The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

Book Description

At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.

The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.

After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.

Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide. The River of Doubt brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.
From the soaring beauty of the Amazon rain forest to the darkest night of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, here is Candice Millard’s dazzling debut.

Customer Reviews:

river of doubt.......2007-10-06

This book was great, if you like adventure, exploration, or teddy roosevelt this is the book for you.
not boaring at all this book is awsome

A Gripping Tale of Men of Character.......2007-09-21

Oh, for a President who had even one tenth of the character and integrity of the Teddy Roosevelt portrayed in this book. This is a real-life version of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but the central figure never loses his sense of dedication and honor. Although there is plenty of suspense, even horror, in the story, I found it to be ultimately quite inspiring.

Awesome.......2007-09-20

This book went into so much detail about TR's expedition in Brazil that is hardly mentioned in other books on his life. And what a story it is! I heartily recommend it to anyone.

They Don't Make Presidents Like this Anymore..........2007-09-20

And that's not a statement of partisan politics, but it does say a lot about leadership. Volumes have been written about Theodore Roosevelt, the soldier, the statesman, the adventurer, and the president, but if there is a single book that captures the vitality, the determination, and the indomitable spirit of this great American, it is "The River of Doubt." Former National Geographic writer and editor Candice Miller pulls no punches and leaves no stone unturned in spinning this vibrant and suspense-packed tale of risk and discovery cutting through the heart of the Amazonian jungle on an uncharted Brazilian river. Miller brings the Amazon to life in all its bloody glory, an unfathomably dangerous place where even the frogs are deadly, where schools of piranhas can turn an ox - or a man - to a skeleton in minutes, a place where, despite caymans and poison dart-wielding natives, it is the insects - insects of all types and descriptions - that pose the greatest risk.

This is an epic journey facing not only the challenges of a wild river cascading over rapids and waterfalls through an impenetrable jungle, but also treachery and even murder. Roosevelt and expedition co-lead Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, an officer of the Brazilian military and renowned Amazon explorer, find themselves surprisingly ill-equipped for their voyage through one of the planets most inhospitable regions, and ironically are soon near starvation in a green hell that while teaming with life, food is stubbornly unattainable. Meanwhile, it is a poignant tale of the bond between father and son, as Roosevelt and second son Kermit alternately sacrifice and suffer for each other while proudly denying emotion. This is one of those stories that, after weeks of terror, when Roosevelt and the tattered remains of his party emerge feverish from malaria and near starvation, you'll ask, "why haven't I heard about this before now."

Were this fiction, it would strain the bounds of credibility. But that this is the story of a former President of the United States is truly staggering. A remarkable achievement, "The River of Doubt" is a must read, illuminating a fascinating slice of world history in the twilight of the age of exploration while providing an intimate peak into the unparalleled character of Theodore Roosevelt. Bully!

Real-life adventure.......2007-09-20

River of Doubt is a cominbation of very interesting history and great adventure. This is the first book I have read about TR and as a result I plan to read more. Candice Millard does an outstanding job of presenting a grand adventure, while at the same time, letting you into the personal and interesting lives of the explorers. Ms. Millard has renewed my interest in historical books.

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Best Rainforest Photographs Anywhere!
Bugs & Stuff
Now you can have the world's rain forests and their sounds at your fingertips!!!
Save them!
Amazing!

Rainforest
Ben Morgan
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Rain Forests | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0756619408

Amazon.com

Over the past 16 years Swiss photographer Thomas Marent has traveled all over the world photographing rainforests, from Peru and Ecuador to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Usually traveling alone, Marent has been known to spend extraordinary lengths of time to get the perfect shot--sometimes 12 days. You can see the results in his first book, Rainforest. The book is his testament--an intimate collection of more than 500 breathtaking animal and plant portraits, and the fascinating stories behind them.

Questions for Thomas Marent

Amazon.com: What inspired you to start taking pictures?

Marent: I used to be a birdwatcher in Switzerland--and soon I was also interested in amphibians, insects, and plants. After a while I thought it would be nice to have pictures of all these beautiful animals.

Amazon.com: Waiting for the perfect shot takes patience and time. How do you decide what images are worth waiting for?

Marent: I mostly focus on the colorful and spectacularly shaped creatures. Sometimes it is a matter of luck to find them, but sometimes I have to know where and when to look for them.

Amazon.com: What photo in Rainforest is your favorite?

Marent: I don't have one favorite--there are many favorites! I especially like the photos of frogs, butterflies, fungi, birds and weird insects.

Amazon.com: What would people find most surprising about the world's rainforests?

Marent: When people think of the rainforest, it's the monkeys, birds, and wild cats that first come to mind. But there are so many small and beautiful creatures. We need to see and appreciate them too--they're just a little harder to find! Many of these smaller creatures have never been seen by most people.

Amazon.com: Do you consider yourself a rainforest activist?

Marent: With the book I want to show to the people the endless beauty of the rainforests. I do hope that it might open the eyes of some people, so that they'll agree that it's worth protecting this fantastic environment.

Amazon.com: Some of the photos in the book, especially some of the insect photos, are really strange and otherworldly. What's your favorite exotic rainforest animal?

Marent: Some of my favorites always were frogs and butterflies, but birds and monkeys as well. And of course the weird-looking insects.

Amazon.com: What's your favorite rainforest?

Marent: In Asia it is Borneo. In Africa it is Madagascar. In Latin America it is Costa Rica and Peru/Colombia. But I also like the Australian and New Zealand rainforests.

Amazon.com: Do you have any advice for amateur nature photographers?

Marent: A tripod is an absolutely must. Try to move to the animals slowly and quietly--it takes some patience. Whenever possible try taking your pictures at the animal's eye level. And it's always important to think about the background when you compose the picture.

Book Description

Thomas Marent, a self-taught photographer who has dedicated half his life to capturing images of rainforest life, tells the story of his journey through these spectacular photographs. Join him as he travels across five continents for an up-close view of the astonishing variety and fascinating behavior of rainforest plants and trees, reptiles, birds, amphibians, insects, and mammals.

Customer Reviews:

Best Rainforest Photographs Anywhere!.......2007-09-15

Without doubt, the best set of rainforest photographs I have ever seen. I live in the tropics (North Queensland, Australia) and am very interested in quality depiction of the subject of rainforest flora and fauna. This book sets a new standard of excellence, especially regarding insect life. This is an important part of the world's record of rainforests, and probably could never be duplicated due to global warming.

Bugs & Stuff.......2007-09-10

If you like big, gorgeous pictures of colorful bugs and frogs, then this is the book for you. You also get some pictures of monkeys and a few flowers and mushrooms too.

Now you can have the world's rain forests and their sounds at your fingertips!!!.......2007-09-04

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This breathtaking book takes the reader on an awe-inspiring five continent tour of rain forest tree and plants, reptiles, birds, amphibians, insect, and mammals.

The book itself can be divided into three components:

(1) Photographs (with informative captions)
(2) Text
(3) CD

The photographs are spectacular and jaw dropping! For over sixteen years, nature photographer Thomas Marent has traveled around the world to achieve the difficult task of recording the diverse, complex, unexplored, and endangered ecosystems of rain forests. In other words, these spectacular color photos capture close-up images of some of the most rarely visited places on Earth.

The photographs are divided into five sections: (1) panorama (2) diversity (3) survival (has three sub-divisions entitled predator, arms and armor, deception) (4) cycles (has three sub-divisions entitled flowers to fruit, lifelines, recyclers) and (5) society.

The number of captioned photos for each section is as follows (these totals are rounded off):

Panorama: 40; Diversity: 20; Survival 170; Cycles: 105; Society: 45. There are also about 10 captioned photos that appear before the table of contents. (TOTAL captioned photos in entire book: 400.)

There is a well-written text that accompanies many photographs giving the reader facts and figures about the rain forests and their diverse plant, insect, and insect inhabitants. (The last chapter of this book entitled "Rainforests of the world" is especially well done.) As well, there are fascinating brief stories and descriptions (in quotation marks) that were said by photographer Marent that accompany some of the photos.

You might be tempted to just look at the photographs with their captions and skip the text. However, you would be cheating yourself. I feel that the comprehensive text should be read to fill in the gaps about rain forests that the photographs do not and cannot provide.

