Customer Reviews

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring The Earth To Life

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Every child has a long list of "whys." Some questions are easy for a parent to answer while others, such as those in the scientific department take a bit more thought. Why do we have light? Why are plants important? What would happen if there were no plants on earth? Holly Bang and Penny Chisholm have teamed up to explain the concept of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is a very complex process, yet they make it seem simple by explaining how light energy is converted to chemical energy and stored as "CHUNKA-CHUNKA-CHUNKA . . . sugar!"

"My light becomes the energy for all life on Earth.

All living things --

including YOU --

pulse with my light

and keep circling

round and round on Earth."

I loved the simple, beautiful flow of this book. I was immediately drawn to select this book by the stunning artwork. The scientific lesson and the illustrations mesh perfectly. With books like this science for the young child can be exciting and fun!

First of all, I wonder if the writer of the Product Description in the Editorial Review section ever read this book! Living Sunlight does not show "children, teachers, and parents the remarkable magic of what makes us human." This book is about photosynthesis, not magic or being human. I love that the narrator is the sun, who is "talking" to children with a clear, respectful, and lyrical voice. I have explained many complicated ideas to children but I could never have explained how photosynthesis works in the personal and immediate way that Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm have. Like all of Molly Bang's books, Living Sunlight is beautifully illustrated; children enjoy examining the details on each page. She uses the same style of illustrations as those in the previous, companion books, Common Ground and My Light. Visually and thematically, these 3 books go together.

Hurry up bookstore buyers, teachers, librarians, parents, and friends of children! If you didn't have Living Sunlight for Earth Day, buy it now because every day is Earth Day.

Living Sunlight is an amazing creation, just like our world created by the sun and the chlorophyll in plants. What I love soooo much about this book is the way that the story easily translates a rather complicated issue to children. When I learned about photosynthesis and phytoplankton in school as a girl in Junior High, it was THE most exciting science class lecture, I can EVER remember hearing.

The best part about this now for me as an adult, is that I teach the very same things to my clients as a whole foods nutritionist who thinks the world of plants and plant foods and am firmly resolved in our complete reliance on them for living a healthy life. Without plants we are nothing. We can survive easily without many other things, but we cannot survive without the greens.

LOVE THIS BOOK!

This book:

1) makes photosynthesis easily understood

2) but doesn't skimp on the detail, accuracy or depth of information (more details are included at the end of the book for those interested in even greater depth)

3) Is gorgeous in both ART and the storytelling

4) Fills you with a sense of awe--*tingles up the spine, WOW isn't it cool to be ALIVE, isn't this world amazing! sort of awe*--- at this natural process and what it means for all life

This story flows and can be easily read to and appreciated by the very young, certainly by Kindergarten, before for some kids. This book makes a beautiful gift!

As a teacher getting to read this to your class would be SO fun! One of those moments where you get to share a bit of magic! It should be a staple along with when a kid gets to watch their first seeds sprout, but would not be out of place with older students either.

This book is of the type that are truly rare. The artwork is frameable. The text is engaging and well-explained without being overblown. I'm seriously impressed, and can't wait to read it again to my almost-6 year old. I wouldn't recommend for very much younger, as it's got some concepts that can be difficult to process.

This a fabulous book! Not only were my 7 and 8-year old mesmerized, but their mother as well. Yes we have all studied the process of photosynthesis, but this book awakened me to the magic of it all. What a difference from the usual factual presentations! Molly Bang uses her past experience in writing fiction to weave in candid emotion and visual beauty with hard facts. A real winner.

This amazingly simple book explains photosynthesis, and how life on earth is connected to it. Simple explanation is fun, bringing scientific knowledge down to small child's level is not easy, and I need to applaud the makers of this book (author/illustrator and MIT professor of ecology). The illustrations are gorgeous, lavish and conceptually skilled.

Language is poetic and also has dashes of humor, and of course is scientifically accurate, but simple that it can be understood with ease and enjoyed. The book is a great introduction to the world of natural phenomena and scientific language.And colors are jewel-like, many life forms are depicted so nicely, and composition of those lush pictures is great.

This book is apparently recommended for children in grades 1 through 4, and even for pre-schoolers, but listen up everyone! I'm 69 and well-versed in science, ecology, nature, environmentalism, and biology, and I think the age focus for this book should be from age 10 through age 99!

It is a gorgeous piece of literature and art, and I learned some basic things from it, but it is not likely to be appreciated by most children under age 9 or 10, no matter who is mentoring/teaching them. I actually hope I am wrong (and that this book will be valuable for younger children), but on the other hand, any book that's attractive for humans from age 10 through 99 (and beyond, perhaps) is still a winner. Smile....

Our 3yr old understood photosynthesis and now that he's 4 he carries these messages through as we discuss trees

This is a great book!! We have this book at home and also bought this book for the teachers to have at school. Molly Bang has a nice website with information for teachers. I love her art and the information/story is wonderful!!!