Edith M Patch

Readers will soon imagine themselves nestled amid mesquite trees and yucca plants through this depiction of desert life. Describing both flora and fauna, these stories capture the excitement of the desert, as well as its quiet beauty, and are likely to leave readers curious to learn more and to see for themselves the wonders of the desert west.

Within a sentence, this book takes the reader to the edge of a meadow thick with flowers. He must cross a bridge to reach it, but once safely on the other side, he can stretch and look about. Refocusing his senses, the child is free to listen to a crow's call, pat the old cow Daisy who is munching contemplatively away, notice the rustle of a mouse in the grass...and learn the first of many curious things about this 'holiday meadow.' A refreshing read.

Any hill covered with blossoming blueberries, checkerberries, and cranberries must be a very special place indeed. In the fall, the hill will be covered in autumnal gold; in winter, one may attempt to sled down it But no matter when one goes, they are sure to encounter gigantic boulders to clamber over, a venerable pair of garter snakes, a set of American elm trees, and perhaps even Little Snowshoes the rabbit.

The shore is full of wonders as it defines the boundary between sea and land, and is the one place where the two are mingled together. As waves wash over and over upon the land, the coastline itself is changed, and at Holiday Shore, these waves eventually washed away a little cove that then became a bay. It is in that bay that the subjects of these imaginative stories dwell. There, the reader will find eels, barnacles, king crab, starfish, and many other shoreline wonders to learn about and to marvel over.

An invitation to the reader to set aside their cares for an afternoon, and, after a dip in the pond and some wild blueberries for refreshment, sit in the cool of the shade and watch as the many creatures of Holiday Pond reveal their stories. You may spot a painted turtle, a mother raccoon with offspring, or perhaps a yelping frog to delight you.

A delightful introduction to a variety of plants and animals, made especially interesting by the categories into which they are grouped. Readers will discover what plants provide sugar, which ones furnish fiber, and seven different ways plants have of dispersing their seeds. They will also meet many animals that vary widely in looks and behavior. Some have fins, others fur or feathers. Some are footless, while others have as many as one hundred feet. They will encounter animals that spin and animals that make their homes in a variety of places including caves, earth, and wood. Each chapter has questions to ponder and activities to do indoors and out.

Follow along with Don and Nan as they encounter one marvel after another in their visits out-of-doors through all seasons of the year. With adults to answer their questions and inspire them to further discovery, they learn an amazing amount of information about a handful of birds, insects, plants, and trees. Numerous illustrations, with accompanying large-print text in simple sentences, make this an ideal nature book for beginning readers.

For help in planning this book, for sharing his bird-notes with the writer, and for a critical reading of the manuscript, acknowledgment should be made to Mr. Robert J. Sim. Certain events in the lives of Eve and Petro and little Solomon Otus are told with reference to his observations of eave-swallows and screech owls; his trip to an island off the Maine coast for gull-sketches added greatly to an acquaintance with Larie; and but for his six-weeks' visit with the loons of "Immer Lake," much of the story of Gavia could not have been told. Since Mr. Sim contributed not only the pictures to the book, but many items of interest to the narrative, it gives the writer pleasure to acknowledge his co peration, both as artist and as field-naturalist

This lively children's classic contains stories about the lives of many plants, creatures and insects in the parks, ponds, woodland and countryside during the four seasons. Over 100 illustrations are included.Divided into winter, spring, summer and fall, we join a young lad named Don and a young girl named Nan as they discover more about animals and nature. They venture into their gardens, the parks, woods, fields and ponds to look around and learn about the creatures who live and the plants that grow. As each season passes, the pair observe how the different flowers and animals adapt and change with the weather. The migration of birds, the flowering and fruiting of plants, the appearance of bumblebees - we learn so much through what Don and Nan see.The entire adventure across all the seasons of the year are helped by beautiful, detailed drawings. By looking at these, the young reader will discover much about nature. You can bring this book along during a trip outdoors, to see if you can find the same plants, bugs and creatures shown on the pages. To help readers remember what they've seen, the end of each season has questions - before progressing to the next season, readers can recap what they've seen so far.