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Step Gently Out
Stunning close-up photography and a lyrical text implore children to look more closely at the world around them.
Be still, and watch a single blade of grass.
An ant climbs up to look around.
A honeybee flies past.
What would happen if you walked very, very quietly and looked ever so carefully at the natural world outside? You might see a cricket leap, a moth spread her wings, or a spider step across a silken web. In simple, evocative language, Helen Frost offers a hint at the many tiny creatures around us. And in astonishing close-up photographs, Rick Lieder captures the glint of a katydid's eye, the glow of a firefly, and many more living wonders just awaiting discovery. Fascinating facts about all the creatures pictured may be found at the end.
Be still, and watch a single blade of grass.
An ant climbs up to look around.
A honeybee flies past.
What would happen if you walked very, very quietly and looked ever so carefully at the natural world outside? You might see a cricket leap, a moth spread her wings, or a spider step across a silken web. In simple, evocative language, Helen Frost offers a hint at the many tiny creatures around us. And in astonishing close-up photographs, Rick Lieder captures the glint of a katydid's eye, the glow of a firefly, and many more living wonders just awaiting discovery. Fascinating facts about all the creatures pictured may be found at the end.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 13, 2012
About the author
Helen Frost
176 books218 followersI'm dipping my toes into goodreads to see how it works. Thanks for finding me here, and thanks to everyone who has read and written about my books. I love to know you're there, even if I don't come here too often to say so.
Helen Frost is the author of eleven novels-in-poems and seven picture books for children and young adults. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/helenf...
Helen Frost is the author of eleven novels-in-poems and seven picture books for children and young adults. She lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/helenf...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
August 11, 2012
I have lots of little soapboxes scattered around my home that I like to pounce on in idle moments. Big soapboxes. Little soapboxes. Anyone who knows me is forced to hear me expound from one of them at least once daily. It's rare that I get to shove two of them together, though. Usually they represent separate entities that don't overlap. Picking up the remarkably gorgeous work that is Helen Frost and Rick Lieder's Step Gently Out, however, allows me to stack one soapbox on top of another. That may make them a little more difficult to balance on, but with practice I'll have it down pat. From that perch I can then cry to the heavens above, "Why is there no poetry award for children's books given out by the American Library Association?" while also bemoaning, "Why has a work of photography never won a Caldecott Award?" Yes, Step Gently Out appears to be a double threat. Poetry meets photography in a single undulating poem. And if my soapbox seems strange, it will make all the more sense when you learn that the pair behind the book includes the remarkable poet Helen Frost and photographer extraordinaire Rick Lieder. Put them both together and you'd be a fool to overlook this book for any reason whatsoever.
"Step gently out," the book urges us. "... be still, and watch a single blade of grade." As we follow the words and instructions we are brought in close to a wide array of common backyard insects. An ant lifts its head from the center of a yellow flower and is "bathed in golden light." A spider weaves webs soaked in droplets and we hear that "they're splashed with morning dew". By the end we begin to understand them better and the text closes with "In song and dance and stillness, they share the world with you." A final two-page spread at the end identifies all the insects shown in the book and gives some facts about their lives.
Reading through the book a couple times I couldn't help but wonder if the photos came first or the poem. Did Ms. Frost see Lieder's work and construct just the right poem to accompany the images? After all, there are specific mentions of many of the bugs you'll find in the photographs. Or did Mr. Lieder read Ms. Frost's poem and then set out to find the right insects required to carry her vision? Or (a third idea just came to me) was this a case of an already existing poem and already existing photographs coming together by a clever editor, seeming to fit from the start? I simply do not know.
For parents wishing to instill in their children a sense of Zen, often they'll turn to something like Jon J. Muth's Zen Shorts and the like. A worthy choice, but if what you are trying to do is to give your kids a sense of communion with nature on its most basic and essential level, Step Gently Out is the better bet. I've always been a big fan of Ms. Frost's poetry, though often her medium is middle grade or early young adult fiction. It was in books like The Braid or Diamond Willow or Hidden that I could enjoy her clever hidden messages and original forms. "Step Gently Out" marks a distinct departure for her, partly because the single poem used here is so simple. With a large font that highlights each word to maximum effect, Frost taps into that moment when you stand in the presence of something as familiar and alien as an insect.
Part of the magic of Lieder's art is the balance between distance and intimacy. When we pick up a book of insect photography from some other children's book photographer like Nic Bishop we are brought nose to pincher with his subjects to a degree we would never find in real life. Bishop's books are novel for this reason, but from Lieder I learned that there's a real joy to be found in backing up a step or two. When we page through this book we look at the insects exactly as a child in her backyard might. The crickets and fireflies are no less powerful because they are the size you'd find if you held them in your hand and up to your eyeball. In their natural state they become somehow more approachable, particularly when you consider the gorgeous backgrounds they recline against. Not that there weren't surprising details to be found in Lieder's work. I had no idea the common yellow jacket was such a lovely vibrant little creature. Not that I'd want to get any nearer to it, of course.
The book pairs rather well with another insect/photography/poetry work for children. Certainly I will inform anyone who shows an interest in using Step Gently Out in their programming or lesson plans that the longer Bug Off : Creepy Crawly Poems by Jane Yolen, with photos by her son Jason Stemple, also would work. Of course that book has many poems in it. This book contains only one, but one is all that it needs. Folks may associate bug and insect books as ephemeral, deserving only a single reading and then moving on. This book in sharp contrast deserves to be read again and again and again. And hey, if it manages to get a bug-loving kid out there interested in a little poetry as well, no harm no foul. Steeped in lovely, through and through. I don't need a soapbox to tell you that.
