A Walk in the Rainforest
Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini
At the remarkable age of 14, Kristin Joy Pratt wrote and illustrated this charming introduction to the world of the tropical rainforest. She uses an alphabet format and an alliterative style, and gives information on each rainforest being visited.
A Walk in the Rainforest provides a colorful, stimulating way of learning about the exotic animals and plants of the rainforest. Presented in an alphabet style format, each page consists of an illustration of a different rainforest species, together with a paragraph of intriguing facts about the lifestyle and habitat of the plant or animal. Kristin wrote and illustrated her first book, A Walk in the Rainforest, at age 15, A Swim Through the Sea, at age 17, and A Fly in the Sky at age 19. She enjoys bringing her message of environmental concern to schools and conferences.
RF-P Paper $7.95 ISBN 1-878265-53-9
RF-H Cloth $16.95 ISBN 1-878265-99-7
Ages 8 to 12 32 pages Fully illustrationed 9" x 12"
From Parent's Magazine:
A Walk in the Rainforest is an alphabet book written and stunningly illustrated by a 15 year old Kristin Joy Pratt. From ``amazing anteaters" to ``kingly Kapok trees" to ``vibrant Vanilla Orchids," XYZ the ant meets many exotic and endangered plants and animals. Young children will be entranced by the spectacular drawings, and for older children and adults, Pratt includes fascinating facts about the lifestyle and habitat of each species illustrated.
From The Parent Newsmagazine:
A Walk in the Rainforest is an exceptional book on several counts, not the least of which is that the author and illustrator, Kristin Joy Pratt, was only 14 when she completed most of the work on it. The book doesn't read like it was written by a child. The wording is simple and readable, yet sophisticated. Pratt's illustrations are colorful and competent, yet they maintain the primitive charm of children's art.
From The Reading Teacher:
Taking A Walk in the Rainforest with 15-year-old St. Louis native Kristin Joy Pratt is a fun and informative trek. Her colored pencil and marker drawings animate the flora and fauna representing each letter of the alphabet. Alliterative phrases combined with interesting information accompany each illustration. This book was a big hit with children of all ages. In response, Atiyah (age 12) wrote, ``It's inspiring to see a 15 year old publish a book like this. It gives me the confidence to try it myself."
From School Library Journal:
Written and illustrated by a high school student, this environmental ABC presents ecological information for young audiences. Each letter features an animal or plant found in the rain forest with an explanatory paragraph. Interposing her factual material with warnings about endangered species, deforestation, and the harm coming to native peoples, Pratt presents her viewpoint without didacticism. The full-color illustrations done in watercolors, felt markers, and colored pencil show talent and concern.
From the American Assn. For the Advancement of Science:
. . . The paintings are brightly colored and very endearing, and the text describes each creature and its interdependence on the rest of the rainforest'' inhabitants. This lovely book is made even more wonderful by the fact that the author and artist is only 15 years old! . . . This is a wonderful book that asks us to respect and appreciate all of the life on this planet. (Highly recommended)
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Kristin Pratt already has accomplished what she wants to do when she grows up. At age 15, she has written, illustrated and published her first children's book, ``A Walk in the Rainforest."
It is an alphabet book rich in green, purple and red with illustrations and one-paragraph explanations of the animals and plants of the endangered rain forest. For example, the letter A represents the anteater; B, the bromelaid; and C, the cock-of-the-rock.
The book began in an honors English class, in which Kristin was required to spend 10 hours on a project of her choice.
``It had to do with English, so I tried to squeeze in my art somehow," she said. ``The idea of a children's book came in; I could do the writing plus the pictures. I chose to write about the rain forest because I had seen pictures of the frogs and sloths, ad they always had lots of colors, so I was geared toward that."
Kristin spent 130 hours on her project. Her teacher at The Principia in St. Louis, MO, where Kristin was a sophomore, encouraged her to try to publish it. The first publisher they approached with the manuscript and artwork, Dawn Publications in Nevada City, Calif., accepted it.
One full year was needed before the book was published because of additional writing, changes in the artwork and contract negotiations.
``I had to spend long hours on the book and skip a couple of social dances," Kristin said. ``But I turned it around and looked at it as an opportunity. It is something I love so much to do that I didn't let it get in my way."
Kristin said a quote from Vincent Van Gogh exemplifies what her artwork and writing are about: ``Everything that is really good and beautiful of inward moral, spiritual and sublime beauty in human beings and in their works comes from God."
``I feel that God has played a big part of my life that's where the ideas came from," she said. ``Actually, I don't hold any responsibility for any of this because I don't think it came from me."
Kristin would like to make a career of writing children's books, and is already thinking ahead to her next one, which will be about the ocean and tropical reefs.
``I feel really glad that I can make a difference at such a young age because that's one of the things I've wanted to do since I was really little," Kristin said. ``People would ask me, `What do you want to do when you grow up? And I'd say, `I want to do something that everybody will remember.'"
