{"id":1867366977,"title":"Walden Then \u0026 Now","handle":"walden-then-now","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\" size=\"4\"\u003eWalden Then \u0026amp; Now\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\" size=\"3\"\u003eAn Alphabetical Tour of Henry Thoreau's Pond\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Michael McCurdy Bio\" href=\"\/pages\/michael-mccurdy\"\u003eMichael McCurdy\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e“I hear a song sparrow singing from the bushes on the shore.”\u003cbr\u003eHenry David Thoreau, \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHenry David Thoreau was an author and naturalist whose book \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e still inspires readers today. In it Thoreau documented his experience living in a cabin on Walden Pond, reflecting on the beauty of nature and Mother Earth. Much of his writing, including \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e, propelled the environmental movement that exists today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver one hundred and fifty years later, Michael McCurdy pays tribute to this influential figure and the historic place that inspired Thoreau during his lifetime. In \u003cem\u003eWalden Then \u0026amp; Now\u003c\/em\u003e, readers take an alphabetical journey around Walden Pond. McCurdy explores Thoreau’s simple life in his cabin surrounded by nature, and highlights what has changed and what has stayed the same from Thoreau’s time to our own. Readers discover the animals, plants, seasons, and thoughts that Thoreau recorded during his life on the pond as they gain an appreciation for nature and environmentalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMcCurdy’s beautiful wood engravings illustrate this celebration of the joy, solitude, and drama of the natural life of Walden Pond—then and now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge-books.com\/previews\/walden-then-and-now\/walden_preview1.html\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead an excerpt!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca title=\"John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/john-muir-wrestles-a-waterfall\"\u003eJohn Muir Wrestles a Waterfall\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/walden-then-and-now-spread.jpg?v=1584472316\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMichael McCurdy, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMichael McCurdy is the author and illustrator of \u003cem\u003eAn Algonquian Year\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHannah’s Farm\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eTrapped by the Ice\u003c\/em\u003e. He is also the illustrator of more than 200 books for adults and children, including \u003cem\u003eThe Founders: The 39 Stories Behind the Constitution\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Train They Call the City of New Orleans\u003c\/em\u003e. He lives in Springfield, Massachusetts, with his wife, Deborah.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNCSS\/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis elegant alphabet book brilliantly conveys the essence of 19th-century American author, naturalist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau’s solitary sojourn at Walden Pond. For each letter of the alphabet, McCurdy selects an item symbolizing Henry’s simple, secluded Walden world, including an anecdotal paragraph explaining how each fits into the Walden idyll, often with comparisons to Walden Pond as it is now. From “A” for the angry ants whose battles Henry described in \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e to “Z” for the zephyrs cooling the pond on summer nights, the alphabetical selections give readers a unique peek at Henry and the natural world he immortalized. Each page opens with the featured letter in crisp, black type on thick, creamy stock. Rustic, realistic black-and-white wood engravings echo Henry’s credo to simplify and feature him reading, plowing his bean field, building his cabin, playing his flute, chopping wood, roaming winter woods, cutting ice and staring at the stars in complete harmony with nature. An unusual yet entirely appropriate introduction to the famed hermit—and the other residents of Walden Pond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHenry David Thoreau's classic, \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e, was published more than 150 years ago and remains an environmentalist's core title today. McCurdy celebrates that enduring work in a beautiful volume, organized around the alphabet, that matches a simple rhyme about the natural world and a detailed black-and-white wood engraving with each letter. As the pages move from ants, geese, and loons to Ursa Major and zephyr, they also include notes about Walden Pond, Thoreau, and his book; and appended source notes offer additional information. Young eco-minded supporters will enjoy the nature details and the tribute to a pioneer of the conservation movement, and the spacious book design, with thick paper, will have readers returning to the pages many times for the awe-inspiring words and pictures, as well as for the message about the satisfaction that solitude can bring: \"J is for the joy he felt at being all alone.\" \u003cem\u003e—Hazel Rochman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElegiac woodcarvings evoke the setting of Henry Thoreau's Walden Pond as the text weaves past and present in this lengthy alphabet poem. On each spread, consecutive letters face one another, making a couplet of the lines. A dark, but not somber, woodcarving illustrates each letter, and an explanatory paragraph expands upon the information in the verse. Some letters describe an emotion, e.g., \"J is for the joy he felt at being all alone,\" while the text links the comment to the present (since nearly 600,000 people visit Walden Pond each year, \"it would be hard to be alone\" there today). Other letters describe the writer's activities: \"C is for the cabin Henry built with his own hands,\" or insects or animals, \"G is for returning geese that made his spirits soar.