For ages 3-8.
"Step gently out," the book urges us. "... be still, and watch a single blade of grade." As we follow the words and instructions we are brought in close to a wide array of common backyard insects. An ant lifts its head from the center of a yellow flower and is "bathed in golden light." A spider weaves webs soaked in droplets and we hear that "they're splashed with morning dew". By the end we begin to understand them better and the text closes with "In song and dance and stillness, they share the world with you." A final two-page spread at the end identifies all the insects shown in the book and gives some facts about their lives.
Reading through the book a couple times I couldn't help but wonder if the photos came first or the poem. Did Ms. Frost see Lieder's work and construct just the right poem to accompany the images? After all, there are specific mentions of many of the bugs you'll find in the photographs. Or did Mr. Lieder read Ms. Frost's poem and then set out to find the right insects required to carry her vision? Or (a third idea just came to me) was this a case of an already existing poem and already existing photographs coming together by a clever editor, seeming to fit from the start? I simply do not know.
For parents wishing to instill in their children a sense of Zen, often they'll turn to something like Jon J. Muth's Zen Shorts and the like. A worthy choice, but if what you are trying to do is to give your kids a sense of communion with nature on its most basic and essential level, Step Gently Out is the better bet. I've always been a big fan of Ms. Frost's poetry, though often her medium is middle grade or early young adult fiction. It was in books like The Braid or Diamond Willow or Hidden that I could enjoy her clever hidden messages and original forms. "Step Gently Out" marks a distinct departure for her, partly because the single poem used here is so simple. With a large font that highlights each word to maximum effect, Frost taps into that moment when you stand in the presence of something as familiar and alien as an insect.
Part of the magic of Lieder's art is the balance between distance and intimacy. When we pick up a book of insect photography from some other children's book photographer like Nic Bishop we are brought nose to pincher with his subjects to a degree we would never find in real life. Bishop's books are novel for this reason, but from Lieder I learned that there's a real joy to be found in backing up a step or two. When we page through this book we look at the insects exactly as a child in her backyard might. The crickets and fireflies are no less powerful because they are the size you'd find if you held them in your hand and up to your eyeball. In their natural state they become somehow more approachable, particularly when you consider the gorgeous backgrounds they recline against. Not that there weren't surprising details to be found in Lieder's work. I had no idea the common yellow jacket was such a lovely vibrant little creature. Not that I'd want to get any nearer to it, of course.
The book pairs rather well with another insect/photography/poetry work for children. Certainly I will inform anyone who shows an interest in using Step Gently Out in their programming or lesson plans that the longer Bug Off : Creepy Crawly Poems by Jane Yolen, with photos by her son Jason Stemple, also would work. Of course that book has many poems in it. This book contains only one, but one is all that it needs. Folks may associate bug and insect books as ephemeral, deserving only a single reading and then moving on. This book in sharp contrast deserves to be read again and again and again. And hey, if it manages to get a bug-loving kid out there interested in a little poetry as well, no harm no foul. Steeped in lovely, through and through. I don't need a soapbox to tell you that.
For ages 3-8.
June 1, 2012
Step outside, take some time to be still and just watch the world. Get down low to the ground or close to some plants, and you're sure to see tiny animals going about their business. Frost and Lieder have captured the wonder children experience as they notice these creatures.
Lieder's photography will be the first thing to grab children's attention. Each page brings the reader up close to an insect, as if you were right there crouching in the garden. The animals are caught in crisp, clear detail that will fascinate children. The colors in each photograph and the balance between sharply focused animals and soft backgrounds are stunningly beautiful. Moreover, Lieder's photographs perfectly interpret and complement Frost's poem. Just look at the beautiful title page - I love the color of the thistle this bee is perching on. The balance between the sharply focused animal and the soft background complements the text perfectly.
Frost begins by calling readers to step outside, take a moment from their busy day, and notice the world around them:
Step gently out,
be still,
and watch
a single blade
of grass.
Frost introduces animals children will be familiar with - an ant, a honeybee, a moth - and some that may be new to them - a firefly, a katydid, a damselfly. With each, Frost uses just a few words to capture its essence. Her poetry capture the magic of the moment and never overwhelms the young reader with its artistry. Frost manages to balance concrete details with just a few perfectly placed lyrical phrases.
Yes, I know I'm gushing, but I adore this book. It took my breath away when I read it, and it keeps pulling me back again and again. I second Travis Jonker's suggestion - this is certainly a book that could either be considered for the Caldecott for its stunning photographs or the Newbery for its beautiful text.
Lieder's photography will be the first thing to grab children's attention. Each page brings the reader up close to an insect, as if you were right there crouching in the garden. The animals are caught in crisp, clear detail that will fascinate children. The colors in each photograph and the balance between sharply focused animals and soft backgrounds are stunningly beautiful. Moreover, Lieder's photographs perfectly interpret and complement Frost's poem. Just look at the beautiful title page - I love the color of the thistle this bee is perching on. The balance between the sharply focused animal and the soft background complements the text perfectly.
Frost begins by calling readers to step outside, take a moment from their busy day, and notice the world around them:
Step gently out,
be still,
and watch
a single blade
of grass.
