How I wish I had had these books sooner! In early years education, it is so important to use the familiar when teaching children words for things. In our school's library, we had a few beautiful picture books of fruits and vegetables, almost none of which grew in the tropical country where we were. Teachers diligently taught and tots diligently learned the words for foods that they almost never saw, imported foods that only the wealthy could afford, thus imparting a subconscious lesson that none desired or intended.
Now, Tara Books, the publishers of the exquisite book, The Night Life of Trees, have produced a wonderful alternative. Each of these lovely board books, Fruits of India, Vegetables of India, and Flowers of India, is a collection of beautiful photographs by Jill Hartley and Helmut Wolf. Those of the fruits show them cut to reveal the seeds. The photographs are of a very high quality, bright, close, with nicely balanced colour, so that the plants look real and natural, not like advertising images. The last page of each book gives the names of the fruits, vegetables or flowers, in English. I particularly like the choice of a matt as opposed to a glossy surface, making the entire product a much less harsh object for a small child.
These books are not only of value for children living in tropical countries where the plants represented surround them. They are also a wonderful, simple and affordable teaching tool for discussing the seasons of tropical countries. Many of the pictures show plants that can be found elsewhere:
- strawberries are in almost all countries now, including Mexico and Brazil
- mangos grow in Brazil as well as in India
- passion fruit grows in sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America
- jackfruit can be found throughout sub-Saharan Africa as well as the Indian sub-continent
- garlic and onions are global
- bottle brush and hibiscus can be found in many countries
- oh! how wonderful to see the , also called plumeria, and to recall its heavenly odour
Use my chart of Seasons Around the World and these lovely books the better to help children understand how changes in the seasons on the Indian subcontinent are seen in plants and food. Use these books to know what to put on your South-North Seasons Table or to add greater interest and authenticity to your garden with children. And keep your eye on Tara Books to see what wonders they will give us next.
©2010 Anne Morddel
Seasons South and North
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