In keeping with the Earth Day theme, another earlier find has given our family an opportunity to learn about the importance of respecting the natural world. Just down the street from our house, I found these beautifully illustrated books by Lynne Cherry at an estate sale. I paid just .50 for each and later noticed both were signed and made out to the original owner in February, 2002. So that was a little extra treat!
A few facts about the author. Lynne is an author and illustrator (how I admire that talent) of over thirty award winning children’s books. The Great Kapok Tree, originally published in 1990, has been one of her best selling books to help teach children the importance of respecting our earth and has been used in classroom and home school settings. It’s a story about a man who falls asleep in the Amazon Rain Forest after trying desperately to chop down a great big Kapok tree. After many hours of work
, he falls asleep. While sleeping, the man is visited by many of the different animals in the rain forest that rely on the tree for either food or shelter. The animals plead to the man to not to cut down the tree and in their own way, tell him just how important it is to their survival as well as his own. The Dragon and the Unicorn (1995) tells a vivid story of a princess who learns about the important ecology of the ancient forest and teaches her father, the king, who is ready to tear it down.
As a lover of the natural world, Lynne speaks passionately about how kids can make a difference and is showcasing many young people in her movie Young Voices on Climate Change and how they have reduced their carbon footprint.
And just as an FYI, while signed copies of books made out to someone as a gift or for yourself are nice, the best way is to only have the author’s signature. It gives the book greater value later on if that is something of interest whether you are buying or selling.
In this case, we are happy to have these books as part of our journey to learn more about our earth. If you are looking for a few good books for your family, Lynne’s can be a great addition to your library too. But before you head out to the big box bookstore, keep these options open for finding what you are looking for in a resourceful manner.
In the meantime, check out the trailer from her series, Young Voices and tell me – do you have a favorite Lynne Cherry book?