Frost introduces animals children will be familiar with - an ant, a honeybee, a moth - and some that may be new to them - a firefly, a katydid, a damselfly. With each, Frost uses just a few words to capture its essence. Her poetry capture the magic of the moment and never overwhelms the young reader with its artistry. Frost manages to balance concrete details with just a few perfectly placed lyrical phrases.
Yes, I know I'm gushing, but I adore this book. It took my breath away when I read it, and it keeps pulling me back again and again. I second Travis Jonker's suggestion - this is certainly a book that could either be considered for the Caldecott for its stunning photographs or the Newbery for its beautiful text.
November 22, 2012
Simple and lyrical, the poem illuminates the photographs, the photographs inform the poem. This is a book that Owen would have worn out from reading over and over. The photos are stellar- macro-lens insects and arachnids. It reads the way being a bug-obsessed kid feels, and brought back with crystalline clarity a certain afternoon I stood frozen in a cornfield watching one particular spider go about her life.
March 9, 2012
Richie’s Picks: STEP GENTLY OUT by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder, photographer, Candlewick, March 2012, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-7636-5601-0
“…the creatures shine with stardust,
they’re splashed with morning dew.
In song and dance and stillness,
they share the world with you.”
“Then Sam saw Gus do another bad trick. It made the firefly laugh and laugh. It was funny to see them go in free to the movie show.
“’Stop your tricks,’ called Sam. ‘No more words!’
“’Stop, Gus! Stop! Now STOP!’”
--from SAM AND THE FIREFLY by P.D. Eastman (1958, Random House Beginner Books), the first of my own books that I learned to read.
I’ve now spent half of my life here in northern California where you never see fireflies (or lightning bugs, as we called them on Long Island). There were lots of lightning bugs around in the summer when I was a kid back there. I associate them with those warm summer nights, long ago, back even before the Beatles, when dozens of us kids would be playing hide-and-go-seek after dinner, as evening fell and the lightning bugs made their appearance.
It was such a great time and place to be a little kid, and it makes me a bit sad to not be able to cross back over all the years and revisit it for real.
It makes me even sadder to think of a generation of kids someday growing up where lightning bugs are something that used to be, like dinosaurs and woolly mammoths, and those large mammals that still lived in the wild back in the fifties and the sixties, but are basically only left in zoos these days.
“We used to see a LOT of them in upstate New York when I was a kid. Here in Connecticut we saw more of them years ago, but these days it’s a real occasion when a few make an appearance. I miss them!”
--my Facebook friend Florence Friedmann Minor, responding to my question on FB about who sees fireflies these days in their part of the country.
We are the bees bees bees
We’re flying in the trees trees trees
And when we sing we buzz buzz buzz
We like to sing because because because
We are the bees bees bees
We’re flying in the trees trees trees
Buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz
--part of a circletime clapping chant I used often with my preschool students
I haven’t been aware of photographer/painter/illustrator Rick Lieder before now, but it turns out that he is responsible for some great and very familiar children’s and YA book covers. My favorite is his haunting photograph for the cover of Kathe Koja’s STRAYDOG.
“be still,
and watch
a single blade
of grass.”
Helen Frost has written a poem about looking closely and being aware of the small creatures that inhabit our own immediate worlds. In STEP GENTLY OUT, the lines of her poem span a picture book full of amazing single and double-page spreads of Rick Lieder close-up photographs. Thanks to the informative back matter, I can tell you that those photographs are of a European Honeybee, a Chinese Praying Mantis, a Tussock Moth Caterpillar, an Eastern Black Carpenter Ant, a Big Dipper Firefly, a Greater Angle-wing Katydid, an Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly, a Striped Ground Cricket, a Chickweed Geometer Moth, an Orb-weaver Spider, and a Common Yellow Jacket.
To see some of these bugs blown up in photographs to a size larger than your hand and staring at you with enormous beady eyes is probably inspiration enough to look more closely where you are walking. But this is one of those life lessons that so many learn too late, the idea that one needs to find some stillness in order to maintain sanity and to really experience one’s precious life and precious world. In this sense, STEP GENTLY OUT is a great book for multigenerational sharing.
For me, the former little kid turned Cub Scout and Boy Scout, turned citizen environmentalist, this is a book in stunning image and spare verse about our natural world, a book that reminds me about the magic of that world, and of our role as stewards of our fragile home.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
“…the creatures shine with stardust,
they’re splashed with morning dew.
In song and dance and stillness,
they share the world with you.”
“Then Sam saw Gus do another bad trick. It made the firefly laugh and laugh. It was funny to see them go in free to the movie show.
“’Stop your tricks,’ called Sam. ‘No more words!’
“’Stop, Gus! Stop! Now STOP!’”
--from SAM AND THE FIREFLY by P.D. Eastman (1958, Random House Beginner Books), the first of my own books that I learned to read.
I’ve now spent half of my life here in northern California where you never see fireflies (or lightning bugs, as we called them on Long Island). There were lots of lightning bugs around in the summer when I was a kid back there. I associate them with those warm summer nights, long ago, back even before the Beatles, when dozens of us kids would be playing hide-and-go-seek after dinner, as evening fell and the lightning bugs made their appearance.
It was such a great time and place to be a little kid, and it makes me a bit sad to not be able to cross back over all the years and revisit it for real.
It makes me even sadder to think of a generation of kids someday growing up where lightning bugs are something that used to be, like dinosaurs and woolly mammoths, and those large mammals that still lived in the wild back in the fifties and the sixties, but are basically only left in zoos these days.
“We used to see a LOT of them in upstate New York when I was a kid. Here in Connecticut we saw more of them years ago, but these days it’s a real occasion when a few make an appearance. I miss them!”
--my Facebook friend Florence Friedmann Minor, responding to my question on FB about who sees fireflies these days in their part of the country.
We are the bees bees bees
We’re flying in the trees trees trees
And when we sing we buzz buzz buzz
We like to sing because because because
We are the bees bees bees
We’re flying in the trees trees trees
Buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz
--part of a circletime clapping chant I used often with my preschool students
I haven’t been aware of photographer/painter/illustrator Rick Lieder before now, but it turns out that he is responsible for some great and very familiar children’s and YA book covers. My favorite is his haunting photograph for the cover of Kathe Koja’s STRAYDOG.
“be still,
and watch
a single blade
of grass.”
Helen Frost has written a poem about looking closely and being aware of the small creatures that inhabit our own immediate worlds. In STEP GENTLY OUT, the lines of her poem span a picture book full of amazing single and double-page spreads of Rick Lieder close-up photographs. Thanks to the informative back matter, I can tell you that those photographs are of a European Honeybee, a Chinese Praying Mantis, a Tussock Moth Caterpillar, an Eastern Black Carpenter Ant, a Big Dipper Firefly, a Greater Angle-wing Katydid, an Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly, a Striped Ground Cricket, a Chickweed Geometer Moth, an Orb-weaver Spider, and a Common Yellow Jacket.
To see some of these bugs blown up in photographs to a size larger than your hand and staring at you with enormous beady eyes is probably inspiration enough to look more closely where you are walking. But this is one of those life lessons that so many learn too late, the idea that one needs to find some stillness in order to maintain sanity and to really experience one’s precious life and precious world. In this sense, STEP GENTLY OUT is a great book for multigenerational sharing.
For me, the former little kid turned Cub Scout and Boy Scout, turned citizen environmentalist, this is a book in stunning image and spare verse about our natural world, a book that reminds me about the magic of that world, and of our role as stewards of our fragile home.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
May 10, 2012
Absolutely STUNNING. What a tribute to nature and the beautiful little creatures we pass by every day without noticing.
November 11, 2012
Step Gently Out by Helen Frost, illustrated by Rick Lieder features close-up insect photography and a lyrical poem encouraging children to look more closely at the natural world around them.
Lieder's stunningly beautiful close-up photography features honeybees, a Praying Mantis, a Tussock Moth caterpillar, an Eastern Black Carpenter ant, Striped Ground cricket, Chickweed Geometer moth, Orb Weaver spider, Common Yellow Jacket, Pavement Ant, Big Dipper Firefly, Greater Angle-wing Katydid, and Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly. The cover of an ant and the endpapers showing morning and evening are perfect.
Frost's lyrical poem suggests watching insects as they climb, leap, land, sing, rest, look, balance, flash, and dance. It urges us to "Step gently out" and observe an ant that is "bathed in golden light", katydids that "shine with stardust," and much more. Thumbnail sketches of pictured animals are included in the back. This could be used in science units or for writing examples. Step Gently Out is highly recommended for school and public library collections. It shuld also be in consideration for Caldecott and Best of 2012 recognition.
For ages 3 to 8, librarians, teachers, read-aloud, nature, insects, poetry, photography, science, and fans of Helen Frost and Rick Lieder.
Lieder's stunningly beautiful close-up photography features honeybees, a Praying Mantis, a Tussock Moth caterpillar, an Eastern Black Carpenter ant, Striped Ground cricket, Chickweed Geometer moth, Orb Weaver spider, Common Yellow Jacket, Pavement Ant, Big Dipper Firefly, Greater Angle-wing Katydid, and Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly. The cover of an ant and the endpapers showing morning and evening are perfect.
Frost's lyrical poem suggests watching insects as they climb, leap, land, sing, rest, look, balance, flash, and dance. It urges us to "Step gently out" and observe an ant that is "bathed in golden light", katydids that "shine with stardust," and much more. Thumbnail sketches of pictured animals are included in the back. This could be used in science units or for writing examples. Step Gently Out is highly recommended for school and public library collections. It shuld also be in consideration for Caldecott and Best of 2012 recognition.
For ages 3 to 8, librarians, teachers, read-aloud, nature, insects, poetry, photography, science, and fans of Helen Frost and Rick Lieder.
September 29, 2013
Title / Author / Publication Date:
Step gently out. / Helen Frost. Rick Lieder (Photographer). / 2012.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Format: Picturebook (in verse) - print.
Plot summary:
"Simple, evocative poetic language and close-up photographs invite youngsters to make observations about the natural world while profiling such subjects as a katydid's eye, a spider on a silken web and a glowing firefly" (NoveList).
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
nature, insects, poetry
Review citation:
"Frost's spare text is nicely rhythmic and falls into long rhyming couplets. Appearing in small chunks set in inviting double-page pictures, the poem reads rather as blank verse, the imagery and phrasing pleasing when shared aloud. The felicitous pairing of poetry and pictures is enjoyable and useful. A glossary cites the species name of each insect with a brief paragraph describing some of its behavior" (Margaret Bush in School Library Journal).
