Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story

by Suzanne Slade, Jessica Lanan (Illustrations)

*2018 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book*This picture book biography examines the life and career of naturalist and artist Anna Comstock (1854-1930), who defied social conventions and pursued the study of science. From the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature's secrets. From watching the teamwork of marching ants to following the constellations in the sky, Anna observed it all. And her interest only increased as she grew older and went to college at Cornell University. There she continued her studies, pushing back against those social conventions that implied science was a man's pursuit. Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students' interest in nature. In following her passion, this remarkable woman blazed a trail for female scientists today.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Nature, Science, Nonfiction, Childrens, History

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2017

About the author

Sibert honoree author of more than 150 books for chlldren.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable biography with lovely illustrations. The story hits the highlights and doesn't overwhelm with information. On one hand, I appreciate this as it's suitable even for the Kindergarten crowd (IMO) though I, personally, was a bit frustrated by some of the details that were left only for the author's note at the end. I also found one aspect of the story rather misleading -- it mentions that most women of Anna's time were expected to marry right after high school, but that Anna's heart belonged to nature and she continued to pursue her education and interests and I finished the story with the impression that she never married. It is only in the author's note that we learn she did marry and that she actually co-authored many books with her husband. I also wish the main story had been a little bit more detailed about her higher education (it mentions college but not that she attended Cornell) and a bit more detail about her professional accomplishments (she later became an Assistant Professor at Cornell and was the first woman called "Professor" there). Still, I feel the story does an excellent job of showing the way in which she was both scientist and artist in creating her books as well as the way in which she encouraged educators to teach children about nature and to take children out of the classroom and into nature (hence, the title) to experience it for themselves. (The back matter explains more about why she was sent to do this -- it was a means of inspiring an enjoyment of nature so that more farm children would remain in farming as there was getting to be a food shortage at that time since so many young people were fleeing the family farm as soon as they could do so). Quibbles aside, a pleasure to read, and I understand that some of her books are still in print so I hope to obtain one to share with my children.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book every Charlotte Mason homeschooler would love to share with their young children. Not only does it have biographical information about Anna Comstock, but it is also full of beautiful pictures of animals that are a nature study in itself. Can't recommend this picture book highly enough.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture book biography of Anna Botsford Comstock a nature lover, scientist, artist, educational reformer, and author who produced amazing works of art, revolutionized how students learn about nature, and was Cornell's first female professor.

An amazing story about an amazing woman. I looked up some samples of Comstock's illustrations after finishing this. They are truly gorgeous. Some of them look like photographs. I'd never heard of this woman before, but I definitely appreciate the ways she made an impact in this world. In my days of teaching science I most loved the forays out of the classroom into the wild with students, and so I'm especially appreciative of how Comstock paved the way for that to be a recognized successful science teaching method. A fantastic addition to any library or collection, especially recommended for young nature lovers or those who may stay inside too much (perhaps this will coax them outside a little more often).

[Cheryl A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect title, charming & enlightening & important, book.

I love the new picture-book biographies. When I was growing up all I recall are the heavier books that we'd use to write school reports. But now there are so many *stories* about people for kids to enjoy and to be inspired by. And the serious bit is reserved for the back matter, so the more casual and younger readers can just appreciate learning about these role models.

I also love that they're not as often about traditionally famous (read: mostly white male) people. These new biographical stories are very often about people who deserve to be more famous, who have actually done work that is of more significance and lasting impact. Comstock certainly does deserve that this book was written about her... and so does every family and every schoolchild deserve to read it.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

A biography on the life of Anna Comstock and how she became an expert in nature and reformed the schools teaching of it.

Ages: 6 - 10

**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!

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[Libby Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The nature story is never finished. There is not a weed or an insect or a tree so common that the child, by observing carefully, may not see things never yet recorded.”

Loved this pic book bio about Anna Comstock, the mother of nature education in the US. She caused many ripples with the idea that children should learn about nature outdoors instead of indoors. Seems ridiculous but it’s true! She was also a careful artist and scientist who guided farmers and teachers alike.

I gushed over the nature metaphors and similes in this one.

“From the time she was no higher than a daisy…”

“Anna grew like a sunflower.”

“News spread faster than dandelion seeds on a windy day.”

[Cori Thonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great intro book to Anna Comstock! I had no idea that she had made such beautiful engravings. I have gone on to look more up and they are inspiring. My elementary aged daughters also loved the story and illustrations of this book.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a bit partial to this one.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tells the story of Anna Comstock, a scientist, who developed nature education lessons for children.

