NEIGHBORS: The Yard Critters, Book 1 by George Held

A wonderful way for children to learn about the critters in their yard.

As soon as I received this book I knew it was going to be something special. I sat with my little granddaughter who loves animals, and together we enjoyed this wonderful selection of poems written by George Held, and beautifully illustrated by the talented Joung Un Kim.

Yard Critters: Book 1 is an enchanting way for children to learn about the animals who live in their own back yard or neighborhood. The author has cleverly incorporated into each lovely poem, in a fun way, a wealth of information about some of the creatures the reader could come across.

Without even trying, and with a smile on her face my granddaughter learnt about squirrels, rabbits, deer, raccoons, possums, robins, earthworms, bats, garter snakes, and groundhogs. She also discovered another animal in the book, one which wouldn’t fit in her yard, but, I’m not going to tell you what it is, you will have to read the story and find out for yourself…

As a parent and grandparent, what I really loved about this book is that it teaches children a very important lesson, one which tends to be forgotten these days, that this earth is for all creatures and every one of them has a place on it.

I would recommend this wonderful children’s book to parents, grandparents, and care givers, to read to their children, and for the children themselves to read when they are able to.

About the Author:

GEORGE HELD, poet and writer, is a seven-time Pushcart Prize nominee. He has published seventeen poetry collections, including a trilogy of chapbooks on nature themes, and has served on the board of the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton, New York, since 1991. His work appears in such publications as The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Review, Confrontation, and The Writer’s Almanac (Garrison Keillor). Educated at Brown (B.A.), University of Hawai’i (M.A.), and Rutgers (Ph.D), he was a Fulbright lecturer for three years and is a former professor at Queens College, City University of New York. He lives in New York and Sag Harbor

About the Illustrator:

JOUNG UN KIM, illustrator and designer, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She has illustrated many picture books for children, including The Grasshopper Hopped [Golden Books/Random House] and Hen Hears Gossip [Greenwillow/Harper Collins]. She lives in Southern California.

About the Book:

Children’s picture book with collaged illustrations and short, accessible poems about the wild animals we often find in our suburban yards, city streets, and country house landscapes.Included are the Squirrel, Possum, Deer, Raccoon, Bear, No Elephant, Bat, Rabbit, Turtle, Garter Snake, Earthworm, Robin, Groundhog — with collaged illustrations and a special poetic form for the Raccoon: the Racku. Primary age group is 6-7 — but children as young as 3 can be read to and can appreciate the illustrations. This is the first book in the NEIGHBORS series. A companion, NEIGHBORS The Yard Critters TOO is also available. The underlying message of both books is that all creatures have a place in nature.

NEIGHBORS: The Yard Critters, Book 1 is available from Amazon in Hardcover https://www.amazon.com/Neighbors-Yard-Critters-Book-1/dp/0916754251...

and

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/neighbors-george-held/1113012751?e...