- ASIN: B09WSSCSB4
- Publisher: Independent Publishing Network; 1st edition (28 Mar. 2022)
- Language: English
- Genre: Children’s Environment eBooks
The BookViral Review:
As part of a beautiful series, ‘Spencer the Spark’, written by Rana Boulos, is an adorably cute but scientifically accurate tale of nature. Featuring Spencer, along with Polly the Pinecone, the story tells the tale of wildfires from an anxiety-free perspective, making it accessible to the very young.
Using her educational background, Boulos seamlessly weaves teaching with entertainment, creating pleasure and enjoyment along the learning journey. She draws her readers in by giving earth elements friendly personalities and supports this with non-threatening open-faced images, enabling honest recounting of negatively viewed aspects of nature, such as wildfires.
‘Spencer the Spark’ approaches the phenomena of wildfire, recounting its benefits to ecosystems, and highlighting that some plant populations require the benefits fire brings to survive and reproduce, using as a vehicle the little pinecone, Polly, who, under a thick canopy of trees, is unable to get her scales open to drop her seeds.
Boulos manages to teach a rather complicated process in clear, simple digestible language, endowing her young readers with an understanding of how natural cycles and events occur, instilling both knowledge and a sense of responsibility towards our planet in the next generation.
With vividly colourful and wonderfully painted illustrations, ‘Spencer the Spark’, is a great opportunity for parents, carers and teachers alike to embed cultural capital, giving their charges a real understanding of their macro-environment, and creating the opportunity for wider learning. This is particularly demonstrated by the way Boulos introduces longitudinal outcomes, such as Polly’s seeds finally sprouting and the wonderful SUPER BLOOM sweeping through the forest floor.
A must read for those wishing to effectively educate their young ones about the natural world, ‘Spencer the Spark’ is unreservedly recommended.