The third component of this mesmerizing book is the 80 minute, 23 track audio CD entitled "Sounds of the Rainforest" inserted into an envelope attached to the inside back cover. Recorded on it are sounds that are unique to the rain forests around the world. On the insertion envelope itself, we're told what the main sound is on eleven of these tracks. More than a quarter of this CD is devoted to the sounds of the Amazon Rain Forest (the world's largest rain forest). (Note that many of the titles on the CD itself (but not on its insertion envelope) are in a foreign language. My favorite tracks are 14 to 16, 20 to 23.)

This CD definitely does "enhance the unique experience of this book."

I should tell the potential buyer of this book that "2% of the royalties from this book are paid to The Rainforest Foundation," a foundation devoted to the long-term protection of rain forests. The singer Sting is a founding patron of this foundation.

Finally, I had some problems with this book. Note that these in no way affect the book's readability but are more "irritations:"

(1) Who wrote the text for this book? From the book's front cover (displayed above by Amazon) it's Thomas Marent. Right? Wrong!! He's responsible for the photographs (and some of his verbal statements are included with the text). On the title page (located on page 2) of this book we have "Thomas Marent with Ben Morgan." If you go to the copyright page there is in small print "Text copyright 2006 Dorling Kindersley [abbreviated DK] Limited." We're also told all images are copyright to Marent.

Thus Ben Morgan, a writer for DK (I think??), is the author of this book. Why is his name not also displayed on the book's cover?

(2) Where did Morgan get all the facts and figures for his text? There is no reference section that tells us.

(3) I almost missed the fact that there's a CD with this book! I just happened to read the back cover and there is a little blurb that tells the reader that there's a CD (but not where it's located). We're only told what the main sounds are on 11 of its 23 tracks. Why? And why are we not told that there's a CD at the front of the book?

In conclusion, this is a unique and stunningly beautiful book about rain forests around the world. I leave you with a list of facts found in a "fact box" entitled "Wealth of the Rainforests" that itself is found in the last chapter of this remarkable book:

(i) One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon River basin.

(ii) Almost all the medicine we use every day come from plants endemic to the rainforest.

(iii) A single pond in Brazil [that holds over half of the Amazon Rain Forest and holds about one-third of the world's remaining tropical rain forests] can sustain a greater variety of fish than is found in all of Europe's rivers.

(iv) If present rates of destruction [of rain forests] continue, there will be no rainforests remaining by 2060.

(copyright 2006; forward; a photographer's passion; 6 chapters; main narrative 360 pages; photographing the rainforest; index; acknowledgements; "sounds of the rainforest" CD)

< >

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Save them!.......2007-08-27

Save the rainforests, in the meantime you will love this book it has the most amazing, beautiful photos in it I highly recommend it! Not just a coffee table book either, this really opens up the true, hidden beauty of the rainforests!

Amazing!.......2007-08-01

The photos are just astonishing. I highly recommend this book. It captures nature's beauty and color and showcases an array of rare animals that you will probably never see yourself.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

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Get Kids Interested in the Rain Forest
Great Book about Animals In the Rainforest
The true story of the rianforest
Treasures of Nature
great for teaching a unit on the rainforest

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
Lynne Cherry
Manufacturer: Voyager Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152026142

Amazon.com

If a tree falls in the forest... someone or something will always be there to hear it. Many, many creatures will feel the effects when their source of sustenance and shelter falls to the earth. So when a man is sent into the Amazon rain forest one day, under instructions to chop down a great kapok tree, many eyes watch him nervously. It's not long before he grows tired, though, and the "heat and hum" of the rain forest lulls him to sleep. One by one, snakes, bees, monkeys, birds, frogs, and even a jaguar emerge from the jungle canopy to plead with the sleeping ax-man to spare their home. When the man awakens, startled at all the rare and marvelous animals surrounding him, he picks up his ax as if to begin chopping again, then drops it and walks away, presumably never to return.

Unfortunately, there's always someone else who is willing to take his place, but the message of this environmental book is plain: Save the rain forest! The story itself is not overly compelling, but each personalized entreaty from the animals provides an accurate and persuasive scientific argument for preserving nature's gifts. Lynne Cherry's fertile watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations, including a map of the tropical rain forests of the world, are vivid and colorful. A fine starting point for a discussion about conservation. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

This inspired look at what the Kapok tree means to the creatures that live in it--and what rain forests mean to the world's ecology--was at the forefront of the ecological movement ten years ago and continues to resonate profoundly with children everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Get Kids Interested in the Rain Forest.......2007-07-29

I used this book as an introduction to the Rain Forest for my 3rd graders and it got them interested in learning more. It is a great book as a lesson plan or in a classroom library. Kids seemed to read and reread this book more than any other.

