Sandra Morris

Misinformed, but pretty.

The author leads with a bit of scientific balderdash: "Because of the hemispheres' different angles and distances relative to the sun over the course of a year, their seasons--and their weather patterns--occur at different times." Actually, the earth's orbit is so nearly circular that changes in distance from the sun over the course of the year have no significant effect. Then follows up with some more: "The rhythm of the seasons is being affected by the rapid heating show more up of our planet, caused by an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases from human activities such as burning fossil fuels like coal and oil, deforestation, and agriculture and farmiting[sic]." No, again false. The rhythm of the seasons is _caused_ by the fact that the earth's rotational axis is not vertical to its orbital plane and it is _determined_ by its orbit around the sun. Only a _very big_ asteroid or some other entirely unexpected cause is going to change that. Presumably she means the "character" of the seasons.

Ironically, the book concludes in the "Further Reading" section: "You will need to be sure your internet sources are reliable, with accurate facts." and then there are recommendations. You can't make this stuff up!

Some stars for the pretty pictures and overall good design, no stars for the falsehoods and typos in the text.

Responsible parents can always rely on the works of Steve Jenkins which are both beautifully illustrated and correct. show less

Good for a kids' discovery journal, but that wasn't what I expected to be.

Gr 2–5—The soft, textured illustrations and unflinching narrative reveal how the seasons in the Northern and
Southern Hemispheres impact animals' lives. This informative and engrossing text ends with extensive back matter,
including suggestions on how to aid in conservation efforts.

Welcome to New Zealand is a book that encourages students to observe nature in New Zealand. The book describes different animals, landscapes, and natural elements in New Zealand, and students can write down their observations and make sketches what they find in this nature journal.