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Nonfiction Illustrated Books
The Lady and the Spider
by Faith McNulty
From School Library Journal Karey Wehner
Soft pastel drawings complement the simple text of this serene tale of a green spider who makes its home in a lettuce patch. The spider finds shelter and food when dew gathers in the concave curls of the lettuce leaves. Drama enters when the lady who owns the garden harvests the lettuce for lunch. She discovers the spider among the leaves in the kitchen sink and is about to discard it with the trash when she suddenly takes a good, long look and marvels at its perfection and will to live. The lady returns the spider to the garden and places it on a new plant to resume its useful, busy life. The descriptions of a spider's daily life are fascinating, and the quiet mood is perfectly conveyed by the delicate, yet true-to-life illustrations. The book's message, that all life has value, is powerful, all the more so for being understated. The tale of a spider's life has been done before but [not] so simply or so well.
One Day in the Prairie
by Jean Craighead George
From Publishers Weekly
At dawn, the electricity in the air warns buffalo of an impending storm. An eagle flies overhead; a prairie dog back flips to warn other prairie dogs about the eagle. Henry, camera in hand, wants to photograph the wildlife. Before the day is out, he will have survived a tornado that has killed animals and plants. That is life on the prairie, as related by Newbery Medalist George. Her lucid explanations of the ways the animals read signals and prepare for a storm are a primer in natural science; she chooses information with care, and maintains a simple storyline. Marstall's pictures add drama to a book that's perhaps not as immediately interesting as George's One Day in the Alpine Tundra and One Day in the Desert, perhaps because prairies are more familiar landscapes. Yet readers will newly understand the fragility and interrelationship of life forms.
Fire in the Forest: A Cycle of Growth and Renewal
by Laurence Pringle
Review from Booklist (Excerpt) Carolyn Phelan
Pringle takes the long view of fire in the Northern Rocky Mountain ecosystem. ... The text, accompanied by small paintings of plants and animals, appears on facing pages that alternate with double-page spread illustrations. Stretching horizontally across the pages, these large, vivid paintings show the same landscape in different stages of growth before, during, and after a fire. The paintings underscore the theme very effectively. A handsome ecology book.
An Extraordinary Life: the Story of a Monarch Butterfly
by Laurence Pringle
The migration of the monarch butterfly is one of the most extraordinary phenomena in all of nature. And the miraculous metamorphosis of the monarch, from pinhead‑sized egg to dazzlingly graceful butterfly, is just as breathtaking. In rich language and exquisite full‑ paintings, award‑ winning author Laurence Pringle and acclaimed artist Bob Marstall personalize the eventful cycle of a monarch in this elegant, informative new book.
This intimate exploration takes young readers on a gripping adventure with young Danaus, who begins her life as a tiny caterpillar in a Massachusetts hayfield, evolves into the majestic monarch, and takes flight on a 2,000 mile perilous pilgrimage to Mexico.
Down, Down, Down in the Ocean
by Sandra Markle
Parents' Choice Award, 2000
What do you find when you travel down, down, down in the ocean? Life. From its surface to its floor, the ocean is bursting with creatures both microscopic and giant. Near the churning surface, you'll find shark pups and seals, while hatchet fish glow and giant squid battle whales in the darker waters thousands of feet below. With each turn of the page, readers explore descending ocean levels, and meet an array of animals, each uniquely adapted to its particular ocean depth. A rich, descriptive journey that captures the power of the ocean, Down, Down, Down in the Ocean is a vivid voyage into a world created by nature's necessity and beauty.
Butternut Hollow Pond
by Brian Heinz
From Booklist Lauren Peterson
It's daybreak at Butternut Hollow Pond. It looks peaceful, but there is much going on. Bluegills dart out to feed on insects; a dragonfly snaps up mosquitoes, and then is snapped up himself by a tree swallow. ... Two concepts are beautifully demonstrated in this picture book for older readers: the hunter invariably becomes the hunted, and all living things are players in a complex cycle of interdependence that is much more than a simple food chain. Heinz fills this nature drama with action and sensory-loaded language that pulls children in as no science textbook can, and Marstall's realistic watercolor illustrations offer a lovely window to observe the diverse ecosystem. An excellent resource for the science curriculum.
A Dragon in the Sky: the Story of a Green Darner Dragonfly
by Laurence Pringle
From School Library Journal Ellen Heath
This book is carefully researched and extraordinarily detailed in text and art. Readers follow one particular green darner, Anax, from his birth in a swamp in New York to mating and death in a Florida pond. Specific incidents in his life are augmented with more general information about dragonflies and damselflies. Sidebars give facts about other creatures that share his habitats. Information on raising dragonfly nymphs for study is appended, and several Web sites are suggested. In Marstall's watercolor-and-oil paintings, soft greens and browns predominate. This is an exemplary nature-study book-accurate, explicit, and satisfyingly complete.
Crows: Strange and Wonderful
by Laurence Pringle
From Booklist Hazel Rochman
Crows may be best known for their raucous calls, but Pringle's informal, fact-filled narrative and Marstall's clear, beautiful pictures show that behind the noise is a complex language and a great variety of smart birds that show their intelligence in many ways. ... The combination of biology and personal observation will help children see for themselves that there is nothing "common" about the common crow. With the dramatic pictures of the big, glossy black birds, this science book is great for group sharing and for a lively read-aloud.
For More information, go Bob's page on the Artists & Illustrators Who Visit Schools website or contact Bob directly.