Wild Ideas: Let Nature Inspire Your Thinking

PreS-Gr 2--From the creative team behind You Are Stardust (Owlkids, 2012) comes a new picture book encouraging readers to ask questions and observe the answers found in nature. Every creature has problems and ways of discovering solutions to fit a specific need. Using examples from wildlife, the author asks children to learn from the ingenuity of animals and apply their creativity to human problem solving. "Pigeons procrastinate. Bees calculate. Elephants innovate." Much can be learned from careful observation of the world around us--just as some squirrels learn to cross a busy street by watching humans, we can learn from watching other species. Some may be "wild ideas," like the way chimpanzees invent drinking spoons from folded leaves, while others reinforce ideas we might already employ. "Killer whales rely on their mothers' wisdom. Baboons get guidance from their dads." The full-color, full-page illustrations are all dioramas that depict the animals and children interacting. Although many scenes are quite busy and full of detail, the text, sometimes in varying sizes, is clear and easy to read. An author's endnote explains the research involved. VERDICT Although most readers will be drawn to this book because of the animal content, they might pick up some problem-solving skills in the process.--Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

A Kirkus Best of 2015 Selection

"Speaks directly to young readers in a carefully constructed, elegant, accessible language that transcends the ordinary and demonstrates not even the slightest hint of condescension... This is a work that will be read and examined again and again, with something new to be discovered at every turn. Profound and entirely wonderful."
—Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW

"The illustrations are three-dimensional dioramas that are sure to spark plenty of creative ideas."
—Ithaca Child

"An imaginative and illuminating catalog of various animals' problem-solving strategies...[a] heartening celebration of our kinship with other beings."
— Brain Pickings

"Each statement supported by scientific fact is woven into the whimsical world of Kim's visuals. This book frees us to be more than we thought we could be."
— Librarian's Quest

"The perfect mixture of science and storytelling that children will love to read and parents and teachers will love to use as a teach tool."
- South Florida Sun Sentinel

"The depth of the images and the surprising facts work together to create a lovely connection between the readers and the natural world."
— The Boston Globe

"Delightful dioramas bring the book's accessible prose to life."
—Science Magazine

"Young kids who like to write stories will be interested in this beautiful book."
— San Francisco Book Review

"Kelsey presents simple, powerful examples in warm, accessible language...beautifully presented and rich in ideas."
- Booklist

"Although most readers will be drawn to this book because of the animal content, they might pick up some problem-solving skills in the process."
— School Library Journal

"A strong voice and an angle that makes it different from other books...a fun book to discuss in science and environmental studies."
—The International Educator