Copyright Date:
2018
Edition Date:
2018
Release Date:
11/11/18
Illustrator:
McIvor, Bronwyn,
Pages:
x, 416 pages
ISBN:
0-226-44970-X
ISBN 13:
978-0-226-44970-8
Dewey:
508
LCCN:
2018000463
Dimensions:
24 cm
Language:
English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist
(Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)
In this charming title, herpetologist and natural-science writer Crump (Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog, Adder's Fork and Lizard's Leg, 2015) joins up with illustrator Bronwyn McIvor to provide a year's worth of nature diversions for thoughtful readers. Oriented around the daily-almanac format but easily enjoyed beyond that, and far too quirky to be deemed encyclopedic (the maternal sacrifice of the Australian social spider serves as the Mother's Day entry), this volume covers a vast number of topics via brief biographical sketches, celebrations of unique festivals, and forays into myths and legends as it makes each of its entries noteworthy in often-surprising ways. Crump has done an impressive job of combing the world for all manner of people, places, and creatures to highlight. Readers will find a plethora of subjects worthy of deeper study (the acknowledgments provide an outstanding source list and links) while also enjoying all Crump and McIvor have accomplished. What a quiet gem: an artful presentation of science and history that manages to beguile and amuse on every page.
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ALA Booklist
(Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)
Bibliography Index/Note:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 385-416).
A Year with Nature is an almanac like none you've ever seen: combining science and aesthetics, it is a daily affirmation of the extraordinary richness of biodiversity and our enduring beguilement by its beauty. With a text by herpetologist and natural history writer Marty Crump and a cornucopia of original illustrations by Bronwyn McIvor, this quirky quotidian reverie gazes across the globe, media, and time as it celebrates date-appropriate natural topics ranging from the founding of the National Park Service to annual strawberry, garlic, shrimp, hummingbird, and black bear festivals. With Crump, we mark the publication of classics like Carson's Silent Spring and White's Charlotte's Web , and even the musical premiere of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake . We note the discovery of the structure of DNA and the mountain gorilla, the rise of citizen science projects, and the work of people who've shaped how we view and protect nature--from Aristotle to E. O. Wilson. Some days feature US celebrations, like National Poinsettia Day and National Cat Day; others highlight country-specific celebrations, like Australia's Wombat Day and Thailand's Monkey Buffet Festival, during which thousands of macaques feast on an ornately arranged spread of fruits and vegetables. Crump also highlights celebrations that span borders, from World Wildlife Conservation Day to International Mountain Day and global festivities for snakes, sea turtles, and chocolate. Interweaving fascinating facts on everything from jellyfish bodies to monthly birth flowers with folkloric entries featuring the Loch Ness Monster, unicorns, and ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology, the almanac is as exhaustive as it is enchanting. A Year with Nature celebrates the wonder and beauty of our natural world as we have expressed it in visual arts, music, literature, science, natural history, and everyday experience. But more than this, the almanac's vignettes encourage us to contemplate how we can help ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the landscapes and rich biodiversity we so deeply cherish.