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Over and under the rainforest
2020
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"Under the canopy of the rainforest, hundreds of animals make their homes--from the slender parrot snake to the colorful poison dart frog. But up in the trees hides a whole other world, where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call, capuchinmonkeys swing from the vines, and sleek-furred jaguars rule the night. In this exuberant book, discover the wonder and activity that lie hidden among the roots, above the winding rivers...and under the brilliant green trees of the rainforest."-- - (Baker & Taylor)

Award-winning duo Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal take readers on a thrilling tour of one of the most diverse ecosystems on planet earth: the rainforests of Central America.

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and Over and Under the Snow!

Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world. Turn the pages of this beautiful and educational book to discover in words and mesmerizing illustration:
 

  • Animals like the slender parrot snake and the blue morpho butterfly.
  • The canopies where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call.
  • Capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms.
  • And much more!

Discover the wonder that lies hidden among the roots, above the winding rivers, and under the emerald leaves of the rainforest in this glorious nature book for children and adults alike. Perfect for anyone who can't get enough of the rainforest and all the animals living in it.

SO MUCH TO LEARN: Every page within this book is an adventure. In addition to the rainforest flora and fauna explored throughout, there are twenty animals that live on the ground and in the forest canopy and the rivers listed in the back matter, along with further reading suggestions. It's a wonderful resource for children who have an interest in the natural world.

POPULAR NATURE KIDS BOOKS: The entire Over and Under series is beloved by parents, educators, and young readers who cherish the engaging text, diverse characters, and stunning artwork that provide an opportunity to explore nature usually hidden from us. They are great for story time as well as school and homeschool libraries for developing lessons that delve inside ecosystems.

NONFICTION BOOKS FOR CHILDREN: Unique in their approach, author Kate Messner and illustrator Christopher Silas Neal create books that channel the mystery and magic of the natural world. Kirkus Reviews describes Over and Under the Rainforest as "part outdoor adventure, part animal nonfiction book" and says "this exciting blend will delight children interested in fact and fiction."

Perfect for:
  • Parents, grandparents, librarians, science teachers, and educators
  • Gift for kids who love nature, rainforests, animals, and learning more about the world
  • Readers who like The Rainforest Grew All Around, The Magic and Mystery of Trees, Planting a Rainbow, and A Seed Is Sleepy and other books in the Nature Books series by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long
- (Grand Central Pub)

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series!

Award-winning duo Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal take readers on a thrilling tour of one of the most diverse ecosystems on planet earth: the rainforests of Central America.

Discover the wonder that lies hidden among the roots, above the winding rivers, and under the emerald leaves of the rainforest.

" Features animals like the slender parrot snake to the blue morpho butterfly
" Explores the canopies, where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call
" Other animals include capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms

Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world.

This stunning read is perfect for kids who can't get enough of the rainforest and all the animals living in it.

" Equal parts educational and beautiful, this book is perfect for parents and grandparents, as well as librarians, science teachers, and educators.
" A great gift for kids who love nature, rainforests, animals, and learning more about the world
" Perfect for children ages 5 to 8 years old
" Add it to the shelf with books like The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer, The Animal Book by Lonely Planet Kids, and A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Aston. - (Grand Central Pub)

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series!

Award-winning duo Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal take readers on a thrilling tour of one of the most diverse ecosystems on planet earth: the rainforests of Central America.

Discover the wonder that lies hidden among the roots, above the winding rivers, and under the emerald leaves of the rainforest.

• Features animals like the slender parrot snake to the blue morpho butterfly
• Explores the canopies, where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call
• Other animals include capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms

Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world.

This stunning read is perfect for kids who can't get enough of the rainforest and all the animals living in it.

• Equal parts educational and beautiful, this book is perfect for parents and grandparents, as well as librarians, science teachers, and educators.
• A great gift for kids who love nature, rainforests, animals, and learning more about the world
• Perfect for children ages 5 to 8 years old
• Add it to the shelf with books like The Big Book of Bugs by Yuval Zommer, The Animal Book by Lonely Planet Kids, and A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Aston. - (HARPERCOLL)

Author Biography

Christopher Silas Neal is the award-winning artist of Over and Under the Snow, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, and Over and Under the Pond. His work has been published in a variety of books and magazines and featured on television. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn.

Kate Messner is an award-winning author whose many books for kids have been selected as Best Books by the New York Times, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education. She lives on Lake Champlain with her family.
- (Grand Central Pub)

Kate Messner is an award-winning author whose many books for kids have been selected as Best Books by the New York Times, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education. She lives on Lake Champlain with her family.

