WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough by Hayley Rocco & John Rocco
ABOUT THE BOOK
An inspiring and accessible picture book biography of the beloved naturalist, broadcaster, and documentarian David Attenborough—stunningly illustrated by a Caldecott Honoree.
As a boy, David loved exploring the wild places near his home in England, collecting fossils, rocks, and newts. When he grew older, he got a job in television, where he had an idea for a new kind of He would travel to wild places all over the world to film animals in their natural habitats. Over the span of seven decades, David's innovative documentaries have been treasured by millions of people.
But as time went on, he noticed the wild places he loved were shrinking. What could David do to help? What could we all do?
This is the story of David Attenborough. It’s also the story of our planet, which has changed rapidly over the course of one person’s lifetime, and a clarion call for us to do our part to bring back the wild places and protect the creatures who call Earth home.
REVIEW
Combining a fascinating subject and gorgeous illustrations makes for an incredible read in this stunning new picture book biography by Hayley & John Rocco. "This is our planet." The book begins with a gorgeous illustration of Earth from space. Readers are then introduced to David Attenborough and his love of nature starting in childhood. The blending of city and wild environments highlights the stark contrasts between the two. David's love of the natural world shines through in both text and illustration and the inclusion of quotes from David himself adds to the personal nature of the book. In addition to shining a light on the incredible work David has done in documentary work, the story also points out the conservation work David has been involved in as climate change, animal endangerment, and the loss of wild places have become ever more important issues. The minimal text packs a punch, especially when combined with John Rocco's beautiful illustrations. The use of contrast is amazingly powerful. For example, the two-page spread highlighting overfishing has a damaged reef system overwhelmed by fishing nets right next to a picture of a healthy reef system with David scuba diving with the fish. Not only is this book a wonderful biography of a remarkable man but it's a salute to the importance of taking care of our planet. Additional information is provided in the Author's Note and selected bibliography available in the back matter. More information about the problems and solutions mentioned in the book are also included in the back matter. A superb picture book biography full of fascinating information and inspiring illustrations. Highly recommended.
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