Reviews
All Those Creatures of the Deep
When we approach teaching science to little ones, we often face tough choices between dry textbooks and glitzy lists of facts. Neither option conveys the awe and wonder of God’s creation. It is one thing to read about how many scales are on a fish and quite another to encounter him in his watery habitat. My goal in teaching my children science is to give them information that sparks their curiosity to explore nature firsthand. If you dive into the pages of these books, you will discover the treasure of God’s creation.
For the youngest school-age children, Among the Pond People by Clara D. Pierson (Yesterday’s Classics, 2005) is a perfect introduction to the ecosystem of the pond. Different animals populate the charming stories that open the underwater world to inquisitive little ones. Caught up in the anthropomorphic conversations and actions of frogs, water bugs, and fish, the child effortlessly learns myriads of facts about the appearance and habits of the creatures that live in the teeming world of the small pond.
Thornton Burgess brought the animal world to life through his delightful bedtime stories about little woodland creatures and later through creative field guides on birds, animals, flowers, and the seashore. The Seashore Book (Dover, 2005) relates the story of Danny Meadow Mouse who accidentally is swept away in an airplane and lands at the seashore. First through Danny’s eyes then those of a friendly skunk, fox, and seabird, the reader discovers the complexities of the seashore environment. Burgess’s masterful storytelling ability describes the plants and animals along the Atlantic coast. The book is designed for children six to twelve years old, though thoroughly captivating for adults.
Another wonderful science book, out of print but readily available from used booksellers, is Along the Seashore by Margaret Waring Buck (Abingdon Press, 1964). This book, with its beautiful illustrations, is a good companion to the previous title. Buck arranged her descriptions and pictures of the various species found along the shore by category: mollusks, birds, shore plants, and so forth. Use this book to identify specimens your children collect at the shore and to learn more about them.
Unlike modern animal tales in which creatures mimic human experiences, these stories portray real adventures and perils animals encounter. The medium of human thought and voice is simply a tool that enables readers to observe the behavior of those who inhabit the watery world beneath the waves.