Great Book about Animals In the Rainforest.......2006-11-10

Both my 4 year old boy and my 7 year old girl like this book and so do I. It's a great way to introduce them to many of the different types of animals you could find in a rainforest. Great pictures!

The true story of the rianforest.......2006-04-12

This book is truly inspiring for anyone that does not believe in saving the rainforests. The Great Kapok Tree really tells you from all the animals point of view on how the rianforest is their home. This timeless children's book is not just for little children it is for all to learn a lesson from what could become of the future or what people are destroying. In this book there is one man who is told to chop down this very big and old Kapok tree. He starts to wack and chop. After a little bit the man is worn out so he desides to just sit and rest for a little bit, but the sounds of the rainforest lulls him to sleep. One by one animals that depend on trees or have homes there come down and talk to the man whispering and telling of how the rainforest will soon destroy all life on earth because of the oxygen that the trees give us. When the man wakes up he now has a choice, he cqn listen to what the animals said or what the other bigger man told him to do... To find out read The Great Kapok Tree by: Lynne Cherry.

Treasures of Nature.......2006-02-27

For centuries, man has abused nature and thoughtlessly destroyed forests without realizing the harm this causes. Only recently has the importance of trees become apparent, brought to light by those who value the life that trees provide. Lynne Cherry is one of these people; her gorgeously illustrated book teaches the importance of trees and the abundance that they give to nature and its creatures.

In this book, a man is hired to chop down a Kapok tree, one of the largest and most important in the entire forest. After just a few chops, the heat of the forest and the exertion of his efforts tire him out and he lies down to sleep. One by one, the different creatures of the forest creep over to him and whisper in his ear the importance of the tree, asking him to spare it and leave it to those who need it. By the time he wakes, his decision and his view of the forest are altered forever. This book is beautifully put together, both with illustrations and a story that's simply but powerfully written.

I've loved trees all my life and this lovely story teaches children the importance of taking care of nature and animals. I really can't believe one person's snooty comment that nature preservation is "not the job of children". First of all, children will not be children forever; they are the future and it is our responsibility to teach them how to take care of the environment if we want them to be responsible adults. Second of all, children CAN make a difference! If you go to Lynne Cherry's website, you'll see that a kid's organization convinced Mcdonald's to recycle their paper products.

I also disagree with the silly statement that the book puts animals above people. What it does is remind us that if we don't take care of nature, there will be no tomorrow for future generations. Besides, one of the "creatures" of the forest who whispered to the man while he was sleeping was a Native American who needed the tree, so the message of the book would be to put others ahead of yourself. I personally think it's refreshing to write a book that gives animals a voice since they're so often overlooked. This book is highly recommended!

great for teaching a unit on the rainforest.......2006-01-17

I got this book for my son, but I also work in a kindergarten and this is a good tool for teaching young children about the rainforest.

Rain Forests (Magic Tree House Research Guide)

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Environmental Risk Consultant
Good info, v. readable

Rain Forests (Magic Tree House Research Guide)
Will And Ma Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375813551
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Book Description

What is the strangest plant in the rain forest? Which rain forest animal is the creepiest? What medicines have been discovered there? How can we save our rain forests? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Rain Forests, Jack and Annie’s very own guide to the mysteries of the rain forest. Includes information on rain forests around the world; fun facts about rain-forest bugs, birds, plants, and animals; maps and photographs; and much more!

Customer Reviews:

Environmental Risk Consultant.......2007-09-18

Teachers should be advised to identify to students the possibility of environmental hyperbole in Chapter 7, "Saving the Rain Forests". Absence of scientific attribution to deforestation rates make it difficult to know whether the authors are using reliable scientific sources for their data or simply repeating hyperbole found in radical environmental materials. Scientific documentation used by Dr. Bjorn Lomborg in "The Skeptical Environmentalist" appears to be contrary to the deforestation issue information as portrayed by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne. I cannot recommend the use of Chapter 7 in this book in elementary school classrooms.

Good info, v. readable.......2002-03-14

Our girls read this after a trip to the Amazon, and found lots that they recognized & enjoyed. The standard of information is rather higher than that in the Magic Tree house books, which is reasonable, given that they don't have to worry about plot & characters as well!

