Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday.
It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people.
I chose this book because it is an awesome story about caring for animals in the wild.
Animal Ark by Kwame Alexander and by Joel Sartore
Written by Kwame AlexanderPhotography by Joel Sartore48 pages – ages 4+Published by National Geographic Children’s Books on February 14, 2017
Theme/Topic– Animals/Endangered AnimalsGenre– NonfictionOpening and Synopsis– Opening: “chorus of creatures/singing our names/see what we can save-together“
Synopsis from Publisher
“A howling wolf, a stalking tiger, a playful panda, a dancing bird – pairing the stunning photography of National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore with the delicate poetry of Newbery award-winning author Kwame Alexander, this lush picture book celebrates the beauty, diversity, and fragility of the animal world.
Featuring more than 40 unique animal portraits, the pages invite kids to explore each creature’s markings, textures, and attributes in stunning detail, while calling on all of us to help protect each and every one.
Three picture-packed gatefolds inside showcase even more familiar and exotic species.
These images are part of Sartore’s lifelong project to photograph every animal in the world, with special attention given to disappearing and endangered species.”
Animal Ark by Kwame Alexander and by Joel Sartore – Our Review
What I Thought
This is a fascinating book. There is a poem that Alexander wrote that is throughout the book, that weaves together with the stunning photographs Sartore took of animals around the world. The reader easily gets lost in this wonderful visual spectacular and moving poetry!
The poetry is all in haiku which (I think) makes it especially fun to read. There are a couple fold out pages where the photography spills out in an even larger visual display.
The book will most certainly spark discussions about animal species and endangered species.
There are author and illustrator notes in the back of the book which add to the meaning of the whole package – also a section that lists the endangered species in the book as a summary.
The book is a must read!
Activities and Resources- There is a good lesson plan for teachers on endangered species at Kidworldcitizen.org HERE!
There is also a good lesson plan for teachers on endangered species at Educationworld.com HERE!