Jennifer Ward (1)

I put off reading this for a while because the cover put me off. I can't even really explain why - the muted greens and yellows remind me of 70s artwork? Anyways, I finally picked up a copy for my growing outreach storytime and once I had opened it I fell in love, both with the text and illustrations.

Rich, colorful illustrations with sharply defined lines and curving, delicate details set the tone for this guessing game about plants. The pages alternate between full spreads of question and show more answer and gatefolds hiding the plant.

Each page has a rhyming couplet describing seeds, "Soft, hairy./On the prairie." followed by the titular refrain, "What will grow?" and the opposite page shows the plant against its background. "Milkweed" shows fluffy, floating seeds, plants in various stages of bloom, and a ladybug and butterfly tasting the flowers. Pages with gatefolds follow the same theme, but the plant is hidden behind a full-page folding flap. There are four spreads with gatefolds.

The "clues" may be too difficult for children (and adults) but there are multiple clues in the illustrations making it easy for a toddler to guess "carrots" or "apples", even if they don't recognize the seeds. Back matter includes planting instructions for each of the seeds listed and an illustration of the progress from seed to plant, as seen in a sunflower.

Verdict: There are so many applications for this book for storytime or a lesson with young children about planting, growing, seeds, and more. Discussion points include how the seeds of each plant are scattered, their growing conditions (as seen in the pictures), the animals which use them, and more. A definite must for your collection and for storytime.

ISBN: 9781681190303; Published February 2017 by Bloomsbury; Borrowed from another library in my constorium show less

I've always been interested in nature, environmental education, and place-based learning. I've even co-authored an article called Geocaching with Kids in Taproot: Journal for Education in the Outdoors, so I was thrilled to receive a LibraryThing Early Reviewer copy of "I Love Dirt: 42 activities to help you & your kids discover the wonders of nature". In her introduction, Jennifer Ward calls on parents, educators, and caregivers to spend time outdoors in nature.

When I was growing up in the show more 1960s kids played outdoors. Climbing trees, exploring ditches, and playing spy games were part of growing up. When the weather was nice, I didn't come back inside until the call for supper. As a strong advocate of the current "No Child Left Inside" movement, Ward's book is very timely.

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv stressed the urgent need to encourage parents and children to go outside. Louv provides a wonderful Forward to Ward's book noting that "children and parents learn to observe, as well as appreciate, the basic joys of getting their hands dirty and feet wet" (p. xii).

Jennifer Ward's delightful book uses the four seasons as a way to organize nature-based activities. Each activity includes background information, resource ideas, directions, and a learning outcome.

In the Spring section, Ward recommends bird watching. Activities include creating a bird checklist and keeping a nature journal. She also shares the joy of jumping in spring puddles.

Activities for Summer include creating a butterfly garden, exploring water, and arranging a backyard camp-out. Families are encouraged to enjoy the sounds of the night and the light of the moon.

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. Ward notes that Fall is a wonderful time to take indoor activities outside. Science topics such as clouds, camouflage and inquiry are woven into many of the lessons.

From snow activities to stargazing, Ward provides a wealth of ideas for getting outside in winter. She encourages readers to use their imagination wondering about what animals have made the tracks in the snow or who lives in the burrow in the ground.

From the conversational approach to the attractive line drawings, this book is great for anyone looking for ways to enjoy the natural world. In particular, parents who are new to nature activities will find basic information and ideas for explaining nature to young people. By stressing questioning, observation, and simple hands-on activities, Ward has provided a practical approach even the most nature-phobic parent can feel comfortable trying with children.

Those who already enjoy nature with their children are likely to find the book lacking. The Q&A sections are light on information and many of the activities could use more detail. If you already spend time in nature, there are a wealth of other books that provide much more depth. On the other hand, if you're one of the millions of young parents who didn't play outside as a child, this book gives you great ideas to get started exploring the wonders of nature with your own children

Unfortunately, the advanced copy of the book only contains 60 of the 144 pages, so it's hard to say whether all of the activities are as engaging as the sample pages provided. I'm hoping that I'll be as excited when I see the complete text.

UPDATE -
I've had a chance to read the final, complete version of the book. The activities make much more sense when read within the context of each season chapter. Having seen all of the activities, the audience of this book is more likely to be parents or grandparents of young children. People with experience working with young people in nature may find the book a bit basic, however those new to nature will find a wealth of ideas for making the natural world come alive for young children. Regardless of whether you live in an urban or rural area, use this book to discover the wonders of nature. show less

Wonderful. Maybe a bit too much emphasis on the birds that children are less likely to see, but, hey, aim high! I love the art: not photo realistic, but instead focusing on the attributes most likely to help new birders make the identification.

And I loved the spread showing assorted voices. As my eyes deteriorate, I'm trying to learn songs & calls, and it's so hard via methods I've seen so far. A CD of songs doesn't show me the bird I'm listening to, for example. If I were rich I'd hire show more Sudyka to make posters like that spread for a variety of different regions & habitats, for example the suburban scrubland of southern Arizona where my mother lives... we walk every morning but we haven't been able to connect songs with all the different birds very well at all.

Very good back matter, too. show less

This was a very quick read and enjoyable. It's a season by season guide to exploring and enjoying nature with kids, aimed at parents and/or teachers. I am not a parent but was a primary school teacher for 26 years and it's affirming to see that my instincts were so *right*. Although I taught physically and developmentally disabled kids, I always wrapped my curriculum around nature-based activities, and ensured that the outdoors were part of it as often as the weather permitted. I am proud to show more see that so many of the activities in this book were part of our daily classroom life and I know that my students were very engaged in all of it. I really worry for the next generation of kids who are so glued to electronic devices; *nature* will be lost to them and that is a tragedy show less