For the dawn of a new millennium, Brian Patten has written a poem to the Earth -- the blue and green ark -- and all of us who travel with it through the wide universe. Each letter of the alphabet celebrates the many wonders of nature and life itself, from Gorillas and Volcanoes, to Language and Time.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-First the good news. The artwork by 11 illustrators is striking and evocative. The bad news is that Patten's poetic musings are pretentious and unworthy of their visual company. The book is structured around the concept of the Earth as ark, incorporating motifs and ideas from the Noah story. While several pictures include the ark or related symbols such as the dove, the phrase "the blue and green Ark adrift in the dark" is tediously repeated throughout. The short reflections appear in alphabetical order, but abstract letter-concept connections such as "Utopias unattained" or "Beginning" will be inaccessible to young readers. The appended glossary, prefaced with the remark, "There are lots more things to spot if you look closely," includes some interesting information, but provides more bafflement- the B entry consists of the word "Breath," another abstract idea. Adults, particularly those sharing the author's ecological fervor, might appreciate the book for its outstanding visuals. However, its child appeal is limited.
Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
An ornamental alphabet book about the creation and endurance of planet Earth, full of reverberating symbols and images. A is for ark, the small green and blue planet drifting in a sea of space. Each subsequent letter highlights treasures of the Earth and the space ocean it floats in. A richness develops in the juxtaposition of ideas: N is for narwhal, which gave birth to the legend of the unicorn, but also for a fox's nuzzle and ``for the night and its shadows creeping.'' Extinct animals are remembered, joy and jellybeans are celebrated, as are ice, languages, and the other planets. Every spread is created by one of eleven illustrators, among them Jane Ray and David Parkins, providing variety to the poetry within, and every illuminated letter glows like a painted jewel. A fine tribute. (Picture book. 6-9) -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
English 4-11 Award Winner,
This review is from: Blue And Green Ark (Hardcover)
Winner of the English Association's English 4-11 Award for the Best Children's Picture Book of 1999 - Non-Fiction Key Stage 2. We considered the scope and imaginative power of this work to be quite exceptional. Brian Patten takes each letter of the alphabet, presented by Sian Bailey as a work of art, in the fashion of the key letter of a medieval manuscript, and explores fascinating aspects of our planet from the origins of the earth to the development of the child in the womb. In free verse and with the help of 11 gifted artists he evokes images of the creatures in the oceans, on land and in the sky, of features of the earth like rain forests and volcanoes, of the planets and the stars in the heavens and of the technological achievements of human beings. This exploration in poetic language of such wide ranging phenomena make the book a wonderful celebration of our world for the new millennium. It also reinforces the notion that non-fiction can make a strong appeal to the imagination and can be the beginning of the reader's further investigation of concepts and topics. Further help here comes in the form of an exceptionally fine glossary with a scholarly flavour. Readers of different ages will be inspired by this highly original and informative book and will return to it again and again.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Blue & Green Ark,
This review is from: Blue And Green Ark (Hardcover)
Our Earth is the Blue and Green Ark adrift in the dark. This alphabet book is poetic, rich in imagry and ideas for conservation, respect for life and the environment. The lyric language, imaginative illustrations and striking juxtaposition of content worthy of further reflection will intrigue most readers and touch many more with a reverence for nature.
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