Jim Arnosky

Prolific children's author and illustrator Jim Arnosky, who has created more than one hundred works of natural history for young people, turns in this engaging picture book to cryptozoology, exploring creatures that may or may not truly exist. After profiling a few prehistoric animals, such as the giant shark known as the Charcharadon, Arnosky turns to such staples of speculative animal lore as Big Foot, the Loch Ness Monster and the Lake Champlain Monster. He concludes the book with an show more admonition to young animal lovers to keep an open mind, and to keep on exploring...

Monster Hunt: Exploring Mysterious Creatures is the sixty-second book I have read from Arnosky, and it is certainly a departure from the previous titles I have encountered. Whereas other books from this creator are either entirely factual, or are light-hearted songs dealing with real-life animals, this veers into speculation. It's clear that Arnosky is a believer in some of the creatures profiled, and he even describes how he, his wife Deanna and three of his grandsons went hunting for Champ (the Lake Champlain Monster) in his boat. I found this rather charming, and think it's interesting that someone with so much experience watching and investigating wild creatures would have this outlook. I appreciated the fact that Arnosky shared his own perspective so freely, and that he encouraged young readers to stay open minded about seemingly mythical creatures, pointing to cases of species that were at one time thought to be either made up or extinct, only to be discovered in the wild. This is a really useful reminder that knowledge and science are not static, and are not meant to be approached that way, emphasizing that we must always be willing to adjust to new information, and indeed, must try to seek it out. I don't read much in the cryptozoology field, for either adults or children (although I do read plenty of fantasy featuring fantastical creatures), but sought this one out because I am an admirer of Arnosky's work. Recommended to you children who are fascinated by cryptids, and who long to make discoveries of their own. show less

With gorgeous watercolor illustrations and a thought-provoking text in rhyme, prolific author/illustrator Jim Arnosky asks young people to consider what is going on in the natural world, as they move through their own days. As they are waking up, a band of sheep is walking along a narrow mountaintop spine; as the brush their teeth and wash their face, a shark circles a reef and a polar bear runs across a field of ice. All throughout the day, as they are engaged in various activities, show more somewhere, at that very moment, a creature in the wild is also doing something...

At This Very Moment is the forty-ninth book I have read from Arnosky, whose work I greatly admire, and I think it is wonderful! It isn't simply educational, in the sense of introducing children to various animals—although it does do that—no, it is also inspirational, and seeks to inculcate in children an awareness of the natural world around them, as well as the idea that many things are taking place at once, all over our beautiful planet. I found the artwork here beautiful as always, and think the text makes for an excellent read-aloud. I also greatly enjoyed the author's afterword, in which he talks about each species mentioned, and what they mean to him. The beaver and the bluejay are neighbors, the alligator is thought of every day, the lions are in his dreams, and the raccoons in his woodshed. Highly recommended to all young animal and nature lovers, as well as to anyone searching for picture books that promote awareness of and love for our fellow residents here on earth. show less

That charming, grandfatherly old guide to the forest, whose story began in I Was Born in a Tree and Raised by Bees, returns in this fourth picture-book devoted to his knowledge of the natural world. Here the topic is trees, and Crinkleroot lays out a wealth of information in a friendly and well-organized way. From the basic parts of a tree to the different types - pages are devoted to both broad-leafed/deciduous trees and to evergreen/conifer trees - from the shelter and food provided by show more trees to wildlife to the way in which trees are shaped by their environment, Crinkleroot covers many topics. He concludes with the hope that young people will pay more attention to the trees they encounter on their own rambles...

As a confirmed tree-lover who has also enjoyed the previous titles featuring this wonderful guide, I was almost guaranteed to appreciate Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Trees, and sure enough, I ended up loving it. It is both educational and entertaining, with plenty of information for young naturalists and a personable (one might even say, lovable) guide to present that information. Author/illustrator Jim Arnosky's central idea in this series of books - having a delightfully eccentric, almost gnome-like guide provide the relevant information - was inspired. It gives an almost fairy-tale like feeling to what are otherwise non-fiction books, which is atypical. The accompanying artwork, done in pen and ink and watercolor, is absolutely charming, beautifully capturing the wonders of the natural world and the appeal of Crinkleroot himself. Recommended to all young tree lovers, and to fans of Crinkleroot himself. show less

Crinkleroot's Book of Animal Tracking - revised 1989 edition.

Originally published in 1979 as Crinkleroot's Book of Animal Tracks and Wildlife Signs and then revised and republished in 1989 as Crinkleroot's Book of Animal Tracking, this second book about the eponymous grandfatherly guide to the creatures of the wild - the first was I Was Born in a Tree and Raised by Bees (1977) - highlights the characteristics, behavior and tracks of beavers, otters, raccoons, whitetail deer, snowshoe show more rabbits, bobcats and red foxes. The book includes a two-page spread showing the tracks of the various animals discussed, and takes an encouraging tone, working to inspire children to pay more attention to the signs that wildlife leave all around us...

After reading and greatly enjoying the original edition of this book, I was curious to track down the revised one, and see what changes had been made. With the first book about Crinkleroot - I Was Born in a Tree and Raised by Bees - I only had access to the revised edition from 1988, but I believe that there the differences were largely a question of illustration. Here there are more significant changes, starting with the title. The artwork has also been updated, with some scenes now rendered in full color, rather than the original black and white, with two color accents. A table of contents and an index have been added, which is quite useful. All of these changes improve, or, at the very least, do not detract from the quality of the book. Sadly, I think that the textual revisions are less constructive. Comparing the original and revised edition, side by side, I noticed that many pages had significantly less text, and that overall, the text had been simplified. Consider this introductory passage, in the original and then in the revised versions:

Original: "Animals are everywhere. They live in forests and towns and even in cities. The marks and tracks they leave behind are called their signs. When you've lived in the woods as long as I have, you learn to read these signs. They show where the animals have been and what they've been doing. When I walk about the forest, I leave signs that tell I've been around - my footprints."

Revised: "When I walk about the forest, I leave signs that tell I've been around - my footprints. Animals leave marks and tracks that show where they have been and what they have been doing."

This is just one example of many, in which the language is made less descriptive, and in which Crinkleroot seems less garrulous and appealing. Going through, I noticed that the revisions sometimes took out facts - that beavers are rodents, for instance, which is mentioned in the original and not in the revision - and simplified, not just the language being used, but the facts being presented. This doesn't ruin the book - it is still charming and informative. But I definitely ended up preferring the original, from a textual perspective, and wish that the other changes - the colorization of some of the art, the addition of a table of contents and index - could have been attached to the original text. I'd still recommend this one to young nature and animal lovers, but only if they can't get a hold of the original. show less