Nature Spy

Children's Literature - Susie Wilde

One of the best ways to introduce the world to young children is to intrigue their natural sense of wonder. Rotner and Kreisler lead children on an exciting photographic journey in Nature Spy. The book features a buoyant young girl whose natural curiosity leads her to diverse views of the blue-skied fall day. Photography zooms close to reveal the intricacy of "golden eyes of a frog". A wide-angled lens shows the glory of fall foliage. The vividness of photos and exuberance of the guide, invite children to explore.

Ellen Mandel

Meticulously shot in early fall--when vivid greens brightly contrast with freshly turned yellows and reds--the photos in this collection will inspire children to look closely at nature, to become nature spies. Sometimes grouped in threes, the photos approach a subject progressively, moving ever closer to better inspect a frog's eye, for example, or the patterns formed by ice on a frozen pond or by stained-glass-like colors in a butterfly's wing. The attractively laid out pages invite guessing games to see who can identify tree bark or a sunflower's seeds when they are seen from such close perspectives. Adaptable for use in library story programs, for one-on-one sharing, and for independent use by new readers, these appealing shots with their sparsely phrased guiding text promote an early respect for the wonders of nature.