Earth Day Birthday (Sharing Nature With Children Book) - Hardcover

Pattie Schnetzler has always loved animals, nature and the outdoors, and loves to hike and backpack. She is a trained surgical nurse, but she dedicates much of her extra time to helping the Earth. Pattie has supported several environmental projects associated with John Denver, including the Windstar Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Institute. She is a member of World Wildlife Fund and The Ocean Conservancy. Pattie belives that, "We have to leave a healthy planet for future generations. And, we can all help!" A graduate of Syracuse University, Chad Wallace has been illustrating children's books since 1997. This is his fourth book for young readers and second with Dawn Publications. Chad has always felt close to animals and nature, which are the primary source of his inspiration. Chad seeks to draw and paint animals in a natural setting while at the same time presenting a new perspective. Bright colors and human-like emotions invite the viewer into an animal’s world that is both admirable and entertaining. When Chad is not in his Westchester, New York studio, he spends time at Bear Mountain in a cabin by a lake.

PreSchool-Grade 4–Written to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," this song celebrates Earth Day and 12 different creatures that inhabit the planet. The lyrics begin, "On the first Earth Day Birthday the wide world gave to me... A bald eagle in the sky." Other species spotlighted include grizzlies, panthers, salmon, fawns, and owls. The vibrant double-page paintings printed on glossy paper depict the animals in their native habitats and are large enough to be seen if shared with a group. One caveat: the activity described in the verses does not always match what appears in the pictures. For instance, the illustration for "Eleven seals a-swimming" shows only two seals in water while the remaining nine rest nearby on the ice. The concluding pages provide a brief history of Earth Day, ideas for gifts that children could give the Earth (e.g., plant a tree), and the lyrics and music. With its realistic artwork, this attractive package would make an appealing sing-along supplement to a unit or storytime on Earth Day.–Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH
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