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The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth: Understanding Our World and Its Ecosystems
An illustrated tour of the planet exploring ecosystems large and small, from reefs, deserts, and rainforests to a single drop of water—from the New York Times bestselling author of Women in Science. Making earth science accessible and entertaining through art, maps, and infographics, The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth explains how our planet works—and how we can protect it—from its diverse ecosystems and their inhabitants, to the levels of ecology, the importance of biodiversity, the cycles of nature, and more. Science- and nature-loving readers of all ages will delight in this utterly charming guide to our amazing home.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
78 people are currently reading
1116 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Ignotofsky
25 books259 followersRachel Ignotofsky grew up in New Jersey on a healthy diet of cartoons and pudding. She graduated with honors from Tyler School of Art’s graphic design program in 2011. Now she lives in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri, where she spends all day drawing and learning as much as she can. She has a passion for taking dense information and making it fun and accessible and is dedicated to creating educational works of art.
Rachel is inspired by history and science and believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. She uses her work to spread her message about education, scientific literacy, and powerful women. She hopes this book inspires girls and women to follow their passions and dreams.
Rachel is inspired by history and science and believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. She uses her work to spread her message about education, scientific literacy, and powerful women. She hopes this book inspires girls and women to follow their passions and dreams.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 19, 2018
Love the concept and content list of this book, as well as the layout and design. Particularly love the eco focus. I’m disappointed, though, in the inaccuracies or arguable inaccuracies. As an Australian who has spent decades researching our land and history, I was stunned at the considerable mistakes, many of them easily sourced.
First people landed in Australia 50,000 years ago.
Not true. It’s recognized as 60,000 years and more likely up to 75,000.
The lush grasslands of Australia...
I would never in a million years describe Australia’s grasslands as ‘lush’. This couldn’t be less true. Maybe a few scraps here and there in Tasmania or Victoria but the vast majority of our grasslands, especially where the author indicated sheep farms are located, are nowhere near ‘lush’, and are regularly drought stricken. I literally laughed out loud at this one.
Australia has been called ‘the last of lands’, the ‘oldest continent’ and ‘the last frontier’. Nope. Have spent well over half a century in this country and have never, ever heard it called any of these things. The latter may have been taken from a 1980s mini series of the same name? The power of pop culture, I guess.
Although this continent is not actually the oldest in the world...
Actually, it is. The mainland landmass is the oldest and lowest on earth.
Only Australia has mammals that lay eggs.
Not true. The long beaked echidna resides in Papua New Guinea.
Marsupials like the kangaroo and koala are abundant.
Not true. The koala is now listed as vulnerable and is well on the way to extinction. This is a massively easily accessible fact, which is, conversely, mentioned later in the author’s text.
Cassowary - the skin-covered casque on top of its head.
Not true. The casque is covered in a layer of keratin, like fingernails.
And this is just the opening page for Australasia, but I can’t miss mentioning the next page entry about wombats living in rainforests. Just... wow.
I was so excited about immersing in this book. Considering the mass of inaccuracies over just two pages, I would be reluctant to read it with any pleasure now, and will likely just skip through and enjoy the design before giving it away.
If you are using this book in a school setting, please be wary of its accuracy.
First people landed in Australia 50,000 years ago.
Not true. It’s recognized as 60,000 years and more likely up to 75,000.
The lush grasslands of Australia...
I would never in a million years describe Australia’s grasslands as ‘lush’. This couldn’t be less true. Maybe a few scraps here and there in Tasmania or Victoria but the vast majority of our grasslands, especially where the author indicated sheep farms are located, are nowhere near ‘lush’, and are regularly drought stricken. I literally laughed out loud at this one.
Australia has been called ‘the last of lands’, the ‘oldest continent’ and ‘the last frontier’. Nope. Have spent well over half a century in this country and have never, ever heard it called any of these things. The latter may have been taken from a 1980s mini series of the same name? The power of pop culture, I guess.
