If All the World Were… by Joseph Coelho
If All the World Were… by Joseph Coelho is a poignant tale about a young girl facing the death of her grandfather. Told through lyrical prose and gorgeous artwork, we see her favourite memories of being with her grandfather, expressed through seasonal imagery. I’m going to be honest. This book brought tears to my eyes. It was my paternal grandmother who I was closest to in all my family. When she passed, it devastated me. I’m thankful for all the time I had with her. I read this with my cubs, which led to discussions regarding death. As a concept, it’s not foreign to them. We’ve had furbabies pass. But this seems to have brought the full realisation that I or Jonas, or others in the family, won’t always be around.
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Snowy: A Leopard of the High Mountains by Milisava Petkovic & Xuan Loc Xuan
Petkovic and Xuan’s Snowy: A Leopard of the High Mountains is a sweet story, at its heart a lesson of cooperation. Snowy is a young snow leopard who gets separated from her mum when they come across fur hunters on their mountain home. Mama Leopard sends Snowy home, heading off in a different direction as a distraction. Snowy gets lost and has to rely on the help of other forest creatures to get back to Mama and her home. This was a cute read, and most of my cubs really enjoyed it. Some (and myself) didn’t care as much for the art style. The story seems a bit disjointed as well. They encounter the trappers, which seems like it might lead into a story about dangers of extinction, but then it turns all on Snowy, and becomes a story of cooperation and community, as the woodland critters help her get home. Except that they send her to the top of a different mountain so she could see down and find Mama’s path. Errrr, why? Why didn’t they just help her on her own mountain? This change made it a bit confusing.
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Wild Buildings and Bridges by Etta Kaner & Carl Wiens
Wild Buildings and Bridges by Etta Kaner & Carl Wiens introduces kids to biomimetic architecture, or architecture that ‘mimics nature’ in some way. There are many ways nature inspires modern builders. They’ve created buildings that mimic how sea sponges weather current, and ones that mimic termite nests’ cooling abilities. There are buildings designed to float like water lilies during floods, and ones built on fractals for support. This book also discusses organic architects like Frank Lloyd Wright. These are architects that study the terrain a building will be built on, and utilise that terrain. Fallingwater and Quetzalcoatl’s Nest are examples. Scattered throughout are experiments for kids to try, such as collecting water like a Namibian beetle and testing the stability of bridge trusses using formats found in nature. Perfect for children interested in buildings, or in how we can work with nature instead of against it.
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The True Tale of a Giantess by Anne Renaud & Marie Lafrance
Full of gorgeous illustrations, The True Tale of a Giantess by Anne Renaud & Marie Lafrance, tells the story of Anna Swan, one of the tallest women to live. Swan, upon reaching adulthood, stood over 8 ft tall. With a heart longer for adventure, Swan travelled to New York, joining PT Barnum’s museum and show. Over the years, Anna travelled often, meeting such illustrious personages as Queen Victoria herself. She even found a giant to marry, a man known as the Kentucky Mountain Giant. Sadly, Swan died relatively young from a heart attack, a result of her gigantism. Written in an engaging, and easy to read fashion, Anna’s story served an additional purpose. It is a tale of courage in the face of adversity and ridicule. It is the perfect lesson for children to be accepting of their differences, and those of others. Highly recommended! All of my cubs loved this book.
***Many thanks to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
