the end tell a bit about each insect and spider.
Would be a good book to share with k-3rd graders.
Would be a good book to share with k-3rd graders.
Few words per page, but they are perfect. If the text were complied without visuals in a single poem it would be lovely, but with the pacing and intense photographic images this is a book that fulfills the promise of the last stanza: "in song and dance ands stillness they share their world with you."
I'm Frost's newest fan.
I'm Frost's newest fan.
How did I neglect to review this book? I adore the text and the photos, and wish it had been recognized in some way by one of the 2012 book committees.
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you or order STEP GENTLY OUT on IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978076...
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you or order STEP GENTLY OUT on IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978076...
now these photographs are awesome. You can almost feel the petals of the flowers and hear the crickets chirp. I'm not sure what kind of chance this has at a Caldecott, but should be considered.
The poem that goes with the photos is ok, but I'm not a fan of poems in general so I will take the blame.
The poem that goes with the photos is ok, but I'm not a fan of poems in general so I will take the blame.
The crystal clear nature photographs are definitely the highlight of this beautiful poetry book. Helen Frost's poem certainly adds to the overall effect, but it is not the main focus here. This is an evocative glimpse of the nature that surrounds us daily – if we would only take the time to stop and look.
This is a sweet book that is about all kinds of bugs. I love that they used great photographs for the illustrations. And the fact that they are such close-ups, you can see even the littlest details on the bugs. I like that. But then again I like close-up/portrait photography. It makes me happy.
This books is beautiful. The photography is magical, and the words are simple and nice. Even though this book is basically about 'bugs' this was lovely book. I have used too many soft and lilting words, but It really was just peaceful and the photography very detailed and interesting.
Kind of a cool book. Each page has an insect in a picture that is up close so you can see the finer details. One each page is a few words about the insect. This is a good visual book for young children. At the back is a couple of pages with more information about each insect.
This took me back to when I was a kid sitting outside in the garden.
Perfectly sums up the sights and sounds and feelings of a child going outside on a warm sunny morning. The photographs are clear and beautiful. I would like to give Helen Frost and Rick Lieder a hug.
Perfectly sums up the sights and sounds and feelings of a child going outside on a warm sunny morning. The photographs are clear and beautiful. I would like to give Helen Frost and Rick Lieder a hug.
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I'm dipping my toes into goodreads to see how it works. Thanks for finding me here, and thanks to everyone who has read and written about my books. I love to know you're there, even if I don't come here too often to say so.
Helen Frost is the author of six novels-in-poems and two picture books for children and young adults. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/helenf...
More about Helen Frost...
Helen Frost is the author of six novels-in-poems and two picture books for children and young adults. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/helenf...
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