Although this continent is not actually the oldest in the world...
Actually, it is. The mainland landmass is the oldest and lowest on earth.
Only Australia has mammals that lay eggs.
Not true. The long beaked echidna resides in Papua New Guinea.
Marsupials like the kangaroo and koala are abundant.
Not true. The koala is now listed as vulnerable and is well on the way to extinction. This is a massively easily accessible fact, which is, conversely, mentioned later in the author’s text.
Cassowary - the skin-covered casque on top of its head.
Not true. The casque is covered in a layer of keratin, like fingernails.
And this is just the opening page for Australasia, but I can’t miss mentioning the next page entry about wombats living in rainforests. Just... wow.
I was so excited about immersing in this book. Considering the mass of inaccuracies over just two pages, I would be reluctant to read it with any pleasure now, and will likely just skip through and enjoy the design before giving it away.
If you are using this book in a school setting, please be wary of its accuracy.
May 27, 2020
Honestly such a beautiful book, the illustrations are incredible, and also just a great book for learning a little about the different eco systems of the world
April 17, 2021
The illustrations were beautiful. Loved reading about the various ecosystems in all the 7 continents on Earth with my son. I wish there was more information and more illustrations of animals and plants in the various ecosystems. It even had carbon, water, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles which was amazing. This book is great for teaching children how interdependent all the living beings are on this planet.
June 22, 2020
I listened to this on audio. I don’t think that was the optimal way to enjoy this book. I liked it, it just wasn’t a lot of new info or particularly inspiring.
March 3, 2019
The writing was dry, basic, short, and choppy, but it’s important to talk about climate change.
March 11, 2022
I used this book as a supplement for a unit on biomes and ecosystems, and as a break from our textbook for my son's environmental science class this last term. While it does a good job explaining concepts like the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, and has beautiful, interesting illustrations to show various possible food webs of different ecosystems, it was a little more basic in the SCIENCE than I was hoping for, and there were a few things that I'm not sure they got entirely right. That said, it's a cool book and would probably appeal to kids interested in ecology and as an introduction to climate change conversations with kids in upper elementary through 8th grade or so. 3 stars.
June 22, 2022
As always, Rachel Ignotofsky's artwork is fantastic! I loved the way that the animals and places were illustrated in this, and how fascinating all the information was. It was a little heavier than I expected, though, since it really did talk about climate change and some of its pretty devastating effects, with a section towards the end going into quite a bit of detail. It was a little of a sad note to end on, but also very true!
Content Warnings:
climate change
Content Warnings:
climate change
March 19, 2019
I started this thinking that this would be so easy that it'd be a cheat for my reading challenge. Boy was I wrong. This "picture book" is jam-packed with info; gorgeous illustrations and approachable science. As an ecologist I appreciate how well-balanced and accurate the writing was in this book. Perfect for teaching and for pleasure!
February 25, 2020
I listened to the audiobook version of this book; however, I would recommend actually reading the book.
The content was interesting, but it sounded like a textbook was being read. When I picked out the book, I was hoping it would present the information in a more approachable format. A lot of the information was still interesting; however, the writing was style was mediocre.
The content was interesting, but it sounded like a textbook was being read. When I picked out the book, I was hoping it would present the information in a more approachable format. A lot of the information was still interesting; however, the writing was style was mediocre.
December 29, 2024
how do i engrave everything ive read in here into my memory forever
November 21, 2018
The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth is just as beautifully illustrated as Rachel Ignotofsky's previous efforts, if a little unclear on its target audience. The science is sound, but also pretty dense and text-heavy. This contrasts with the art, which is loose and colorful...and difficult to follow if you're invested in the science. I could see a younger reader loving the art, but being totally lost in the words.
