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What Are You Doing Today, Mother Nature?: Travel the world with 48 nature stories, for every month of the year

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This exquisitely illustrated treasury of narrative nonfiction stories about the natural world, organized season by season and around the world, shows children the infinite beauty and variety of nature in every part of the planet.

Arranged around the full cycle of a calendar year, each month chapter features four stories each from a different part of the world to show that while somewhere it is hot summer, somewhere else is in the middle of winter, while some are dry and others are rainy.

48 story spreads tell fascinating single stories of animals and nature from each month of the year, showing how the changing of the seasons takes place around the world, promoting an international sense of the weather, seasons and cycles of nature from very big, to ever-so-small.

This captivating book will transport readers across the globe, teaching them about the different kinds of weather and wildlife all across the planet.
 

112 pages, Hardcover

Published July 12, 2022

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49 people want to read

About the author

Lucy Brownridge

33 books11 followers

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5 stars
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9 (17%)
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Natalie  all_books_great_and_small .
3,160 reviews177 followers
November 27, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

What Are You Doing Today Mother Nature? is a fun and adventurous book for children allowing them to travel to the far side of the earth without leaving the room they're in. This book teaches so much and is spread out over the course of a year. Each chapter in the book tells stories from all different parts of the world and helps children to understand things such as when it's cold and wet/snowy in one place it's very hot and sunny in another. This can be a confusing concept for children and I loved how it is explained in this book. The seasons are of course included and the illustrations are beautiful. There's so much to learn from cover to cover even for grown ups sharing this with a child. This is definitely a book I'd love to have in physical format one day.
Profile Image for The Sassy Bookworm.
4,072 reviews2,874 followers
June 20, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Beautiful cover!

What a beautifully illustrated book this turned out to be. ❤️ Divided into the twelve months of the year, and featuring a brief (1-2 page) story (facts) about nature and different animals from around the world. Honestly, this book gets 5 stars based on the illustrations alone. They are bright, colorful, and would definitely be a tremendous hit for kids. Throw in the tidbits of information from places around the world, and you have the makings of a fantastic gift. Heck, ever I would love a physical copy to use as a coffee-table book! 😉 Two HUGE thumbs up from yours truly!

**ARC Via NetGalley**
2,714 reviews9 followers
June 26, 2022
This book offers a lovely, fascinating look at nature from around the world. It is organized by month with four entries in each section. For example, June has tidbits from the U.S., Indonesia, England and Palestine. All are vividly illustrated. One of the many double page spreads that I enjoyed was titled “A Little Chick’s Long Day.” It was about an Adelie penguin.

This book would make a very nice gift for a child whom you would like to encourage to appreciate our amazing natural world.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto-Wide Eyed Editions for this title. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Storybook_mamma.
24 reviews5 followers
May 15, 2022
What are you doing today mother nature?

A book to read all year round, it's an exquisitely illustrated treasury of stories from around the world describing different amazing natural events month by month.

It covers so many aspects of nature: Animals, plants, weather, land, sea, sky and more.

A few examples of the short stories told in each spread:

🌿In Italy, there's a struggling sapling communicating with other forest trees for help through its roots during a dry July.
🌎In Tasmania, we see the southern lights dance on the warm water in August.
🐦In Western New Guinea a bow bird makes the perfect bower to attract a mate in October.
🌸In Japan, the cherry blossom blooms in February.

I have learnt so much this past week reading this. Each double page spread will take your breath away, both for the impressive information and for these incredible illustrations.

The detail is such that there's even a richly illustrated border going around each page picking up on the main themes.

Overall a stunning picture book that will transport you around the world. It's depictions of nature and the seasons actually leave me feeling quite relaxed, a little more connected to nature and it's wonders.

I've been keeping it on the kitchen table, reading sections to my four year old as he eats from time to time. He always has so many questions.

Its perfect to explore in small chunks for smaller kids since each page provides a unique short story that stands on its own.

