WILD BEINGS

Author/illustrator Brouwers draws parallels between Mother Nature and human nature in this celebration of the interconnectedness of all living things.

Page after page of atmospheric watercolor artwork shows wildings at home in their natural habitats. Playful monkeys swing gracefully in forest trees; a buffalo lounges majestically in a muddy wallow; a flock of Egyptian geese soar above a river; and more. Simple, spare text narrated in the first-person plural “we” encourages us to recognize ourselves in nature and embrace the feral instincts hard-wired into us all: “We are wild beings. / Born curious and strong”; and “We love to run free / and leap into flight”; and so forth. To further the point, Brouwers integrates human imagery into her paintings of wild landscapes, sometimes in the form of hidden images—discerning viewers will detect human footprints, hands, and shadows as well as silhouettes (which occasionally recall prehistoric cave wall paintings) of children that leap, climb, and run alongside their animal counterparts, making for a fun seek-and-find. The illustrations are reminiscent of figurative collage, with monoprinted details, nature-inspired textures, layered translucent glazes, and animal portraits that sometimes have a photographic quality. The book’s visuals will engage animal lovers, while the short text (culminating in a “ROAR!”) makes for an agreeable read-aloud for the younger set.

An invitation to cultivate our wild selves and our inextricable bond with the natural world.