Opening with an exhortation to readers to ‘discover, inquire and wonder’, this is another example of the exciting trend in non-fiction for beautifully illustrated, handsomely produced information books for children. Striking wordless scenes of wildlife and plants challenge children to work out the stories being told: some are stories of defence against attack – an armadillo curling into a ball, a squid squirting out ink; others are stories of courtship – a male Gentoo penguin dropping pebbles at his mate’s feet; while other beautiful pages illustrate the life cycles of a butterfly and ladybird. Illustrations sometimes fill whole pages, elsewhere spreads are divided into eye-catching strips. Endnotes on each image provide readers with additional information. A book that brilliantly demonstrates the rich variety of life on earth as well as its interconnection. ~ Andrea Reece
A Letter from the Publisher:
Dear Reader,
How does one put together a large format picture book with one hundred separate illustrations?
I could detail the meticulous planning; the writing and re-writing of text that will never be read; the hours of researching and verifying the facts; the careful planning of colour balance and atmosphere; the sleepless nights putting paint to paper and the in-depth discussions of paper stocks, cover finishes and format variations. Or I could just tell you why...
The premise is simple. Events from nature ~ or stories as we are calling them. A book that opens our eyes to the natural world around us and forces us to observe it and ask questions. A book that encourages the use of imagination without spelling everything out to the reader and enables parents to converse with their children about nature, with a simple ‘what do you think is happening here?’
It’s about heart.
We’ve created a book that is close to our hearts. It is the kind of book I hope my son will enjoy. I want him to be aware of the world outside his window, to ask questions about it, to engage with it, and to feel.
I hope you do too.
Thomas Truong
Publisher, 360 Degrees
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