Wake Up!

by Helen Frost, Rick Lieder (Photographer)

The world is wide awake are you? Stunning photos and poetic text usher readers into the early moments of life all around them.
Wake up! Come out and explore all the new creatures being born just-hatched birds in the trees, tadpoles in the pond, a baby fawn in the woods. In their latest collaboration, poet Helen Frost and photographer Rick Lieder, the creators of Step Gently Out, Sweep Up the Sun, and Among a Thousand Fireflies, invite readers to wake up, open their eyes, and see the awe-inspiring array of new life just outside their door."

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Poetry, Nature, Storytime, Photography, Nonfiction

26 pages, Hardcover

First published March 14, 2017

About the author

I'm dipping my toes into goodreads to see how it works. Thanks for finding me here, and thanks to everyone who has read and written about my books. I love to know you're there, even if I don't come here too often to say so.

Helen Frost is the author of eleven novels-in-poems and seven picture books for children and young adults. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/helenf...

Reviews

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth collaboration of poet Helen Frost and photographer Rick Lieder. Once again, there is a focus on nature and its wonder. In this book, spring is the subject with new eggs, newly hatched animals, and babies galore. Frost’s poetry is simple and skillful, filled with rhymes and rhythm that carry the book forward inviting investigation. Lieder’s photography is wonderful, capturing that same love of the wild.

Frost’s poetry is particularly deft. She invites readers to explore the outside world, look up into the sky and the trees. She looks below the water and at seeds on the breeze. The photography follows these invitations, capturing eggs, tadpoles and baby deer in their natural habitat. The book ends with more in-depth information on the animals featured in the images.

Another delightful success by this pair, this picture book deserves a place in every library to help celebrate spring. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful nature photographs of animals, plants, and insects illustrate a simple poem by Helen Frost. The poem asks lots of questions like "Whose eggs are these?", which makes this great for reading and sharing with young children. My daughter loves the picture of the adult spider with the baby spiders and always points and says "MAMA!", but if you don't like spiders and insects be warned that there's quite a few!

Notes on representation: Only animals, insects, and plants are depicted -- no humans.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous to the ear and the eye!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet poem and lovely photos about new insects and animals born in the spring.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading to review for the Beehive Poetry Long List nominees. The poetry in this is exceedingly simple and basic. Good for K-2. The best part of this for me was the photography. So great! It then made the simple words work very well, as the pictures told half or more of the poetry. My first of a collaboration by these two. Very nice. Could work in a toddler time or even as a filler for preschool.

Good info. at the back about each photo, too.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Photographer Rick Lieder's work is again clear, sharp and up close to help the reader feel they are with nature not just observing it. Some pages are double spreads with text on the photo or in a side-bar photo to match the text to the photo.
Frost's sparse but thoughtful text give the reader much to ponder and discuss. The rhyming is subtle but not sing-songy.

[Hannah Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The photographs in "Wake Up!" are my new favorites by Rick Lieder. The shadow of a praying mantis blows my mind. Unlike earlier collaborations between Frost and Lieder, I think the text and images marry nicely throughout the book. Frost's rhyming is simple and sing-songy and perfect for storytime.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stunning collaboration of simple verse and amazing nature photography.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stunning photographs explore spring with a simple poem.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent pictures. I can see my story time kids pouring over this book. Nice rhyming text that accompanies the pictures. All baby creatures (and ants).

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple springtime poem illustrated with beautiful photographs. Notice especially how sunlight is featured in the scenes from awakening swans, robins, frogs, honeybees, white-tailed deer and more.

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful book by Frost and Lieder! Rhyming text and gorgeous photos introduce youngsters to new life waking in nature.

[Turrean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple poetic text paired with glorious photos. All the Frost / Lieder collaborations are splendid.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The next logical question is, when will the Caldecott committee consider photography? This is one of the best illustrated books of the year, but will probably be ignored.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

-real photos, friendly text-- beautiful for a spring/ baby animal story time!

[Linda Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

and the photography!!

[Wendy Garland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations. Another wonderful creation by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had amazing photos, and was a fun book about just waking up and enjoying nature!

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photographs!

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A celebration of spring and all the new animal life that comes with it. The poem is accompanied with beautiful photographs.

Storytime:
Springtime

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple, rhyming text celebrating a new day and new life is paired with vibrant, close-up photographs in this appealing picture book from author/photographer team Helen Frost and Rick Lieder. Chicks hatching, baby birds peeping, tadpoles leaping, a sweet fawn hiding—life is popping out in all corners in text and image. The book closes with a two-page informational section giving more details about each of the animals depicted...

Published in 2017, Wake Up! is the fourth book I have read from this pair, and the fourth book in their Step Gently, Look Closely series, which began with their debut together, Step Gently Out . Like its predecessors, it pairs an engaging text that evokes the beauty and wonder of nature, with lovely photographs that capture each subject in marvelous detail. As mentioned in previous reviews, although I read a great many picture books, very few of them are illustrated with photographs, so these books are an atypical experience for me. I don't know that I loved this one quite as much as some of the others I have read in this series, but it was still very appealing Recommended to young nature and animal lovers, as well as to those seeking photographic picture books.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through a gentle poem, reader’s eyes can savor photos of nature’s birds, insects, and animals. Creatures shown are so close, readers may feel like they can reach out and touch each one. The yellow duckling looks right into their eyes, some may want to screech at the croaking frogs, and they may hold their breath at the sight of a newborn fawn. A wonderful introduction to nature.

The afterward provides additional information on each creature featured, to invite conversations on their favorites. A book that inspires curiosity about learning more.

Originally reviewed on Books4theCuriousChild.com

[Evan Childress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweetly rhyming poem accompanies full page color photographs of animals in a variety of settings. An informational page in the back identifies all of the items in the pictures, with a short description. The poems asks questions periodically which would lend this book to a nice, interactive addition to storytime.

[Brittany Arcuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice poetry book for young readers who love animals! This book showcases poems about different animals being born and along with those poems are amazing pictures that show the baby animals! Teachers can use this book to introduce poetry to a class to get students engaged not only in poetry but by discussing the pictures shown.

[Bekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this book for Spring Story Times at the library. With a sparsely worded poem throughout the book and stunning photographs, this book is a winner. I only wish there weren't quite so many insect pictures; the kids at my programs have not been as enamored with them as they are with the baby birds and deer.

[Alyx Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Littles will love the adorable animal pictures and the rhyming nature of this book. There is also a guide of the animals at the end of the book so could be used for younger elementary age students, as well

[Michelle Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Themes: spring, baby animals

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The backmatter is the icing on the cake of this endearing and educational book about baby animals.

[Suburban Homeschooler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for when the chicks are hatching

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely photos