Reading the Wild

It could be said that an Artist sees where others only look..That certainly applies to Bev Doolittle and her work.I have deep interests in Nature,Art,Puzzles,Native Peoples,and all aspects of the Outdoors and the combination of all these things. I was "stopped in my tracks" the first time I saw the inspiring work of this magnificient Artist.While I have many books on these subjects in my personal library of over 7000 books;there are none that can compare with the Art of Doolittle in combining all these things in her Paintings.Many times ,all at the same time. This short book, of only 32 pages, does an excellent job of showing the greatness of her Art and explaining what she and her Art is all about. It would be easy to pass this book off as something just for young readers;which it certainly is.However;that would be to sell it short. This book ,just as well introduces her Art to adults,both those who are new to appreciating the wonders of nature and the inspiration conveyed thtough art;as it is to those who have already acquired a love and appreciation for it all. What you will find in this book is a brief sampling of her art which can be found in her other books;particularly "The Art of Bev Doolittle" and "Bev Doolittle New Magic" .The latter ,I wrote a Review of on November 5,2003. Just like in the real world of nature ,there is always much more to see and experience when one knows what to look for and how to look for it .Bev's paintings are likewise ,much more than what immediately comes to the viewer. Take the Painting on the cover of this book for instance..It is titled "Wolf".It is much more than just a paw print in the snow."Seeing" rather than a simple "look" or "glnce",results in the head of a wolf appearing...and a little more study,exposes the complete body of this wonderful creature of nature. Bev's Art has a lot of "hidden" images within it,just as does nature in real life,if one only takes the time to see. Elsie Maclay adds a lot to Bev's Art by explaining how to go about "seeing" that which is often missed and not experienced.If you have ever sat quietly in the woods,and finally noticed that animal,a deer,a snake,an owl,a raccoon,or even an insect, that has been deathly still watching you,come into view;you'll appreciate what I mean and begin to understand what Bev's Art is all about. If Bev's Art is new to you;a search of the net under her name will produce excellent examples of her Art.

This book is a great tool to use to assist in having a different perspective. We tend to only see what we prceive as being there and looking at nature and how she hides our brothers and sisters is amazing. This type of books are needed in schools, in any teaching environment to assist children who are visual to let others know thier strengths and to assist those who depend on auditory and kinestetic to become more visual.

This slim book is only 31 pages long; but don't let its appearance fool you: Reading The Wild packs in details on reading the signs of animal life and will require good reading skills from grades 4-6. Doolittle's beautiful full-page illustrations lend to nature facts organized by animal type and revealing the animal's habits and habitat.