Customer Reviews:

Insightful overview of tropical ecology.......2007-03-09

I found Tropical Nature to be an interesting and easy read. Organized neatly into 17 chapters and an appendix, each covers a specific a specific species of ecological concept. I found chapter 6, "Listen to the flowers" the most interesting, detailing the different mechanisms plants employ in order to have evolutionary advantages as well as trick other species.

(I read this as a precursor to a may term course at my college where I shall be going to the rain forests of Ecuador)

great adventure!.......2007-01-18

I began reading this book for a class involving tropical studies and travel and I wasn't sure what to expect. This is a great book. Easy read. The book takes a broad yet, also in depth exploration of different *interesting* topics in tropical ecology. Although it is definitely not a scientific text, this book takes you for a wondrous adventure into the tropics.

Tropical Nature.......2006-11-13

This book was great. It is written a bit technically, so it would help to have a science backgroung to fully enjoy it. The literary style is easy to read and the book is difficult to put down. I'm sure that having read this book will enhance my trip to the rain forest. Thanks!!

Best Intro to the Natural History of Tropical Forests.......2006-10-15

Buy this Book! This book is a great read for anybody who is interested in life on our planet. It would make a dandy companion to E.O. Wilson's "The Diversity of Life."

ENCHANTING DEPICTION OF THE RAIN FOREST.......2006-04-10

Among books that aim to express to readers the wonders of the rain forest, this one stands out. In 17 chapters that touch upon different aspects of the rain forest, the authors transmit their own passion for the rain forest and the unique intricacies that make rain forests some of the most precious places on earth.

The book is not written as one coherent whole, but rather as 17 individual chapters or essays. Below is a brief sample of topics:

- the strategy of dung scarabs to capture important proteins
- the symbiotic relationship of sloths with the trees they prefer
- the mimicry some insects have developed to elude their main predators, birds
- the reason why some birds have developed migratory patterns to temperate climates
- the reason why some frogs developed a parental care strategy and even marsupial pouches
- the reason why some trees are hollow
- how parasited species can benefit even in the most unlikely scenarios
- why some plants developed hallucinogenic substances

These are just a few of the topics covered in the book. It is written in a pop science format, so that an interested reader will easily understand and appreciate these and many more concepts. The authors carefully explain the relationships, often comparing the rain forest experience with those of temperate forests. The authors also focus on the possible evolutionary principles involved in adaptations presented.

This is the very best introductory book on the subject. It is designed to excite the reader into learning more and even visiting the rain forest. In the mold of Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins, Miyata and Forsyth write a masterpiece that will make the reader feel smarter after reading it.

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Taste The Rainbow

Through the Arc of the Rain Forest
Karen Tei Yamashita
Manufacturer: Coffee House Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 091827382X

Book Description

Through the Arc of the Rain Forest is a burlesque of comic-strip adventures and apocalyptic portents that stretches familiar truths to their logical extreme in a future world that is just recognizable enough to be frightening. In the Author's Note," Karen Tei Yamashita writes that her book is like a Brazilian soap opera called a novela: "the novela's story is completely changeable according to the whims of the public psyche and approval, although most likely, the unhappy find happiness; the bad are punished; true love reigns; a popular actor is saved from death ... an idyll striking innocence, boundless nostalgia and terrible ruthlessness." The stage is a vast, mysterious field of impenetrable plastic in the Brazilian rain forest set against a backdrop of rampant environmental destruction, commercialization, poverty, and religious rapture. Through the Arc of the Rainforest is narrated by a small satellite hovering permanently around the head of an innocent character named Kazumasa. Through no fault of his own, Kazumasa seems to draw strange and significant people into his orbit and to find himself at the center of cataclysmic events that involve carrier pigeons, religious pilgrims, industrial espionage, magic feathers, big money, miracles, epidemics, true love, and the virtual end of the world. This book is simultaneously entertaining and depressing, with all the rollicking pessimism you'd expect of a good soap opera or a good political satire."- Kirsten Backstrom, 500 Great Books by Women

Customer Reviews:

Taste The Rainbow.......1998-06-03

I have heard Brazilian children say that whatever passes through the arc of the rainbow becomes its opposite. But what is the opposite of a bird? Or for that matter, a human being? And what then, in the great rainforest, where, in its season, the rain never ceases and the rainbows are myriad?

