- V is for Venus Flytrap: A Plant Alphabet written by Eugene Gagliano, Illustrated by Elizabeth Traynor
- Reading level: Ages 4-8
- Hardcover: 40 pages
- Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press (June 25, 2009)
- ISBN-13: 978-1585363506
Back-of-the-book blurb: From the carnivorous and deciduous to orchids and perennials, V is for Venus Flytrap explores the plant kingdom from A to Z. Why do your eyes tear when slicing onion bulbs? Why are whole grains important for your health? How many feet can bamboo grow in one day? V is for Venus Flytrap answers these questions and will pique your interest even more as each topic is introduced with engaging poetry and detailed expository text.
She is Too Fond of Books’ review: This book is a crowd-pleaser! From our youngest child (4) asking to have it read again and again (then sitting and looking thru the pictures alone several times); to younger daughter (7) who can read the simple poetry on her own, then ask me questions about the detailed text; to our older son (11) who thrives on collecting unusual facts, and will be sure to regale his friends with previously unknown facts about the plant world … a hit all around.
The format is unique: On each page, Author Eugene Gagliano introduces a concept represented by a letter of the alphabet. The concept/term is written in a larger and bolder font, and expressed in a 4-line poem with rhythmic cadence. “J” is a double-page spread; the poem reads:
J is for Jungle or rainforest
an important place you’ll see,
alive with green vegetation
and wild animals running free.
The sidebar for each letter contains several paragraphs of more detailed text which further explore the concept. For “J” we learn how jungles and rainforests are similar and where they can be found. The text defines temperate and tropical rainforests, discusses products that originate in each, and the fact that they are both endangered. Another vocabulary word, “biome” is explained by definition and examples.
Is it any wonder my older son kept returning to this book? It’s so much more than a picture alphabet primer!
The formatting of my blog may make these pictures a little clunky, but I hope the enlargements give you a good sense of what is offered, in terms of light reading for the younger ones, and more detailed text that older children and adults can explore and share with the little ones.
Aren’t the illustrations gorgeous? They’re so vividly rendered! We had a fun time finding all the animals hiding in the rainforest … did you catch the leopard peeking out from under the fern?
Here’s another smaller spread, this for the letter “W”:
Elizabeth Traynor, the illustrator of V is for Venus has labelled many of the flora and fauna in her watercolor illustrations. Here we recognized some familiar flowers: wild coneflower, pasture thistle, and oxeye daisy. From the Illustrator’s Acknowledgments we learned that friends and family serve as models for the people in the book.
V is for Venus is a lovely addition to a child’s at-home library; children and adults alike will enjoy it for many years.
What a beautiful book!
It’s wonderful when you can find a book that different ages can enjoy. That one is just gorgeous!
Those are gorgeous pictures! No wonder the kids want to keep looking at it. I would too!
I want this! It looks like it has such beautiful pictures! Thanks for putting them in the review!
Thanks for sharing this book review, the book looks really beautiful
I absolutely must get this book. My son (23) recently got obsessed with having a little fly trap. We bought it at the grocery store. We didn’t have success with it. But hope to try again. GREAT book..very nice review.
Kelly – it is! I’m very impressed with the (textual) content and the detailed illustrations.
Kathy – my older son is so funny, with memorizing those odd facts .. hey, you never know when they may help him someday.
Sandy – I love that Traynor labeled so many of the flora and fauna.
rhapsody – Even though they take up a lot of space on the blog page, I wanted readers to see the detail; glad you like it!
Toni – Oh, do get a copy for him … you’ll both enjoy it!
Thank you SO much for the positive review of my book (well, Eugene’s too!)!
It took me a year and a half to research and paint the 26 illustrations, with artist Sean Thomas painting with me for more than half of that. I could have sacrificed some of the detail, but it just wasn’t in me to do that. Sean helped me loosen up a bit and was great at starting underpaintings. We had fun experimenting with textures, especially using pressed dried flowers and leaves for interesting paint variations. Sean liked to leave all the detail work to me though — he called it “polishing”.
