West Coast Wild Babies

by Deborah Hodge, Karen Reczuch (Illustrator)

Overview

In this second book in the West Coast Wild series, readers will meet the baby animals born in the pristine wilderness of the Pacific west coast, including land and marine mammals, fish, birds and amphibians.

It’s spring on the Pacific west coast and new life is stirring! Wild babies are being born — in the ocean, on the shore and deep inside the ancient rainforest. Wolf pups, cougar kittens, bear cubs and whale calves all begin their life in the pristine wilderness of this magnificent place.

Young readers will meet a fascinating group of fourteen wild baby animals — including land and marine mammals, fish, birds and amphibians — and learn about the special bonds between offspring and parents, and how the newborns move toward independence. Readers will see an extraordinary community of animals thriving in an interconnected web of life.

In this second book in the West Coast Wild series, Deborah Hodge takes readers through the spectacular land and seascapes of the Pacific Rim region, introducing familiar animals such as sea otters and eagles, and lesser known species such as pelagic cormorants and rufous hummingbirds. Karen Reczuch’s beautiful illustrations are detailed and lifelike, and convey a lovely sense of warmth between the wild parents and their young. The text and art have been carefully checked for scientific accuracy.

Includes a note about the Pacific west coast and the need to preserve its rare and awe-inspiring wilderness regions, as well as a list for further reading and exploration.

Key Text Features
further reading illustrations informational note author's note

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5
Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781773062488
Publisher:	Groundwood Books
Publication date:	04/07/2020
Series:	West Coast Wild , #2
Pages:	36
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.35(d)
Lexile:	AD1000L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

DEBORAH HODGE  is the author of more than thirty books for children. Her awards include the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada’s Information Book Award, the Green Prize for Sustainable Literature and the honor book distinction for the National Jewish Book Award for Children’s Literature. Her work has also appeared on such lists as ALA’s Top Ten Best Environmental Books for Youth. Deborah is a former teacher and curriculum writer who lives in Vancouver, BC.

KAREN RECZUCH has illustrated many award-winning children’s books. Loon by Susan Vande Griek won the TD Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-fiction, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Picture Book Award and the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada’s Information Book Award. Karen’s other books include West Coast Wild, also the winner of the Information Book Award, and West Coast Wild Babies, both by Deborah Hodge. Karen lives in Lake Country, BC.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Praise for Deborah Hodge, Karen Reczuch and West Coast Wild Babies:

Mighty Village Spring Book Picks, 2020

“[A]n absolutely stunning companion to the pairs’ earlier work, West Coast Wild: A Nature Alphabet. … [W]hether we’re high in the trees or low on the forest floor, we not only have a unique glimpse of the natural wonders that abound on the Pacific West Coast but the warm relationships that animal babies share with their parents.” — Globe and Mail

“This informative introduction will be especially useful in the Pacific West Coast region, but it has a wider appeal to a broad audience in both locale and age. A succinct and satisfying first look at some fascinating creatures.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Through a superb soft palette of watercolour and coloured pencil, West Coast Wild Babies peeks into the majestic wilderness of spring on the northern Pacific Rim.” — Mighty Village

“[Hodge’s] text may be information but it is poetic and perfectly accompanied by Karen Reczuch's watercolour and coloured pencil illustrations.” — CanLit for LittleCanadians Blog

“[A] worthwhile addition to picture-book shelves, especially on the West Coast.” — Booklist

“As much as the book illustrates the love that parents show their offspring, the book also makes a case for the pristine natural environment that is crucial for the growth and sustenance of these beautiful creatures.” — Vancouver Writers Fest

“Stunning watercolor and color pencil illustrations bring the subjects into sharp focus in authentic settings. … This series is a wonderful way to foster in young readers an appreciation of the awesome nature of the west coast.” — CM Review of Materials

“[A] gentle walk through the rainforests and along the shores of the Pacific North West coast.” — The International Educator

Praise for Deborah Hodge, Karen Reczuch and West Coast Wild: A Nature Alphabet:

Winner of the Children’s Literature Roundtables of Canada Information Book Award

“Hodge’s forthright narration offers details about familiar creatures … but she sneaks in some surprises, too … [Reczuch’s] precisely drafted illustrations find majesty and beauty in the creatures, vegetation, and landscapes that make the Pacific Northwest so distinctive.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“ … skillfully combine[s] instruction and delight, weaving together information and beautiful art.” — Quill & Quire, starred review

“Each statement is descriptive, informative, and handsomely illustrated with watercolors and colored pencils in expansive double-page spreads.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This award-winning author and illustrator team present an elegant introduction to the organisms of the Pacific Rim …” — School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

[A]n absolutely stunning companion to the pairs’ earlier work, West Coast Wild: A Nature Alphabet. … [W]hether we’re high in the trees or low on the forest floor, we not only have a unique glimpse of the natural wonders that abound on the Pacific West Coast but the warm relationships that animal babies share with their parents.

Globe and Mail

[A] worthwhile addition to picture-book shelves, especially on the West Coast.

Booklist

Stunning watercolor and color pencil illustrations bring the subjects into sharp focus in authentic settings. … This series is a wonderful way to foster in young readers an appreciation of the awesome nature of the west coast.

Canadian Review of Materials

2019-12-18
In this Canadian import, baby animals and birds of the Pacific West Coast region are introduced with brief descriptions of their birth environments.

The introductory pages show a human father and his baby near the shore of the Pacific Ocean, with a pair of raccoon cubs peeking out from the roots of an enormous tree. In a subtle framing device, the final spread shows a human mother with her baby, observing a mother raccoon and her two little ones on the beach. The human characters present white. The animal and bird babies are presented through a structured format in subsequent double-page spreads, with a large trim size that effectively showcases the dramatic illustrations. The appealing animals and birds stand out in scenes filled with the soft blues and greens of outdoor settings interspersed with trees, wildflowers, and ferns, and a variety of perspectives and motion enhance interest. The names of the babies are set in large type followed by a paragraph of text detailing circumstances of birth, early growth, and other details such as diet or migration patterns. One or both parents are shown tending to their young, sometimes with surprising tenderness, as in the illustration of a sea otter pup nestled on its mother's chest. This informative introduction will be especially useful in the Pacific West Coast region, but it has a wider appeal to a broad audience in both locale and age.

A succinct and satisfying first look at some fascinating creatures. (author's note, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews