Connecting Children and Nature
The WOW! Factor consists of the elements of a book that cause readers to exclaim, “Wow, I didn’t know that!” or “Wow, that’s really cool!”
However, the WOW! Factor is much more than the simple reporting of amazing information or incredible facts. There is a host of books that abound with isolated tidbits of information. A well-crafted book also embeds those facts within the context of a story. Stories put science into a meaningful context—one that engages the reader through personal connections. So, too, must the passion and excitement of the writer be evident to readers or a book becomes nothing more than a compendium of random data.
The WOW! Factor played a prominent role in Tall Tall Tree. This book describes creatures found in the canopy of iconic redwood trees—chattering squirrels, roosting bats, busy bumblebees, and dancing ladybugs all inhabit this elevated ecosystem. I wanted readers to experience the discoveries that could be made in a small ecological niche—in short, the never-ending story about a collection of creatures and how they live together more than 200 feet above the forest floor. In this instance, the “wow-ness” of nature was presented in a counting book that invites reader engagement and participation.
When children read WOW! Factor books, they gain a true appreciation for science in their everyday lives. When combined with the elements of good storytelling those facts become personal and intensely meaningful. Children begin to sense that learning about the world in which they live is a passionate affair—one that puts all the senses on full alert—and one shared by the author as well as the reader. To offer less is to deny children the joy of discovery and the thrill of adventure that waits under one rock or up in a tall tall tree!
Editor’s note: Tall Tall Tree recently won the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award (Gold)
Excerpted from “Navigating Nonfiction,” a monthly column by Anthony D. Fredericks. Read the entire article at SBCWI’s Eastern Penn Points.
Artist of the Month
I Am the Rain is John Paterson’s first book with Dawn Publications. He’s both the illustrator and author. As a child, John Paterson was fascinated by the changing form, steady purpose and life-giving magic of water. Later, he chased rivers throughout the country as a white-water kayaker and raft guide.
Nature Books for Kids
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and Dawn Publications would like to give a big THANK YOU to all teachers! One week of recognition is hardly enough for the time, energy, inspiration, and expertise you share with children. Dana Robbins speaks to the dedication and commitment of classroom teachers in her poem: For My Daughter Who Teaches Science from The […]
