Synopses & Reviews
This gorgeously illustrated volume of poetry — sprinkled with facts and fun things to do — sows an early love for nature in all its beauty and wonder.The buzz of bees in summertime. The tracks of a bird in the winter snow. This beautiful book captures all the sights and sounds of a childs interactions with nature, from planting acorns or biting into crisp apples to studying tide pools or lying back and watching the birds overhead. No matter whats outside their windows — city streets or country meadows — kids will be inspired to explore the world around them. Written by award-winning author Nicola Davies and illustrated by Mark Hearld, a breathtaking new talent in childrens books, Outside Your Window is a stunning reminder that the natural world is on our doorstep waiting to be discovered.
Review
andquot;Pakand#39;s pretty, digitally worked watercolors achieve equilibrium between stylized reduction and naturalistic verisimilitude.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus
andquot;A sophisticated blend of scientific information and artistry.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
Review
"The pleasing text is well constructed, with rhythm and rhyme altered in different types of stanzas and distinctive birdsongs included in the verse. . . . A beautifully crafted, informative picture book."
and#8212;Booklist, starred review
"This charming and unusual nature story contributes something new to the overstuffed field of bird-related picture books. . . . As welcome as the robin in springtime."
and#8212;Kirkus, starred review
"The restraint of the artwork dovetails nicely with the story's themes: caretaking. . . and observation. . . A fine book about watching living things in the wild, and it also serves as a beginning birders' guide, identifying the features and cries of common backyard birds."
and#8212;Publishers Weekly
"[A] lovely introduction to common neighborhood birds."
and#8212;School Library Journal
"With its many birdcalls that invite imitation, the text is enjoyable in its own right, as are the softly texture, earth-toned setting in which children and birds enjoy each other's company."
and#8212;Bulletin
Review
andquot;McGowanandrsquo;s writing has a pleasing musical lilt...but itandrsquo;s her artwork that really stands out...McGowanandrsquo;s layered images have a rusticity thatandrsquo;s in keeping with her itinerant musiciansandrsquo; free-spirited mind-set.andquot;
Review
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;McGowanand#39;s art, three-dimensional illustrations of painted, cut, assembled, and photographed scenes, is a wonder to behold in its ingenuity and animation. Now all this story needs is an audience, and itand#39;s sure to drum one up.andquot;
Review
andquot;I would challenge anyone not to be charmed by the artwork in this book. Ms. McGowanand#39;s debut shows an infectious love for her craft and for picture books. From Bearand#39;s potbelly to the bandand#39;s instruments, there is a gentle simplicity to this story that should be savored.andquot;
Synopsis
In this rhyming poetic picture book, exploreand#160;the wonders ofand#160;natural cooperation between plants, animals and insects.
Synopsis
Flowers areand#160;calling to all the animals of the forest, andquot;Drink me!andquot;andmdash;but itandrsquo;s the pollinators who feast on their nectar. In rhyming poetic form and with luminous artwork, this book shows us the marvel of natural cooperation between plants, animals, and insects as they each play their part in the forestand#39;s cycle of life.
Synopsis
Bear is a rambling musician. An entertainer. A legend. One Bear Extraordinaire. Bear wakes up one morning with a song in his head, but something is missing. Whatandrsquo;s a one-bear band to do? He travels the forest in search of his song and meets a few other musicians along the way, but even with their help, his song still feels incomplete. Will Bear find the perfect accompaniment and learn that every song sounds sweeter with friends by his side?
Jayme McGowan brings Bear and his merry band to life with intricate and innovative threedimensional cut-paper art that is nothing short of extraordinary.
Synopsis
In this nonfiction picture book for young readers,and#160;we learn just why the mother nesting bird stays quiet and still while sitting onand#160;her eggs. Shh. . . .
Synopsis
Woodpecker calls from a tree, "cuk-cuk-cuk." Starling sings, "whistle-ee-wee." But have you heard the nesting bird?
In this book, we hear all the different bird calls in counterpoint to the pervasive quiet of a mama bird waiting for her eggs to hatch. Fun and informative back matter takes the shape of an interview so that readers learn more right from the bird's bill. Ken Pak's lively illustrations, paired with Rita Gray's words, render a visual and sonorous picture book to be enjoyed by young naturalists.
About the Author
Nicola Davies is a zoologist and an award-winning author whose many books for children include
Surprising Sharks, illustrated by James Croft;
Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth, illustrated by Neal Layton; and
Gaia Warriors. Nicola Davies lives in Wales.
"To write Outside Your Window I cast off my grown-up self and found the me I was at five or six. Inside that younger self I could see the world as I saw it first — not just the sights and sounds of nature, but the feelings and the thoughts about it that ran through me, strong as the tide." — Nicola Davies
Mark Hearld is a distinguished artist who makes prints, paintings, collages, textiles, and ceramics that are inspired by the natural world, especially by animals. He lives in England.