Border Crossings

I really appreciated this book and the way it explains the harmfulness of the border- not only on humans but the environment and animals as well.

This book tells an important story of animals who live near the US-Mexico border and who are not able to migrate, mate or find resources because of the wall. The story discusses what happened when people came and created this made-up line without consideration for animals like ocelots, pronghorns and warblers who needs to be able to roam this area and have no idea why a wall now exists where their species has lived and survived for centuries. While it is written like a picture book and narrative it also teaches important lessons. The book ends with a page discussing the problems with the border wall and how it has affected the animals, giving an opportunity or invitation for further learning. The text is generally white or black on dark or light coloured background, making it fairly easy to read. The illustrations surround the text and a very beautiful and intriguing. I think this is a really great book and can see many opportunities to use it in science or social studies classrooms. As a grade 3 teacher, I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the 6-12 age range. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

A perspective of the wall I never thought of. It is disgusting enough it's been built, but the fact that it's stopping nature from doing what it's been doing before us is deplorable.
Wonderful book that explains why we need to leave nature alone.

This is an excellent book to introduce young readers to the concepts of ecology and wildlife biology. Animals need to be able to freely travel in their home ranges, and walls prevent that from happening. For wide-ranging species, this can be devastating to their ability to find mates and perpetuate their species. The book follows several animals, Some are blocked by the wall. Others find a way around it. All are affected negatively by it.

The illustrations show the animals in their natural habitat. The ocelot is my favorite. Very few ocelots make it into the US anymore. Habitat loss is one reason, and the wall doesn't help with that either. Then, there are the smaller animals who can't cross the barren ground surrounding the wall on both sides. The book's illustrations show this so that the reader can understand the obstacles these animals face.

I think it's important to teach children ecological concepts at any age. They are able to understand, especially when those concepts are explained as well as they are in this book. The last chapter provides a more in-depth look at the issue, for adults to help their kids understand, or for kids old enough to read it themselves.

The text is easy to read and the story is short enough to keep the attention of very young readers. Attractive illustrations make it a nice book to hold in the hand (or on a tablet for digital versions).

There have been several books lately about the border and the impact of government policies on people living on both sides. Sneed Collard's new book points out how the manmade barriers going up along that line on a map are affecting the wildlife that calls the border home. He describes the journeys of ocelots and other animals seeking mates and new territory, the way that the fences and walls block access to "food or water they need" or to "spring and summer breeding grounds." Even winged animals that fly low to the ground can be turned back from where their instincts take them.

Illustrations capture the elaborate markings of the ocelot's pelt, the various habitats such as chaparral, desert, mountains, or canyons. A black gouge across some scenes makes the break in the ecosystems obvious. A particularly poignant image shows the bars of the metal barrier in red and the top rail in blue with stars on it, an American flag draped across the landscape. Javelinas, pronghorns, owls, and cactus fill the pages with vibrant life.

The author's note goes into more detail about the over seven hundred species that live in the border area and the negative impact of human activity on their survival. Information about groups working to protect the ecosystem in those areas such as the Center for Biological Diversity and Defenders of Wildlife is provided. There is also a glossary and a list for further reading.

This would be a good book to pair with Cougar Crossing: How Hollywood's Celebrity Cougar Helped Build a Bridge for City Wildlife to support classroom discussion about human impact on the environment and its effects on survival of animals in various areas.

Engaging. Informative. Important. My students came to care deeply about ocelots and all animals affected by human decisions such as building a wall to block off two countries. The illustrations are thoughtful and beautiful. The writing is equally compelling, despite the author being a scientist first. This is one of those sliding door, must read books that will have readers wanting to take action. My students also appreciated the glossary at the back for some of the bigger words in the text. Accessible as a read aloud to younger readers, but engaging and geared for a middle grade audience.

This is a well-written and intriguingly illustrated look at the impact of a border wall on animals such as ocelots, owls, and other birds. Not only do the words capture the seriousness of the problem, but the author also suggests how readers can get involved in helping to remedy the situation. Illustrations also show the impact on animals. This is an excellent title for science and social studies classes and for individual reading.

A male ocelot at the U.S. southern border is in search of a female mate but is stopped by the recently built border wall. The narrative is almost like a story, but is factual, describing other animals whose habitats are bisected by the wall. The text is clear on the negative ecological impact the wall has on the animal population as well as plants that have been cleared to build it. This will be a great classroom read-aloud as well as a starting point for a discussion of how the border wall has impacted the environment. The full color digitally rendered illustrations resemble gouache artwork, realistically depicting the animals and landscape. An author’s note, list of further reading, and glossary conclude the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Charlesbridge for the ARC of this!

Lovely and emotional this helped explain to my kid why border walls prevent animals from finding their way to food, mates, or home. We really liked the illustrations, there wasn’t too much text, and it was easy to understand.

This book is absolutely amazing. It showcases the effects of the border wall on the environment and the creatures that live within this area. We all know the wall has been the topic of much political debate but beyond that, the effects it plays on the animals and plants need to be well known. This book does a fantastic job of showing this in a way children can understand. The illustrations are colorful and well-depicted, this book is truly a must-have for any classroom.

We all know border walls impact people, but what about wildlife? This moving book explores the impact of the US-Mexico border wall on vulnerable species while following the journey of two ocelots in search of a mate. The story is powerfully written and serves as a call to action. This is a perfect book for teaching about human impacts on environments, fragile ecosystems, and animal migration.

Thank you NetGalley and Charlesbridge for accepting my request to read and review Border Crossings.

Author: Sneed B. Collard III
Published: 0I/24/23
Genre: Children's Nonfiction | Outdoors & Nature

A nice introduction to the border between the United States and Mexico, and the loss of effectiveness in migrating and mating of animals. The illustrations are simple but effective. The power is in the storytelling which is not graphic.

This is more a parental read with than a babysitter read. There are a lot of questions that could arise.

I thought this was well done.

A child's look at the impact artificial barriers have on native wildlife, and, in particular, how it breaks up population pockets and further harms endangered species. Our focus for most of the book is a young make ocelot, who is unable to cross out of it's childhood territory to find a mate. It's a pretty heartbreaking scene, but there is some resolution as the story ends. In the meantime, we see other animals across the border fence, and how they either circumvent the barrier or find themselves stuck on one side or another.

The artist puts a lot of detail into the animals and scenery, making it all feel healthy and full of life, even in the Sonoran desert. This is in contrast to the border fence, which is a solid block of texture, with unnaturally straight lines, cutting the view into tiny slivers.

The book ends on a happy note, which strikes a middle ground by highlighting the need for gaps in the border, to allow animals some ability to cross. Further notes in the book list groups which are finding solutions to minimize wildlife impact, as well as suggesting that readers contact the Congress, Senate, and President, to speak out for animals.

This is an amazing and much needed book! I highly recommend this for teachers and parents to educate children on the impacts humans have on the environment and declining habitats, in particular the habitat that is being destroyed and divided by the border wall that separates the United States and Mexico. This book also includes a very well written authors note that emphasizes the need for habitat protection along the border. The author also includes other reading material to further educate the issue of habitat endangerment.
I will be purchasing this title for my classroom library!