{"id":37329,"date":"2020-06-24T10:57:57","date_gmt":"2020-06-24T14:57:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=37329"},"modified":"2020-06-24T10:58:24","modified_gmt":"2020-06-24T14:58:24","slug":"review-of-drawn-from-nature-by-helen-ahpornsiri","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=37329","title":{"rendered":"Review of Drawn from Nature, by Helen Ahpornsiri"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Drawn from Nature<\/em><\/p>\n

by Helen Ahpornsiri<\/p>\n

Big Picture Press (Candlewick), 2018. 60 pages.
\nStarred Review
\nReview written April 29, 2018, from a library book
\n2018 Sonderbooks Stand-out<\/a>:
\n#5 Children’s Nonfiction Picture Books<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think this book is eligible for either the Newbery or the Caldecott Medal, because the author lives in the United Kingdom \u2013 but that\u2019s too bad! The art in this book is incredible! (I\u2019m going to wait to post this review until after the Newbery is announced, just to be careful.)<\/p>\n

All of the art in this amazing book is made from actual plants. Here\u2019s how the artist explains it in the back:<\/p>\n

Everything you see in these pages \u2013 from the gleam in a fox\u2019s eye to the delicate line of a cobweb \u2013 is made from a plant.<\/p>\n

Flowers and foliage are always changing with the seasons, but here they have been paused in their life cycle, kindled with a new story. Ferns have been transformed into feathers, and the colorful wings of insects are formed from the very flowers they feed on.<\/p>\n

Each collage is made from hundreds of leaves and flowers, which are responsibly grown or foraged in the wild and preserved with traditional flower-pressing methods. The plants are then delicately arranged into bold new shapes and forms. They are all brimming with the twists and tangles of the wilderness, all capturing a perfect moment in time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The text is about nature as it goes through the seasons, beginning with Spring and birds building nests, through Summer in the meadow, through Autumn with falling leaves, and finishing with Winter and hibernation and bare branches. But that\u2019s a very brief summary \u2013 besides the incredibly detailed illustrations, the words reveal a knowledge of details of life in the wild that show careful observation.<\/p>\n

I could look at these illustrations for hours. They are the sort that prompt me to show everyone in the library. One co-worker said that she has ordered cards from this artist on Etsy. The beauty and detail of her work is simply astonishing.<\/p>\n

candlewick.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Nonfiction\/drawn_from_nature.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but the views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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