Children's Books discussion
The Picture-Book Club
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September 2012: Discuss Our "Ecosystems" Club Reads HERE
Mod
The illustrations by Robin Brickman are both amazing and very special. When I first perused the book, I wondered wether they were either photographs, or photographed displays of found objects and preserved animal and plant specimens (which would have been a bit of a no-no for me). However, in the note from the illustrator, Brickman states that he/she made all of the collage illustrations by cutting, painting, sculpting and gluing together pieces of watercolour paper; the illustrations consist only of painted paper and glue. And although, of course, paper comes from trees, I thought that it was and is quite environmentally and ecologically sensitive and responsible that no found objects, no preserved and/or mounted animal specimens were used in Robin Brickman's colourful collages.
I do have one further little thing that I would like to mention. I don't think that there are any books this month that are really suitable for very young children. All of the books are quite wordy and rather dense with/in material (I am not saying that there are any books that are inappropriate from a thematic point of view, just that the length of the books and the wordiness and descriptiveness of the narratives could easily be distracting to very young children with a shorter attention span).
Mod
Like Abigail, I am very excited to read this month's books. Fortunately, I was able to pick most of them up from the library already but I probably won't get a chance to read and comment until sometime next week. (By the way, I hope those of you enjoying the Labor Day weekend have a great holiday!) I look forward to discussing the books soon :-)
Mod
Thank you so much for your detailed review, Gundula. This is one book that I couldn't obtain and I feel like I got a good sense of it from your review.
Thank you, too, for the age range suggestions. I'm hoping this is helpful to those members who wanted some guidelines. I'm actually curious how many of our members have young children (five and younger, let's say--even toddlers needing board books?) vs. how many have older children or are simply adults enjoying picture books on their own. I would like to make sure we provide books so that members with very little ones feel welcome to participate, yet it seems that when the votes come in we tend to skew toward the more advanced picture books so maybe we don't have that many participants with little ones? I think I will post this over in our General Discussion to see if I can get some feedback.
Mod
I was wondering wether we should ask participants to nominate at least one book for younger children (below the age of five or six) and one for older children (above the age of eight). I know that I generally try to nominate one book that is suitable for younger children and one that is suitable for older children, even young teenagers (it should also be mentioned that some individuals who participate, don't nominate books and don't vote for books, I know that there have been some who have complained about there not being enough books for younger children featured in the monthly reads, I know they should nominate and vote, but some might feel uneasy or unsure of what to do). Even if we could have just one book each month that is suitable for younger children (and not necessarily a board book, I would not nominate a board book simply because our library does not permit us to order these online).
Mod
Thanks for the thoughts, Gundula. My thoughts have run much the same as yours. I'm curious to see what the feedback is over in that discussion thread. (And, really!? What a bummer about the board book situation at your library.)
Thanks so much for breaking down the age for the reader. I am one of those with a child who is turning 6 next week. I find my self so busy that to race around and special order and wait for books to not have them hold his interest due to to much text is discouraging. So to have a heads up is really helpful!!
Not sure this comment belongs and I hope it is moved if it needs to be placed somewhere else.
I really wanted to say that my son and I have been part of the picture book club for about one year now. My son has always loved to read and be read to, but in his first week of 1st grade his teacher put him into the advanced reading group. When he is allowed to go to the school library he picks easy readers that he can read to me. Also, when I asked him what his favorite part of his school day was he said "library" and he just love most of the books I pick for him.
I know that all of this has been shaped by being in this group and having 5 star books for him to read.
I know that he has developed a love for reading because of this group.
Thanks everyone for making this a wonderful group!!
Coral Reef-My son and I just read this book and he loved it. We have had salt water fish tanks in the past. We have also gone swimming and seen salt water fish. So that helped to develop the love for this book.
We really enjoyed how the author discussed the creatures that lived in the reef but made it exciting with weaving the main chararter throughout the story. I don't want to spoil it, but I loved how they showed the girl swimming in the water. We also liked how the pictured were real looking. One last thing there was enough words that informed the reader without to many on a page.
Great book.
