The World That We Want

by Kim Michelle Toft

Lyrical text and striking illustrations weave together the air, rain forest, mangrove, beach, tide pool, reef, atoll, and ocean to show how these habitats are all interconnected. An in-depth look at these environments and the animals that live in them is offered along with notes about dangers that threaten their survival. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Childrens, Science, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2005

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully-illustrated with unique gold-edged images, this is a celebration of habitats and the incredible diversity of living beings that can be found in each biome.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are stunning. They're vibrant, realistic images outlined in gold, so that everything glows. The message is an environmentalist one; everything is connected, and if we want to have a beautiful world, we have to take care of every part of it.

The text is cumulative, beginning, and ending, with "the world that we want". It could be a simple read-aloud for younger children, a very first stepping stone for learning about ecosystems (and environmentalism), or, using the index in the back, it could be a teaching tool for older children. A person of any age can, and will, appreciate the gorgeous images of our world, as it could be, set afire.

[Ina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a bouncy cumulative story with awesome illustrations. The reader meets birds of the air - five gorgeous birds against a starry background ("This is the air that circles the world that we want") and travels through rain forest, river, mangrove, beach, tide pool, reef and ocean. Each spot is even more spectacular than the last. The last page is a pull out four page spread showing all of the eco systems at the same time. There are notes about the animals as well. Stunning and gorgeous - a feast for the eyes!

[Lin Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! Masterfully illustrated, the author makes her point that we are all part of the nature, which is a web of life. Concepts such as world, air, forest, river, mangrove, beach, tide pool, reef, atoll, and ocean are introduced visually and in text. The last page provides names of all the animals illustrated in the book. My favorite new addition to my library!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look at different environments in the world, the creatures who live there, and the ways that they are all interconnected.

The narrative builds upon itself, similar to the classic tale of "The House that Jack Built" (see a version by Simms Taback here.

It's a simple, cautionary tale and the illustrations are gorgeous - hand drawn pictures that are "painted on silk using a combination of a latex-based ink called gutta and dyes blended like watercolor. To fix the color, the silk is rolled up and steamed in a special machine."

We loved looking at all the different creatures and checking out more information about all forty-five of them in the back of the book. I've read this one a couple of times.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how the phrases built on each other page to page. It reinforced the message of all of nature being connected, and did it beautifully.

The illustrations aren't my style. All I can think of is Lisa Frank backpacks from my childhood. Not bad, just not my favorite.

[Sonia Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mudskippers in the mangroves