WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: Polar Bear by Candace Fleming & Eric Roman & Nic Bishop Elephants
Wild & Wonderful Wednesday is a celebration of the amazing natural world, a chance to highlight some of the amazing nonfiction books available for children. These two books are by some of my favorite children's nonfiction book creators. These authors & illustrators have consistently produced high quality, amazing books. I have yet to read anything by them that isn't remarkable and informative. It's wonderful to see such beautiful books being produced.
Beginning with the return of spring in the Arctic, Polar Bear follows a mama polar bear and her two cubs as they leave their den. With beautiful free verse, Fleming takes readers on a journey through a summer on the ice as the mother bear teaches her cubs about hunting and living as a bear. The book opens as the mother rests with her cubs in a den, after leaving the den comes the title page and the ups and downs of life on the ice. Fascinating information about polar bears is smoothly integrated in to the text giving readers a glimpse into the challenges of life on the ice.
As with Giant Squid and Honeybee, Fleming keeps the narrative tight and crisp through her word choice and poetic form. The bear family faces all the dangers of life in a world of rapid change. After facing off with wolves and a failed hunt, the bears end up stranded as the ice melts sooner than expected. The bears must swim for it, an enormous ask for the young cubs. Even after making it to land, the bears struggle to find enough to eat as they work to prepare for the upcoming winter. The tone of the book remains hopeful despite the difficulties the bears face related to climate change and global warming. Additional information about polar bears is included at the end for young readers who wish to know more.
I often prefer photographs in the nonfiction I read but Rohmann's stunningly realistic paintings are so lifelike that I can't help but adore. The illustrations make it difficult not to sympathize with the additional challenges that polar bears along with the rest of the planet, face. I appreciated the fact that the narrative ends with hope that the bears will continue to fight for survival. Not only have the author & illustrator created a compelling story but an ode to the beauty and harshness found in this world. Highly recommended.
Nic Bishop takes his considerable talent as a photographer to investigate the world's largest land animal. As with his other works, the stunning photographs stand out for their clarity and focus. The text provides a great commentary as Bishop shares the attributes that make elephants so remarkable. In addition to their size and strength, elephants also exhibit characteristics of intelligence and family devotion. The book covers topics related to the types of elephants, herd life, growing up and communication as well as the physical features that make elephants so formidable. The amazing photographs are wonderfully complemented by the large, easy-to-read text. I always enjoy studying the photographs in a Nic Bishop book. They are phenomenal (and yes I know I'm gushing). From pictures of baby elephants peaking out between its mother's legs or sucking its' trunk to a group of elephants communicating using their trunks to a picture of one of the world's largest elephants, the photographs do a great job of taking readers into the world of the elephant. The author's note at the end of the book is a fascinating glimpse into the work required to create the book. Highly recommended.
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