Mod
I agree that there is a lot of information in Coral Reefs and that it's presented clearly & engagingly so that a child as young as 6 can, with support, learn from it. I learned stuff too, always a bonus! :)
Mod
I find my self so busy that to race around and special order and wait for books ..."
Oh my gosh, Leslie, thank you SO much for posting about your son and his experiences at school and with reading and his growing love of books!!! It is so heartwarming and I am just so thrilled that you think the Picture Book Club helped shape that love of reading in some way. Of course, I know that you have been an amazing role model to him, reading him books and trying to find ones that appeal to him. (I'm glad the age suggestions on our nominations have been helping, by the way!) Hooray!!! :-)
Mod
I do think that One Day in the Woods could be a great book to use in an elementary or middle school science classroom (as an easy-to-understand textbook or as an adjunct to a more detailed, longer science textbook). In a classroom setting (or for homeschooling parents), One Day in the Woods would likely be a hit with many students and make the subject of ecology more approachable than a longer textbook could/would. And the fact that the author has listed a detailed bibliography is not only an added bonus, but greatly enhances the teaching and learning potential of the book (allowing for additional reading and research by both potential students and potential teachers). However, for simple pleasure reading, I do tend to believe that unless the reader is intensely interested in ecology, One Day in the Woods might just be a bit too wordy and too filled-to-the-core with facts upon facts to be entertaining, to be an absolute reading joy.
As to the accompanying black-and-white illustrations by Gary Allen, while they are lovely, I think that they definitely present more of a decorative touch than an integral part of the text (although I did like his depiction of the flying squirrel, the huge eyes of the flying squirrel could be used to point out that mainly nocturnal animals often have larger eyes in oder to be able to see better at night). I think that the illustrations do add to One Day in the Woods, but I also think that One Day in the Woods would still be an interesting, informative read without the illustrations (they somewhat augment the story, but are not actually necessary for and to the story).
And I also want to reiterate the following. As much as I enjoyed One Day in the Woods (my criticisms above notwithstanding), I do not consider the book a picture book, but rather an illustrated chapter book. There were/are not enough illustrations for me to consider One Day in the Woods a picture book, and for me, a picture book (even a picture book for older children, teenagers and even adults) should have as much or at least almost as much text as image and text and image should reflect and complement one another (and in my opinion, One Day in the Woods definitely does not do that, the illustrations are lovely, but they are more like little decorative touches than integral parts of the narrative, of the text). Also, One Day in the Woods is described as being a chapter book, and not a picture book.
Mod
Most of the information was not new to me as I am a big fan of the ocean and have seen several documentaries. Yet that makes me applaud Jenkins even more because I am just amazed he was able to describe as much as he did, in such brevity and clarity, making it accessible to young readers. I think this is a book that could be enjoyed on multiple levels. Little ones might enjoy simply looking through the illustrations, being told the names of the creatures (warning: a few of the creatures might frighten sensitive children). Slightly older children could enjoy a read-aloud from Jenkins' text and perhaps some assistance figuring out the rather abstract concept of the changing depths. For very enthusiastic children or the slightly older picture book crowd, the back matter provides more information about each creature shown in the text as well as a helpful scale model (comparing the creatures to either an adult human's body or hand size). Lots of great information here!
When children finish this book, if they are interested in more about the oceans they may enjoy watching the "Blue Planet" series to see some of these creatures in real oceans. I'm trying to remember an age guideline for the documentary--I know there is some hunter/prey stuff and sharks, etc. that might frighten young children but also some very lovely scenes so I just recommend parental guidance.
Mod
Thank you so much for such a detailed, informative review, Gundula! It sounds like an interesting book, though perhaps not one for general reading pleasure--I like your suggestions of use in a school or homeschool setting.
Thank you, too, for the warning that it is not really a picture book. I hope that other members will notice this and select accordingly if they are wanting only picture books. I'm guessing that some members must have still felt it looked interesting given that it was one of our highest vote-getters, so I hope it will not be a disappointment to many.
Mod
I think one of the problems might have been that with the page numbers (and the fact that it was nominated as a picture book) people automatically assumed that it was a picture book and not a chapter book (I only realised that it was not a picture book when I opened up my Chapters/Indigo package and thumbed through the book, I mean, there are legitimate picture books that are 47, even up to 60 pages long, but for me, One Day in the Woods, while interesting and all, is not a picture book).