[Haley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book at the perfect time! School literally got out this past weekend! So, I am out of school…and sometimes into nature, depending on the day!
This is a perfect story for children who enjoy the great outdoors, and for those who don’t! I read this book and learned a lot about Anna Comstock. Quite frankly, I had never really heard of Anna Comstock before this picture book. So, even to me, this story was a history lesson!
Any child who likes science, art, and nature will find a new hero in Anna Comstock. There is no doubt that Anna is a remarkable woman. This short story is very inspiring to any young girl or boy to follow their dream.
The illustrations are very well done. Jessica Lanan is a great artist. Suzanna Slade, on the other hand, wonderfully wrote a small “history” lesson for children to easily comprehend.
The cover is very cute. When I saw it, I immediately picked it up and read the story. I am giving this cover 5 stars.
As for the book itself, I am also giving it 5 stars. This picture book is definitely worth the read for any child, boy or girl, who enjoys science and/or learning about a new person…well, and/or a child who simply enjoys a good picture book!

Title: Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story
Author: Suzanne Slade
Author’s Website: http://www.suzanneslade.com/
Illustrator: Jessica Lanan

This review is written in my own opinion and words.

[Becky Shattuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book about Anna Comstock's curiosity and love of nature. She spends so much time outdoors, studying creatures, that she begins to draw and make prints of insects, which eventually are used to help others identify bugs. I'd use this book to highlight women in science, as well as the curiosity-driven and hands-on nature of science.

I wish it was clearer that the insect anatomy she drew and described was some of her own original, award-winning work and not something she just learned and regurgitated from college. I also wish the book was better focused on a theme instead of just being a timeline of her life.

Amazon listed the age range of this book as ages 6-9 (grades 1-4). I don't think the age range for this book is appropriate. It would be better for 4th - 6th grade.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

I appreciated that this talked about Anna Comstock as a nature illustrator, a scientist, and an educator and showed briefly how those roles intersected but were different.

Jessica Lanan's watercolor illustrations were lovely and worked well with the text. I wish more of Comstock's drawings or engravings had been included, but three of her butterfly engravings are on the last page ("More About Anna").

There were a couple of things tonally in the writing that threw me off (in talking about people not thinking women should study science, "Anna thought they were as nutty as an oak tree," for example).

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong echoes of A Girl of the Limberlost and Miss Stacy from Anne of Green Gables. Serves as a reminder that girls like being outside and getting dirty, too.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems appropriate to share this today after Mother Nature has packed such a wallop to places in our world these past weeks. I have spent much time in my years as a teacher out in nature with my students. I was fortunate that my school held the philosophy that "outside" was learning, and the more hours the better. Students kept field journals, learned to identify so many animals and plants, made ongoing observations, etc. Now I think that some of this work is due to the long ago work of Anna Comstock, a person I'm sorry to admit I've never heard of.
Anna grew up loving the outdoors, curious about everything she observed, did not follow the norm of girls at that time, to play inside having tea parties. Instead of a more stately older life waiting to marry, Anna pushed ahead and went to Cornell University, again pursuing the study of natural sciences. She eventually did marry a man who also loved insects, "Harry" Comstock, and began to draw insects, the work which transformed into carvings, then engravings, celebrated as beautifully accurate. One large influence she later had was to be challenged by New York officials to see why so many children were leaving their farms, with little love for the land. Anna discovered that teachers were not teaching about nature at all, keeping children inside with no other kind of learning. She developed a nature-study program for teachers which it was controversial at first, but grew into a nation-wide program.
Suzanne Slade tells a basic and poetic story of Anna's life from youth to old age. She writes: "Through the years, Anna grew like a sunflower. So did her love of nature." That love of nature told by Suzanne Slade is illustrated by Jessica Lanan in different approaches to the pages, some double-spreads, some in circles, some replicating Anna's detailed insect drawings, and all in beautiful watercolor.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story is a children's picture book written by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Jessica Lanan. It is a biographical picture-book of American scientist of Anna Comstock.

March, at least in my part of the world is Women's History Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.

Anna Botsford Comstock was an American artist, educator, conservationist, and a leader of the nature study movement.

Slade's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. This straightforward biography simply accounts the life of Anna Comstock with quotes from Comstock sprinkled throughout the book. The informative backmatter fills in more details about the life and accomplishments of this naturalist, writer, scholar, and forward-thinking female pioneer. Lanan's illustrations depict the landscape in an airy and pastoral manner and shows the reason Comstock loved nature so much.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. The life of artist and naturalist Anna Comstock unfolds against an airy, pastoral landscape, where she observed the local flora and fauna of the countryside. As Comstock grew older, so did her love for science and nature, leading her to study at Cornell and spearhead efforts to get children outdoors at school, where they could examine nature firsthand.

