Wild Tracks!: A Guide to Nature's Footprints [Hardcover]

Jim Arnosky (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

When children learn to recognize and read animal tracks they’re actually mastering an ancient language of shapes and patterns—and gaining knowledge of the natural world. Acclaimed artist and naturalist Jim Arnosky has created a breathtaking and informative reference on the subject, filled with intricately drawn prints from creatures both wild and domestic, as well as large-scale paintings of the animals in their environment. Some of the art, labeled in Arnosky’s own handwriting, even looks as if it came straight out of his personal notebooks. And best of all, many of the tracks are true to size, so kids can compare the trace left by a big-footed polar bear (whose paws act as snowshoes in its icy home) with that of a small bird. Adding to the eye-catching illustrations are four awesome gatefolds that display paintings of a bobcat, wolf, deer, and a variety of hoofed animals right next to their prints. Every spread has plenty of details on how to interpret the footprint, and the featured menagerie includes bighorn sheep and goats, chipmunks and rabbits, grizzlies and brown bears, horses and burros, domestic cats and dogs, and even slithering reptiles! This is the perfect gift for a budding naturalist, animal lover, or artist.
Jim Arnosky has been honored for his overall contribution to literature for children by the Eva L. Gordon Award and the Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Award for nonfiction. Many of his books have been chosen as ALA Notable Books, including Drawing from Nature, a Christopher Award-winner. Wild Tracks! is Jim’s 100th book for children.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 2–6—Arnosky's infectious enthusiasm for nature is evident in this short overview. The author invites readers to notice the variations among the tracks of different animals native to North America and the ways that the tracks of individual species can change and fool us. Readers learn that bears walking on slippery surfaces splay their toes so that their tracks give the impression of a larger animal. Arnosky lets children in on these insiders' tips with the amiable tone of a knowledgeable guide. Three kinds of illustrations support the text. The left side of each spread displays one of the artist's signature paintings with a colorful setting backing up a precisely rendered animal. Pencil sketches of rows of tracks with measurements hint at the notebook he keeps (and surely hopes that his young readers will keep as well). Finally, life-size paintings of indented prints serve as a guide for readers lucky enough to find an animal track for comparison. Four fold-out pages add to the appeal of the book as a package but may not hold up well through many circulations. There are a number of other books on this topic for children, including Arnosky's own Crinkleroot's Guide To Animal Tracking (S & S, 1989; o.p.), but this new entry is worthy of purchase for its inviting format and its promising premise that kids can find tracks, interpret them, and have a great time outdoors.—Ellen Heath, Easton Area Public Library, Easton, PA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

With this book’s large format and simple organizational structure, Arnosky’s latest trek into the world of North American wildlife makes a terrific beginning field guide. Tracks are separated into categories (bear, deer, cat, and so on), each presented in a two-page spread. On the left, a full-color painting displays an animal, and its tracks, in its natural habitat. On the right, information about the tracks, and how to read them, appears as pencil-sketch reproductions from Arnosky’s own notebook. Subsequent pages follow each category with paintings of life-size prints, with some pages folding out to accommodate the biggest. Arnosky supplements the track identification information with fascinating related material in notebook-style entries. Although the treatment of each category varies some, noting everything from length of stride to footprint changes in different seasons, the uniformly lovely illustrations and the compelling concept make this a book that young naturalists will enjoy year-round. Grades 1-3. --Thom Barthelmess

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (April 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402739850
• ISBN-13: 978-1402739859
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could you tell if Wily Coyote visits your neighbourhood?, March 18, 2008

By 

Theodore A. Rushton (PHOENIX, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild Tracks!: A Guide to Nature's Footprints (Hardcover)

At last, a truly useful book about identifying animal tracks.

It offers something I've never seen before, and yet which is priceless. It presents animal tracks in full size, thanks to a series of four fold-out pages. It's a simple idea, but I've never seen it used in any other book about wildlife. Maybe that's just me.

Most books on animal life and nature can be slipped into a shirt pocket; the result is a picture of moose footprints that are a postage stamp in size and mouse footprints in postage stamp size. This book, thanks to its generous size, presents footprints as seen in real life. Believe me, the difference is worth it.

The writing is concise, clear and informative without being pedantic; Aronsky writes, "When you learn to recognize and read animal tracks you are learning an ancient language of shapes and patterns." Ancient, yes; but also modern. When you learn to read animal tracks, you also begin to observe often subtle details which grow into one of life's real skills in dealing with people.

It's not just a book for hikers, campers and outdoor types. The section on canine tracks shows the tracks of dogs, as in every city; plus the tracks of coyotes, which now range throughout North America and into the heart of almost every urban environment.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall reports of coyotes in Central Park, in New York City. Coyotes are smart enough to be there, and to stay out of sight; it makes the ability to identify coyote and dog tracks interesting even for high-rise residents of Fifth Avenue.

'Wily Coyote' is no longer confined to the Southwest; he may never be able to catch the Roadrunner, but he's expanded his range across the nation. He certainly has no desire to confront you; BUT, 'Canine Tracks' will help you to know if he's visiting. In my neighborhood, coyotes mean cats stay indoors or on the roof at night. It's nice to know whether it's safe for cats and small dogs to be out at night.

In brief, a fabulous book. Someone should have thought of this "life size" idea a hundred years ago. You'd think Hugh Hefner, who invented the centerfold, would have figured out the impact of "life size" for his magazine. Instead, it's here in a book that is really useful.

Aronsky is an original and gifted artist. This book is a gem.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for the outdoorsy kid, January 30, 2010

By 

Rob Moses "Regmoses" (KY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wild Tracks!: A Guide to Nature's Footprints (Hardcover)

My five-year-old son is all about animals - hunting and tracking them, mostly. His class's tracking box at school really intrigued him and one day he came home and said he needed a book that would help him identify footprints of wild animals. It was almost Christmas time, I headed straight to Amazon.com that afternoon, and it didn't take long to find this book. I'm so glad we got it for him. It's just what he wanted, has great pictures, detailed info. I love the fact that the prints are life-size. I think it's a book that will be useful to him for several years.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful addition to any nature lover's collection, July 26, 2009

By 

Lori Calabrese "Children's Books Examiner... (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Wild Tracks!: A Guide to Nature's Footprints (Hardcover)

Did you know that when children learn to recognize and read animal tracks they're actually mastering an ancient language of shapes and patterns--and gaining knowledge of the natural world? In Wild Tracks!: A Guide to Nature's Footprints, Jim Arnosky takes us on an adventure into the footprints of North American wildlife. This is a great book that will appeal to any nature, animal or science lover. Tracks are separated into categories (bear, deer, cat, etc...) and are beautifully displayed on a two-page spread. The information varies for each animal, but includes facts such as length of stride to footprint changes in different seasons. Learn how a big-footed polar bear's paws act as snowshoes in its icy home and how the tracks of coyotes now range into the heart of almost every urban environment.

What's amazing about this book is how the layout includes large-scale paintings that display the animal and its tracks; information about the tracks; and pencil-sketches from Arnosky's own notebook! Some pages fold out to show the tracks true to size, so children can compare their own prints to different animals. Every spread has plenty of details on how to interpret the footprint, and the featured menagerie includes bighorn sheep and goats, chipmunks and rabbits, grizzlies and brown bears, horses and burros, domestic cats and dogs, and even slithering reptiles!

There are so many wonderful activities you can incorporate with this book. Whether you're trekking into the woods searching for animal tracks, comprising an animal tracking log, or just trying to guess what animal made that footprint, this is certainly a wonderful addition to any nature lover's collection.