The little girl blowing the dandelion in W is Sean’s sweetie daughter, Sophia.
I love painting nature, so when Sleeping Bear Press asked me if I wanted to illustrate this particular book, I said yes immediately.
I’ve started a tradition in my nature paintings of hiding animals here and there. The natural camouflage of many creatures is fun to play with, and I’m very happy to read that children are picking up on it. I know how much they love looking for hidden things, so it adds another dimension of pleasure to my work.
My Sammie-the-Vegetarian-Chihuahua is in there too… he’s a long-haired chihuahua, kind of blending into one of the pictures. He is happy to model for me anytime. My cat Junebug is more shy and tends to turn her back to me if a camera comes near her!
I illustrated another book for Sleeping Bear Press, “F is for First State: A Delaware Alphabet” back in 2005. I started the Creature-In-Every-Painting there, but after publication realized I had forgotten them on a few pages. So the challenge with that book is to find the illustrations WITHOUT a living creature. Hint: There’s a smooth stone wall that SHOULD have had a cat sunning itself on it… Oops!
Again, thank you all for such nice comments about the book. Spread the word!
~ Elizabeth Traynor
It’s great when you can find a book that appeals to kids at different ages/stages like that. Sounds like a winner!
A great recommendation for a new book is when two of your children like it. I’m always on the look-out for new books for my granddaughters so thanks for the review of this one. Great comment from the author too.
What a beautiful book! If I had small children, I would certainly nok be able to resist that one!
Hey Dorte… it’s for kids of all ages! You’d be surprised what you can learn from it. I sure picked up a lot of new information about plants.
This looks beautiful! I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. It reminds me a little of Jerry Pallotta’s alphabet books — each one has a different focus like skulls, bugs, birds, etc. but it has lovely illustrations (differs depending on the book) and wonderful text that makes you think. My son just loves them.
What a great book, I love the vivid pictures! Thanks for letting us know how it appeals to kids from ages 4 – 11, great description A.D.
This looks like a beautiful book! I would love to get my hands on a copy of this to give to a friend who has 2 young boys. I am glad that you and the kids liked it and thought it was a great read! Awesome illustrations as well.
Elizabeth – thanks so much for your comments; would you be interested in working on an interview together?
Marie – I’ll be buying this one for gifts – a great thing to bring along when visiting a friend’s beach house this summer
Dorte – As I read V IS FOR VENUS I was thinking that I know several “grown ups” who would enjoy it. It would make a nice coffee table book.
Jenners – the pics are beautiful but not juvenile (the text and illustrations don’t talk down to kids)
Nicole – everyone is home for the summer – we have to find “something for everyone”
zibilee – highly recommended; I hope you can get it for your friend and her children.
Hi Dawn,
Sure, I’d be happy to work on an interview with you. I’ve done them for other book blogs; it’s fun.
You can contact me directly by email and we’ll take it from there.
Thanks again for posting my book. The great feedback is very welcome!
My sister rocks at illustration. Better than “Highlights” “Hidden Pictures” Cheap me, I found the book at Borders.com (at list price), but was hoping for a free shipping deal. In any case, I am buying the book (x2) for my grandkids (I have three, but one is too young to speak or walk or control poop/pee requirements, let alone appreciate AWESOME pictures). Did i say my sister rocks at making pretty pictures? She does!
PiT
I’d like to thank everyone for their kind and wonderful comments about our book. Elizabeth Traynor did a marvelous job of illustrating the book and making my text come to life! She is truly gifted.
I enjoyed the research for the book because gardening is my passion. I have an A.A.S. degree in Ornamental Horticulture. I taught elementary education for 34 years, and I was always looking for interesting books about plants for the children. My hope is that this book will educate and interest everyone in gardening, and invite them to appreciate the wonders of nature.
Your support is greatly appreciated.
The pictures look great; thanks for another fine review.
Great illustration and new book to give to my son. I will have this one for my kid.
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