Book Descriptions
for Expedition Backyard by Rosemary Mosco and Binglin Hu
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Friends Mole and Vole live in the country. Mole is content with a quiet life observing and drawing nature, and Vole is an adventure seeker, always rallying Mole to head out on their next expedition. This lively graphic novel unfolds in chapters chronicling a series of these expeditions, which start out in familiar territory as they explore their country environs, first by day and then at night. After heading into a nearby house to watch a nature documentary, they end up trapped in a packing box that’s loaded onto a moving van, and they are transported to unfamiliar territory: a city. Mole is nervous, but intrepid Vole is eager to explore, first by day and then at night once again. Regardless of the time of day, nature in the city is very different from what they know, and their explorations result in new friends and new perspectives. The same is true for the Black child whose family has moved to the city; her story unfolds in the background of Mole and Vole’s, with her initial loneliness after the move ending in new friendship. Across their escapades, Mole’s fascination with nature is as constant as Vole’s enthusiasm for exploration. The charm, warmth, and humor here extend from their individual excitement to the dynamic of their relationship to the details of each of their expeditions. (Ages 6-10)
CCBC Choices 2023. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2023. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
Join two best friends—a mole and vole—on their everyday expeditions to find beautiful plants, meet new animals, and learn more about the world all around them in this nonfiction graphic novel.
Each day, Mole and Vole venture out into the world – never forgetting their nature journal! – to see what they can find in their own backyard. From pigeons and jumping spiders to swamp milkweed and maple trees, these two explorers get to know every part of their local environment. But after an accidental move from the country to the city, Mole and Vole worry that everything will be different. As they explore, they discover plants to look at and animals to meet in their new home as well.
The story of these two best friends brings to life a nonfiction adventure of finding wonder in nature everywhere – no matter where you live. This book concludes with fun activities for kids to do at home.
Each day, Mole and Vole venture out into the world – never forgetting their nature journal! – to see what they can find in their own backyard. From pigeons and jumping spiders to swamp milkweed and maple trees, these two explorers get to know every part of their local environment. But after an accidental move from the country to the city, Mole and Vole worry that everything will be different. As they explore, they discover plants to look at and animals to meet in their new home as well.
The story of these two best friends brings to life a nonfiction adventure of finding wonder in nature everywhere – no matter where you live. This book concludes with fun activities for kids to do at home.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.