Christopher Silas Neal is the award-winning artist of Over and Under the Snow, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, and Over and Under the Pond. His work has been published in a variety of books and magazines and featured on television. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn. - (HARPERCOLL)

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Trade Reviews

Booklist Reviews

In this simply told and lushly illustrated picture book, a young child and adult companion walk through a rain forest, looking up into the soaring canopy overhead and down into streams and riverbeds far below their extension bridge, noticing all sorts of mammals, reptiles, and birds that call this ecosystem their home. The couple hear the calls of various creatures while the text fills in the details: who's awake and who's asleep, what various critters are eating, how mother animals are taking care of their babies, and who's hunting whom. The mixed-media illustrations are detailed and mirror the physical attributes and actions mentioned in the text. The couple wander through the verdant landscape throughout the day, eventually heading home just in time for a dinner of arroz con pollo (rice and chicken). As the sun sets and the lights come on at home, a new cast of nocturnal animals emerges, and different creatures prowl and slither through the rain forest. This appealing story offers an engaging and easy introduction to animal habitats. Grades K-2. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

In their fourth collaboration (beginning with Over and Under the Snow, rev. 1/12), Messner and Neal explore a rainforest (the appended author's note indicates Costa Rica). This book follows the previous entries' pattern, as here a young child and adult companion hike into the rainforest, noticing what's overhead (in the trees, oropendolas gurgle in low-swinging nests) and below (leaf-cutter ants march in a line, carrying bits of leaves and petals back to their nest). From a vantage point on a high hanging bridge, the pair can see several layers of the rainforest at once. They stand eye to eye with capuchin monkeys, peer down at the bank where sleepy crocodiles bask in the sun, and look high in the branches to watch a soggy mother sloth and her baby sleep through a sudden rainstorm. Lush mixed-media illustrations in shades of teal and violet vary in perspective, seamlessly shifting from sweeping aerial views to close-ups of animals, insects, and plants. When the blue sky grows dark, the pair heads home, where Abuelita has supper waiting. Capturing the mysterious and magical beauty of the tropical biome, the book is sure to encourage further rainforest investigation. An author's note and accessible back matter provide more information about the rainforest and its inhabitants. Copyright 2021 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

In their fourth collaboration (beginning with Over and Under the Snow, rev. 1/12), Messner and Neal explore a rainforest (the appended author's note indicates Costa Rica). This book follows the previous entries' pattern, as here a young child and adult companion hike into the rainforest, noticing what's overhead ("in the trees, oropendolas gurgle in low-swinging nests") and below ("leaf-cutter ants march in a line, carrying bits of leaves and petals back to their nest"). From a vantage point on a high hanging bridge, the pair can see several layers of the rainforest at once. They stand "eye to eye with capuchin monkeys," peer down at the bank where "sleepy crocodiles bask in the sun," and look high in the branches to watch "a soggy mother sloth and her baby sleep" through a sudden rainstorm. Lush mixed-media illustrations in shades of teal and violet vary in perspective, seamlessly shifting from sweeping aerial views to close-ups of animals, insects, and plants. When "the blue sky grows dark," the pair heads home, where Abuelita has supper waiting. Capturing the mysterious and magical beauty of the tropical biome, the book is sure to encourage further rainforest investigation. An author's note and accessible back matter provide more information about the rainforest and its inhabitants. Emmie Stuart November/December 2020 p.78 Copyright 2020 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

A child-and-caregiver pair hike through the South American rainforest, observing animals in their natural habitats. The "symphony of sound" up in the trees prompts the child narrator to ask what lives above. Tito answers that above them is "a whole hidden world" where monkeys, insects, and birds live. As they hike along the trail, each spread shows specific animals "up in the trees" and "down in the forest," doing what they do best. Oropendolas "gurgle in low-swinging nests"; a parrot snake hunts frogs on the trail. The child and Tito climb to a hanging bridge that crosses the river; beneath them, crocodiles bask in the sun and an emerald basilisk skims the water's surface while they walk "eye to eye with capuchin monkeys" swinging through branches. The afternoon brings rain and a snack of dried fruit. The evening brings new sounds to the forest as dark settles in and the child and Tito leave the last bridge, heading home, where Abuelita and a supper of arroz con pollo await. The colorful, matte illustrations alternate views of the ground, the sky, the river, and the treetops from various vantage points; close-ups and silhouettes of animals in action channel the mystery and magic of the natural world. Part outdoor adventure, part animal nonfiction book, this exciting blend will delight children interested in fact and fiction. Extensive endnotes offer more information about the animals. The only humans pictured are Tito and the narrator, both characters of color. Draws you right in. (author's note, further reading, sources) (Picture book. 4-9) Copyright Kirkus 2020 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

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