This would make the most beautiful gift for nature loving kids (or even adults).
Profile Image for Margot Derycke.
127 reviews4 followers
December 26, 2025
Prachtig boek, heel mooie illustraties. Ideaal boek om uit te stallen (thuis of in de klas). Elke week krijg je te zien wat er ergens op de aarde gebeurt (de natuur is gelukkig nog een beetje te voorspellen). Van de mistral in Frankrijk tot een kikker die ontdooit in Canada. En kijk, dat zie ik nu pas, het boek is opgedragen aan "Matteo, op nog veel omwentelingen rond de zon". Dit jaar werd ik op de eerste dag van de herfst meter van een jongetje met dezelfde naam, het kindje van m'n zus. Wat een heerlijke omwenteling. Ik schrijf 'm elke eerste dag van een nieuw seizoen een brief, misschien moet ik afsluiten met dit boek.
Profile Image for Midnight.reads.
223 reviews70 followers
November 19, 2024
- pre deti 5+
- encyklopédia
- rôzne kúty sveta
- všetky ročné obdobia
- ilustrované dvojstrany
- 100 strán prírodných zaujímavostí

S touto knihou doslovne precestujete svet, vystriedate všetky štyri ročné obdobia a zistíte kopec zaujímavých poznatkov. Aká dlhá je v Grónsku cesta dažďovej kvapky ? Ako je možné, že inak úplne drsná a suchá púšť v Kalifornii, sa na určitý čas mení na oázu kvetov ? Vedeli ste, že v Afganistane si počas snehovej búrky hľadajú snežné leopardy partnerov ? Toto a ešte mnoho viac, sa dozviete práve v tejto knihe.

Myslím, že kniha sa proste nedá prehliadnuť. Jej obálka je nádherná, menia sa na nej tóny všetkých farieb, ktoré sú zvýraznené pozlatenými detailami. Krásna však nie je iba obálka, takisto vnútro knihy rozhodne stojí za prebádanie.

Každá kapitola je usporiadaná podľa mesiacov kalendárneho roka, ktoré v sebe ukrývajú štyri príbehy z rôznych kútov sveta. Každému príbehu je venovaná pestrofarebná ilustrovaná dvojstrana, ktorá obsahuje stručný text, no plný faktov.

Príroda nikdy nespí a neustále sa v nej niečo deje. Je fascinujúce čítať o jej rozdielnosti počas rovnakých obdobiach v roku. Najkrajšie príbehy o prírode je úžasná kniha plná zaujímavostí zo sveta prírody, ktorá sa bude páčiť nielen deťom, ale aj dospelým.
Profile Image for Bente Pompen.
Author 4 books6 followers
September 2, 2024
5⭐️ for the illustrations! A great concept, but I often felt that more context or additional information was needed. But overall a wonderful book.
Profile Image for The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street.
746 reviews55 followers
September 16, 2022
This book is a unique collection of stunningly-illustrated vignettes of a wide range of natural phenomenon and life around the Earth. This narrative nonfiction format is a beautiful way to engage young readers in science and incite wonder.

The book is formatted to follow the months of the year, featuring four different natural events, creatures, or places in each month. What's more, the natural features are from all around the world. For example, in April we visit a bluebells in England, in May we visit sardines in South Africa, in August we visit the Aurora Australis in Tasmania, and so one.

I appreciate the wide range of natural events and creatures featured -- it's a nice collection overall to celebrate the range of wonderful things about our Earth. Each featured item gets a two-page spread in this large-format hardcover picture book. The featured item gets one main paragraph of a few sentences by way of introduction, then text is spread throughout the full-page illustrations in a non-linear format so you can read and learn more.

The illustrations are all dynamic and inviting and nicely celebrate the natural world. This book is a nice one for educators but also just even as a coffee-table type book where you can read a bit month-by-month.

One may compare this book to the similar Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature. The style of narrative nonfiction to celebrate nature is very similar and the overall effect of these beautiful books also feels the same. That said, I think the topical difference between the two is notable -- What Are You Doing Today, Mother Nature? is specifically organized by month and what natural events occur during that month all around the world. I really love that this book takes children around to different countries and allows them to consider how big and wonderful this Earth really is.

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.
9,123 reviews130 followers
April 12, 2022
Hmmm... A pretty book, one that will fit reasonably well on a school library shelf, but not one that I took to. It's a calendar of incidents and details from nature's path, showcasing this animal, that animal and that process. All come at us in one- or two-page "stories", with a headline sentence and the rest of the text scattered across the page wherever the design allows. Some fit in with geography and geology – the water cycle, how a warming desert gets a dust storm, and what an avalanche or eclipse entails – but the rest is biology, and a nice spread of animals. But I repeat it felt done in a way I'd prefer not for it to be – the full-page images acting as gutter-less cartoons, meaning that frame after frame of the narrative is forced to bleed into the next, thus making the eye initially unsteady about where to read next and what order the text comes in. All this means that however much we want to learn about bioluminescence, or whale birth, or Namibian bugs sticking their bums in the air to get a drink, we're not on the stablest of grounds. I am sure this will succeed with young readers of the 2020s, less stuck in rigid left-to-right reading ways, but this goes on the shelf devoted to books that succeed yet don't match my tastes while doing so. Two and a half stars.
Profile Image for Angie.
1,124 reviews17 followers
May 21, 2022
This book is divided into the months of the year and tells short, 1-page stories about different parts of the world each month of the year. The stories discuss the plants and animals interacting together in their habitat during each passing month and season. With beautiful, intricate pictures and short 1-2 sentence blurbs of text scattered throughout the picture, a story can be told in short spurts across one page. There is tons of great geographic and scientific information about things such as life cycles, weather, plants and animals adaptations, astronomy and more. I think this book will be intriguing and educational for children interested in learning more about the vast and beautiful world we live in. I love that it is organized by month so that you can see that different months are different seasons depending on where in the world you live. I also think that it is great that there are such a mix of ideas and content because auroras and eclipses are as interesting as life cycles and adaptations, each in their own way.

I could definitely see this book in my Grade 3 classroom library and would highly recommend it to parents and teachers of children in the age 5-12 range. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!
Profile Image for Vera B.
13 reviews
June 13, 2022
From Trinidad, Nepal, Kenya, Saudi Arabia and more this book covers so much of the Earth. I think, perhaps, I didn’t know what to expect when reading the description because this not only exceeded my expectations but went above and beyond in more ways than one.

I originally viewed this as a book for children and it absolutely is but as an adult this book will teach you many things. I believe I averaged about 3-5 things per page that I simply hadn’t known and when the books focal point is the imagery (which I will get to next) and has several, simple sentences to summarize and inform on the imagery… well, that’s spectacular writing. It was thorough, to the point and attention grabbing — both the imagery and the information provided.

I don’t know you but I know upon reading this book you’ll be transported to places and live lives of beings you never knew existed on this beautiful planet.

The imagery is stunning. Everything captured is very realistic and filled with many shades of ever color imaginable. If I’m to reflect on this books artistry I think I’d be sent back to one of the first pages that beautifully crafted macaws in Peru. This page, in art, would be my favorite.

5/5, I’m very grateful to have been one of the first to experience the world in such a way at home for free. I would and will purchase this for preschool curriculum and I can think of several activities already that could go hand in hand with these pages.
Profile Image for Lisa.
269 reviews4 followers
July 8, 2022
⭐Magical and Fascinating⭐

⭐What Are You Doing Today Mother Nature?
✒Lucy Brownridge
🎨@nanofevrier
📔@quartokids
🧺Sent for review - ad/pr
💜A coffee table delight

