Nearer Nature
Publication Information
Author:  Arnosky, Jim	Illustrator:  Arnosky, Jim
Title:  Nearer Nature	Date:  1996
Publisher:  Lothrop, Lee & Shepard	City:  New York
ISBN, paperback:  0-688-12213-2	ISBN, hardback:
Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes	ESOL:
Family:   Yes	Young Adult:   Yes
Picture:
General Information:
Book Type(s):    essays, nonfiction
HSE Descriptor(s):    science| social studies
Summary:
The author writes reflectively of his winter walks on his Vermont farm and sketches the footprints, animals, and plants that capture his attention. An index enables the reader to find specific information. The descriptions are rich in detail and language. Individual chapters are self-contained essays but occasionally repetitious when read together.
Teaching Ideas:
Students might like to develop a matrix of the animals described using categories such as tracks, habitat, food, habits, etc. Students could pick one descriptive passage and create their own illustration and discuss or write about what uses of language make it so memorable. Pair the book with Dewey's Animal Architecture or Annie Dillard's essay, "Living Like Weasels." Arnosky's words make excellent writing prompts. For example: "Once in a while, however, everyone needs to climb to a height and view the world to gain a perspective of the land and of his or her place in it" (p. 15). One reviewer felt that this is a good book to recommend to students who prefer non-fiction to fiction. plants http://plants.usda.gov; animals www.nationalgeographic.com/rwa; ecology http://conbio.rice.edu/vl/
Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
Geography > locations > U.S. states/regions > New England Science > meteorology > weather > seasons Science > biology > botany/plants Science > biology > zoology > mammals Science > biology > zoology > animals Science > biology > zoology > reptiles Science > outdoors Science > nature

We welcome your comments