You never know where you’ll discover a wonderful children’s book full of enchanting illustrations. I love to dabble in painting and drawing, and like most children, I loved the arts from as early as I can remember. In August I took a week-long workshop with artist Nicholas Wilton. I had seen his work on the book cover of The Four Agreements and on a flyer for the Institute of Noetic Science. Helping with the workshop were Wilton’s wife, Jennifer Oppenheimer, and their two daughters. Now 13 and 11, the daughters had grown up with books, and were excellent students, love learning, reading, and writing. Growing up with the visual arts, they were already accomplished artists.
At the workshop, I learned that Nicholas Wilton had illustrated three children’s books: Feathers and Fools written by the famous Mem Fox (whose Time For Bed we reviewed in Baby Read-Aloud Basics), Where Do Butterflies Go When It Rains?, and Right Outside My Window. Where do Butterflies Go must be out of print, because I couldn’t get it. Feathers and Fools would be good for primary and up (the illustrations are sublime, and you may want to get the book just to be immersed in its beauty).
Right Outside My Window is perfect for eight to ten months and up. The illustrations are bold, simple, and colorful – the characteristics that appeal to babies. The words, a simple poem are so attuned to babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Mary Ann Hoberman masterfully relates her poetry to this age group as well as elementary children. Check out her other works such as A House is a House for Me.
In Right Outside My Window, parents can help their babies observe that there is beauty that can be found in every moment anywhere, especially Right Outside My Window. It’s the everyday ordilnary world that can feed our Souls. Parents can read the book to baby and then begin to look outside their windows every day to see what bird, insect, cloud, tree, leaf, raindrop awaits to be noticed. When I was a teacher, I had a Noticing Notebook in the classroom, and each day, first grade students wrote something they noticed in it. Then at the end of the day, we would read all the entries and talk about what we noticed.
Another important feature of this book, is the repetition of the phrase “right outside my window” on each page. Babies need and learn language from the repetition. When you start to look out your own windows you can say, “Look, what’s Right ouside our window!”
It’s also important to include as much poetry as possible right from the beginning, so children can grow into adulthood with the love and understanding of this beautiful language that can give so much pleasure throughout life.
As for the compelling illustrations, there will be so much to talk about beyond the scope of the subject of the written words: the birds, cat, leaves, flowers, clouds, butterflies, snowman. (Remember, as we state in our book, babies understand lots of language way before they can speak. When you read and talk to babies constantly they warehouse everything you say, and will use it when they begin to talk. This is how they learn to talk – by listening to you!)
This book is a coffee table book. It’s so beautiful. Enjoy.
Right Outside My Window
By Mary Ann Hoberman
Illustrated by Nicholas Wilton
paperback
Mondo Publishing, 2002
