I enjoy reading children’s books that help kids connect with the environment and spark a passion for conservation. The Man with Bees in His Beard by Brian Dempsey, published by Chatwin Books, is advertised as just such a book. The main character in the book is an old man wandering in nature who has a colony of bees that live in his beard. He is represented as being one with nature. The bees are part of him and he is part of the larger environment. This character reminded me of Thoreau at Walden Pond, happy to be in the woods and away from city life. The focus of the book is on this unity between man and nature. There is not a story to follow the man through.
I was left feeling confused about The Man with Bees in His Beard. Twice in the book it stated that “No one knows how the bees got there.” This seems like an important question to answer, especially for a children’s book. Many people also associate bees with being stung, and while it was stated that the bees do not sting, having a colony living in his beard may make children uneasy. It was unsettling for me. It made me wonder if people would embrace this man as described in the book.
Without addressing how the bees got there, or giving more detail about the way the man is welcomed by others, I wondered if the man is intended to be real. Maybe he is a metaphor, but I’m not sure for what. If he is a metaphor that is a large concept to understand for kids in the intended age range of four to eight years.
Both of my kids read the book as well. My seven year-old read the book on her own. Her initial reaction was “I don’t like bees that close to him.” She was worried the man could get stung. She also felt bad for him because he was wandering alone in nature. Kids between the ages of four and eight do not experience much alone time in nature. If they did it could be a scary situation for them, as I think my daughter felt while she tried to relate to this man.
I also read the book to my five year-old son, who had not heard my daughter’s review. He had a different perspective on the book. He seemed to enjoy it and said he did want to be outside more than he had before we read it. This may be because he was reminded of being outside by the book, a place he enjoys.
Overall, I was confused about the purpose of the book. I would have enjoyed this book better if the main character were closer in age to the children reading the book and if the bees were not living on the person. This would allow children to relate to the character better and see themselves connecting with bees and nature in a similar way.
We’re so glad that the number of both readers and reviewers of EcoLit Books have grown enough to now have an annual tradition of celebrating our favorite books of the year.
And this is indeed something to celebrate because there were some amazing environmental and animal-themed books published over the past year, and these aren’t necessarily the books you’ll see on more mainstream “best of the year” lists.
But these books are, in our humble opinion, some of the more important books of the year. Tackling topics that range from rethinking farming practices to how to coexist with wildlife in urban areas to our evolving relationship with the land and its many creatures.
I hope you enjoy the list. Thanks so much to our readers — and especially our contributors — for making EcoLit Books an online hub for eco-literature. Here’s to another year of reading like you give a damn.
American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee is a riveting account of the life and untimely death of O-Six, Yellowstone’s most famous wolf. It is also the story of humanity’s timeless attempt to bend nature to its will, no matter the cost.
Rising by Elizabeth Rush takes readers on a graphic tour of U.S. coastal communities grappling with the devastating effects of climate change. From Maine to Miami, the Gulf Coast to the Bay Area, Rush reveals how lives, livelihoods, and entire ecosystems are undergoing irrevocable changes that are destined to leave many of these communities uninhabitable. It is not an uplifting read, but it is an important one.
While the notion of “cultured meat” or “lab-grown” meat may sound odd to many, Paul Shapiro’s book makes the case for why this new industry is among our best hopes for, quite literally, saving the world….Clean Meat should be read by anyone who cares about the planet, but most of all by those who currently eat and wear animals the way these products are made today. This book provides a detailed, well-rounded examination of a new industry that highlights the challenges — and the incredible possibilities — of feeding and clothing us all in an increasingly populated and demanding world.
Heather Taft
Reflecting on the environmental books I’ve read this year, two really stand out to me. My first recommendation is a children’s book I read this summer for 8-11 year olds called Poacher Panic by Jan Burchett and Sara Vogler, illustrated by Diane Le Feyer.
This book focuses on the rescue of a wild tiger in Sumatra and her two cubs that are set to be taken by poachers once the cubs are old enough to leave their mom. Ben and Zoey work to track down the tigers, while they try to figure out who the poachers are, so they can rescue the tigers before the poachers get to them first. Their research also teaches them about the trafficking of wildlife and animals parts. The book is written at an appropriate level for children. It is also the first book in the Wild Rescue series, so there are more books focused on other species and wildlife issues around the world to choose from if your child likes this one.
Clearly I have a passion for big cats. As a conservation biologist I knew trophy hunting had devastating effects on lion prides in Africa. This book explained the nature of lion prides and the impact of losing males over and over again, leading to decreasing pride sizes. I also was not aware of the extent of government involvement in trophy hunting and the impact this can have on a researcher trying to save the lions they are using to make money. It was a very interesting and informative read for me.
Thanks to DNA, we now know that Australia is the wellspring of the planet’s songbirds. And it wasn’t until the second half of the last century that Australians themselves began to appreciate that songbirds evolved in their backyards. And it’s not only songbirds that Australia gave the word but parrots.
When we started EcoLit Books five years ago, this was the type of book I had in mind. A novel that places nature in its proper place in relation to people. That is, above us — in this case, both figuratively and literally. In The Overstory, Richard Powers has crafted an epic novel that stretches hundreds of years, culminating in a series of life-and-death environmental battles. But even more so, this is a novel about rediscovering the largest and oldest living creatures on our planet.
Back from the Brink, by Nancy F. Castaldo, is a collection of stories for older kids (10 – 12 years old) about animals that have come very close to extinction. Due to efforts from conservation researchers and passionate individuals who want to see these species survive, their populations have increased again. I recommend this book for students who are interested in conservation and learning about how researchers help save species that are on the verge of extinction. It would make an excellent addition to a school library.
