I truly loved this book. If you love nature, this is such a beautiful find. I can see why B&N named it their 2020 Book of the Year (and received about 20 other accolades). 

The author is a poet, which you can tell in her prose. Each chapter usually features a rare and unique animal (different types of birds, bugs, sea animals, etc). She gives interesting information about it, and then weaves in stories of her own childhood, adolescence and raising her own children. It’s truly beautiful how she sees the world and appreciates nature.

The book is also lovingly illustrated by Fumi Mini Nakamura. I have been captivated by her drawings and although I don’t know many of the animals, they seem accurately drawn with care.

“[The firefly] luminescence could very well be the spark that reminds us to make a most necessary turn—a shift and a swing and a switch-toward cherishing this magnificent and wondrous planet.” P160