Following the Coast (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12)

From School Library Journal Grade 1-5-This travelogue describes observations made by Arnosky and his wife as they made their way from Florida up the East Coast in the spring. Its tone is casual and conversational, as the author muses about his experiences and what he's learned about these coastal environments. The book is more an appreciation of nature than an explanation of it, and it is as much about art as it is about science. The artist used pen and ink to draw whatever he saw, and then turned these images into realistic full-color illustrations that are saturated with natural light. This process works almost like an art lesson, as readers can see the progression from sketch to painting. Some of the illustrations are framed to look like photographs, while others resemble a view through binoculars. Often printed on the colored backgrounds of the pictures, the text is occasionally difficult to decipher, but the information is easy to absorb and complements the artwork well. This pleasant read makes a nice addition to the Arnosky oeuvre. A compass pointing north is a recurring illustration, but there are no maps to help children follow the journey.