That said, Ignotofsky makes a valiant effort to include plenty of fun facts, so it's not all dry reading about various ecosystems (you'll learn the difference between an ecosystem, an ecotone, and a biome, for instance). There's also a very heavy emphasis on humanity's impact on the natural world. I wouldn't go so far as to call The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth an environmentalist screed, but at the very least it's a firm call to action. I'm not certain how I feel about that - while the facts are certainly all true, it sorta ruins the "wondrous workings" aspect of the book when every section ends with "...and here's how we're ruining it."
That said, Ignotofsky makes a valiant effort to include plenty of fun facts, so it's not all dry reading about various ecosystems (you'll learn the difference between an ecosystem, an ecotone, and a biome, for instance). There's also a very heavy emphasis on humanity's impact on the natural world. I wouldn't go so far as to call The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth an environmentalist screed, but at the very least it's a firm call to action. I'm not certain how I feel about that - while the facts are certainly all true, it sorta ruins the "wondrous workings" aspect of the book when every section ends with "...and here's how we're ruining it."
February 11, 2019
Three stars may seem a little harsh, but remember that three stars means I like it.
And there is a lot to like here:
* a very consistent design scheme that communicates quite well
* a well-developed illustrative style that is clear and consistent, but also rich with personality
* a great introductory section that introduces a lot of key terms and conventions. This is one place where the book most fulfills it's promise
* great concluding sections, turning from ecosystems to broader cycles, human impacts, and next steps
* a lot of thought, heart, and work clearly went into this book
* it made some choices that really got my attention; I don't know if they are right, but they made me think.
The major choice that got me thinking was the pervasive glass jar motif. It suggests a number of aspects, some of which I agree with, some of which I disagree with, some I don't know how I feel about, and mixtures of these. This glass jar motif suggests that different ecosystems:
* are cleanly delimited
* are fragile
* are preserved in a single unchanging condition when treated well
* are isolated from outside environmental influences
* are treasures
* are here for human observation and judgment
* etc.
It's interesting how much apparent meaning such a choice communicates, and one wonders how much was intended. Even beyond this meaning there is all that this choice says stylistically; a touch twee but still elegant.
I also found it really interesting that the book was in the science section for adults. There is really nothing, perhaps other than its length, that dictated that it should be for adults. In fact, I ended up buying it so I might give it to some younger relatives after I had read it.
What prevents me from really liking this book was that I didn't feel it delivered on the promised of the title of the book, to elucidate the "wondrous workings" of planet Earth. Instead of delivering on the promise of workings or mechanism, what is on offer are settings. Much of the book concerns itself with describing another setting, where organisms have immutable interrelationships between each other instead of developing into and out of niches through evolution. As a result, the middle mass of the book is almost over-consistent, repetitious in its structure, and is much less interesting than its endpoints as a result.
Overall, while this book was not a detailed visual overview into the workings of how ecosystems develop and change, it still was informative but also suggestive.
And there is a lot to like here:
* a very consistent design scheme that communicates quite well
* a well-developed illustrative style that is clear and consistent, but also rich with personality
* a great introductory section that introduces a lot of key terms and conventions. This is one place where the book most fulfills it's promise
* great concluding sections, turning from ecosystems to broader cycles, human impacts, and next steps
* a lot of thought, heart, and work clearly went into this book
* it made some choices that really got my attention; I don't know if they are right, but they made me think.
The major choice that got me thinking was the pervasive glass jar motif. It suggests a number of aspects, some of which I agree with, some of which I disagree with, some I don't know how I feel about, and mixtures of these. This glass jar motif suggests that different ecosystems:
* are cleanly delimited
* are fragile
* are preserved in a single unchanging condition when treated well
* are isolated from outside environmental influences
* are treasures
* are here for human observation and judgment
* etc.
It's interesting how much apparent meaning such a choice communicates, and one wonders how much was intended. Even beyond this meaning there is all that this choice says stylistically; a touch twee but still elegant.
I also found it really interesting that the book was in the science section for adults. There is really nothing, perhaps other than its length, that dictated that it should be for adults. In fact, I ended up buying it so I might give it to some younger relatives after I had read it.
What prevents me from really liking this book was that I didn't feel it delivered on the promised of the title of the book, to elucidate the "wondrous workings" of planet Earth. Instead of delivering on the promise of workings or mechanism, what is on offer are settings. Much of the book concerns itself with describing another setting, where organisms have immutable interrelationships between each other instead of developing into and out of niches through evolution. As a result, the middle mass of the book is almost over-consistent, repetitious in its structure, and is much less interesting than its endpoints as a result.
Overall, while this book was not a detailed visual overview into the workings of how ecosystems develop and change, it still was informative but also suggestive.
April 1, 2024
Full of errors, as pointed out by another reader on Goodreads. With this in mind I started reading, and found another one at the beginning, when the author states that matter and energy are different, that matter can't be created or destroyed but that energy can. NOT TRUE, and this is basic high school physics.
Having no concept of science or facts, the book on ecosystem is filled with random facts, like "Home to the world's oldest sovereign state and constitutional republic..." while briefly mentioning the Barbary macaque without showing how the primates contribute to the ecosystem. The book is heavy on plants and land and non-ecosystem-related trivia but light or non-existent on how animals are part of it, which is terrible when one is trying to save the ecosystems and keep them in balance.
Also the illustrations are frustratingly stylized and too similar to each other to be effective for a children's nonfiction book. For instance, why do mangroves look like other highly stylized trees and why does the one about desert have no depiction of the yellow sands, but the entire page is splashed in red and black? I can't help but think that if the author had better grasp of basic science or focused on how to communicate what ecosystem is about with text and pictures rather than trying to show off her illustrations, the book would be more effective for the young target audience.
Having no concept of science or facts, the book on ecosystem is filled with random facts, like "Home to the world's oldest sovereign state and constitutional republic..." while briefly mentioning the Barbary macaque without showing how the primates contribute to the ecosystem. The book is heavy on plants and land and non-ecosystem-related trivia but light or non-existent on how animals are part of it, which is terrible when one is trying to save the ecosystems and keep them in balance.
Also the illustrations are frustratingly stylized and too similar to each other to be effective for a children's nonfiction book. For instance, why do mangroves look like other highly stylized trees and why does the one about desert have no depiction of the yellow sands, but the entire page is splashed in red and black? I can't help but think that if the author had better grasp of basic science or focused on how to communicate what ecosystem is about with text and pictures rather than trying to show off her illustrations, the book would be more effective for the young target audience.
Read
April 1, 2022This book is an informational book that describes and explains the world’s ecosystems. It also talks about the different plants and animals that live in each of those ecosystems and how they all work together within that ecosystem.
This is appropriate as a read aloud or for students to read independently because they get to learn new information and there are also pictures included to help explain and illustrate things.
The genre is informational and the grade level range is 5-6.
I can use this book as an aid when introducing ecosystems in science class so that they can see each one and see what lives in the ecosystems. I can also use this book and assign each group of students to an ecosystem. I will tell them that they can use the book to look up information about their ecosystem and then create a poster for it with the information they gathered.
This book should be introduced to students in the elementary classroom because it is a good source of information that they can use for projects, if they want to learn more about the topic we are learning, or just a fun read where they just learn new information.
This is appropriate as a read aloud or for students to read independently because they get to learn new information and there are also pictures included to help explain and illustrate things.
The genre is informational and the grade level range is 5-6.
I can use this book as an aid when introducing ecosystems in science class so that they can see each one and see what lives in the ecosystems. I can also use this book and assign each group of students to an ecosystem. I will tell them that they can use the book to look up information about their ecosystem and then create a poster for it with the information they gathered.
This book should be introduced to students in the elementary classroom because it is a good source of information that they can use for projects, if they want to learn more about the topic we are learning, or just a fun read where they just learn new information.
January 15, 2021
This is an absolutely beautiful book with very well organized information. I loved all the illustrations, and really liked how each ecosystem page was set up, with general information, fun facts, biggest benefits, and biggest threats. The threats were addressed particularly well, emphasizing climate change as the biggest threat to all habitats, and at the same time being hopeful about changes that are being made in local communities. There were small references to colonialism and its impact on environments, but I wish there was more. I also wish Ignotofsky had incorporated more quotes from non-white, non-male naturalists and authors (she occasionally has a relevant quote about the beauty or benefit of a particular ecosystem) - I was surprised that she didn't, considering her other books like "Women in Science". Nonetheless, I think this would be a great starting point to get kids inspired about an ecology research project in my high school class.
November 28, 2018
I love the illustrations in this book. I was enraptured by them and spent long minutes examining each page. the text that accompanies each section is rather dense and often printed white on black pages, which I find hard to read. I love the essence of the book. I, however, cannot figure out the target audience. Teens seem to be unlikely to spend as much time as I did with each page to discover it's treasures and adults may be put off by the marketing toward young adults. I especially appreciate the back few pages about climate change, global warming causes, how we can help protect our planet, and the illustrated glossary. It also includes a brief page of sources and a bibliography. In the note about the author we learn that Ms. Ignotofsky believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. I agree.
July 14, 2020
I am becoming a big fan of Ignotofsky’s work as an illustrator first and foremost but as a researcher. She does both and that’s a force to be reckoned with.
The book pays homage to the natural beauty and wonderment of the entire world as it interlocks- discussing ecosystems and wildlife, regional differences, and species, but explaining how humans are affecting it. There are things to appreciate and things to pay attention to.
The glass jar concept of illustrating each ecosystem continent by continent (then talking about water and air) brings out the magic that we want young readers to find it the natural world so that they can be protectors and problem-solvers. The layout is lush and a feast for the eyes. I could stare at the pictures forever and love her font choices and overall design.
And then she makes a point and gets the information across easily. Magnificent.
The book pays homage to the natural beauty and wonderment of the entire world as it interlocks- discussing ecosystems and wildlife, regional differences, and species, but explaining how humans are affecting it. There are things to appreciate and things to pay attention to.
The glass jar concept of illustrating each ecosystem continent by continent (then talking about water and air) brings out the magic that we want young readers to find it the natural world so that they can be protectors and problem-solvers. The layout is lush and a feast for the eyes. I could stare at the pictures forever and love her font choices and overall design.
And then she makes a point and gets the information across easily. Magnificent.
February 13, 2019
Beautiful, interesting illustrations and good information about ecosystems, natural cycles, and biology. The writer's clear goal was teaching children about the impact human behavior is having on the world's ecosystems, but the book is not preachy. I'm glad to see that Ignotofsky acknowledges how important fighting poverty is to saving the environment.
We cannot expect poor people to shoulder the responsibility of saving the planet when their communities are worried about providing for themselves. The fight for our environment goes hand in hand with helping under-resourced communities create sustainable economies with access to education, energy, and food.
April 25, 2021
The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth is a children's picture book by Rachel Ignotofsky. This book goes through and teaches kids about various ecosystems and the plants and animals that live in these ecosystems. The book stalks about weather cycles and climate change, reefs, rainforests, deserts .etc. The best part about this book is the illustrations, which are just plain awesome.
I gave this book five stars because of how cool the illustrations are. It is easy to get lost in this art and makes the book enticing and hard to put down. It also helps teach kids about nature and ecosystems and makes them more environmentally aware and conscious.
I gave this book five stars because of how cool the illustrations are. It is easy to get lost in this art and makes the book enticing and hard to put down. It also helps teach kids about nature and ecosystems and makes them more environmentally aware and conscious.
February 22, 2019
An beautifully illustrated encyclopedic collection of infographics and small text exploring a variety of ecosystems organized by continent. Includes overview section orienting readers to key definitions and concepts, aquatic ecosystems, cycles of nature (carbon, nitrogen, etc), and human-driven ecosystems such as farms and cities combined with human impacts on the Earth. Did not read the whole thing but would love to. Perfect for browsing as well as research; there is a lot of information packed into this book.
