Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Review: Hidden City by Sarah Grace Tuttle


HIDDEN CITY
Poems of Urban Wildlife
by Sarah Grace Tuttle
Illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Children Poems
32 pages
ages 3 and up

COMING. . .
MARCH 8th, 2018!!!

A poetic book highlighting everyday nature

The perfect blend of science and poetry, Hidden City demonstrates that nature can thrive anywhere, even in highly populated areas. In this graceful collection of poems, skyscrapers serve as perches for falcons, streetlights attract an insect buffet for hungry bats, and an overgrown urban lot offers shelter to both flora and fauna. Hidden City also includes engageing supplementary materials, which provide scientific information about the animals and plants featured in the book.

Coupled with beautiful collage illustrations, the poems in Hidden City offer readers the perfect reminder to notice and care about their environment. 



MY TIDBITS


Nature carries amazing variety and beauty even in urban settings, and this is exactly the splendor this book brings to life.

Accompanied by bright illustrations, twenty-eight free-verse poems open up a world of exciting nature even there where one doesn't expect it. Everything from moss to birds to insects is explored—most of it familiar but often not noticed or taken for granted. Young readers will recognize the creatures and plant life, and spot most if it in their own environment. It opens up to nature in places where nature is often forgotten, in cities and suburbs.

The poems are just right for young listeners, bringing attention to little details and fun moments. There's even a little humor sprinkled in. The actions, sights, sounds and feelings are easy for even younger listeners to understand and relate to. And the wording is crisp and clear, keeping boredom at bay. With each poem, a beautiful collage (usually over the two-page spread) allows the creatures and plants to come to life in vivid colors. It's fun just to explore these pictures.

At the end of the book, there is extra information about the various creatures and plants mentioned in the poems as well as additional sources.

This is a perfect read for young explores, who live in urban areas. It opens the eyes to nature in even the most unexpected spaces, and helps children gain a little more appreciation for the environment around them.





And here she is. . .

Sarah Grace Tuttle holds bachelor's degrees in environmental studies and English, as well as a master's degree in writing for children. Hidden City, her debut book, combines her passion for writing and her dedication to ecology. She lives in Massachusetts, where she helps facilitate a local conservation group.

You can link them to my website: www.sarahgracetuttle.com

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