Little Brown Nut by Mary Auld

Little Brown Nut - 28 pages

Mary Auld

Summary (From Goodreads)

Little Brown Nut starts small, with a large fruit falling from the tallest tree in the Amazon rainforest. Inside is a little brown Brazil nut, surrounded by 20 others. It sits and waits for an agouti, a rodent with teeth so strong that it can free the nut from its hard casing. The story of the Brazil nut tree and the agouti is told clearly and carefully, with facts about germination, photosynthesis, seed dispersal. 

Review

I liked that beyond just elaborating on the life cycle of a tree as it relates to the Brazil nut specifically, this book also included facts about the ecosystem in which the tree is found.  It also touches on how human cultures and livelihoods intersect with these trees and the nuts they produce, and conversely the impact humans have on these trees.  

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

 The Call of the Wild by Jack London-120 pages

⭐⭐⭐1/2

Buck is a domesticated pet for a local judge in Alaska. He's a big dog (a mix between a St. Bernard and a Scotch shepherd) and weighs 150 lbs. One day, the gardener for the judge kidnaps him and sells him to Perrault and Charles, who are not kind. They own many sled dogs, mostly Huskies, and most of the dogs are also not kind. Buck learns to be tough and mean. He is then sold to mail carriers who are less mean, but still using the dogs as a means to an end. Finally, he's sold to Hal, Charles, and Mercedes. Hal and Charles know nothing about sleds or sled dogs, but want to travel to Dawson. Finally, Buck meets John Thornton who saves him from certain death by continuing on with Hal, Charles, and Mercedes. It's clear that John cares for Buck and Buck grows to care for John. How long will this relationship last? Will Buck stick around or will he heed the call of the wild? 

For such a short book, a lot happens in these pages. Buck goes through several different owners and has quite the adventure. Overall, the book is pretty good. It has the language from the first publishing in 1903 and some of it is outdated to be kind. There's a decent amount of violence, especially for a juvenile fiction book. 

Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard by Joan E. Strassmann

 Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard by Joan E. Strassmann (352 Pages)

Summary: Many birders travel far and wide to popular birding destinations to catch sight of rare or “exotic” birds. In Slow Birding, evolutionary biologist Joan E. Strassmann introduces readers to the joys of birding right where they are. In this inspiring guide to the art of slow birding, Strassmann tells colorful stories of the most common birds to be found in the United States—birds we often see but might not have considered deeply before. For example, northern cardinals thrive in the city, where they are free from predators. White brows on a male white-throated sparrow indicate that he is likely to be a philanderer. This essential guide to the fascinating world of common, everyday birds features:

• detailed portraits of individual bird species and the scientists who have discovered and observed them
• advice and guidance on what to look for when slow birding, so that you can uncover clues to the reasons behind specific bird behaviors
• bird-focused activities that will open your eyes more to the fascinating world of birds

Slow Birding is the perfect guide for the birder looking to appreciate the beauty of the birds right in their own backyard, observing keenly how their behaviors change from day to day and season to season.

Opinion: I've really enjoyed backyard birding since moving back to Saint Louis, so this book was a perfect fit for me. I learned a lot about the history and personalities of the birds I see on a regular basis. Strassmann lives in Saint Louis and focuses primarily on parks and birds in the area, so it is a great read for locals. I appreciate how the book is divided up which makes it easy to take breaks in between chapters as this book is slow. 

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

208 pages

★★★★★

This memoir is a collection of essays that follows Bailey as she falls ill and becomes bedridden and has nothing to do besides watch the daily activities of a snail on her bedside table. She begins to discover more about herself and her own world as she learns more about the snail and its small world.

This book gave me a better appreciation for life and the things we are capable of, as well as more understanding about the science and nature of snails. It also just made me really want a pet snail!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

 Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens-368 pages

I've had this on my to-read list for a while, but was finally motivated to read it with the impending release of the movie. I was not disappointed. I liked this book and would recommend it to anyone. Kya's somewhat unlikely story of raising herself in the North Carolina marsh is captivating and heartbreaking. Her family leaves her alone in the marsh at a young age and the nearby town ostracizes and isolates her. I really liked the ending. It caps the story off in a good, fitting way.

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel
50 pages

"A Stone Sat Still tells the story of a seemingly ordinary rock--but to the animals that use it, it is a resting place, a kitchen, a safe haven...even an entire world.

"This is a gorgeous exploration of perspective, perception, and the passage of time, with an underlying environmental message that is timely and poignant.

• "Filled with stunning illustrations in cut paper, pencil, collage, and paint"
• "Soothing rhythms invite reading aloud and bedtime snuggles"
• "Introduces concepts like color, size, function, and time in a way that is easily understandable and teachable for children."     --from the publisher

Loved it!  What a sweet, quiet story with beautiful illustrations.

Thank You, Earth: A Love Letter to Our Planet

Thank You, Earth: A Love Letter to Our Planet
by April Pulley Sayre
Unpaged

Touching on subjects from life cycles to weather, colors, shapes and patterns, this is an ideal resource for science and language art curriculums and a terrific book for bedtime sharing.

Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne

Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne - 32 pages

Four people enter a park, and through their eyes we see four different visions. There's the bossy woman, the sad man, the lonely boy, and the young girl whose warmth touches those she meets.  As the story moves from one voice to another, their perspectives are reflected in the shifting landscape and seasons.  This is an intriguing, multi-layered, enormously entertaining book that demands to be read again and again.

Exploring different points of view.

YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT PAIN by Fiona MacDonald

YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE WITHOUT PAIN by Fiona MacDonald - 32 pages

I found this children's book interesting.  Why we essentially need pain is a protection for us.  I'm sure a lot of adults who are in pain would disagree but there were some good cases made for why it is necessary.

The Wild Kingdom, by Kevin Huizenga

The Wild Kingdom, by Kevin Huizenga, 108 pages

For once, I just don't even know how to describe a book.  The title refers to squirrels, cats, bugs, pigeons, and men with ponytails, and brief stories related to them.  Most of the book seems to be in the vein of Huizenga's Glenn Ganges character, but alot of it just feels like a look through someone's surreal journal. Huizenga is a local author/artist, which is great.  But I think his work might be an acquired taste, and I haven't acquired it.