Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The Forest in the Clouds (bk 1) (32 pgs)

Collard, Sneed B. The forest in the clouds. Charlesbridge Publishing; Watertown, MA. 2000.

Summary:
The Forest in the Clouds takes readers on a journey through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Sneed B. Collard uses figurative language throughout the book to give readers a vivid glance into the life of the cloud forest. The Forest in the Clouds introduces the reader to the animals and distinct plant life that thrive in the forest. This book is an adventure in learning that moves so fluidly you don't realize you're learning.

Grades: K-3
Author: Sneed B. Collard
Illustrator: Michael Rothman
Illustrations: Acrylic paintings on 3-ply Strathmore plate Bristol paper
Access Features: Additional Information, Map, Glossary
Organization: Collard seems to move up the cloud forest in this book. He starts with the animal and plant life on the forest floor and moves up into the clouds talking about the animal and plant life that live in each section. He also uses a narrative structure like he is telling a story about the forest.
Book Design: The book is long like a cloud that stretches out over the forest. The end papers are green to flow with the rest of the pages and feel like part of the forest. The cover is an illustration of the forest with the clouds just beginning to lead you into the book. This particular copy has a library binding. The illustrations take up most of a two-page spread on most pages and the pages are glossy to make the book seem alive. The type is Barcelona and looks almost like a ancient, wild type to flow with the wild animals in the book.
Writing Style: Collard uses lots of figurative language. This book has many similes and metaphors to help enhance meaning. He also uses vivid adjectives to describe the scenes taking place in the forest. He uses new terms repetitively throughout the book in order to make the words more meaningful and help them "stick" with the reader.
Curriculum: Science
Classroom Use: This book could be used as a great resource for teaching about the rainforest, ecology, endangered species, the food chain, etc. It is full of information that would be a wonderful asset to any classroom.
Author Credibility: Collard does not list a bibliography or tell specifically where he got his information. He does acknowledge the people who helped him and lists so websites for information.
Standards: Science: Standard C-Life Science; Standard F-Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Related Texts: Rain, Rain, Rain Forest by: Brenda Z. Guiberson; Nature's Green Umbrella by: Gail Gibbons

Response:
I was very intrigued by this book. The author uses such vivid language and detail that it just made me want to keep reading. He uses the most colorful verbs and adjectives to describe the animals and the forest that it brings the illustrations to life. The book flows so well that you really don't know you're learning. What I really enjoyed about this book is the way the author emphasizes certain terms. He italicizes terms most children wouldn't know and then repeats them throughout the book to help them remember the terms and what they mean. It is a very good learning experience and helps children realize that learning can be interesting.

1 comment:

I love nonfiction said...

Check out Brooke's annotation about the tree kangaroo--it's set in a cloud forest!

Did you find out what a cloud forest is?