Wake Up, Island

PreS-Gr 2—Before most people rise and shine on a Minnesotan North Woods island, nature is busy preparing the view. Casanova and Wroblewski deliver a book that proves as much. Readers meet moose, herons, black bears, and other regional natives, and are introduced to living things like yarrow, goldenrod, and lichen. The color illustrations are created from intricate handmade woodcuts yet are vivid enough to engage even the youngest readers who may not appreciate the laborious process. The text is spare and allows the art to shine, as each word clearly has been chosen carefully to add action and understanding to the impressive pictures without overwhelming the pages. Told in lyrical verse peppered with metaphors and onomatopoeia, this book would do well as a read-aloud and would supplement a variety of lessons on figurative language, nature, animals, art, and more.