Words have power. They instruct and entertain. They guide and inspire. They shape our understanding of the world. Words reflect society’s values.
So I really took notice when I learned that nature words are disappearing from our culture. That’s what researchers at Greater Good Science Center discovered after reviewing millions of fiction books, thousands of songs, and hundreds of thousands of movies from 1901 to 2000.
The good news is that Dawn books are countering this trend. Our books are filled with nature words! Nature pictures, too! (And we all know how many words a picture’s worth.) Mastering both words and pictures, the authors of our new spring books are also illustrators.
In I Am the Rain, John Paterson invites the reader into a personal experience of water’s many shapes, colors, and moods. John’s evocative images complement his poetic verses, highlighting water’s constant change through seasons and cycles. Back pages explore “The Science Behind the Poetry.” Kids will have fun with STEM activities, like “States of Matter in a Baggie,” and everyone can choose one or more of the conservation tips to do.
You may know author/illustrator Laurie Angus through her delightful book Octopus Escapes Again! She returns to Dawn with Paddle Perch Climb: Bird Feet are Neat. Laurie’s distinctive cut paper illustrations zoom in to take a close-up look at a bird’s foot. Then, with the turn a page, you get the whole story about what that foot can do. You may never look at a bird in quite the same way again.
Like all Dawn books, these two combine words and images that open children’s minds, touch their hearts, and tickle their funny bones.