Thanks for your information about Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea (I think that might be next on my list, it looks lovely).
Mod
Oh, I hope so! It's really wonderful.
I just read Coral Reefs. I really enjoyed it. Here is my review:Great illustrations, along with interesting descriptions of coral reefs and the animals that depend upon them. Includes several animals that I'd never heard of (such as the frogfish and the scorpion fish). My kids were both fascinated by and disgusted by the neon gobies that eat parasites and dead skin off of tiger groupies. The gobies even swim inside the groupers' mouths to clean their teeth. A great example of a symbiotic relationship. The book compares coral reefs to cities...great cities under the sea.
The book includes some additional notes on coral reefs, including the threats to them and how we can protect them, the partnership between the coral polyps and their algae, and a note about his research.
Well written, this held the interest of my 7 and 9 year old completely and my 4 year old paid attention through most of the book (but then wandered off to play quietly with barbies, still listening but not looking at the pictures any more).
Could be used to discuss coral reefs, symbiotic relationships, animal adaptations, the food chain, and conservation.
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I've also checked out Down, Down, Down and plan to read it in the next couple of days. I've enjoyed many of Jenkins' other books and expect to really like this one as well, especially after seeing that you enjoyed it so much, Kathryn.
Three of the other books (I couldn't get One Day in the Woods) have just come in to the library yesterday, and I was sick and didn't make it to pick them up, but will be able to in the next couple of days. Looking forward to the rest of the reads.
Mod
The voyage down, down, down into the abyss, through the different levels of the Pacific Ocean (specifically the Marianas Trench, the Challenger Deep, at 35, 838 Feet or 10, 923 Meters the deepest spot in the world's oceans) both reads and feels like an informative travel-log, a voyage in a submarine through different ocean strata, past predators and prey (all described and depicted in minute, but always engaging and informatively interesting detail). While I would generally consider Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea more of a book for older children (even teenagers and adults would likely find the information presented intriguing and absorbing), I do think that younger children would also enjoy poring over, perusing the intricate, realistically detailed illustrations (although with a caveat that very sensitive children might find some of the more bizarre denizens of the ocean deep creepy and possibly frightening).
Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea would be a wonderful addition to any bookshelf and is suitable for both at home and in-class study and use. The excellent supplemental information at the back, as well as the small, but up-to-date bibliography, increase both the teaching and learning possibilities of this superb gem of a picture book, allowing for discussions, research projects, in-class presentations. Highly, highly recommended.
Mod
The concept of a young girl going to the library to read a book about coral reefs and then having both herself and her surroundings (her local library, her local city) literally become part of a coral reef community is quite visually stunning (some of the illustrations, some of the scenes feel almost reminiscent of a lost city under the sea, like Atlantis). However, first and foremost, the gloriously bright, descriptive illustrations provide not only a successfully rendered mirror of and to the narrative, they also reiterate one of the main messages, one of the main points of Coral Reefs, namely that coral reef communities are in many ways like huge, underwater cities. And like our own cities, these coral reefs, while vibrant, diverse, and constantly on the move, are also vulnerable and can be threatened by both natural and man-made, artificial phenomena.
The actual text of Coral Reefs is dense, wordy and rather involved, and I would therefore tend to recommend this book more for older children above the age of six. While I do believe that younger children would likely enjoy the brightly descriptive illustrations, the narrative flow is a bit slow moving at times (and might be a bit distracting and difficult for the very young).
Mod
My son and I just read this book and he loved it. We have had salt water fish tanks in the past. We have also gone swimming and seen salt water fish. So that helped to develop the love..."
I thought this was an excellent book as well, Leslie. And if you can locate a copy at the library or elsewhere, I think your son would also really, really enjoy Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea; both books are wonderful.
Mod
I love, love "The Blue Planet" but I think as a child, some of those creatures would have been a bit too scary (I don't think I would have minded reading and/or hearing about them, but seeing them live, that might have been a different story). But yeah, what a wonderful book!!
