Something Wonderful

by Matt Ritter, Nayl Gonzalez (Illustrator)

Overview

From one tiny fig seed, journey into a world of rainforest ecology

This educational and interactive picture book immerses the reader in the strange and interwoven lifecycles of the rainforest. The beautifully illustrated pages follow the journey of a fig seedling making its own roots and leaves, growing strong, and eventually replacing the giant tree that was its host. As it produces flowers and fruit, it attracts pollinators. A delectable fig is hungrily eaten by a passing toucan who, upon flight, aimlessly drops a seed into the treetops below, beginning the fig’s lifecycle once again.

Readers will discover additional scientific information about the pollination process, insects, and animals in an illustrated section at the end of the book, and can play a “seek and find” game by locating the elusive red-eyed tree frog on each page of the story. With its engaging style and abundant imagery, Something Wonderful teaches the interdependence of rainforest ecology in an easy-to-follow, captivating story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780999896044
Publisher:	Pacific Street Publishing
Publication date:	03/02/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

It's as if one is watching a documentary narrated by English nature historian David Attenborough...A gorgeous-looking lesson that will satisfy kids and parents alike.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Using his extensive knowledge as a botany professor and natural history writer, Ritter crafts a riveting narrative about a relatively obscure subject, catering to young readers with an interest in the natural world. Parents and educators will eagerly share this vivid picture book with budding botanists.” —Booklife

“Impressively informative, effectively presented, Something Wonderful is an extraordinary, memorable, and unreservedly recommended addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library Environmental Studies picture book collections.”—Midwest Book Review

“By bringing children closer to nature—the complex nature of the tropics—this book both educates and delights! It is a joy for people of all ages to discover together.” —Peter H. Raven, U.S. National Medal of Science Recipient, Former President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

“Wow! Matt and Nayl have hit a homerun with this book. It will draw children deep into the web of life and help them discover the fascinating concept of mutualism!” —Chipper Wichman, President, National Tropical Botanical Garden

“From the first golden seed to the plop of the Chestnut-mandibled toucan's poop, this book shows the mysterious and intricate entwinements and cycles of a tropical rainforest.” —Sharon Lovejoy, author, illustrator, and recipient of the National Outdoor Book Award in Children's Literature

From the Publisher

2020-05-26
An illustrated children’s book about the interconnected life cycles of tropical rainforest plants and pollinators.

As the story opens, a “golden seed” drops from the sky and embeds itself into the bark of a tree, which, over time, grows roots and overtakes its host, becoming its own adult plant. This new fig tree goes on to bear fruit, and special fig wasps burrow and bury their eggs inside the figs. Those eggs will later hatch, and the spawn will go off and pollinate more fig trees in an interconnected cycle. Meanwhile, a chestnut-mandibled toucan eats a ripened fruit, deposits new seeds from a great height, and the cycle of life continues. On each page, a red-eyed tree frog plays a concurrent game of hide-and-seek. Fully illustrated backmatter further explains the life cycle of fig wasps and offers encyclopedic information about fig-tree species, red-eyed tree frogs, and, of course, the spectacular, aforementioned toucan. Ritter’s narrative offers condensed but informative text, sometimes from the point of view of the seed and, at other times, from that of the wasp. It’s as if one is watching a documentary narrated by English nature historian David Attenborough, to whom this book is dedicated. That said, the writing does perhaps rely too heavily on the refrain, “Something wonderful was about to happen,” which appears four times. However, debut illustrator Gonzalez’s immersive and meticulously detailed drawings elevate the rainforest story and will reward multiple readings. Each page is executed with scientific precision, and an entire canopy of forest greens and brown tree bark are shown in panoramic spreads. It’s a captivating amalgam of color and information that will keep young readers guessing and exploring. STEM advocates will also be very pleased to share this book with future plant lovers.

A gorgeous-looking lesson that will satisfy kids and parents alike.

Kirkus Reviews