💚Large format book perfect for sharing.
💛Stunningly illustrated, beautiful colour palette used on each spread with so much detail to discover and enjoy.
💚Small, bitesize chunks of facts about the wonders of Mother Nature from across the globe. The ideal non-fiction book for a child who doesn't want lots of reading or an adult short on time.
💛A great range of places in the world explored through months of the year.
💚Contents and index pages.
💛Would make a lovely gift for a child or adult.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Seibel.
205 reviews2 followers
June 24, 2022
This book goes through each month focusing on different places around the world each time. You get to see what animals and locations are experiencing throughout the seasons. There are cute storylines with the animals showing the reader what life is like for that animal, like a squirrel searching for its food. The index at the back is useful for kids that want to look back at a specific place or animal. Great illustrations and concise information with enough detail to leave you feeling satisfied.
Profile Image for Jo.
972 reviews16 followers
December 26, 2022
When snow still covers Himalayans mountains, spring has come to England with its beautiful flowers, and the fjords in Normandy awakes from its sleep. Each months are different in parts of the world. With unique animals in each region, the book travels through months, showing fascinating facts in this world. A beautifully illustrated oeuvre, this is a must read (and must have) books to read again and again, moreover to those who enjoys travelling.
Profile Image for Ruby.
129 reviews2 followers
May 31, 2022
I am in awe of the absolutely stunning illustrations. I really enjoyed reading this and felt there was plenty of facts about each natural event. My favourite illustration was the angry squirrel at the end!
I would really recommend this for children with an interest in colourful books and the natural world.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc.
Profile Image for Jessica.
2,199 reviews21 followers
June 10, 2024
This goes with Round and Round Goes Mother Nature and it is just as beautiful as that one. Stories are grouped by month. Illustrations are gorgeous.
Profile Image for *Tau*.
288 reviews30 followers
September 5, 2022
Be prepared to make a trip around the world and discover some of nature's most amazing phenomenons!

Although this is presented as a children's picture book, it'll certainly capture the heart of many adults too.
Why? Let's take a look!

The setup of this book is rather unique: arranged around the full cycle of a calendar year, each month chapter features four stories each from a different part of the world.
Thus 48 narrative nonfiction stories tell us more about fascinating natural phenomenons, fauna and flora from every continent.
As we watch the seasons go by, it's impossible not to be enchanted at all those wonders of nature!

Personally, I was in such awe of the many presented unknown facts (at least to me) that I wanted to know more about them and see them with my own eyes: snow leopards in Afghanistan, a superbloom at Death Valley, the sea of stars at the Maldives, the Namibia beetle which could help us solve water shortage, the several Vogelkop birds from New Guinea that are both amazingly beautiful and absolutely funny to watch, …
Thanks to Youtube there was so much educational footage that taught me even more details.
A selection of the most interesting and funniest ones can be found at my blog in the article Wonders of Nature.

Biology, geography, … are some of the fields that can be explored with these stories.
Hence this book is an excellent starting point to brighten up (STEM-)classes and evoke a sense of wonder in children and adults alike.

The beautiful illustrations are detailed and non-linear. There are always different panels (like in a comic book) but without lines between them and with a varying order and size at each page. Most of the time the pictures efficiently guide you along the right direction. Twelve of the stories are told on 1 page and the other thirty-six are 2-page spreads which enhance the immersion of the reader in this colorful world.
You can see some of these pages at the website of the publisher (by clicking on the little icons under the cover of the book) and at the one of the illustrator (the first 7 pictures are from this book).

The text is written by Lucy Brownridge who's an author and editor of children's books based in London. She writes books for children about history of art, history, animals and science. She has an MA in history of art from the Courtauld Institute of Art and a BA in history of art from the University of Bristol.

The beautiful drawings were made by Margaux Samson-Abadie, alias Nano Février, who's a French illustrator & pattern designer with a background in textiles and fashion design. After working several years as a designer in childrenwear, she's now a freelancer always on the look for exciting projects — be it illustration for children books, magazines or surface pattern design for fashion, interior decoration, stationery, … Her work is rooted in nature, childhood memories, folklore, travels, literature, cinema and music. She likes to tackle subjects such as ecology, slow living and mindfulness. To get an idea of her work, you can head over to her website: https://www.nanofevrier.com/

*Thanks to NetGalley and Wide Eyed Editions (an imprint of The Quarto Group) for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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