Cover Image: Nature's Best Hope (Young Readers' Edition)

Nature's Best Hope (Young Readers' Edition)

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"Nature's Best Hope (Young Readers' Edition)" by Douglas W. Tallamy is an eye-opening and empowering read that sheds light on the crucial role native plantings play in preserving wildlife and combating climate change. As a young adult, I found this book both fascinating and actionable, offering scientific evidence and practical steps to make a positive impact right in my own backyard.

Tallamy's accessible approach breaks down complex concepts into understandable terms, making it easy for readers of all ages to grasp the importance of planting native species. The inclusion of real-world examples and black-and-white photographs further enhances comprehension and engagement.

What I appreciated most about this book is its emphasis on empowerment. Tallamy doesn't just present the problem; he provides tangible solutions and encourages readers, both kids and adults, to take direct action. Whether it's planting an oak tree or selecting native flowers to attract pollinators, the book offers achievable steps that anyone can follow.

As someone eager to make a difference, I am inspired to implement some of Tallamy's recommendations in my own yard this summer. "Nature's Best Hope" not only educates young readers about the importance of conservation but also instills a sense of agency, reminding us that we all have the power to become stewards of our environment. This book truly highlights the fact that kids are indeed nature's best hope for a brighter future.

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Conservation and biology concepts can be difficult for younger readers to grasp. In this book, Douglas Tallamy breaks it all down into manageable chunks so that readers can understand the science. He is a well-known advocate for leaving spaces for nature, and our own backyard is the main area we all have influence over. There are a lot of ways we can help. Leaving native vegetation, planting native species in our yards, planting trees, Not disturbing habitat (leaves) to save caterpillars, and so much more. We can all contribute. That's the main point of the book. Even young people have something to contribute toward the effort to fight climate change and extinction of species. We can all do something. Kids can share what they know and help adults understand the urgency to do something to save the species around us. It's great to see a young readers' version of this book. I have read the original and can't recommend it enough. Now, there's a young reader version too. I highly recommend this!

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I really enjoyed this book. I'm not usually much of a nonfiction reader, but I was interested the entire time while reading this. I studied environmental science and ecology in college, so it is one of my passions. I think this book did a great job of explaining the interconnectedness of species and how each impacts the environment in which it lives. It also presented a lot of actionable ideas that people could do to help nature out, even in the smallest of ways. It made me want to plant my own Homegrown National Park right away. I'm interested in reading the original version of this title. I would recommend this to elementary/middle grade readers (and anyone, really) that are interested in learning more about ecology, conservation, climate change, etc.

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First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley for gifting me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nature's Best Hope (Young Reader's Edition) is a book about preservation of nature around us, focusing on nature in our backyards. It explains in simple terms to children how the way we treat and manage our front lawns influences wildflowers, insects such as butterflies, birds and other animals. It provides ideas on how to lower our impact on nature and how to help out the wildlife.
I absolutely adored this book and every family should get a copy!
The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it's focused solely on American nature, which is perfectly reasonable, as the author is American and lives in America, and therefore the book is perfect for people living in America. For me, personally, living in Europe, it didn't give me much resources to improve my impact, but I still learned a lot and it definitely motivated me to find similar solutions mentioned in book, but tailored for my particular area, which is what I recommend for everyone to do! Great book!

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As students are coming more aware of the world around them, this book will give them a great start to caring about and helping the environment. Thank you for this young readers edition. It will be a great asset to my nonfiction book collection.

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A great piece of science communication to the younger audience! Professor Tallamy adapts his bestseller on natura conservation for the youngest audience, but also great to be consumed by everyone else!
The writing is clear, informative and easy to take in! It has great calls to action with clear how-to.
The illustrations are very nice, alongside with the many photos, which works to keep readers of all ages engaged and gives them first-hand knowledge of what to look for, regarding these issues of conservation.
Keep in mind that the book is geared to information of Northern-American native species and problems in ecosystems.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Timber Press for the eGalley to review!

An excellent edition of an already incredible nonfiction title. I feel like this is exactly what the newer generations need to help us restore our precious planet to the haven for life it once was by doing our part here in the United States (the region that is emphasized in the book). It is simple to understand and the most important points are repeated in quote text to really drive them home.

This would be a wonderful book to pair with any educational program that teaches kids about the importance of the environment. Its readability makes it accessible and a relatively fast read. Even if it isn't paired with a program, there are instructions embedded for kids to take their own initiative, making it an excellent book to have multiple copies of in a collection. If you're thinking of aiming it to teens, however, be aware that it repeatedly says "your grown-ups" and thus might be a bit patronizing (it is the "young reader's edition" after all). I would suggest the original in that case.

I've read many a children's book about conservation and environmentalism and this one is of the two best that I've read (the other being Braiding Sweetgrass). I truly and undoubtedly believe this is a crucial read for our children here in the U.S.

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Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this title.
Working in the children's department at my bookstore, I absolutely LOVE finding a really great nature book that is palatable for younger readers and this is definitely a really wonderful one! It covers a lot of different nature topics and it's all explained in a way that I think young readers will relate to and not be intimidated by. The photos throughout are great as well. I find that any non-fiction titles for kids, when they have nice photos within the story, it's much less "dry" for those kids that don't always enjoy a full book of text, it helps break it up and keeps them engaged. Even as an adult reading non-fiction, I personally feel more engaged when there are also corresponding photographs throughout. This book and others like it may inspire kids to appreciate every little bit of nature that surrounds them and that is always a great thing in my opinion!

5 Stars!

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I loved the original version of this book and equally loved the young people’s version. I plan to recommend it to my readers.

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I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This is an excellent book for those looking to make a difference in their own backyards. Will be great for curious kids who love nature.

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Nature’s best hope is a middle-grade non-fiction book.

This book teaches us how birds and insects help us grow food. Therefore, it is our responsibility to help them thrive. The central idea is homegrown national parks and how birds and bees can be benefited by making our lawns wild. The author provides a plan about how to create a national park in our backyard and how to encourage others to do the same. This book inspires readers to develop a homegrown National park. The question-and-answer session at the end of the book addresses various concerns about creating homegrown national parks. The pictures of the birds, caterpillars, and bees are fascinating, and it would have been better if the pictures were in color.

Nature’s best hope is a must-read book to get ideas about how to save our planet and all the little big guys that help humans sustain.

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I found myself mostly skimming through this book. Even though it is meant for young readers, I think it was kind of boring, to be honest. I think to get young people interested in saving the environment, the book needs to start off with something they can have stakes in immediately, instead of reading like a textbook. I did like that text was broken up every so often with quotes and photos, but I think it could have been even more frequent. Also, I'm not sure if the pictures will be printed in color when it is published, but I think that would be extremely helpful for young readers to get interested in this book.

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A wonderful book that will help get our next generation involved in helping the Earth! Children and parents reading this book will learn not only why we need to help our environment but also how they can start by taking steps in their own front yard. The author gives recommendations that are simple enough to not feel overwhelming but will still have a lasting impact. This book will inspire everyone who reads it.

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I am just simply in love with this book. I love nature and learning about environmental science but I must admit, it's not my main area of interest and I lack so many knowledge in the field. This book is going to set me straight on this long journey and I can't wait to learn more.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced reading copy.

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Very well done young reader's edition of Nature's Best Hope. It contains enough explanation, engaging and relatable stories at the same time. The photos and illustrations are very lovely and cute. I think this book will inspire kids to really look outside and appreciate what's out there. Even though it is a young reader's edition, it is definitely great and entertaining for adults as well. The only thing I missed is what you can do if you/your parents don't own a yard. Loads of kids grow up in flat or apartment buildings with only a small balcony. It would be nice to give some tips on a balcony solution as well, like a bird house or small plants.

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This was a great adaptation for young readers of Douglas W. Tallamy's book, Nature's Best Hope. His call to action is inspiring, especially when he relates it to the idea that we can create an environmentally friendly habitat right in our own yard. The photos and instructional ideas he includes are easy enough to implement. He also encourages children to consult with their grown ups on the best options. However he also challenges that status quo of having the perfectly manicured lawn as a means of keeping up with the Joneses. There are so many important insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, etc. and if we take some small steps in our own backyard, we can help an entire ecosystem.

His words were really inspiring and I will be recommending this book during my forest school program.

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Nonfiction. I have been wanting to read Douglas Tallamy for awhile as I keep seeing his name everywhere-- gardening magazines, conservation booklists, etc. When I saw the young reader's edition of one of his books I seized the opportunity. Tallamy shares all about ecosystems, biodiversity, and why exactly we should care if there are fewer caterpillars or insects. He stresses food chains and connectivity, how we all need plants and insects. Despite tackling such a huge issue, he treats it as an issue that can be solved. We can plant native plants in our yard. We can mow less, make a smaller lawn, or add a small water feature. I love that he gives actionable steps and shows how one yard can make a difference. He cites multiple people and studies counting species in an area, showing how one yard with native plants might have over 100 kinds of birds there. An inspiring book, and this was a quick read for me that would be very palatable for an interested young reader.

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I loved this book. In it, author Douglas Tallamy makes a compelling case for growing native plants and supporting nature in our own backyards (and front yards, and school yards, too). He explains how we got to where we are and explains how it isn’t sustainable. He outlines the history of conservation efforts and gives case studies of successful attempts to reintroduce nature. Tallamy leaves his readers feeling motivated and inspired to do their part. This would be a great book for a nature-loving teenager, parent, or teacher with access to a yard.

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I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. It has a lot of great information for budding environmentalists. This has been so helpful for my 8-year-old niece who is starting to ask question about how to help the environment.

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What a cute book! I think this book will be important for young children to read. I'll be sharing with my nephews as they get older so they can understand the importance of nature and how we can protect it.

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