In My Backyard

From the singing of little wrens in spring to paper wasps building their nests in summer; from baby bats drinking mother’s milk in fall to baby possums climbing into mother’s pouch in winter, In My Backyard celebrates nature and backyard animals through the seasons. Wildlife artist Ron Broda’s detailed paper-sculpture art beautifully complements Margriet Ruurs’ lyrical text, and young readers will discover a captivating variety of animals and insects.

Find the ladybug in each illustration, along with a hidden animal, which becomes featured on the next page. A detailed legend and helpful hints on how to turn your own backyard into an inviting place for animals to live make this book a must-have for wildlife and nature lovers alike.

Children's Literature

We are welcomed to a backyard that is "a busy place—all year round." As spring arrives, a young wren sings, toads call; snail, spiders, and snakes make their presence known. Wasps build their nest, baby birds clamor for food, butterflies dance by day, bats soar at night. As winter approaches, possums dig in the compost pile, and baby mice sleep in their nest. With just a brief sentence or two per double page, Ruurs vividly sets the scene for Broda's amazingly realistic depiction of the creatures in their natural settings, all done with paper sculpture. On one page he provides a full-color scene of the animal or insect in action, mostly in the pursuit of food. On the facing page is a vignette created in gray tones, a close-up of some activity such as a wasps building a multi-chambered nest or a hummingbird feeding its young. An added visual feature is the challenge to find a ladybug and a "preview" of the next page in each scene. The final spread is a view of a garden that might well be the spot for all the previous events. More information on each included creature, plus steps to make a garden attractive to them, follows the last illustration.

Margriet Ruurs is the author of many books for children, including Wild Babies and A Mountain Alphabet. She has a Masters Degree in Education and has spent her adult life both writing books for children and teaching children about books. She has spent a great deal of time hiking and camping in the mountains and traveling. Margriet Ruurs has lived across North America and now makes her home in Oregon.

Ron Broda is a renowned children’s book illustrator and paper sculptor. With over fifteen years in advertising, art directing, and commercial illustration, Ron combines techniques in paper sculpture and watercolor to create vivid illustrations with great detail and realism. He has created unique ad campaigns and art pieces for clients like Coca Cola, Chrysler, and Xerox. He has been named one of the “top 5 Canadian Illustrators.” His award-winning children’s books are sold worldwide. Ron Broda lives in Sarnia with his wife Joanne and their children. When not in his studio, Ron makes time to tour various libraries and schools.