Section source used to find the material:
NYPL Children's Books 2012: Picture Books
Recommended age: Ages 4 - 8.
Step gently out. / Helen Frost. Rick Lieder (Photographer). / 2012.
Genre: Nonfiction.
Format: Picturebook (in verse) - print.
Plot summary:
"Simple, evocative poetic language and close-up photographs invite youngsters to make observations about the natural world while profiling such subjects as a katydid's eye, a spider on a silken web and a glowing firefly" (NoveList).
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
nature, insects, poetry
Review citation:
"Frost's spare text is nicely rhythmic and falls into long rhyming couplets. Appearing in small chunks set in inviting double-page pictures, the poem reads rather as blank verse, the imagery and phrasing pleasing when shared aloud. The felicitous pairing of poetry and pictures is enjoyable and useful. A glossary cites the species name of each insect with a brief paragraph describing some of its behavior" (Margaret Bush in School Library Journal).
Section source used to find the material:
NYPL Children's Books 2012: Picture Books
Recommended age: Ages 4 - 8.
July 3, 2013
Step Gently Out by Helen Frost and illustrated by Rick Lieder (Candlewick, 2012) is a lovely poem illustrated by photographs of the smallest creatures outside. Bees on a flower, an ant, a cricket singing, a spider on a silken thread. The poem is lovely, and the pictures invite the reader in to the natural world. I was amazed at how well the poetry and the images wove together. I found myself wondering which came first: the lovely poem or the images that captured the words. I am a very amateur photographer, and I could not believe the careful photographs. The last page of the book tells about some of the animals. I loved how the insects shown in this book were ones that are found in our backyards. This is a great book for helping kids come to appreciate the small creatures in their own outside world. That said, I struggled to interest Raisin in the book. I don't know what it was about it, but the book simply did not interest him.
September 15, 2013
Step Gently Out by Helen Frost is a rhyming tale of the small creatures that share the world with us. I chose this book because I enjoy nature, and the cover is a photograph of an ant in it's natural environment. Before beginning the story, I looked at the end pages. The beginning end page showed a daytime photograph while the end end page showed a nighttime photograph. The differences provided insight that the story of this book goes from the start of the day to the end of the day. While reading, I enjoyed the fact that every image is a photograph of the small bugs in the world we live in (ants, bees, crickets, etc.) and that they both coincide with what the text says and in some cases add to it (i.e. one of the pages mentions only a blade of grass, the photo is of a blade of grass with a tiny bug on it). I really enjoyed the book because it doesn't show the bugs as just disgusting, obnoxious bugs. Instead, it showed the beauty of their existence, something we far too often overlook.
March 1, 2012
In this simple poem readers are reminded to approach with gentleness the natural world and quietly observe the busy insect and spider world. The photographs are incredible, almost eliciting gasps of awe at the miniscule beauty of an orb-weaver spider or a common yellow jacket whose colors make her decidedly uncommon. Some of the phrases used to describe the insects are particularly memorable; for instance, a yellow jacket is "balanced lightly on a leaf"(unpaginated), and a spider is "splashed with morning dew" (unpaginated). Back matter includes thumbnail sketches that describe each of the creatures found in the accompanying photographs. This book would be a stunning addition to any science library.
November 17, 2014
"Step gently out, be still and look closely at the world just outside your door-you are sure to be amazed by the tiny creatures you can find. You might see a cricket leap and land, a moth open her wings, a spider walking across the air, or maybe even a praying mantis looking back at you!"--Dust jacket. Close-up photos and lightly-rhymed declarative verse capture a bug's-eye view of nature and encouarge children to experience the world outside their doors with care and openness. Includes insect facts.
January 24, 2013
Truly beautiful in words and images. You can tell it was written by a poet and not someone who decided it would be nice to write a rhyming picture book. And Rick Lieder's photographs of tiny creatures are soft, sparkly, and magical. This whole book is like a meditation. Don't forget to look closely at the world and it will reward you with beauty.
February 28, 2012
Stunning photographs of insects, spiders, and plants enhance Frost's simple poem. Back matter includes information about each creature.
May 24, 2012
Gorgeous picture book with beautiful photographs and gorgeous poetic texts.
February 20, 2013
The photographs in this book worked like paintings on me. I wanted to spend time with each one. I can imagine using this with kids very very slowly. Beautiful!
March 30, 2015
Pretty disappointing.
Basically: bugs on leaves paired with a large-font rhyming poem that I could probably write in eight minutes.
Basically: bugs on leaves paired with a large-font rhyming poem that I could probably write in eight minutes.
October 6, 2021
This is a picture book with a lovely poem set to photographs of....BUGS! Insects! Ack! It made me itchy and heebie-jeebie. I do not like insects/bugs at all.
October 27, 2021
In this simple yet lyrical poem, the author urges readers to step out gently to preserve the small elements of our environment. The up-close photography carries the single-poem picture book by accentuating the importance and beauty of our world's little critters while ensuring to include individual blades of grass. When examining past their efforts to instill consideration within us, we realize the message ultimately aims to build the reader's appreciation for the small living things in our environment. I rated this book a four because, unfortunately, we have normalized our neglectful behavior towards the small yet essential organism that helps keep our atmosphere prosperous. Perhaps without people who care enough to deem their existence as part of the world, we would not have anything pleasant to look at, and the world as we know it would deteriorate. This book serves as an excellent tool to generate environmental morality in our children, and maybe even adults. At least that's what it accomplished within me.
November 13, 2018
Genre: Nonfiction/Poetry
Grade level: K-2
Plot: Simple poem describing various insects in the world around us.
The book has such vivid illustrations that make you take a pause every time you turn a page. This would be a great book to use in the classroom when teaching about insects. The text is not hard to read but allows for a lot of imagery and involves alliteration. I could see myself connecting science and literacy through this book.
Grade level: K-2
Plot: Simple poem describing various insects in the world around us.
The book has such vivid illustrations that make you take a pause every time you turn a page. This would be a great book to use in the classroom when teaching about insects. The text is not hard to read but allows for a lot of imagery and involves alliteration. I could see myself connecting science and literacy through this book.
November 27, 2013
Rick Lieder’s awe-inspiring, close-up photographic illustrations of a variety of insects in their natural habitats provide the perfect background to the gentle words of Helen Frost as she invites the reader to “step gently out” and bask in the whimsical wonders of nature, and to quietly observe and appreciate the oft-overlooked creatures with which we share our world. Young children will be fascinated by the image of a honeybee suspended in mid-flight with pollen covering its tiny underbody, and the close-up view of the intricately detailed Jewelwing Damselfly is simply captivating! The typeface is large, and easy to see. The text of the poem is broken up into short, bite-sized bits, and well-placed so as to enhance, rather than distract from the amazing images of the insects in their natural settings. Young insect enthusiasts will delight in the wonderful illustrated guide at the back of the book, which provides smaller photographs along with more information and details about each insect featured in the book. When sharing this book, I would gently emphasize the rhythm of the poem and remind children to listen for some great rhyming words. For an easy and fun extension idea, have several plastic bugs available for imaginative play and sorting games after storytime. If weather permits, provide each child with a magnifying glass and head outside to look for insects to observe. Be careful to instruct the children to follow the words of Helen Frost and to “step gently out” leaving the insects undisturbed as you observe. If unable to do this activity at the library, suggest it as a possibility for a backyard activity for home. Or provide each child with a list featuring pictures of some of the insects included in the book and encourage families to do a “nature walk” during which younger children might simply check off the insects as they find them and older children might use a small notebook to record scientific observations. An additional idea, if it is too cold for an actual nature walk observation out-of-doors, do one inside the library! Hide photocopied/printed images of insects (or use insect puppets!) throughout the library space and have the families “step gently out” into the library and try to spot the insects with their “binocular eyes.” Same rules apply, they must practice the art of “stepping gently” quietly observing and leaving the “insects” undisturbed.
August 8, 2016
If you've ever quietly watched an insect or "bug" you have probably noticed how they seem to move with practiced or deliberate ease and gentleness. So in Step Gently Out the author and photographer show us their beauty....
Frost and Lieder take us through the day - morning sunshine, evening shadows and dark, and then the dew of morning. This is a lovely trek through the day as ......
"In song and dance and stillness, they share the world with you."
A gentle reminder that we're not alone in this world, we share it with the insects, the birds, the critters.
"A spider spins a silken thread and steps across the air."
"A praying mantis looks at you - do you know she's there?"
At the end of the book, Step Gently Out, there are two pages for the reader to learn more about each of the insects pictured in the book. Another great opportunity to educate with a beautiful book.
I just became acquainted with the beautiful works of Helen Frost and photographer Rick Lieder and have fallen in love with and am awed with the splendid beauty of the photography as it captures the wonders of birds and insects. The sparse lines of prose so beautifully intersect with the beauty of the images that one's mind journeys deeply into the eye-capturing visions of loveliness.
Published by Candlewick Press these are considered children's books but should also be considered as a coffee table keepsake book that one can pickup and take a few moments to gaze and revel in our absolutely lovely world. I heartily recommend all three of the books in the series!
I have a giveaway on my blog for a copy of Among A Thousand Fireflies (the most recent in this series of delightful books by author & photographer) that runs from 6/11 & ends 6/30/2016. Open to US/CANADIAN addresses. https://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/201...
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own & I was not compensated.
Frost and Lieder take us through the day - morning sunshine, evening shadows and dark, and then the dew of morning. This is a lovely trek through the day as ......
"In song and dance and stillness, they share the world with you."
A gentle reminder that we're not alone in this world, we share it with the insects, the birds, the critters.
"A spider spins a silken thread and steps across the air."
"A praying mantis looks at you - do you know she's there?"
At the end of the book, Step Gently Out, there are two pages for the reader to learn more about each of the insects pictured in the book. Another great opportunity to educate with a beautiful book.
I just became acquainted with the beautiful works of Helen Frost and photographer Rick Lieder and have fallen in love with and am awed with the splendid beauty of the photography as it captures the wonders of birds and insects. The sparse lines of prose so beautifully intersect with the beauty of the images that one's mind journeys deeply into the eye-capturing visions of loveliness.
Published by Candlewick Press these are considered children's books but should also be considered as a coffee table keepsake book that one can pickup and take a few moments to gaze and revel in our absolutely lovely world. I heartily recommend all three of the books in the series!
I have a giveaway on my blog for a copy of Among A Thousand Fireflies (the most recent in this series of delightful books by author & photographer) that runs from 6/11 & ends 6/30/2016. Open to US/CANADIAN addresses. https://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/201...
I received a complimentary copy to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own & I was not compensated.
November 19, 2017
Summary
This book is about discovering the small things in the world and nature that we live in. This story presents different insects and bugs that we could find outside but that we might not pay a lot of attention to. With a short description of each insect, and photo of each insect, the reader gets to see creatures in our world they might not have seen clearly or cared to see before. At the end of the book, the author included a deeper description of each insect presented in the book.
Major themes
Discover the small things in life, caring about our nature and giving voice to those who cannot speak but still exist and have a crucial part in this world.
Personal response
I really liked reading this book. With amazing photos and beautiful poems, these insects are being highlighted and described in an inspiring way. I also believe that it is good that the author included a description of each insect at the end of the book, since this might make it even more inspiring for readers to find out more about the different creatures mentioned in this story. The author and illustrator really shows how far you could come, and how much you could inspire by using simple words and clear, big pictures.
Why I recommend this book
I would absolutely recommend this book. It encourages students to go outside, be quite and pay attention to things they might not usually pay attention to. It also encourages students to find out more about the different creatures living in the nature and their part of making the nature and ecosystem work. Last but not least, it encourages students to take care of our nature and all the creatures living in it.
This book is about discovering the small things in the world and nature that we live in. This story presents different insects and bugs that we could find outside but that we might not pay a lot of attention to. With a short description of each insect, and photo of each insect, the reader gets to see creatures in our world they might not have seen clearly or cared to see before. At the end of the book, the author included a deeper description of each insect presented in the book.
Major themes
Discover the small things in life, caring about our nature and giving voice to those who cannot speak but still exist and have a crucial part in this world.
Personal response
I really liked reading this book. With amazing photos and beautiful poems, these insects are being highlighted and described in an inspiring way. I also believe that it is good that the author included a description of each insect at the end of the book, since this might make it even more inspiring for readers to find out more about the different creatures mentioned in this story. The author and illustrator really shows how far you could come, and how much you could inspire by using simple words and clear, big pictures.
Why I recommend this book
I would absolutely recommend this book. It encourages students to go outside, be quite and pay attention to things they might not usually pay attention to. It also encourages students to find out more about the different creatures living in the nature and their part of making the nature and ecosystem work. Last but not least, it encourages students to take care of our nature and all the creatures living in it.
September 10, 2018
Helen Frost and Rick Lieder's "Step Gently Out" was a simple but wonderfully written poetry book. This poem encourages children to step out into the world and closely examine nature and things around them. This reminded me of my childhood exploring the bugs around me, in my backyard or even on the playground. The words and illustrations flow wonderfully together, with a very close up and detailed illustration on each page. One page reads "A spider spins a silken thread and steps across the air", accompanied by an incredible picture of a spider in its web. The pictures resemble what you might see when you look very closely at a bug in nature around you, which fits perfectly with the lesson of the book, to look more closely at nature.
I really enjoyed this poetry book. Although it was a very simple read, it was enjoyable even as an adult. It brought back memories of my childhood, examining bugs all around me. As a child who is still exploring the world and creatures around them, I think this book would be very intriguing. This book would probably be geared towards very young students, probably the best for students in kindergarten through second grade. The words are very simple and each page only has a few words with a large illustration, which is why I think it would be great for children these ages.
I really enjoyed this poetry book. Although it was a very simple read, it was enjoyable even as an adult. It brought back memories of my childhood, examining bugs all around me. As a child who is still exploring the world and creatures around them, I think this book would be very intriguing. This book would probably be geared towards very young students, probably the best for students in kindergarten through second grade. The words are very simple and each page only has a few words with a large illustration, which is why I think it would be great for children these ages.
July 11, 2013
Audience: Primary
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Insects
Pre-Reading Strategy: Rhyming Games
Before class, set out blank pieces of paper and plenty of coloring utensils. Have words picked out from the book for kids to rhyme with.
"Today we are going to look at rhyming. Before we read our story, I'm going to give you a word and I want you to draw a picture or write the word that rhymes with the one I gave you. For example, if I gave you the word tree, you could draw a picture of tea or a bee or write the word free or me. Now your first word is grass. What rhymes with grass? Everyone get their pictures done? What are some words you thought of? Your second word is sing. What rhymes with sing? What are some words you thought of? Your third word is light. Does anything rhyme with light? Draw me a picture. What did you think of? The last word is going to be you. Draw a picture or write a word that rhymes with you. What did you come up with? Great! Now that we got ourselves thinking about rhyming words. We are going to read our story called 'Step Gently Out' and see if there are any rhyming words in here. Let's get started!"
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Insects
Pre-Reading Strategy: Rhyming Games
Before class, set out blank pieces of paper and plenty of coloring utensils. Have words picked out from the book for kids to rhyme with.
"Today we are going to look at rhyming. Before we read our story, I'm going to give you a word and I want you to draw a picture or write the word that rhymes with the one I gave you. For example, if I gave you the word tree, you could draw a picture of tea or a bee or write the word free or me. Now your first word is grass. What rhymes with grass? Everyone get their pictures done? What are some words you thought of? Your second word is sing. What rhymes with sing? What are some words you thought of? Your third word is light. Does anything rhyme with light? Draw me a picture. What did you think of? The last word is going to be you. Draw a picture or write a word that rhymes with you. What did you come up with? Great! Now that we got ourselves thinking about rhyming words. We are going to read our story called 'Step Gently Out' and see if there are any rhyming words in here. Let's get started!"
December 8, 2015
This book contains a single poem that references many different insects a child might encounter if he or she took the time to gently view the surrounding world. There is a photograph of each insect mentioned. The poem is followed by a brief description of each insect mentioned. The author’s lyrical verse does a great job of presenting insects in a flattering light. Her style helps the reader associate insects with calmness, serenity, and beauty, which contradict more common views of insects. Fairly simple vocabulary is used, but it is still descriptive in nature, and the author still includes correct names of the insects she talks about. The author does not underestimate the reader’s ability to understand the text, or figure out words he or she may not know while reading.
This book would be a fun one to use during a science lesson while learning about insects. This could also be used in a writing lesson to help student write their own informational text and practice citing sources.
This book would be a fun one to use during a science lesson while learning about insects. This could also be used in a writing lesson to help student write their own informational text and practice citing sources.
July 19, 2012
It was the title that grabbed me first. Step Gently Out. There is an ethic in those words, and they have deep meaning for me. When the book was finally in my hands, though, it was the ant on the cover that pulled me in. He is not rendered in paints as I’d thought when I’d seen the book online, but photographed. Captured atop a slender leaf, antennae waving, stepping gently. Completely enchanting.
Would you believe that things got better from there?
Helen Frost’s text is charming, and I can tell you from personal experience that it holds up to repeated readings. Rick Lieder’s breathtaking images lend a hand, inspiring closer looks at blades of grass and silken threads both inside the book and, of course, out.
I find myself reading this one over and again. I’m in love. I think that every child on the planet should have a copy. I plan to start with the half-dozen kids who know me as Auntie Loree …
Would you believe that things got better from there?
Helen Frost’s text is charming, and I can tell you from personal experience that it holds up to repeated readings. Rick Lieder’s breathtaking images lend a hand, inspiring closer looks at blades of grass and silken threads both inside the book and, of course, out.
I find myself reading this one over and again. I’m in love. I think that every child on the planet should have a copy. I plan to start with the half-dozen kids who know me as Auntie Loree …
April 29, 2015
Frost, H., & Lieder, R. (2012). Step Gently Out. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press.
Step Gently Out shows the kinds of creatures you normally wouldn’t think to examine in nature like spiders, moths, crickets, etc. This book also explains in descriptive detail what the animals look like and act. It is lyrical poetry and shows stunning close up photographs. Critique: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, however, it could have had more words and substance to it because I think early grades level could get bored with it. The illustrations in this book made it magical and it is definitely something I would use in the classroom to introduce poetry. I was not a fan of poetry until I read books like this. This book shows the beauty of nature, while also keeping the reader very entertained. Would recommend to anyone!
Step Gently Out shows the kinds of creatures you normally wouldn’t think to examine in nature like spiders, moths, crickets, etc. This book also explains in descriptive detail what the animals look like and act. It is lyrical poetry and shows stunning close up photographs. Critique: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, however, it could have had more words and substance to it because I think early grades level could get bored with it. The illustrations in this book made it magical and it is definitely something I would use in the classroom to introduce poetry. I was not a fan of poetry until I read books like this. This book shows the beauty of nature, while also keeping the reader very entertained. Would recommend to anyone!
March 18, 2016
This picture book tells one poem with a line per page. Helen Frost encourages her readers to go outside and quietly observe the many insects that surround us in our gardens. The poem has a rhyme pattern to it which should engage younger readers. Each page has a stunning close up photograph (by Rick Lieder) to accompany the line from the poem. The contrast between the sharp detail of the insect and the blurred background is utterly gorgeous and encourages the reader to focus on just the insect and not the many other stimuli of the garden. While reading this I couldn't help but wonder, was the poem written for the photographs, or were the photographs taken to enhance the poem?
This book could be used as a study in poetry or as an addition to a science unit. The end pages include details about each insect featured in the photographs.
Grades: K-3
This book could be used as a study in poetry or as an addition to a science unit. The end pages include details about each insect featured in the photographs.
Grades: K-3
September 1, 2018
“Step Gently Out”, written by Helen Frost and illustrated by Rick Lieder, is an excellent poem book about insects and their natural habitats. Rick Lieder captures stunning photography of honey bees, praying mantises, shining lightning bugs and more with bold colors and focus. The images draw you in with crystal sharpness and beauty in the simplicity of the plants and insects. The poem has rhythm and rhyme and asks the reader to simply, “step gently out,” as they take this lovely tour through nature. This book is peaceful, and while it lacks some spark it would be a relaxing read for lower elementary grades, perhaps first or second graders. The poetry flows and would be a great introduction to this type of novel for these younger students. The words are large and not lengthy, making it easy to comprehend for all ages.
March 27, 2012
Stunning photography combines with beautiful, lyrical words to create this lovely, lovely book. Step Gently Out is the perfect title for this gentle introduction to the world of insects; it's also gentle reminder of the abundance of life surrounding us. I love the convergence of poetry, nonfiction and photography -- this can be shared with preschoolers, school-agers, adults, anyone.
Book signing and exhibition at FWMoA, April 6, 2012.
3 Starred Reviews (3.27.12): Booklist, PW and Kirkus.
Book signing and exhibition at FWMoA, April 6, 2012.
3 Starred Reviews (3.27.12): Booklist, PW and Kirkus.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews