Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art

Locker, Thomas

ISBN 10: 0756908094 ISBN 13: 9780756908096

Publisher: Turtleback Books, 2001

Synopsis

“A fascinating, even glorious celebration of nature that will stir both children and adults to a finer appreciation of a wondrous, surprising world that’s right within their grasp.” —Booklist (starred review)

In this stunning book by Thomas Locker, exquisite paintings are paired with questions about nature, making science comes alive through art. A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year!

In spring, a snapping turtle lays her eggs on the hillside beneath the tree. In autumn, leaves fall as squirrels scamper up the trunk carrying nuts. And on a winter night, a backdrop of twinkling stars shines through the branches. Each day, the tree changes with the purple and pink of a sunset or a nip of cold air. But the tree is more than a thing of beauty—its changes represent the passage of time in nature.

Sky Tree combines the artistic beauty and the scientific wonder of ever-changing nature into a satisfying experience for the soul and the mind.

Each page poses a discussion question, and at the back of the book is an explanation of how Thomas Locker created each beautiful oil painting.

About this title

About the Author

Thomas Locker is a renowned author and artist who has earned several distinctions for his children's books, including the Parent's Choice Award for Illustration, and the New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year. Candace Christiansen is a teacher of chemistry and mathematics at a school in Columbia County, NY. She is also the author of three children's books. They live in Stuyvesant, NY.

From Booklist

Ages 6^-8, older for the art. It's rare that a book so obviously meant to serve more than one purpose manages the task with such polish. This collaboration speaks with a graceful simplicity that not only firmly fixes the relationship between art and science, but also subtly draws children into the miracles of nature itself. Elegant yet unpretentious oils depict a solitary tree, standing at river's edge and wrapped round by an expansive sky, as it's altered by the cycle of the seasons and the rising and setting of the sun. The tranquil mood of the artwork carries over into the main text, boxed in a background of changing sky, which provides the necessary context for the paintings. Beneath the main text are questions challenging children to explore the feelings the artwork inspires. This is the weakest part of the book, seeming more intended for grown-up facilitators--art and science teachers, Picture Ladies--than children themselves, as is the case with a follow-up section, "Connecting Art and Science in Sky Tree." Still, this is unquestionably a fascinating, even glorious celebration of nature that will stir both children and adults to a finer appreciation of a wondrous, surprising world that's right within their grasp. Stephanie Zvirin

Edition details

• Publisher: Turtleback Books
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0756908094
• ISBN 13: 9780756908096
• Binding: Library Binding