Welcome to the first of several book reviews I’ve got slated just in time for the holidays. We’re kicking it off today with a beautifully illustrated book that’s perfect for the young animal lover in your life.
I’m the Scariest Thing in the Jungle! (retails for $15.95) is a 36-page color illustrated book geared toward preschoolers and beginning readers (ages 3 to 8). It tells the tale of a head-to-head battle of wits between a young tiger (king of the land) and a young croc (ruler of the water) for the title of the “scariest thing in the jungle.”
I’m thrilled to be able to introduce you personally to the book’s author and illustrator, David Derrick, Jr. His storytelling and art can be found in children’s books such as Animals Don’t So I Won’t or Sid the Squid And The Search For The Perfect Job, and also on the big screen in animated movies such as How to Train Your Dragon and Rise of the Guardians. He’s inspired by nature and shares his enthusiasm with kids through his art and stories.
How do you feel nature and art are connected?
The misconception is that art is just for making pretty paintings, but art is about observation and problem solving. We live in a visual world. You can only draw what you know. The great misconception is that science and art are disconnected. If you want to draw an elephant you need to know their anatomy, you need to know about their behavior and how their environment shapes their lives. I drag my children through beaches, forests and grasslands to learn about animals through observation and art.
Tell us about your latest book, I’m the Scariest Thing in the Jungle!
In my newest book, I’m the Scariest Thing in the Jungle!, I pit two alpha predators against each other. Both the tiger cub and the young crocodile brag and boast that each is the scariest and set out to prove it by vanishing in the grass, stalking in the water and climbing trees. In the end they actually find something even scarier than either of them.
How do you like to spend time in nature with your kids?
With a sketchbook in hand, I love to take my kids to wild places. Together we watch and observe wildlife. I have found this is the best way to learn about the animal or ecosystem. We call it Wild Art!
We recently finished two videos that document our artistic and animal education. In Cambria, Ca., within view of the famous Hearst Castle, elephant seals congregate every year to breed and mate. It is a spectacular and safe way to watch the world’s largest pinniped. We watched, we sketched and I even decided to animate the experience to help teach others about elephant seals.
But not every excursion needs to be wild and exotic. Nature is all around us; it’s even in our own backyards. During the summertime, we love to catch and document the insects that call our backyards home. Our undisputed favorite is the jumping spider.
What advice do you have for kids who think they aren’t good at art?
Every child is an artist. Don’t worry if you aren’t an artist yourself. Picasso famously said he had tried his whole life to draw like a child. There is an honesty in a child’s artwork that inspires me as much as the natural world around us. Art and science don’t need to be separate – they can work together to help us and our children appreciate the wonders of the natural world.
To see more about what David is up to, head over to his website.
Note: I received a free copy of I’m the Scariest Thing in the Jungle! in exchange for providing my honest review with you. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.
