Young readers can learn all about the incredible life of naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, whose explorations created the basis for modern ecology, in this adventure-filled picture book that will spark a passion for discovery and conservation in the youngest readers. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

Budding botanists, growing geologists, and early explorers will dive into this picture book biography about the father of ecology, Alexander von Humboldt. The captivating prose and art from a New York Times bestselling illustrator will spark a passion for discovery and conservation in the youngest readers.

Whether sailing across the ocean, hiking through the jungle, or climbing the highest volcanic peaks, everywhere Alexander went, he observed the land, animals, and culture. And where others saw differences, Alexander spotted connections.
 
Discover the incredible life of naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, whose explorations created the basis for modern ecology, whose travels made him one of the most famous scientists of his day, and whose curiosities have inspired generations of creative thinkers. - (Random House, Inc.)

Danica Novgorodoff makes art and writes stories. Her graphic novels include Slow Storm, The Undertaking of Lily Chen, Refresh Refresh, and Long Way Down written by Jason Reynolds. Danica loves learning the names of plants, climbing mountains, and drawing animals. She first became interested in Alexander von Humboldt while living in Ecuador near the Cotopaxi volcano. She found herself falling in love with the same landscapes that Alexander had explored so many years before. Danica lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her family. You can find her online at danicanovgorodoff.com. - (Random House, Inc.)

Booklist Reviews

*Starred Review* This appealing picture-book biography introduces Humboldt as a curious German boy who grew up to become a naturalist and travel the world in order to understand it better. In 1799, he sailed to Venezuela, beginning a five-year journey to study the plains, rain forests, mountains, and volcanoes of South America while learning from the Indigenous people there. Though he was initially struck by the differences between European animals and plants and those in South America, his particular gift was the ability to see connections within the natural world. He formed valid theories explaining, for example, why there are chains of volcanoes. In the back matter, Novgorodoff, the writer-illustrator of Slow Storm (2008) and Refresh, Refresh (2009) and the illustrator of the graphic-novel version of Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down (2020), notes her longtime fascination with Humboldt, who "established the foundation of modern ecology." She uses the interplay of text and art beautifully. On one page, the young Humboldt is encircled by curving questions posed in a simple, childlike way, while a later picture shows him looking down from near the top of a mountain, literally and figuratively gaining new perspective. The story unfolds in an engaging text, illustrated with pleasing pencil drawings and vivid watercolor washes. A memorable introduction to Humboldt. Preschool-Grade 3. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

In lightly worked pencil and watercolor spreads, Novgorodoff presents Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) as a German child who baffles his parents and tutors with his predilection for wandering alone. Harboring an interest in exploration, von Humboldt "studied everything from mold to meteors" before eventually sailing to South America. There, a sketchbook sequence describes his initial thoughts as he encounters animals ("These creatures are so different!"), then, upon reflection, realizes that they occupy similar niches as the creatures he already knows: "The hawks were sharp-eyed, the lizards had eighteen toes, and the large cats were spotted." As he learns more about the geography of the continent, he comes to believe that everything—the plants, the animals, their placement on the land—is interrelated, formerly articulating that "habitats all over the world are connected." Though an author's note and back matter contextualize the figure's beliefs and Eurocentricity, some of the picture book's text nevertheless centers the white explorer's "discoveries" and opinions over those of Indigenous peoples in this detailed description of one person's observations about the natural world. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)