River Discoveries - Softcover

Ginger Wadsworth is a native Californian. She received her B.A. in English from the University of California at Davis with a minor in American history. She has taken additional courses in early childhood education, children's literature, and creative writing. She has also studied outdoor education including general ecology, ornithology, and wildflowers.

Ginger taught part-time at an elementary level. She designed a nature program for her students and taught outdoor education classes. She is an environmentalist and a member of the Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy Group, and several other conservation organizations.

Ginger has written many children's books, both fiction and non-fiction. She has a talent for presenting issues concerning the natural world to children. Some of her titles include, One On A Web, Desert Discoveries, One Tiger Growls, River Discoveries, John Burroughs, Sage of Slabsides (Clarion Books), Laura Ingalls Wilder, Storyteller of the Prairie (Lerner Publications), Rachel Carson, Voice for the Earth (Lerner Publications), and John Muir, Wilderness Protector (Lerner Publications).

Ginger lives in California with her husband has two grown sons. She enjoys gardening with native California plants, hiking, camping, bird watching, photography, traveling and reading. She comes from a family of writers and naturalists.

Visit Ginger online at www.gingerwadsworth.com.

Grade 1-4-Twenty-four hours in the existence of a river environment are brought to life in this fact-filled picture book. Animals, habitats, and ecosystems are displayed through lifelike watercolor illustrations that depict the relationship of wildlife and insects to the river. The clear, explicit drawings provide an outstanding visual presentation and the potential for learning extensions. The easy-to-understand text is equally effective as a read-aloud or for research. A question is posed for each animal introduced, such as "How does this trout keep from floating downriver with the currents?" As the creatures enter the environment, readers see how they interact with it. This technique provides good visual reference as well as a basis for additional discussion and learning. The end of the book contains a beautiful spread showing a 24-hour perspective of river animals, and students will have fun sharing their observations and adding to a class discussion. This outstanding book provides a strong instructional tool for thematic integration of the subject matter.
Barbara L. McMullin, Casita Center for Technology, Science & Math, Vista, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.