About this item
Exotic environments like the African savanna have long held a fascination for young readers. This colorful picture book beautifully evokes that realm with images of giraffes, lions, hippos, elephants, and many more animals of the plains. Through cumulative, singsong verse, young readers learn how all living things in this important ecological community rely on one another for their existence. The book brings home the important lesson that when one of these animals or plants is killed off or goes extinct, the web of life is broken. Luminous paintings by Tom Leonard capture the untamed beauty of this timeless, endangered realm.
About the Author
Madeleine Dunphy is an educational consultant, author, and publisher with an MA in Education from Mills College. She specializes in writing and teaching about endangered animals and environments. Madeleine has written nine books for children, including The Peregrine's Journey: A Story of Migration, illustrated by Kristin Kest and Here Is the Coral Reef, illustrated by Tom Leonard. Madeleine's books have won awards including "Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children" by the National Science Teachers Association / Children's Book Council, "Teachers' Choice" by the International Reading Association, "Critici in Erba Menzion" in Bologna, Italy, Nautilus Book Award for best children's picture book, and a Medal for Environmental Issues by the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards. She was also reviewed by the TV Program "Reading Rainbow." In addition to being an author, she has taught at the California Academy of Sciences, Lawrence Hall of Science and dozens of elementary schools, as well as two international schools in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Furthermore, she designed curriculum for Folk Art International and Earth Island Institute. To research her books, Madeleine traveled extensively from the Amazon rain forest, African savanna to the Great Barrier Reef, delving into our beautiful, natural world. Madeleine is a available to give unique, engaging, and informative presentations that explore the far reaches of our diverse planet. Madeleine lives in Oakland, California with her husband, Chris, and their daughter, Gwendolyn. For more information about Madeleine and her books, visit her website at www.mdunphy.com or www.weboflifebooks.com.
