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Change is in the air—Clover feels it, sure you do too. In the blink of an eye summer gives way to fall, pastel blossoms fade, replaced by the burnished shades of autumn, leaves in gold and red floating and swirling round our feet.
Nature calls us to attention with her seasonal changes, beckoning us outdoors to walk, play and picnic. Celebrate her blessings and bounty this month with books that give a nod to “Our Wonderful World.”
Page on—enjoy!
The Community Literacy Foundation, in partnership with Neighborhood Reads and with support from its sponsors, provides these books to 40 school and public libraries in Washington, Union, Pacific, St. Clair and surrounding communities.
Learn more at CommunityLiteracyFoundation.org.
Youngest Read
They might seem ordinary—but Mary Lyn Ray, author of “When You Find the Right Rock” is here to set us straight. Rocks are extraordinary, and every shape, size, color and characteristic is mined in a picture book with art by Felicita Sala, who shows rocks in play and on display in the most unique of ways.
The story begins with a little girl walking along holding her mother’s hand, when out of the blue the child looks around noticing something. “You might try to go around it. Or you just keep thinking whatever you were thinking. But it’s hard to ignore a rock.” That statement is proved true as the pages turn.
Using children as her center point, we meet kids climbing on boulders, choosing rocks to pocket, stacking rocks, or at the beach “(lining) them up to make rooms for a house that lasts only an hour.”
Rocks are for quieter times too—as a spot to sit and “… see things differently,” or as a resting place to contemplate the night sky. We also are reminded that earth is “… the largest rock: one big enough for everyone to stand on.”
“When You Find the Right Rock” is a unique, poetic read certain to awaken our appreciation for a gift from Mother Nature we too often take for granted.
Middle Read
Go exploring with Naturalist David Attenborough, whose life and adventures are the focus of the richly detailed, gloriously told “Wild Places,” by Hayley Rocco. As a tyke, David, an English boy, was captivated by our planet and its “8.7 million types of animals.” When he was born in London in 1926 “… more than two-thirds of our planet was covered by wild places where most animals lived. The other third was where humans lived.”
David enjoyed exploring the “wild places” around his home. He was a true nature lover. When he grew up, David went to university to learn about wild places and animals, and his degree became his passion. When television became the norm in many households, David used the medium to spread his message, focusing on animals found from Africa to Antarctica, in programs and documentaries watched by millions.
Over the years, David noticed that progress and people were infringing on the wild places, that animal habitats were disappearing and weather was becoming more unpredictable too. He made it his mission to educate and spread the word on more nature-friendly practices that would help protect the planet, and to “re-wild the earth.”
Readers will draw inspiration to do just that in a book with an important message illustrated by John Rocco, whose art pops with vibrant color as it depicts David’s exploration of animals and fish in jungles, on ice floes and under the sea.
Oldest Read
Our buddy Roz is back—the robot that keeps adding fans spins another wonderful tale in “Wild Robot Protects,” by Peter Brown. Young readers might remember Roz from her first outing in “The Wild Robot,” followed by “The Wild Robot Escapes.”
Much has changed since Roz first sprung from author Peter Brown’s imagination, but her courage and goodwill still shine forth. We are reunited with Roz as she enters a different phase of her life. Her son, Brightbill, has a new mate, and both geese have returned to visit Roz. It’s a joyful time, but a cloud hovers over their heads when news comes that a poison tide threatens to destroy plant and animal life in and around the ocean.
It's Roz to the rescue, as she adventures to the north, determined to find the source of the nasty tide that clouds the ocean, a scourge that creates widespread panic. Along the way, Roz meets old and new friends, on land and in the sea, fearlessly seeking the wisdom of Gurry, The Ancient Shark, who might be able to help in Roz’s quest. Roz remains steely as she faces enemies who outweigh her at every turn, making for building action and an exciting conclusion.
“The Wild Robot Protects” is an engaging environmental tale that illustrates the connectedness we share on our big planet earth, one species dependent on another to maintain the delicate balance nature has established.
Read this newbie and then see Roz in action when she appears in “The Wild Robot,” opening in theaters this month.
Written by Chris Stuckenschneider.
Copyright 2024, Community Literacy Foundation.