Tag Archives: Parks

Elem./MG – The Eyes and the Impossible

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Eggers, Dave. The Eyes and the Impossible. Illustrated by Shawn Harris. Knopf. 2023. 978-1-524-76420-3. 249 p. $19.99. Grades 3 and up. 

Meet Johannes. A dog who lives on an island with all sorts of friends, various types of birds, raccoons, squirrels, and buffalo. Johannes is free and lightning fast, but the buffalo are not. He is the eyes of the island who works with the other helpers to report back to the buffalo nightly. Johannes loves beauty. He is mesmerized by the rectangles that are being brought into the new building and appreciates all of the natural beauty he is surrounded by. When a large herd of goats are brought onto the island to clean up weeds, Johannes’ world expands in a way he never thought possible. Would his life be forever changed by meeting a new friend? The art in this book is existing landscapes that Shawn Harris added Johannes to in a seamless manner.

THOUGHTS: This Newbery winning title is interesting. Very thought provoking, funny at times, heart wrenching at others. The altered illustrations are fascinating. Harris has added Johannes to each landscape, and it seems like he has always been there!

Fantasy

Elem. – Fatima’s Great Outdoors

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Tariq, Ambreen. Fatima’s Great Outdoors. Penguin Random House, 2021. 978-1-984-81695-5. 40 p. $17.99. Grades Pre-K-3. 

Fatima Khazi is having a tough week. Her math quiz was challenging, her peers teased her about her accent, her friends wrinkled their noses at her lunch, and a boy pulled her long braid in the hallway. Her mood, however, is lifted while she eagerly awaits with her sister for her parents after school. She is beyond excited about a weekend camping trip to a state park with her family. Ambreen Tariq’s picture book Fatima’s Great Outdoors celebrates an immigrant family’s connection and affection for nature and the outdoors. Fatima, who speaks Urdu and English, slowly builds confidence as she helps her family set up the camping tent, start a campfire, and adventure in a state park. Readers gain insight into Fatima’s family, who has immigrated from India, and will also learn of the family members that still live in India through memories and storytelling. Each memory teaches Fatima a little more about her strength and confidence. At the end of the weekend, Fatima is sad to leave her outdoor space, but her sister reminds her that sharing her experience at school may help keep the memories in her heart until the next adventure.

THOUGHTS: Author Ambreen Tariq is the founder of BrownPeopleCamping, which she launched in August of 2016 to celebrate the National Park Service’s centennial. This storytelling initiative, found on Instagram, utilizes personal narratives and digital storytelling to promote diversity in public lands and outdoor communities. Her debut picture book Fatima’s Great Outdoors reads like a love letter to state and national parks that encourage all ethnicities and races to explore and enjoy what nature has to offer.

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD