Tom Leonard – illustratör

Using cumulative verse, this colorful picture book introduces children to the lions, zebras, elephants, impala, hippos, trees and grasslands that make up the East African ecosystem, while giving young readers an understanding of the interdependency of life.Exotic environments like the African savanna have long held a fascination for young readers. Through singsong verse, kids learn how all living things in this important ecological community rely on one another for their existence, and that when one of these animals or plants is killed off or goes extinct, the web of life is broken. Luminous paintings by Tom Leonard capture the untamed beauty of this timeless, endangered environment. This book is a must have for any young naturalist (ages 3-8) hoping to learn about how all life is connected in the natural world.Other Books in the Series: HERE IS ANTARCTICA, HERE IS THE ARCTIC WINTER, HERE IS THE CORAL REEF, HERE IS THE SOUTHWESTERN DESERT, HERE IS THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST, and HERE IS THE WETLAND. Free downloadable activities can be found on the publisher's website.

Set in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, this lyrical rhyming tale introduces young readers to some of the coral reef's most striking residents. From the sleek shark to the colorful parrotfish to the deceptively beautiful sea anemone, each creature in this abundant undersea world relies on another for its existence. Beginning with coral, the very element that defines this ecosystem, Madeleine Dunphy uses a cumulative approach, combining simple yet forceful verse with repetition to reveal the fragile chain that links each of the plants and animals in this unique environment. Tom Leonard's vibrant paintings capture this miraculous circle of life.

Penguins, whales, seals, fish, and many other animals are all part of the food web of Antarctica. Environmentalist author Madeleine Dunphy uses a cumulative approach, combining lyrical verse with repetition, to reveal the interdependency of life in Antarctica. Tom Leonard's vibrant paintings, from the flash of orange on a penguin's beak to iridesent icebergs jutting from the sea, beautifully capture a wondrous miracle--the circle of life. HERE IS ANTARCTICA will fascinate and inspire children as they explore this endangered environment page by page.