Mod
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Thanks, Gundula. I definitely think "PG" is needed with "Blue Planet" -- as a kid, a few of the illustrations in "Down, Down, Down..." might have even been to scary for me, so I definitely wanted to make it clear that the documentary might be too scary for some!
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http://forest.mtu.edu/kidscorner/ecos...
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I appreciated this book perhaps more than I avidly enjoyed it, but I decided to award it four stars. First, I think the illustrations are marvelous! I love how life-like many of them looked--I was glad to read the illustrator's note where she explained her artistic process because otherwise I am sure I would have thought she used some real leaves, bark, etc. for the illustrations. Very impressive! I also think the story does a good job of showing all the different ways a tree can provide food and shelter for creatures, and that just because a tree falls, its usefulness is not over. I do think "A Tree's Life" might have been a more apt title since it wasn't *just* about a log, though I do think that "A Log's Life" makes it clear this is not just another book about trees--I appreciated the story's focus on a fallen log, and I think it is something that will appeal to children.
Pfeffer is such a prolific author that I've read many of her non-fiction titles, especially about the seasons (I recently nominated her We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season for our October Harvest and Pumpkins themed reads!). I'm not sure she is really a favorite author, but I admire the breadth of her work and I think she is a solid choice when it comes to children's non-fiction picture books.
Oh, how I love this group. If only I had known about Goodreads when I was teaching! My book budget probably would have tripled!As I am sitting here icing my new knee from a knee replacement, I have been enthralled with two books on this month's list - books I needed years ago on my library shelf.
I readA Log's Life and absolutely loved it! The information was perfect for many ages, but I know my third graders would have learned much from the details. The illustrations were magnificent and the artistry in the collages amazing. I will be looking up additional books by both this author and illustrator.
I also finished Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea. I also found the information in this book fantastic. I know my four-year old grandson will love the facts and pictures. He probably won't retain as much out of the book as older children, but the way the pictures and information are placed on the book page makes the narrative appropriate for a variety of ages, including adults. At the end of the book is additional research information if you are inclined to need more basic facts. It looks like the author, Steve Jenkins, has several other books that I'm going to "need."
I know I have A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History on my bookshelf; finding it will take me a while! It is a great book and one I have used frequently at school. Lynn Cherry writes a great environmental saga about one river, but implies much in how she delivers the possible outcomes on many rivers of the world. She has many wonderful books out there.
I also have a copy of One Day in the Woods, one of many environmental short books perfect for the early to late elementary grades. They are not "picture" books, but they still have great sketches and information perfect for children just beginning to write reports. Jean Craighead George, who just died recently, has written many novelS dealing with the environments and problems in which children need to be aware. George promotes these topics in a way that awaken children's knowledge and interest.
Great choice of books this month, especially since a couple are new to me and excited me a lot!!!!!
Mod
As I am sitting here icing my new knee from a knee replacement, I ..."
I hope you knee feels better soon :-)
And I'm glad you are enjoying the books so far (I also really really loved both A Log's Life and Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea).
If there is any way you can get you hands on a copy of the BBC DVD "Blue Planet" (make sure you get the one narrated by David Attenborough), do so (especially the chapter labeled "The Deep" is really almost a mirror of Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea in many ways).
If there is any way you can get you hands on a copy of the BBC DVD "Blue Planet" (make sure you get the one narrated by David Attenborough), do so (especially the chapter labeled "The Deep" is really almost a mirror of Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea in many ways). Thanks, Gundula.I have heard of Blue Planet and yes, I would love to see the program again. I'll check it out at our Costco and on Amazon.
My knee is healing (into the fourth week now), but they say it will be at least three months before I have full mobility. I'm just glad humans only have two legs. One more to go. Thanks for the kind thoughts.
Mod
Just make sure you get the one narrated by Attenborough (some of the other BBC wildlife specials were "americanised" for US release and have Oprah Winfrey narrating, as if Americans would not be able to understand David Attenborough's excellent British English, lol).
So another round for your knees, sigh. I guess you will also have to do physiotherapy etc. get yourself more good books to read :-)
I should first say that I am one of those people who do not nominate, and rarely vote, as I am never sure if I am going to be able to participate! However, luckily for me, most of these books were available in my school library (yeah!) so it is a bit easier for me. So, I would first weigh in that I would consider most of these books good for K-5. :)The first book I’ve read is Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea. I think I’ll just copy my review here:
"I like this book. I think it might be impossible for me not to like a Steve Jenkins book.
First, I like that it is non-fiction book about the ocean that actually might be chewable for younger kids. Kids seem to love books about animals and the ocean. At my school library, they are always wanting to checkout these big Eyewitness books loaded with ocean facts that they usually cannot begin to digest at age six. They are just craving the information. But this is a book they could read--or be read to--cover to cover. Just the perfect amount of detail. Interesting, without overload. 'Gotta love the idea of encouraging children to read the entire book. An entire linear book, one that doesn't hop around all over the place.
Next, I like the illustrations. Jenkins, enough said. I also particularly like the layout. I like the bar running along each spread indicating where the reader is in ocean depth. The design of the pages do not change except for the water getting darker, so as I turn the pages I feel that I am actually traveling deeper in the ocean, mimicking the title.
Of course, this consistency meant that the text had to be white throughout, which I actually found annoying at the beginning. But I think that is a minor quibble. I am getting old and my eyes are bad. That is probably just my problem. :)
Good book for kids--it is already popular in my library. Great illustrations and factual details. Beautiful design."
Note: When I say younger kids, I mean young elementary school kids, because that is what my experience is with. Also, when I say that six year olds cannot digest Eyewitness, books, I mean that most cannot digest them on their own. My own son loved Eyewitness books at that age, but I had to read them to him, and we certainly could not get through the entire book at any one time. These books tend to mean that kids sample a smattering of facts rather than follow one thought logically. Not that this is all bad, but as this experience seems more normal than not, I like when I see a book that envelops an entire thought cover to cover.
Mod
Ha, I kind of found the white text a bit annoying at the beginning myself (well, not actually annoying, but hard for my sort of aging eyes to see clearly, white on light blue, yikes).
And I agree wholeheartedly that Down, Down, Down is a linear book and therefore likely easier for younger children to both read (or listen to) and digest (one of the problems I had with One Day in the Woods was that the information, the narrative did tend to be all over the place and that is not necessarily good for younger children, hey, even I found myself distracted).
Mod
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
(I am pressed for time now, so will read over the new discussion posts here soon. Hope you've all had a great weekend!)
I've read two more now: A Log's Life and Life in the Boreal Forest. I really liked A Log's Life. I think I have read this one before. It is fast, and I likely skimmed it while trying to decide which shelf to put it on. (I am in a constant state of realigning my Dewey shelves--moving books where I believe kids are most likely to see them and actually check them out! I loved the illustrations in this book as well as Down, Down, Down. I liked that it was an entire "life-cycle" of the log, from its life as a tree all the way through decomposition to the birth of a new tree and then that one falling and beginning the cycle all over again! But I think I most liked that the book felt very active. It was a story being told, and something was constantly happening. Sometimes ecological books feel like a scientific listing rather than an event. I think the title sums it up well! :)Life in the Boreal Forest did not do as much for me as I thought it would. Like A Log's Life, I have seen it before, but I haven't read it all the way through until tonight. Once again, I love the illustrations. But the descriptions of the animal life seemed to all run together for me. It felt like maybe too much detail. I also found the "sound effects" distracting. I imagined myself reading it aloud, and I think that only works with real young kids, at least in my experience. Maybe I just have a jaded bunch of eight year olds in my town. Overall, I liked it, I just don't like it as much as the other two.
Tonight I read A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History. I liked it, but not as much as Down, Down, Down or A Log's Life. I liked the format: the tracking the history of the river through wilderness, Native Americans, pollution, and clean-up. I liked most of the illustrations. However, I also thought the book seemed a little undecided about whether it is an environmental story or a Native American story. I thought the illustration with the crying Chief was a bit much. I also would have liked dates included somewhere more clearly than the few included on the flyleaf. They are included in the author's note, but I would like to have seen the date somewhere on the page with all the little pictures. Still, overall, I like it.
Mod
I am a little confused by the map. They mention Taiga, and that's a word used at higher elevations here in the Sierra, where we have similar animals and trees. Also there are moose etc. in Maine, Minnesota, Michigan.... So, I guess I'd still have to do more research.
I would consider skipping most (not all; some matter) of the sound effects myself, depending on my audience. But I do wish I had children with whom to share this.
I've finally read each of the books for this month (and have enjoyed reading everyone's comments in the meantime). My favorites this month are "Coral Reefs" and "Life in the Boreal Forest." I just love the imagination in "Coral Reefs" and showing how books really can take you away. The illustrations are great (I love the little red crab who keeps popping up) and slowly reveals the ocean world as it enters and then fades away at the end of the book. I think it would be good for all ages...younger children will love the pictures and older children will enjoy the facts (may be a bit dense for younger readers). I was also so happy to find a book that features sea turtles! The ending is great with the girl dripping wet next to her friends on the library steps."Life in the Boreal Forest" was a pleasant surprise. From the cover of mountain cat attacking a hare with claws extended I wasn't sure how graphic it would be on the food chain but I felt the narrative handled the topic gently. I liked the environmental message it presented and could see reading this in my 4th/5th grade classroom. The websites provided are a nice touch and would add a good resource to an environmental lesson.
I wasn't so fond of the pictures in "A Log's Life"...I suppose I enjoy the cartoon look over the realistic photograph look, though it is a good way to give a real view of nature. I really liked how the story was told following the seasons and bringing it full circle was a good way to show nature's cycles. Each year my classroom goes to an outdoor ed camp and I could see using this book as part of the build-up to the trip, to show the kids some of the things they will be seeing.
I really enjoyed "A River Ran Wild" for the beautiful artwork and especially the borders of animals and items around the narrative. A very important message to all of us and especially children, the next generation to help with good practices for the earth. It was also nice to see a success story of a community making such a difference to their area...sometimes the problem can seem so big and hopeless.
I enjoyed "One Day in the Woods" but agree it's a tad long. Good for a middle reader who has time to tuck into a book. The pictures were really cute and the story was fun and informative, so overall a good book to be introduced to.
"Down, Down, Down" would be great for 4th and 5th grade boys. Some of the pictures and crazy creatures! It was a bit more graphic than I had anticipated with showing some of the animals' defense mechanisms and attacks, but I was really engaged the entire time. The book was so detailed in showing the different layers (a lot of information I was not aware of) and showed lots of creatures that are not commonplace. Overall a good addition to any library.
Oops...I just looked at the cover of "Boreal Forest" again and the cover is more of a lynx and a ferret? I forget what the story said (I've already returned mine to the library).
Mod
I dunno. Important, interesting, lovely... but just kinda randomly superficial. Step by step through the history of the river, yes. Exploration of the entire ecosystem of the river, including the humans, yes. Lots of details in the sketches in the borders of relevant context, yes. Discussion of some of the strategies of the activists that saved the river, yes. But I never felt engaged, and I never felt like I was actually learning anything that meant anything to me - despite the fact that, of course, I totally care about clean rivers.
Mod
I appreciate how easy it was to read the text and get lots of information. And I appreciate that the notes in the back have even more facts, and how they have the Scale guide so we know just how big those critters are. Whatever you do, don't mislead yourself or your children by letting them think that tube worms and vent octopuses are in the same size range (for example), check the back of the book!
One thing that wasn't given, but which a curious family could create themselves, is a full-length depth line (like a time-line) with sample critters and the sunlight zone/twilight zone/ etc. marked all along, to give the overall sense of what's going on.
Mod
But A Log's Life is my favorite this month. The illustrations are just incredible. All paper, even the slugs & salamanders - wow. I also liked the different perspectives, the birds-eye view of the trees in the beginning, and of the porcupine when the tree fell, for example. My son (16) says the pictures are better than real, and beautiful. And I managed to learn a few things, even about this relatively familiar ecosystem.
Mod
But A Log's Life is my favorite this month. The illustrations are just incr..."
I just loved the illustrations in A Log's Life. And even this time, rereading the book, it seemed at first as though they were photographs of collected nature (you know, the first time I got the book out of the library, last year sometime, I almost decided not to read it because I thought that collected animal parts etc. had been used, that is until I read the note from the illustrator and realised my mistake).
Mod
Ditto with Cheryl and Michele. Lynne Cherry's work always feels just a bit too didactic to me. And, yes, would have been great if she had explained more about how the campaign was successful, maybe included some tips for how kids can be involved in river clean ups and the like. (Locally, I have participated in the Great Sierra River Clean Up it was well attended by adults and children alike.)
Anyway, here's my review. Three stars:
By turns beautiful, tragic and inspiring, this is the story of the Nashua River from the time the first native peoples discovered it, through European-American colonization, to the pollution of the industrial revolution and beyond, the destruction, and finally the restoration thanks to the efforts of Marion Stoddart and the Nashua River Cleanup Committee in the 1960s.
The illustrations are very nice. I appreciate how the larger picture shows the changing river conditions, while the border around the text illustrates the changing times (starting with Native American handcrafts, tools, etc. moving up through colonial farming instruments, the products of the industrial revolution, etc.) I also appreciate the positive ending, showing that with hard work and dedication we can restore natural places once destroyed. Living near the American River and knowing how it was so badly injured by the Gold Rush, I have seen the lasting effects of carelessness or ignorance, as well as the shining examples of people today working to restore the river to its former abundance and glory.
Even so, my overall reaction to the book was just lukewarm. I find Lynne Cherry's style too didactic for my taste. Still, it's a worthy addition to a study about ecology or ways to help the environment.
Mod
I thought it might be fun and interesting to share with children that even within a similar ecosystem (like a woodland) the creatures vary regionally.
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I agree that Lynne Cherry is more often than not too didactic. In this case, because it was/is a non fiction book, I did not mind it as much as I minded it in The Dragon and the Unicorn (where her didactic message actually took away from the story). However, I agree with you and Cheryl that there should have been a bit more information on the actual clean-up effort, including ideas how children could get involved etc. I don't know about the rest of you, while I thought that the illustrations were enchanting and gorgeous, I found the little side vignettes rather distracting and overly detailed (taking away from the text itself to a point).
Mod
I appreciated this book perhaps more than I avidly enjoyed it, but I decided to award it four stars. "
I've just been enjoying all the previous discussion, now that I've read all the books, and I particularly applaud this sentence. Out of context it's a bit off-topic (sorry) but I am glad to see the different kinds of evaluation so clearly delineated. Thank you Kathryn.
I read Life in the Boreal Forest with my children tonight. My two youngest mostly lost interest about half way through (ages 4 and 7)...they stayed in the room and listened a bit, but began to play with toys. But my 9 year old really liked it. She had a lot of questions afterward about how to protect the forests and why people cut down trees as well as questions about some of the animals as we read. We both really enjoyed the illustrations as well as the text. It showed the food chain without being gruesome and portrayed the importance of these boreal forests as well as many of the animals that reside in them.
Mod
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:-) You're welcome. Thank you for that sweet post!
Mod
That's a tricky feat! I'm glad it was accomplished and that the book held the interest, and proved thought-provoking, for your 9 year old.
Mod
I found that Life in the Boreal Forest has a bit of a discrepancy between parts of the text and the desired audience. The amount of text, and the detail (which I really liked) is clearly meant for older children, while the "animal sounds" feel more suitable for younger children (I found them actually a bit distracting and wondered wether older children might not consider them a bit "childish" especially because the rest of the narrative is dense, descriptive and even a bit challenging).
Mod
Mod
Hmm, perhaps, but I know for myself (as a child), if I had been reading the book (Life in the Boreal Forest) at age seven or eight, the animal sounds would have felt a bit childish (but that's a personal observation).
Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea (other topics)Coral Reefs: A Journey Through an Aquatic World Full of Wonder (other topics)
A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History (other topics)
The Great Kapok Tree (other topics)
Life in the Boreal Forest (other topics)
More...
A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History
One Day in the Woods
A Log's Life
Life in the Boreal Forest
Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea
Sixth/Alternate:
Coral Reefs
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