Review By HOMA WOODRUM
The early pages of Nature’s Patchwork Quilt by Mary Miché tell the reader that “[n]ature is like a patchwork quilt. It has many different habitats all pieced together to create our wonderful planet.” With large pages filled with visual detail, the entire book follows a quilt motif – instead of differing fabrics there are different animals and environments pieced together to help explain how interdependent we all really are. When my husband began reading the book to our four year old daughter he remarked on how much he liked it and I enjoyed it as well.
Consie Powell’s realistic drawings take us through the forest, desert, prairie, ocean, seashore, lakes and ponds, arctic and high mountain areas, the rainforest, and even towns and farms. The farming portion is matter of fact though the depictions are idyllic (open fields, uncaged cows and chickens, etc.) and describes ranches and farms as habitats made by people that were once other types of habitats, adding:
More and more natural habitats are being taken over by human habitats.
When a natural habitat is gone and plants or animals don’t have any place left to live, they die. When the last plant or animal of a species dies, the species is extinct.
I especially liked how children can see their place in the world and the inclusion of a two pages featuring environmentalists show children and adults alike that they can make a difference. In the teaching tips at the end of the book there are ideas for preschoolers and older children to further explore how they too can care for “our Earth.”
Ages 4 and up.
Dawn Publications sent a review copy of this title.
Book Gift Ideas for Two Year Olds « Oh Mah Deehness! // Oct 7, 2012 at 8:01 am
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