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Into the Woods: John James Audubon Lives His Dream
Complete with excerpts from his diary, his own drawings, and other illustrations, a biography tells the tale of a young man who gave up a life in civilization in order to live in nature and become the woodsman and artist he was meant to be.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2003
4 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Robert Burleigh
73 books47 followersOver the past 35 years, I have published poems, reviews, essays, many filmstrips and videos, and more than 40 children's picture books.
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 7, 2018
It is enough to get a children interested in Audubon, but not much about him. Beautiful illustrations.
October 19, 2010
This is a beautiful introduction to Audubon--most of us have seen his artwork of birds, and we know he did some cool study of birds, but really I didn't know much about him beyond that. This is a nice introduction. We learn that Audubon's father wanted him to go into business, but that young Audubon wouldn't let his dreams be stifled and continued to go "into the woods" to look for wildlife--especially birds. His passion was studying them, painting and drawing them, and sharing that work with the world.
But, we don't really learn much beyond that. And I really wanted more! The story is told through Burleigh's pleasant poetry, paired with quotes from Audubon's writings. I like the primary source material, but it almost felt redundant at times so wish it had been woven a bit more into a narrative rather than just a variety of encounters with different birds and scenes in nature. Also, I craved a longer Note at the end, explaining more about Audubon's life. It didn't really illuminate more beyond the basics we'd already gleaned from the story itself, and what was told seemed to leave me with more questions and answers--such as that although Audubon often hunted and killed the birds he drew (!) he was very much an early environmentalist and loved wildlife. I imagine he reconciled the fact that a few birds had to die in order for him to get others to know about them and be excited about conservation, but I do wish there was more explanation. I also hoped for more insight into his early life in France and what, exactly, he did in later years in terms of specific conservation movements, etc.
Still, I suppose this book made me more interested in Audubon so it was definitely a success. The artwork is lovely--though I wish there were a few more examples of Audubon's actual work--and overall this is recommended for those interested in natural history and pioneers in conservation. (Sensitive readers might be a little troubled by the one scene in which a bird dies as Audubon watches, but it is portrayed in a gentle way.)
But, we don't really learn much beyond that. And I really wanted more! The story is told through Burleigh's pleasant poetry, paired with quotes from Audubon's writings. I like the primary source material, but it almost felt redundant at times so wish it had been woven a bit more into a narrative rather than just a variety of encounters with different birds and scenes in nature. Also, I craved a longer Note at the end, explaining more about Audubon's life. It didn't really illuminate more beyond the basics we'd already gleaned from the story itself, and what was told seemed to leave me with more questions and answers--such as that although Audubon often hunted and killed the birds he drew (!) he was very much an early environmentalist and loved wildlife. I imagine he reconciled the fact that a few birds had to die in order for him to get others to know about them and be excited about conservation, but I do wish there was more explanation. I also hoped for more insight into his early life in France and what, exactly, he did in later years in terms of specific conservation movements, etc.
Still, I suppose this book made me more interested in Audubon so it was definitely a success. The artwork is lovely--though I wish there were a few more examples of Audubon's actual work--and overall this is recommended for those interested in natural history and pioneers in conservation. (Sensitive readers might be a little troubled by the one scene in which a bird dies as Audubon watches, but it is portrayed in a gentle way.)
April 25, 2012
This book will give children an appreciation for art and literature in forms of paintings and poetry from John James Audubon himself. It taught me about a figure in history I had never heard about before and was written in a way that is creative and interesting...not lagging or boring. The young artist and naturalist who drew the first drawings of birds and plants in the new world writes his father (using passages of his journal) about his wishes to spend time in the woods instead of become a business man.
February 6, 2016
Inspiring book about John Audubon regarding the beauty of nature and why and how he chose the path of conservation. The non-fiction is embedded in a fiction context, with John talking to his father and telling him why he chose to be a naturalist over being a shopkeeper.
March 24, 2023
No just no to this title. The copy I am reading is cataloged as an easy biography and there is barely any concrete information in. I am not even sure adults will enjoy it. It is an artistically done title and the painting illustrations will be appreciated by some.
And yes, I have bee a bird watcher, feeder, and lover for many years, but just no to this title.
And yes, I have bee a bird watcher, feeder, and lover for many years, but just no to this title.
September 14, 2023
Illustrated with both paintings by Wendell Minor and some of Audubon's own drawings, this beautiful book features quotes from artist and naturalist John James Audubon's journals alongside Robert Burleigh's poem written from Audubon's perspective about how he wants to spend his life capturing the beauty of the birds he observes.
February 4, 2020
This is an interestingly composed book. The art work is beautiful portraying John James Audubon sketching in the field in many environments. Accompanying is imagined conversation between Audubon and his Father as well as quotes from Audubon's journals. Nicely assembled.
February 24, 2022
This book for young people about Audubon’s legacy had lots of colorful bird pictures but lacked much relatable content. The fact that it was in my classroom library for years but never checked out, tells me 5th an 6th graders couldn’t relate either.
August 26, 2019
8/26/19 Read with Julia
April 19, 2022
Beautiful quotes from his journal. The story is written so simply and perfect to read to children
December 24, 2022
A good place to start learning about Audubon.
April 7, 2026
A beautifully written and illustrated introduction to John James Audubon
December 28, 2012
This lushly-illustrated book celebrates the famed bird illustrator John James Audubon. Unlike many other Audubon biographies for children, this book occasionally pictures the man with a rifle, and the note at the book's conclusion acknowledges that Audubon frequently killed the birds he illustrated. In Audubon's time, birdwatching was done with a firearm rather than binoculars, and one's "life list" referred to number of birds shot, rather than simply spotted.
April 28, 2016
Written in verse as a letter to his father, and interspersed with quotes from Audubon's journals, this book did not really appeal to me that much. Although beautiful in a somewhat formal way, none of the magic of birds or the natural world comes through.
December 19, 2016
Included in our art studies of John James Audubon.
A really lovely concept for a picture book, and my favorite of all the children's books we've read that address the life of John James Audubon. Short, lyrical text, vivid illustrations somewhat in the style of Audubon himself. A good find!
A really lovely concept for a picture book, and my favorite of all the children's books we've read that address the life of John James Audubon. Short, lyrical text, vivid illustrations somewhat in the style of Audubon himself. A good find!
August 29, 2008
One of the most poignant books on Audubon ever, including his prayerful dialog with Father Creator.
Blends great poetry with journal excerpts. Very well done!!
Blends great poetry with journal excerpts. Very well done!!
April 19, 2011
This book is half poetry and half John's journal entries. I didn't know anything about the namesake of the Audubon society. Reading this book makes me want to hike the Appalachian Trail ;).
June 23, 2011
This biography is told in poem form and contains quotes by Audubon. This would be a good companion book to A Nest for Celeste to give kids background knowledge.
January 6, 2015
Nice book, but I wish it would have explained the life of Audubon just a little more.
November 8, 2012
a quarter of the way through i stopped reading the poetry and just read audubon's own words and looked at minor's pictures. the two didn't need any assistance.
April 18, 2016
A wonderful biography of Audobon with samples of his artwork.
August 17, 2016
This book made me want to abandon my desk, run into the forest, and breathe deeply. So beautiful.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews