Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Without placing blame, Root (who, along with Bowen, explored Minnesotan bogs in Big Belching Bog) describes the near-total loss of Midwest prairie habitat: "Almost all gone now/ to farm and town and city,/ even before we knew/ all of the things a prairie could do." In lilting, free-verse passages, she lets kids know that even small plots of native plants can replicate prairie conditions. "Plant foxglove beardtongue," she suggests. "A ruby-throated hummingbird/ might hover and sip and thrum." The excitement keeps growing: "Your pocket of prairie might be full of blooming and buzzing and fluttering. But don't stop now-Plant purple coneflowers and Joe Pye weed and wait for Dakota skippers and swallowtails to flit and feed." Bowen's woodblock illustrations lend the right low-tech, homemade feel to the pages, but kids will probably need additional resources to identify the species Root suggests planting. Although the pages give the impression that the wildlife will show up instantaneously, it might take longer than that for plants to be established and for birds and insects to find them. But if they're forewarned, kids will wait. Ages 5-10. (Apr.)? (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-4-This exploration and imaginative re-creation of the prairie habitat that once covered almost 40 percent of the United States is much more than a mere gardening book. Double-page woodblocks on stark white backgrounds depict the habitat replaced by wheat farms and cattle ranches. The delicate colors belie the strength and importance of these grasses and flowers in creating a self-sustaining environment for animals and insects. Free verse poems invite readers to plant flowers and reconstruct pockets of lost prairie in backyards and on balconies to entice insects and birds to return, such as butterfly weed to attract monarch butterflies or rough blazing star for great spangled fritillaries. A map shows the once extensive prairie in Minnesota and the less than one percent now remaining, while the plant list will inspire the planting of at least some of the 14 recommended flowers and grasses. Perhaps all the seven prairie birds, nine butterflies and insects, four reptiles and amphibians listed and described will visit, and with a lot of luck, a bison or elk may just show up as well. A beautiful and informative offering that will be snapped up from any display.- Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
There isn't a whole lot of prairie left in the United States, thanks to human farming and development. Root and Bowen (Big Belching Bog, rev. 11/10) encourage readers to reverse this trend by planting native plants in their own backyards ("but if you want to see / what a prairie might be"), and watching what animals are attracted by each plant species. Every page or two, new plants and animals, with toothsome names like foxglove beardtongue, dickcissel, and great spangled fritillary, are introduced to the developing ecosystem, increasing the complexity of the interactions among flowers and grasses, insects, birds, and reptiles. Mixed-media illustrations -- block print, ink, and watercolor -- of the flora and fauna are placed on white backgrounds, their chunky outlines a modern twist on botanical illustration. Although the description here is of the inhabitants of a Midwestern prairie, the conservation and restoration message is universal. The closing pages provide additional information about prairies in Minnesota, the species mentioned in the main text, and conservation. danielle j. ford (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Readers won't find a definition of what a prairie actually is, but they will learn about the wealth of flora and fauna it containsand how the loss of any of its life forms affects others tremendously. Even urban and suburban dwellers can help bring prairies to life again, if only in a limited way, by "[planting] a pocket of prairie / in your backyard / or boulevard / or boxes on a balcony." Doing so would invite a host of birds, animals and insects to feast on typical prairie plants bearing wonderful names like "foxglove beardtongue" and "hairy mountain mint." To this end, it helps that the author advises that certain plants can thrive in containers, while some plants must be planted in the earth, but this isn't really a gardening book. Instead, it's a fanciful celebration of possibility, as with the addition of each new plant in the hypothetical "pocket," more prairie wildlife appears, till a bison and her calf are browsing in the grasses. The lively, simple text is poetic; the colorful illustrations of native creatures and plants are energetic. While some of the author's supplemental text and a map refer specifically to Minnesota, she emphasizes that tiny "pockets of prairie" still exist in variousand unexpectedplaces elsewhere. This not-so-whimsical flight of fancy could well inspire a new generation of conservationists. (notes about prairies and prairie wildlife) (Informational picture book. 6-10)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
