Out of School and Into Nature
Welcome to Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone! My picture book recommendation today is…
Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story was written by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Jessica Lanan, and published by Sleeping Bear Press in 2017.
Themes/Topics: Biographies, Nature, Earth Science
Opening: “From the time she was no higher than a daisy, Anna was wild about nature.”
Brief Synopsis (from Amazon): This picture book biography examines the life and career of naturalist and artist Anna Comstock (1854-1930), who defied social conventions and pursued the study of science. From the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature's secrets. From watching the teamwork of marching ants to following the constellations in the sky, Anna observed it all. And her interest only increased as she grew older and went to college at Cornell University. There she continued her studies, pushing back against those social conventions that implied science was a man's pursuit. Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students' interest in nature. In following her passion, this remarkable woman blazed a trail for female scientists today.
Why I Like This Book: I was drawn in by the beautiful illustrations and brief, lyric text. It is a book about a woman who loved nature from the time she was a little girl and shared that love with others through education.
Quotes from Anna Comstock
—I look upon a year lived as a year earned; and each year earned means a greater treasury of experience and power laid up against time of need.
—“Nature-study cultivates in the child a love of the beautiful . . . a perception of color, form and music . . But more than all, nature-study gives the child a sense of companionship with life out-of-doors and an abiding love of nature.”
Links To Resources
—Anna Botsford Comstock Wikipedia article
To find even more awesome picture books (and browse them by theme!) visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books page.
