Nature's Green Umbrella (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) [School & Library Binding]

Gail Gibbons (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1997 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Describes the climatic conditions of the rain forest, as well as the different layers of plants and animals that comprise the ecosystem.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-A colorful, informative look at tropical rain forests. Gibbons has drawn and labeled about 50 animals and numerous plants and trees on double-spread illustrations. Complementary text appears in the margins. Each spread is bordered by vines and flowers reminiscent of medieval manuscripts. The striking watercolors evoke the mood of the forests, while the text contains simple definitions for italicized scientific terms. Readers are drawn into the ecology of rain forests before mention is made of the danger of global warming and the extinction of flora and fauna due to humanity's destructive invasion. Methods for protecting the areas, such as creating selective cutting or extractive reserves, are noted. Lyn Stone's Rain Forests (Rourke, 1989) and Jenny Wood's Rain Forests (Gareth Stevens, 1991), written for slightly older children, have striking full-color photos and more text, but Gibbons's book is more inviting.
Kathleen McCabe, East Meadow Public Library, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. We're off to the rain forest in Gibbons' newest addition to her nonfiction library. With the simple style and bold format that characterize her books, Gibbons not only explains the complex ecosystem of tropical rain forests and their importance to the global ecology, but also explores related issues concerning the preservation and protection of the forests as natural resources. Bright, colorful watercolor panels with labeled elements are laid out with the text, and each layout is framed by the leafy green vine of a rain forest flower. Gibbons does not designate the specific rain forests in the illustrations (a problem because some of the exotic animals pictured are native only to tropical rain forests on certain continents), but her focus seems generally to be on Latin American regions, such as the Amazon and the Caribbean rain forests where she did her research for this book. Packed with visual information that complements the easy and informative text, this is a good, basic introduction to a complex and popular subject for the youngest researchers. Annie Ayres --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Turtleback (May 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613023714
• ISBN-13: 978-0613023719
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 11.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,401,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gail Gibbons has published close to fifty distinguished nonfiction titles with Holiday House. According to "The Washington Post," "Gail Gibbons has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other children's writer-illustrator." She lives in Vermont. Her website is www.gailgibbons.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, accurate book, April 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Nature's Green Umbrella (Mulberry books) (Paperback)

This book can be used as an excellent teaching tool. It provides a great introduction to the rainforests, and is full of facts about animals, medicines, and plants that are found in the rainforests.

18 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gail should hire an illustrator or a photographer !, July 23, 2000

By 

Strebel (Canastota, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nature's Green Umbrella (Mulberry books) (Paperback)

Ms. Gibbons is a WONDERFUL writer. Her drawings, however, are definitely not in the category of her writing. They detract from her books. I am a children's librarian and I have seen time after time that kids will avoid her books because the pictures are so unappealing. This is a shame since the text is usually outstanding. Ms. Gibbons should think about getting an illustrator or a photographer to supply an equivalent to her text. If she were to do this, her books would reach a much greater audience.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nature's Green Umbrella review, August 13, 2009

By 

R. Evangelista - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nature's Green Umbrella (Mulberry books) (Paperback)

GREAT BOOK! I'm a teacher and will use this as a learning tool about rainforests. The pictures alone teach a lot, and I love that it explains every level of the rainforest. Gail Gibbons does it once again!