Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance

by Jane Drake, Ann Love

Rewilding is an important environmental movement to restore habitats to their natural state in order to support native species and make room for animals to move freely. In this comprehensive look at rewilding, the authors present examples from around the world where endangered animals have been rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitats. From pandas and peregrine falcons to jaguars and wolves, the story of these animals testifies to the fact that with good management, the extinction of species can be avoided. This book also relates how cities have begun to restore nature by planting everything from tiny rooftop gardens to huge parks on disused land. Written for 9 to 12-year olds, this book serves as a great resource for projects as well as a fascinating book to read or browse.

Genres: Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Nature, Environment, Animals, Science

88 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2017

About the author

Jane Drake and Ann Love are a sister writing duo. Together they have published 25 non-fiction titles for junior/intermediate students. Their first book to hit the bestseller list was The Kids Cottage Book published in 1992. Since then they have written many bestsellers and award winners including Cool Woods: A Trip Around the World's Boreal Forest (2003), The Kids Book of the Night Sky (2004), Snow Amazing: Cool Facts and Warm Tales (2004), and Trash Action: A Fresh Look at Garbage (2006), Sweet! The Delicious Story of Candy (2007), Alien Invaders: Species that Threaten Our World (2008). Ann and Jane have shared a lifelong love of the outdoors enjoying everything from snow shoeing, to camping, bird watching, tree planting and photography. They get along magnificently, except on the tennis court.

Jane lives in Toronto. She and husband escape the city whenever possible and recharge with weekends of sandhill crane sightings, star gazing, gardening and rigorous outdoor exercise. Nellie the ginger cat entertains Jane as she writes and Angus, the dog, makes sure she gets her daily walk. Jane would love to visit Siberia.

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this an excellent and attractive book for teen readers, which vividly and simply explains how rewilding of urban or open space can take place.

With plenty of great photos and dramatic studies - falcons nesting in a city fire escape, or large predators in a city park - we get to consider the balance of nature. Too many pests can multiply without predators and abandoned space will be rediscovered by natural species, like the Chernobyl site. A small patch can be rewilded; and a large wilderness may need a reintroduction of a key species that was removed.

I like that we even get a discussion of mammoths and whether we should reintroduce them if it turns out to be possible. This would be a great class or family discussion book. Your readers will have fun and learn a lot, including basic ecology terms like core habitat, green corridors and wildlife bridges. Enjoy!
References at the back include further reading such as books by George Monbiot.

I downloaded an e-ARC through Net Galley and Fresh Fiction.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance by the sister writing duo of Ann Love and Jane Drake is a children's non fiction book that is currently schedule for release on October 10 2017. Rewilding is an important environmental movement to restore habitats to their natural state in order to support native species and make room for animals to move freely. In this comprehensive look at rewilding, the authors present examples from around the world where endangered animals have been rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitats. From pandas and peregrine falcons to jaguars and wolves, the story of these animals testifies to the fact that with good management, the extinction of species can be avoided. This book also relates how cities have begun to restore nature by planting everything from tiny rooftop gardens to huge parks on disused land.

Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance can be a valuable resource in classrooms, for research, or for an interesting read for anyone that is interested in the environment and wildlife. It is written for a middle grade audience, but I think teens and adults can learn from it as well. I was interested to read about rewilding, and how it is becoming more popular, or at least more well known beyond the people that already try to minimize out impact of the environment. I found the information to be well organized, accessible, and interesting. I know my daughter (my personal animal expert) will be rereading some of the sections, particularly about wolf habitats since they are her current obsession. The photographs throughout the book are full color and simply stunning. I could just browse through the book to enjoy those images.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe because environmental restoration has so many stories or maybe because you just want to see pictures, but I found the kids' format of a book about rewilding to totally work for me. I was able to read through the whole thing on a lazy Sunday afternoon and get glimpses of efforts from around the world, each taking up a page spread with photos, and learn about each complete with hard questions and analysis: is it worth it? what are the risks? what is the prognosis? If reading with a kid, I would imagine these questions would be good jumping off points for writing or art or conversation. I like that the book doesn't shy away from asking what's hard. The overall tone of the book is upbeat, mostly highlighting sucess and hard work and possibility for the future. It fizzles a bit near the end in a chapter on how far back to restore mixed with ruminations on climate change that is hard to follow. I wish it had more on why people are considering different tactics instead of always throwing it to the reader through questions. I think the kids and adults who read it will do better answering these questions if they've heard some of the arguments either way. If you want to understand the current state of affairs in the world's ecosystems, this is a wonderful place to get an update :)

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

With so many species being endangered or pushed out of their territories, a project of rewilding has become important as a method of reintroduction and saving from extinction.
In this gorgeously illustrated book of 85 pages there are six sections of very interesting information and facts, each section with sub-sections.

Contents:
Section 1: Introduction: What is Rewilding?
- two sub-sections;
Section 2: Reintroducing Keystone Species: Wild Again
- six sub-sections;
Section 3: Core Space for Keystone Species: Getting it Right
- five sub-sections;
Section 4: Corridors Linking Cores: Natural Connections
- five sub-sections;
Section 5: Rewilding the Human World
- nine sub-sections;
Section 6: The Possible and the Impossible of Future Rewilding
- three sub-sections;
Glossary

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book with lots of information. I keep up with reintroductions of animals into the wild and think it's interesting. I realize many animals are endangered on our planet due to habitat loss and human encroachment, Also, I know many animals are in zoos, private and public, sometimes more than there are in the wild, as in the case of tigers. Yellow Stone Park is a good example of rewilding of wolves. I don;t know what the solution will be, but something needs to be done to set land aside just for the animals. This book is a good intro to the subject. Lots of food for thought.

[Heather Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am super excited to buy a copy for my Library! I got to read an eGalley and I immediately knew that my students NEEDED this book. Our school has an Environmental Club and we do 4 different projects involving outdoors, environment, and animals every year. Rewilding has great photos and sidebars, and the info is all really interesting. It will definitely round out our collection used by all of the grades.

[Wunderdrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title is nominated for the 2020 Hackmatack Award in the non-fiction category. It is a nice introduction to the concept of 'rewilding' for kids. The authors discuss how reintroducing native plants to places can help make them habitable for animals, and in some instances have allowed scientists to bring animals back from the edge of extinction. I would recommend this title to kids who have an interest in the environment, climate change, and animals.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great blend of Canadian and international content. Each double spread is readable on its own.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very valuable resource and source of information for parents and their children. It stimulated a fun time reading it with my grandson and discussing the issues thereafter. Highly enjoyable.