You Are Part of the Wonder

November 20, 2023
Doyle (Dreams for Our Daughters) and Teckentrup (My Little Book of Big Questions) open their lilting, lushly visualized exhortation about the natural world with something of a dare. As a brown-skinned child and their dog stand on a porch and gaze up at the sky, text reads, “There’s a bird/ outside your window/ with a song that’s full of sky,/ and it wonders why/ you stay inside/ when you are free to fly?” Subsequent spreads, whose decorative style resembles translucent, feathery cyanotypes and printmaking techniques, show a cast of children portrayed with various skin tones, while imperative rhyming couplets invite each to contemplate, explore, and observe the outdoors. “Feel the tickles of tadpoles/ as the stream cools your feet,” finds a child perched on a rock surrounded by a profusion of flowers, carefully dipping a pointed toe into turquoise water dotted with tiny black figures. As the seasons change, and the settings move from meadows to a city park, the predominating message is clear: come outside—and come as you are. “You are part of the wonder/ and joy Nature brings,/ of the beauty and magic/ in all living things.” Ages 4–8.

Starred review from December 1, 2023
Children are encouraged to get outside and take it all in. Nature is a wondrous thing, and children are integral components of it. This lyrical, rhyming picture book depicts racially diverse youngsters closely observing, interacting with, and marveling at nature and its various inhabitants. As Doyle directly addresses readers, she uses language delightfully, playfully employing pleasing consonant sounds. She also exhorts kids to experience the natural world for themselves--"Watch ants work and play." "Taste berries warm and sweet." "Feel the tickles of tadpoles / as the stream cools your feet." The author also shares the comforting idea that nature can help children cast off their troubles ("Throw your cares to the wind / and whisper a wish") or can offer inspirational musings: "The sky doesn't care how you look, what you wear. / The wind whispers, 'You're perfect' / and ruffles your hair." What a warm, gentle, and vital message this U.K. import radiates as it tells kids to "fly!" and how wonderful for children to feel embraced by nature at all times, day and night, in all seasons, and in all kinds of weather. The verses scan well, and the illustrations are enchanting--soft and delicate and full of captivating natural colors. A lovely invitation to children to see themselves as part of the larger world around them. (Picture book. 4-8)

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