Nonfiction Monday: Plant a Pocket of Prairie by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Betsy Bowen

This book sounded really cool, but I wanted to look at it first. However, it took quite a while before I was able to get my hands on it! It is, indeed, quite lovely.

There isn't so much a story in the book as an exhortation to start small and plant a few native prairie plants. If you plant just a few things, more may follow, along with native animals, until the prairie is reborn.

Back matter includes an explanation of the history and destruction of the great prairies, how to start your own mini prairie and research native plants, and more information on the various plant and animal species mentioned in the book. There is also some additional information on endangered vs extinct and some further resources.

The lovely, delicate illustrations perfectly capture the beauty of small details in the prairie so lovingly described. Birds, flowers, snakes, insects, the tiny creatures grown and expand until they sweep across the page in a flurry of life and motion.

Verdict: This isn't likely to work well in a storytime, as there isn't really a story, more a list of species. If you're looking for a story about reviving a wild meadow, try Meadowview Street by Henry Cole. However, it's a lovely, lovely book and would be a perfect complement to a class project or research into native plants.

ISBN: 9780816679805; Published 2014 by University of Minnesota Press; Borrowed from another library in my consortium