This epigraph precedes Karen Yamashita's novel, "Through the Arc of the Rain Forest." Yamashita's novel focuses on the journey of Kasumasa Ishimaru as narrated by a ball revolving several inches from Kasumasa's head. The examinination of this piece, however, will revolve (literally and figuratively) on the motif of a rainbow through different parts of the novel, including the epigraph. Yamashita uses rainbows and arcs as symbols relating to consistent negative and positive patterns, imagery, and meanings within the novel.

The first introduction of the rainbow as a symbol occurs when Kasumasa encounters American J.B. Tweep, who is employed within a company Kasumasa holds controlling stock. J.B. chides Kasumasa into searching for more Matacao, which is the material that will create economic profit for Kasumasa's conglomerate. Within their search, J.B. Tweep hides protagonist Kasumaza Ishimaru from his competition. Tweep's undercover agents had been described as hiding themselves "at the arc of every rainbow" (149). The rainbow in this sense takes the meaning of a vast, unending space. The percieved sense of unrest, searching, and mystery contrasts the allusion of a peaceful rainbow. The arc represents an unexplainable plain which can be pilifered for special interest. In this instance, the rainbow does not take the shape of a beautious vision, but rather a vision of greed and deception.

The journey from new to old and back again to new is another presentation of the rainbow as an arc, a curving storyline with a significant purpose. Yamashita explains, "The old forest has returned once again...pursuing the lost perfection of an organism in which digestion and excretion ! were once one and the same." (212) The forest in this setting has been destroyed by extrordinary events. However, the forest continues to grow, to recycle. The theme of recycling and a cyclical pattern echo from this passage. Where a circle is said to have "no start and no end," an allusion is made towards a pattern of infinite possibilities and of rebirth and regeneration.

To give a greater context in the presentation of the rainbow as a symbol, one need not look further than the table of contents. The contents are broken up in six parts: The Beginning, The Developing World, More Development, Loss of Innocence, More Loss, and Return. Through careful examination, the pattern of an arc is presented through the first three parts relating to the setting and inciting incident and the last three parts regarding climax and conclusion. The first parts correlate to the rise of an arc, and the last parts correlate to the fall of the arc. In essence, the plot of the novel is like an arc, a rainbow-like pattern filled with emotional leaps and downfalls, of stunning portrayal and imaginative resolution.

The epigraph ties the novel neatly is discussing the rainbow as a symbol. The epigraph is directed through rumor, question, and pending answer, much like an arc. The breakdown of the epigraph is made to mirror the story. The rumor of Brazilian children within the epigraph relates directly to the rumors spread by the many characters within the early part of the novel, whether the rumor is contrived by the Brazilian people from Kasumasa's ball, J.B. Tweep three arms, or Mane Pena's feather use. The questions arise within the epigraph to symbolize the characters' situation, to find methods of practicality or exploitation of the rumors. In one such case, Kasumasa give his riches to both needy and greedy, many people within the novel question his motives including Kasumasa questioning his own motives. The pending answer within the epigrapgh relates to the ultimate destruction of the rain forest, the f! inal answer to human waste and stupidity.

Book Description

Bats and big cats. Armies of ants. Squawking parrots. Strangling figs. From the ground up to the tree tops, the tropical rainforest teems with life. Stunning drawings, step-by-step experiments, fun-to-do activities, and fascinating facts abound in this magical exploration of an essential ecosystem, in danger of disappearing forever. Tropical Rain Forest is a new edition to the One Samll Square Series not previously published in hardcover.

Customer Reviews:

Great, whether you get to the rain forest or not.......2002-03-14

The One Small Square series is wonderful: the concept is that you take a hypothetical square foot of an environment- woods, seashore, arctic tundra, rainforest, etc.- and explore it at all levels, from underground to the sky. Each book is extensively illustrated with all of the inter-connected layers of life- from fungus to megafauna- in the Square. On the margin of most of the 2-page spreads are activities that you can do, no matter where you live. Food chains, life cycles & seasons are explored, and the back section has an identification guide to all of the life forms presented in the book.

