Reading the Wild

Respect for the environment is also the theme of Reading the Wild by Elise Maclay, illus. by Bev Doolittle. The artist's keenly observant watercolors of such subjects as a snowshoe hare blending into a winter landscape or a bear family nestled among trees in a verdant hillside serve as springboards for a variegated text, arranged according to different animals (hummingbird, badger, etc.) The animal profiles include descriptions, Native American lore, original poetry and tips for observing these creatures.