The book starts with an introduction to the legislation that helps protect species, including the Endangered Species Act. It is then divided into chapters that cover seven different species that have faced extinction: whooping cranes, wolves, bald eagles, Galapagos tortoises, California condors, American alligators, and American bison. The chapters discuss causes of population decline from issues such as hunting, poisoning, habitat loss, and competition from invasive species. Castaldo follows that with information on how the populations were turned around and brought back from the brink through hard work by passionate individuals. The book ends with child-appropriate ideas to help save species.
The beginning and ending of each chapter is written in first person, recounting Castaldo’s visit to see the species of focus and where they live now. The use of first person was an interesting choice. I think it will help students get the feel for actually being there and seeing these species.
The book is also filled with a lot of wonderful pictures of the animals. Images that help support the information discussed in the text are also included, such as what a hacking tower looks like, which is used to fledge bald eagles, and what crane puppets look like, which are used to prevent chicks from imprinting on humans.
The book has a lot of detail, so it is long, as would be expected for older kids. I do not recommend it for bedtime reading. The longest chapter is 30 pages. It is ideal for independent reading, reading for research projects, and for stretches of time when you can sit down for a while to read a chapter with your child. I read this book with my daughter during the time between her brother’s bedtime and when she goes to bed about an hour later, reading just one chapter each night. It led to some great discussions about conservation. One night after we finished the chapter on whooping cranes I told her I was excited because the chapter the next night was going to be on wolves. She was not happy. She told me she did not like wolves, but couldn’t elaborate on why. I pulled out my phone and showed her the video by Sustainable Human about how wolf reintroduction has had a wonderful impact on the environment in Yellowstone National Park. She seemed more interested after watching it. When we went to read that chapter the following night she was excited and really engaged in the story of the wolves and the pictures in the chapter. I was glad to see her more interested in wolves and why it is important to save them.
Overall, I thought this was a great book to help students understand how species conservation has worked for these species, and the hard work involved in conserving a species. Hearing these stories may help budding conservationists envision a future where they could do the same.
Brad Meltzer has written a child-friendly account of Dr. Jane Goodall as she grew up and began her research on chimpanzees in I am Jane Goodall. I recommend this book for budding environmentalists. It shows kids the importance of caring for the Earth and the need to work with others to advance conservation efforts. It also demonstrates that passions can turn into careers. If you have a young environmentalist in your home this could be a good addition to their library.
The book starts with Jane’s first birthday, then gives a humorous glimpse of trouble she got into as a child due to her curiosity and passion for nature. All kids experience this type of youthful naivete as they explore their world that would cause parents to want to pull their hair out, like Jane providing worms a cozy home on her bed.
As Jane grows up, the importance of hard work to achieve a goal is demonstrated. She surmounted obstacles to get to Africa. She overcame discrimination as a woman in a male-dominated field. Then, finally, with a lot of patience she was able to get close to chimpanzees in the wild. She was able to observe them for extended periods of time noticing their individual behaviors, and the similarities to human behavior.
My kids, ages four and six, were not initially interested in the book. As I began reading they were quickly drawn into the life of Jane Goodall as a child, from her attachment to her stuffed chimpanzee toy Jubilee, to the games she played, her innocent mischievousness, and her excitement for animals and reading. These are common elements in their daily lives. By the end of the book my kids were glad we read it. We had a passionate discussion about threatened animals and what they could do to help.
I found the book entertaining and inspiring. It is intriguing to hear how prominent figures in conservation discovered their field. It is also useful to see an example of how they overcame obstacles that people in conservation still face today – lack of money, controversy about the way to do research, etc.
The illustrations by Christopher Eliopoulous are cute. They have a comic feel with text bubbles depicting what Jane would have said in different situations. Jane is depicted as a short girl throughout the book that does not appear to age though, which led to questions from my daughter about why she wasn’t getting older as she started doing research on chimpanzees.
The book ends with pictures of Jane through the years, and a timeline of major events in her life. She continues to be an inspiration to care for the Earth through her work at the Jane Goodall Institute. The book mentions her Roots & Shoots program as well, which connects kids around the world and engages them in projects to help save the Earth, animals, and people in need. It is a good reminder of all the ways we can help, and can be a discussion stimulus to encourage kids to relate their own actions to conservation efforts.
This book is from a series of books Meltzer and Eliopoulous are creating for Scholastic called Ordinary People Change the World. If you enjoy this one, check out some of the other ones in the series too.
When Suzi Eszterhas was a kid, she told her mom that when she grew up, she was going to live in a tent in Africa. And she did. She became a wildlife photographer and spent three years living in a tent on the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. While there, a park ranger asked if she would help raise an orphaned serval. (Servals are mid-sized, spotted wildcats found in Africa, and they are considered at risk in some regions, due to habitat loss and hunting.)
The serval kitten was just two weeks old when she got him. She named him Moto, and he needed a lot of care—she bottle fed him, groomed him with a toothbrush, and carried him around in a cloth pouch when he was too young to be left alone. As he grew, she helped him learn the skills he would need to survive in the wild.
Moto and Me: My Year as a Wildcat’s Foster Mom is one of my top three favorite books from 2017. Written for second to fifth graders, the narrative of the text is compelling, and at the same time manages to share a lot of information about servals, animal rescue efforts, and conservation work in East Africa.
And that kitten is just so dang cute. I’ve booktalked this title in dozens of fourth and fifth grade classes as part of my library outreach work, and the photos never fail to elicit a crooning “awwwwwwhhh” from the kids.
Suzi Eszterhas is author/photographer of several other children’s books about wildlife and animal rescue efforts, including Orangutan Orphanage, Koala Hospital, and Baby Animals Playing.
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