We took One Small Square: Tropical Rain Forest with us on a trip to the Brazilian rainforest with our 5 & 7 year olds. The book was great- for the grown ups & the kids! We used it as a guide to identify many of the animals & plants we saw, as background to help the girls understand what they were going to see, as reading on the long trips up the river. We did many of the activities- some before, some during, and some after the trip. Our guide was so impressed with it that he ordered a copy for himself, saying that it was hard to find something with so much information that was both accurate and interesting to people at many different levels of knowledge. Highly recommended!

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Jan Brett pleases children and their parents

No snow or trolls, but the jungle is just as beautiful

The Umbrella

Wonderful Book

A fun jungle adventure

The Umbrella

Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399242155
Release Date: 2004-09-13

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Jan Brett, well-loved for her ornate, Scandinavian-themed picture books takes her talents deep into the Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica. A tropical twist on The Mitten, this story chronicles the antics of myriad animals that make themselves right at home in the handcrafted leaf umbrella that Carlos has left at the foot of a giant fig tree. As the tree frog, toucan, kinkajou, tapir, quetzal, monkey, and more pile into the umbrella, Carlos, who is visiting the cloud forest expressly to see these animals, doesn't see a single one. Things heat up when the impulsive monkey hurls the umbrella into the river: "'¿Qué pasa? What is happening?' Froggy asks as water starts to pour into the umbrella." Jaguar jumps in, adding to the confusion, but it's the addition of the tiniest of hummingbirds that causes the big "KER-SPLASH!" Brett's gorgeous, detailed watercolor and gouache illustrations steal the show here, from the exquisite endpapers to the vine-encased leafy side panels that reveal the tree-climbing boy on the left side and a sneak preview of the next umbrella-dwelling animal on the right side. Not Brett's best-crafted story, but her fans will want this lush offering anyway. (Ages 5 to 8) --Karin Snelson

Did You Know?
Fun Facts about Jan Brett

Each book begins with the art first.
Jan likes to listen to audiobooks while drawing--usually thrillers!
Each book takes about a year to complete.
The pages of each book are not created in sequence (she saves the front materials and endpapers for last).
Each book is carefully researched--she created The Umbrella after a trip with her husband to Costa Rica.
Jan prefers to use her memories of a place to create her art, rather than relying on pictures.

For Young Writers and Artists
Tips from Jan Brett

Want a reality check on your artwork? View your work in a mirror.
Be honest with yourself, and get comfortable with personal and private writing. Write in a notebook that no one sees but you.
Remember the things that happen to you now. It's okay to feel things strongly as a kid. You can use your emotions as part of the recipe for something later.

Book Description

A walk through the Costa Rican cloud forest provides a wonderfully lush setting for Jan Brett's beloved animal illustrations. When Carlos drops his umbrella to climb a tree for a better view of the animals, they all cram into the banana-leaf umbrella as it floats by--from the little tree frog to the baby tapir to the big jaguar and more. It gets so crowded in the umbrella that there isn't even enough room for a little hummingbird! So over the umbrella tumbles, everyone falls out, and poor Carlos comes back wondering why he didn't see any animals all day.
In the spirit of Jan Brett's The Mitten and The Hat, this cheerful tale of escalation will have readers poring over every illustration for the world of details Jan packs in. With its classic story, exotic jungle setting, and brilliantly colorful menagerie, The Umbrella is sure to take its place among Jan's many family favorites.

Customer Reviews:

Jan Brett pleases children and their parents.......2007-07-25

This book portraits the lushness of the rain-forest and also some of the wildlife of this area.
Jan Brett's illustrations are rich in detail. Included in these bigger illustrations, adults can find subtle hints built into the overall picture, of upcoming pages and additions.
Overall, Jan Brett's stories are a must-read; childhood would not be complete without having read at least one of her tales.

No snow or trolls, but the jungle is just as beautiful.......2006-08-11

Jan Brett remains number 1 on my list of modern children's book illustrators. The story is good, too, but the pictures are....what can I say.... just great.

The Umbrella.......2006-02-17

Jan Brett captures the reader with a lovely story and her delightful artwork. She never disappoints her readers young and old. I teach second grade and used the book with a rainforest unit and the students loved it

Wonderful Book.......2005-09-10

Beautiful book with pictures that really reminded me of Costa Rica. I love reading this book to my two year old son.

A fun jungle adventure.......2005-09-06

My 3 1/2 yr old grandson likes this book. He enjoys hearing about Carlos in the jungle as he climbs the fig tree and he likes to look for Froggy and Toucan in the illustrations of the book. He seems to enjoy this story over and over.

Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest (Cultural Studies Photography)

Average customer rating:

Marvelous Book on the Maya
Shows just why they're called the Magnicent Mayans...

Maya: Divine Kings of the Rain Forest (Cultural Studies Photography)
Nikolai Grube
Manufacturer: Konemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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Mayan | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Marvelous Book on the Maya.......2007-01-05

This is by far the best and most beautiful book on the Maya for the general reader that I have come across. I have traveled extensively throughout the Maya Area, and own several books on the subject, including classics such as "A Forest of Kings", "The Blood of Kings", Coe's "The Maya", and Henderson's "The World of the Ancient Maya". However, none of these volumes come close to Grube's massive, lavishly-illustrated tome in terms of spectacular photographs, wealth of topics, and breadth of scholarship.

Edited by N. Grube, a renowned Maya scholar, the book is a collection of articles by several experts on the Maya, each a specialist in some aspect of the civilization. The range of articles is wide enough to form a comprehensive general introduction to the Maya and their achievements. In addition, there are articles that discuss unusual topics covered only briefly, if at all, in the other books. Alongside the usual material on Maya history throughout the Pre-Classic, Classic, and Post-Classic, you will find delightful chapters on the role of caves in Maya religion, intoxication and ecstacy, war and prisoners, court dwarves, the meaning of the Bonampak murals, Puuc architecture, Tikal architecture and its influence, astronomy and mathematics, grave robbers, Maya Gods, cacao, obsidian, the Teotihuacan connection, the Spanish Conquest, and the Maya in the Colonial and Present Eras. Your reading will be greatly enhanced by the dozens of beautiful illustrations, many of them unique to this volume. Where else, for example, will you see large color photographs of the Rio Bec and Tonina ruins, of chicle gathering and looted sites in the Peten jungle?

While "Divine Kings of the Rain Forest" certainly does some justice to the divinity of its subject matter, it is relatively expensive. Moreover, since it is out of print, you might even have to pay more than the list price to obtain a nice copy. However, it will be worth every penny. It is truly a pity that this book is out of print. (Try used book stores in large cities, where you might be fortunate enough to get a good copy at half price, as I did.) This is definitely a volume to display, treasure, and savor repeatedly.

Shows just why they're called the Magnicent Mayans..........2004-03-13

This is the best book I have ever come across on Mayan culture. It is a oversized coffee table volume, some 450 deluxe pages, each of which is covered with maps, illustrations and many, many photographs. Each period in Mayan development is covered in the chapters and the illustrations correspond neatly with the text. The text also does not veer off into the author's own opinions as these books frequently do. The first evidence of humans in the Mayan planes date to around ten thousand b.c., the book starts there and continues to the current Mayans (yes, their descendents alive in the world today, and that, too, is an interesting look). For anyone who thinks that civilization began in the Mediterranean, this book is clear evidence that it began on the other side of the world at the same time, if not earlier. It's a shame that the price and the fact that this book is out of print makes it less accessible to readers. For Mayan historians, this book is a must, but even someone with only a casual interest in the subject would find much of interest here.

Average customer rating:

Very Interesting!

Eye Wonder: Rain Forest
Helen Sharman
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0789478536

Book Description

Open your eyes to a world of discovery. Prowl through the undergrowth and meet the amazing creatures that lurk there. Favorite animals such as tigers, snakes, and chimpanzees rub shoulders with marmosets, katydids, and sloths, and every animal is shown in its correct layer of the forest. Dramatic, atmospheric photography provides a wealth of visual information. Packed with facts and written in an accessible style, Eye Wonders are the perfect educational start for young children. A groundbreaking reference series specially developed for younger children aged five plus. In a stunning style departure for DK, wonderful photography shows subjects within their natural setting, offering a whole new level of information through powerful images. Vocabulary is accessible to children aged five plus, with the meanings of new, subject-related words clearly explained. The series provides an excellent knowledge base on the natural world for children starting to learn. The combination of breathtaking visuals and informative, accurate text will hook even those children who usually avoid books.

Customer Reviews:

Very Interesting! .......2005-01-10

A good rain forest book for intermediate students. They will enjoy it and the text and photographs are just right for them.

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