All in all, Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story is an inspirational biographical children's picture book about Anna Comstock, a naturalist and lover of nature.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read this book for our homeschool unit study and it was immensely enjoyed! The illustrations are beautiful and the story captivated my young learners! Anna Comstock was a very intriguing historical figure who pioneered the movement of women in science, specifically nature study, in her case, and integrated hands on nature classes for students who increasingly were turning away from farming and nature, in general. Her illustrations were impressive and nature journals are a very common component of nature learning now. Her book, Handbook of Nature Study, is an essential for Charlotte Mason homeschoolers and teachers who integrate nature study in their curriculum, and I loved learning about the brave and impressive woman behind the book. She is a splendid role model for young children. My daughter, especially, was rather enamored by the book and the life she lived. We really enjoyed the story itself, yet also loved the extra info on Anna at the end, which provided more details.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"From the time she was no higher than a daisy, Anna was wild about nature." That's how Suzanne Slade's lyrical picture book biography begins the story of Anna Comstock's life. Comstock was a naturalist, a talented artist, and a pioneer in outdoor in-the-field nature education. Slade weaves together the biography of this strong woman with glimpses into the natural world, quotations from Comstock herself, and information about the exclusion of women from science in the 1800s and early 1900s. Jessica Lanan's illustrations are gorgeous. Back matter is great too-- I just wanted to see more of Comstock's art.

[Parks and Education · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent biographical picture book providing information on the life and work of naturalist Anna Comstock. The story is engaging with beautiful illustrations. This book was a wonderful read to introduce our children to the woman who wrote our nature study handbook. After reading this, my daughter wanted to become a naturalist and author like Anna. She was fascinated by Anna's dream to defy societal norms and enter the field of science; a field that was largely not available to women at the time. What more could we want from a book then to inspire our children to follow their dreams and maybe one day become pioneers themselves?

[Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this picture book and its illustrations. Anna’s connection to nature—touching it with her fingers, feeling it under her feet, reminds me of how deeply nature can heal us and carry us through life.

“Known as the mother of nature education, Anna Botsford Comstock helped generations of children explore and fall in love with the outdoors.” She truly is a wonderful person to learn about.

I love reading picture books about real women in history, there’s something inspiring about seeing their lives and achievements brought to life through illustrations.

[michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book about a woman who loved nature and science well before that was truly accepted in society. What is extra special about Anna Comstock, and what young readers will appreciate most, is that she made a concerted effort to get the study of nature into schools and not simply as a classroom subject. She knew that in order to truly have an appreciation of nature, you had to be in nature. Anna Comstock encouraged educators to consider alternate methods of teaching.

[Becker Children · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful hand watercolor illustrations. The story didn’t really grab the children. I would’ve enjoyed more focus on her great work setting up nature study and getting students outside (as the title suggests) and a little less dwelling that the work she was doing was atypical for a woman in her time, she went to school instead of “just getting married” (though the back pages show she got married as well as did great work in nature study and education!)

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations; excellent introduction to an interesting woman. My quibble: Early in the book the illustration shows Anna sitting on a log looking at a dragonfly. The text says "climbed tall trees instead of sitting in their shade," immediately followed by, "Sometimes Anna just sat--watching." I felt the editor should have suggested the sentence stop at "trees." Read it and see what you think.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was totally unfamiliar with Anna Comstock and her work as a naturalist and her introduction of nature study into school studies. I found it interesting that Anna reproduced images of insects in woodblocks, not an easy art form. I enjoyed the illustrations of this title as they convey the peacefulness of nature.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A naturalist, Anna (1854-1930) loved her time outside. She was able to attend college where she began to draw, creating illustrations for an insect book. She began a program in New York state for a nature study curriculum, encouraging students and their teachers to spend time outside, observing the world.

[ReadingWench · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are wonderful. This biography picture book would be great for 3rd, 4th or a tool for 5th grade. This would be a great teaching tool for teachers. We have a garden at our school. We talk about the insects and crops. This would be a great addition to garden club!

[Connie T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging picture book about Anna Comstock and how her love of the natural environment led to her campaign to get children and students outside to study and appreciate nature and science. Children are naturally curious about their world and this book builds on that. It's lovely!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read aloud for my 8yo daughter. Gorgeous illustrations and we appreciated the quotes throughout. After reading this, together we looked at Anna Comstock's Handbook of Nature Study, which we are hoping to utilize this school year!

[Kathy Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational story of Anna Comstock. Tells the story of her rise in teaching and also of her meticulous drawing. It is a book for children, but maybe a little older of a child, so not a first reader!

[Brooke Gilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have Anna Botford Comstock's book "Handbook for Nature Study." This is an excellent children's book in highlighting a woman in Science and her contributions. So often these stories are not heard are taught in school and it is refreshing to see these stories come into the light.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated book about a girl's love of nature and how she shared it with the world. It opened up a small side conversation about how unusual it was for women to go to college back then. Anna was a gifted naturalist, teacher, and artist!