Where Once There Was a Wood

Last updated Monday, March 25, 2002

Author: Denise Fleming
Illustrator: Denise Fleming
Date of Publication:
ISBN:
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Date(s) Used: Apr. 2000

Synopsis: Inspired by events in her own backyard, award-winning author and illustrator Denise Fleming creates a poignant yet hopeful portrait of our disappearing natural environment. The last pages of the book teach children how to make a more "creature friendly" backyard, including information about what types of food, trees and flowers attract different kinds of animals. Where Once There Was a Wood also includes an informative bibliography for budding environmentalists, and suggests various projects that families can do together.

Craft ideas:

• Draw a picture of your backyard, or of a neighborhood park. What animals have you seen there? What animals would you like to see there? Draw them.
• Volunteers--draw a picture of an animal from the book, or cut one out from construction paper and put it in the middle of a piece of paper. Have the children color it, and draw the kinds of food or plants that would attract it.
• For the adventurous, make a bird feeder.