Earthsong [Hardcover]

Sally Rogers (Author), Melissa Bay Mathis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

Warm illustrations and the rhythm of a traditional song carry an important reminder for new generations "In the North Atlantic Ocean 'neath the Arctic sun, Lived a mom and papa right whale and their whale calf one. Blow! said the mom. I blow! said the one. And they blew and they spouted 'neath the Arctic sun." Read it. Sing it. Enjoy it. Learn from it. This picture book for the preschool set, based on acclaimed singer-songwriter Sally Rogers' popular song Over in the Endangered Meadow, offers a host of pleasures. Its rhyming text, which revolves around dialogue between parents and their offspring, both human and animal, can be read aloud and also sung to the traditional tune Over in the Meadow. As the words roll along, the book proves to be a glimpse of animal families and a counting vehicle wrapped into one. In addition to the right whale, ten other endangered animals are named: panda bear, Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, black-footed ferret, sun conure, Gila monster, leatherback turtle, gray wolf, American crocodile, and Indian python. Notes at the back give additional information. Children will enjoy how the warmly stylized art brings all the animals into a quilt that symbolizes the unity of everything on Earth. Share! said my grandpa. Let's share this place./And take care of Mother Earth as she spins through space.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3?Eleven endangered animals from many regions of the world care for their young in this numerical rhyming scheme borrowed from the traditional folk song "Over in the Meadow." Rogers utilizes lyrics she has previously recorded, framing them with opening and closing scenes featuring several children and their grandparents. "'Sing!' said my grandpa. 'Let's sing!' said we./And this is what we sang upon my grandpa's knee." Double-page views go on to feature right whales in the north Atlantic Ocean, pandas far away in China, Bengal tigers in the Bangladeshi jungles, several more mammals, rain forest birds, and assorted reptiles. Mathis's simple, folk-style creatures are handsomely grouped in deep-hued, framed paintings. The animals all appear in a quilt grandmother is sewing in the opening scene, and the quilt also serves as rich endpapers. Concluding factual notes on each of the animals expand the simple lesson on caring for the Earth and its creatures, and the music for the song appears on the back of the book jacket. The thrust is both unabashedly didactic and appealing.?Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3^-6. Rogers, a popular children's folksinger, transformed the traditional children's song "Over in the Meadow" into the environmentally conscious "Over in the Endangered Meadow." Her version is given new life here as a striking picture book that introduces children to 11 endangered animals from around the world. Mathis' gorgeous illustrations are characterized by rich, color-soaked scenes of desert landscapes, tropical rain forests, and ocean life. The rhyming lyrics, which follow the same pattern as the traditional song, are appropriate for the age group: fun, bouncy, and light on information. For children who want more facts, a closing section provides a paragraph or two about each animal, usually including something about its status as an endangered species. Playing the actual song (found on Rogers' albums Piggyback Planet and Earthsong) would add a nice touch to a story time. Musical notation is also provided. Lauren Peterson

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Children's Books; 1st edition (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525458735
• ISBN-13: 978-0525458739
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #928,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A pleasing book of many uses, June 29, 2001

By 

"abookbug" (Dublin, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Earthsong (Hardcover)

The poem, "Over in the Meadow" by Olive Wadsworth is one of my all-time favorites. It is from this poem that the song, "Over in the Endangered Meadow" is taken, upon which this book is based. Given that it is a counting poem, not only conservationalist ideals are presented, but a progression of numbers as well. My two-year-old and I both enjoy the lush, rich, saturated illustrations that depict a variety of endangered species in their natural habitats. Notes on the animals and what is endangering them, as well as the musical score, are included at the back.

Since, in the book, the song is sung from the perspective of grandparents to their grandchildren, environmentally conscientious grandparents might want to add this book to their collection, or choose it as a gift for their young loved ones.

Another fine nature/counting book inspired by "Over in the Meadow" is "Somewhere in the Ocean" by Jennifer Ward and T.J. Marsh. We bought that book for our son following a trip to the aquarium nearly a year ago, and it continuities as one of our toddler's most requested favorites.

3.0 out of 5 stars This wasn't the book I envisioned. The one at the library was better and bigger., May 14, 2009

By 

Barbara Mader "green passion" (Gresham, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

I would have wanted to know if it was a library copy or something less. The one I received was cheap compared to the library one.