Maya and her friends delight in catching falling leaves, dancing to the music of swaying trees, and discovering other enchanting adventures that grow self-confidence and foster a love of nature.
The sounds of rippling streams seem to flow from the pages, and your fingertips can almost feel the texture of sticks, stones, and cones from the beautiful illustrations with stunning detail.
Imaginative rhymes-Paint a pumpkin with colors that splish-splash and swish-paired with insightful quotations for adults by known and unknown sources -The sea has a way of reminding us of our smallness, yet at the same time, our potential for greatness- teach nature's nurturing lessons of kindness, empathy, compassion, and the joy of curiosity.
Among the book's surprises is a red lotus flower, a symbol of resilience, hidden brightly, its bloom waiting to be found.
Through Maya's journey, children grow to understand that nature's gifts belong to everyone and that protecting them is our shared responsibility -Earth and Heart are spelled with the same letters.
Celebrate the wonder of the natural world brimming with flowers, apples, turtles, deer, ducks, birds, soil, streams, leaves and other open-air treasures!
Enjoy the great fun Maya has on every page. She hopes you love reading her book under a tree, beneath the sky, or wherever you feel the happiest!
This book succeeds in demonstrating the tremendous mental and emotional benefits nature holds for people of all ages. Seeing Maya delight in a variety of activities that don’t involve screens will give kids and parents new ideas to try. Importantly, many suggestions are accessible for everyone —for instance, not all families live near the beach or can take a day off to go hiking in the woods, but most people can find a moment to pause and appreciate autumn’s changing leaves or the tickle of a cat’s whiskers on their leg. Each page also features an inspiring nature-based quote to energize adults, since their participation will be required.
Soderberg’s crisp, colorful illustrations show brown-haired, blue-eyed Maya mostly looking calm and serene as she walks, sprawls, and digs in idyllic locations. Each scene is rich with texture and detail —one picture shows Maya and her friends playing beside a stream, with one child holding binoculars, one sharing apples with a squirrel, and another wearing polka-dot galoshes. There’s no shortage of wildlife, either, including friendly deer, turtles, pigeons, and even dolphins. Maya’s sweet adventures will encourage kids and their families to get outside—even if only in the backyard.
Takeaway: A little girl demonstrates the many ways to enjoy the outdoors.
Comparable Titles: David Covell’s Run Wild, Micha Archer’s Wonder Walkers.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
Ambinder provides some great examples of how caregivers can create opportunities to slow down and practice mindfulness as they share new experiences with their little ones, whether they are participating in organized craft activities or simply taking a walk outdoors… it invites readers, young and old, to pause and truly reflect on their surroundings. Using rich vocabulary, unconventional prose, and a great deal of poetic license, Ambinder helps expand perspectives on how everything we do, great or small, deserves our undivided attention.
“…Kim Soderberg’s beautiful illustrations, the rich yet two-dimensional detail in every leaf and blade of grass, evoke the finesse of Mughal miniatures. She is not stingy with her palette, as even her portrayals of urban spaces are bursting with color. She has also added a diverse range of characters for readers to relate to among her beautiful scenery, interacting with the life-like flora and fauna. Many children will be able to see themselves in these pictures, and that’s just one of the reasons AS MAYA GROWS IN THE NATURAL WORLD is so powerful.
“…a rich exploration of the wonders of being outdoors that invites young readers to engage with the world using all of their senses and teaches children the value of being grounded in the present as they go about their day.
As Maya Grows in the Natural World is a Mom’s Choice Awards® Gold Recipient
Patricia Ambinder’s picture book, As Maya Grows in the Natural World, is a simple yet powerful story that will foster a love for nature in all young readers who share Maya’s story. The plot follows Maya through her exposure to the many wonders of the world: the jumping dolphins, sand between the toes, falling leaves, and so much more. Told in rhyming verse, each page includes a quote about nature and its importance in our livelihood and overall well-being. Like the magnitude of the sea that overpowers our small existence, nature, in all its greatness, demonstrates that we, too, can be great when we demonstrate kindness, caring, and the joy of learning. Throughout the story is the underlying theme of resilience and beauty, symbolized by the lotus flower. Young readers like Maya and her friends will learn to respect and admire nature and take care of this delicate yet important natural world. Since earth and heart use the same letters, so too should the care, respect, and love we have for nature. Beautiful illustrations and a profoundly beautiful story.
We all know it’s important to respect and care for our environment, but it can sometimes feel like nature is a remote and far-away concept. As Maya Grows in the Natural World shows readers that nature is all around them, all the time, ready to be learned from.
There is so much to discover by being out and about in nature, which doesn’t just mean wild spaces. Rock doves sing in a city park, and rainbows and flying geese can bring beauty to a play park. In the backyard, you can greet the neighborhood cats, paint designs on brightly colored pumpkins, or collect the treasures you find around you and display them for others to enjoy. Whether at the beach, in a park, or even just gazing out of your window at home, there is endless magic and joy to be found if you take the time to look.
Simple text is paired with beautifully detailed and realistic artwork depicting real birds, plants, and animals, emphasizing the joy the child characters experience as they interact with the natural world. Available but not intrusive, quotations on each page prompt deeper reflection about the relationship between people and the environment.
As Maya Grows in the Natural World is a lovely introduction to sustainability and the environment for young readers.