February 19, 2020
Absolutely gorgeous illustrations and infographics about ecosystems, life-cycles, etc. The text gets the job done, but it begs the question of who exactly the book is intended for - there's a lot of it, and it occasionally seems a bit dry for mid-level readers. Still, it manages to be very real about loaded topics like climate change, without being condescending or shrill. But to go back to what I started with: the attraction here is the images, which manage to be lush and lively despite the flat, graphic style. More of a great browsing book than a cover-to-cover read.
January 18, 2021
I really like the illustrations. They manage to be both interesting and effective in communication their core ideas as well as being beautiful and arresting. There are quite a few that I would be very happy to put on my wall.
As for the text of the book it is interesting but not as memorable. The pictures are quite child friendly but I do not think the text is often written in a way that a child would find easy to understand and an adult would often appreciate a bit more depth, references to explore things further etc.
Still really interesting and enjoyable book.
As for the text of the book it is interesting but not as memorable. The pictures are quite child friendly but I do not think the text is often written in a way that a child would find easy to understand and an adult would often appreciate a bit more depth, references to explore things further etc.
Still really interesting and enjoyable book.
June 18, 2024
It’s a visual book, which I didn’t realize when I downloaded it as an audiobook to liven up car rides with my nature facts-loving 8yo. They should definitely have made that more clear for the audio version, and also given some kind of explanation for how info was laid out — the book is full of what I assume are sidebars or legends that would make a lot of sense in graphic format, but sounded like disjointed lists when read aloud. Still, we enjoyed it a lot and learned many things (but I am discomfited to learn from one Goodreads reviewer that there are many inaccuracies! Yikes!).
November 20, 2020
This book is informative and very well illustrated. It provides the different ecosystems from around the world beginning with micro organisms. I appreciated that she provided the impact that we as humans have on the Earth and how we can do our part in utilizing clean energy. This is a great book for 4th-5th grade students that are becoming more interested in our climate and introducing them to issues surrounding climate change!
August 18, 2019
This is a lovely book that includes lots of interesting information about planet earth. The author presents the information in a very accessbile manner. She also illustrates the book and the illustrations are a lot of fun. I learned quite a few things from reading this. I would recommend it for everyone.
November 17, 2019
This book by Rachel Ignofsky goes through each ecosystem in the world and discusses how it has been impacted by climate change. Another adult centered book that could be used as a source for my middle school students in our climate change unit. Incredibly fun, beautiful pictures, and captivating discretions bring this book to an exciting place.
March 23, 2020
This is a gorgeous book with good, fact checked information. It leans more on the environmentalist side, has some pretty elevated vocabulary, but don't worry: there's a glossary. Mostly, it has lots of interesting ecological facts for many different biomes and habitats. I wish I had been able to study biology from only Ignotofsky books. That's a challenge, Rachel.
January 18, 2021
A wonderful book for people of all ages. Too centered on America for my french taste but all the ecosystem presented are interesting. Sometime it feels a little bit redundants, and a deeper dive on some species could have been interesting.
But to read one or two page before bed, to expand one's comprehension of the world... it's really great !
But to read one or two page before bed, to expand one's comprehension of the world... it's really great !
May 10, 2021
Beautiful illustrations to show life on this planet
This Book is jam-packed with facts about life on earth. It is brilliant to dip into to go find information about any ecosystem. I really like the part at the back that tells you what you can do to protect the precious Earth 🌎. An excellent choice for UKS2.
This Book is jam-packed with facts about life on earth. It is brilliant to dip into to go find information about any ecosystem. I really like the part at the back that tells you what you can do to protect the precious Earth 🌎. An excellent choice for UKS2.
January 5, 2019
Beautiful presentation. Each two page spread shows a different eco-system with the different plants and animals that make it up. Lists it's biggest benefits and greatest threats. Broad in scope - and feel like some of it's generalities may pose some issues, however, but like this book overall.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews