Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Prolific Montana children's author Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and father-daughter photography team Dan and Cassie Hartman tell the story of the reintroduction of wolves back into Yellowstone National Park in this engaging non-fiction picture book. Period and contemporary photographs capture the wildlife in the park, while the narrative describes the disastrous effect on the ecosystem of the disappearance of wolves, who were hunted to extinction in the area by 1926. With no keystone species to show more keep the elk population in check, the resulting overgrazing changed many things—destroying trees and the species which depended upon them, and drastically changing the rivers and ponds in the area. The return of the wolves in 1995 began a slow process of restoration, whereby the diversity of both flora and fauna was increased, and the overall health of the region improved. The book closes with a note about the photographs used, a list of further resources and an index...

Published in 2008, When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature's Balance in Yellowstone is the third picture book I have read about this rewilding project, following upon Jean Craighead George and Wendell Minor's The Wolves Are Back, which was published the same year, and Rosanne Parry & Jennifer Thermes' The Wolf Effect: A Wilderness Revival Story, published last year (2024). Unlike those other two titles, which were accompanied by illustrative artwork, this one featured photographs, most of them taken by the Hartmans in Yellowstone, but a few of them historical. I appreciated this, as so few picture books I come across these days, even non-fiction ones, are illustrated with photographs. While I don't usually prefer this, aesthetically speaking, in this case I thought it gave the book an immediacy and a sense of realism that was greatly appreciated. Apparently Dan Hartman is well known as a professional nature photographer, and for many years maintained a small photo gallery in his small Montana village, on the border of Yellowstone. In any case, I did enjoy this one, which I read along with the more recent The Wolves of Yellowstone: A Rewilding Story (my fourth picture book on the subject). show less

A good book. I really like wolves and the story of the wolves in Yellowstone has always been one of my favorite examples of how nature operates in a balance. This book really showcases the way that an ecosystem needs every piece of the puzzle to function properly. A well written book that is straightforward and enjoyable at the same time.

This reviewer appreciated Patent’s attempt to fill a gap in historical nonfiction for upper elementary and lower middle students, but was left disappointed on several counts. The first concern is the use in the title and throughout the book of the word Indian to describe the Native American tribes the author references. While use of the term does not automatically condemn the book, a short foreword explaining her rationale could go a long ways towards avoiding cementing the stereotypes and show more discrimination that Native Americans still face today. The lack of maps and timelines is also a concern, since at the age this book is geared towards, readers are still working on their grasp of historical time (how long ago was 1000 years versus 200 years?) and geography. There were many beautiful and helpful photographs of the natural landscape and reproductions of paintings, but few of the illustrations were linked directly to the text, and often the captions were very brief, even with reference to historical paintings in which Native Americans were actually painted using red paint. The book does contain a good list of sources for further reading and an excellent index. None of the information given was incorrect, it simply could have been better. Additional selection for those looking to build their Native American resource collection. show less

I don't think I've read such a useful, easy-to-understand gardening book since finding Thalassa Cruso. This book is written by a pair of gardeners, who constantly mention different techniques they used in their respective gardens, what worked (or didn't) for them, and why. So you can see how applicable the information is. While it doesn't discuss every plant- I noticed there is no mention of strawberries, rhubarb, turnips or asparagus- it does cover very thoroughly 25 of the vegetables most show more commonly produced in home gardens. They are all ones I have tried, myself. The book clearly explains the biology of vegetable plants, how they grow and especially their response to daylength and temperature. It can make a lot of difference. Tells you when and how to plant each type, how to select good varieties for your microclimate, planting depths, seedling care, when to use soil ammendements, moisture levels, pest control, managing pollination and how to harvest and store the produce correctly- pretty much all you'd want to know about making your plants grow healthy. I learned quite a lot- for eample, why I used to get hairy carrots and puny corn, why it is so hard to grow a good cauliflower. I should have taken better notes, but I know I will be referring back to this book when needed.

from the Dogear Diary show less