\" Differences between a New England life in the 1840s and 1850s and today are explained. The book ends with entries from Thoreau's diary and McCurdy's inspiration and starting point for this book. Purchase as an introduction to Thoreau and for poetry shelves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWCMU\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWALDEN THEN \u0026amp; NOW\u003c\/em\u003e is described as an alphabetical tour of Thoreau’s Walden Pond. It is an elegant journey for older readers by master printmaker Michael McCurdy. This is not an ordinary alphabet book. In fact, the letters of the alphabet are used as a narrative tool to move through a series of observations originally made by Thoreau (then) and commented on by McCurdy (now). This approach to a classic piece of writing is unusual and built on integrity as McCurdy spent much time in and around Walden Pond observing its simplicities and environmental gifts. He makes charming comparisons between Thoreau’s 1854 publication and his own experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach page contains a letter of the alphabet, a statement in tandem with the letter, McCurdy’s embellishment of the topic and a wood engraving by McCurdy in celebration of the topic. For instance, the letter A is for ants and the letter B is for beans. Quoting from the book: “A is for the angry ants that Henry once saw battling. B is for the bean field in which noisy crows were prattling.” Following each line of these rhymed couplets McCurdy explains how Henry David Thoreau, in his instance, did see black and red ants fight and did plow seven miles of beans at Walden Pond. The real bonus here is that McCurdy has written Source Notes from A-Z at the end of the book that include Thoreau’s original quotations and gives the reader the exact chapter and paragraph in Thoreau’s \u003cem\u003eWALDEN\u003c\/em\u003e where each detail can be found. This provides a very nice stretch for older readers—one that could easily entice them to pick up \u003cem\u003eWALDEN\u003c\/em\u003e by Henry David Thoreau and make it their own. McCurdy has selected the alphabet and topic pairs very well. For instance, “C” is for cabin, “E” is for eagle, “K” is for kindling, “L” is for loons, “Q” is for quiet and “Z” is for zephyr. Each accompanying black and white wood engraving is powerful----especially those showing Henry David Thoreau reading a book, chopping wood, walking through wintery forest, playing the flute, fishing and contemplating the stars. Nighthawks, geese, owls, a squirrel, a hare and other creatures of Nature dot the landscape. This volume is handsomely bound using heavy weight ivory paper and a dark green fabric cover with gold letters. And there on the front cover stands the naturalist himself----one of the most beautiful wood engravings of all. \u003cem\u003eWALDEN THEN \u0026amp; NOW\u003c\/em\u003e by Michael McCurdy is a special volume for older children ages 10-14 and up (Charlesbridge, 2010). This is Sue Ann Martin for THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/walden-then-and-now-cvr.jpg?v=1439829477\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/walden-then-and-now-hires.zip?12150546440452842453\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-253-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book PDF\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-249-6\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: All ages\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e9 x 9\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2015-09-14T16:49:00-04:00","created_at":"2015-08-17T12:36:39-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Age_Middle Grade","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Early Reader","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Alphabet Books","Browse by Subject_Science \u0026 Nature"],"price":848,"price_min":848,"price_max":848,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":1695,"compare_at_price_min":1695,"compare_at_price_max":1695,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":5800429057,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"92537","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Walden Then \u0026 Now - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":848,"weight":354,"compare_at_price":1695,"inventory_quantity":8,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"deny","barcode":"978-1-58089-253-7","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[],"quantity_rule":{"min":1,"max":null,"increment":1}}],"images":["\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/walden-then-and-now-cover.jpg?v=1586806822"],"featured_image":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/walden-then-and-now-cover.jpg?v=1586806822","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Walden Then \u0026 Now book cover","id":5804904808527,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":600,"width":600,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/walden-then-and-now-cover.jpg?v=1586806822"},"aspect_ratio":1.0,"height":600,"media_type":"image","src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/walden-then-and-now-cover.jpg?v=1586806822","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: large;\" size=\"4\"\u003eWalden Then \u0026amp; Now\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\" size=\"3\"\u003eAn Alphabetical Tour of Henry Thoreau's Pond\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca title=\"Michael McCurdy Bio\" href=\"\/pages\/michael-mccurdy\"\u003eMichael McCurdy\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e“I hear a song sparrow singing from the bushes on the shore.”\u003cbr\u003eHenry David Thoreau, \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHenry David Thoreau was an author and naturalist whose book \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e still inspires readers today. In it Thoreau documented his experience living in a cabin on Walden Pond, reflecting on the beauty of nature and Mother Earth. Much of his writing, including \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e, propelled the environmental movement that exists today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver one hundred and fifty years later, Michael McCurdy pays tribute to this influential figure and the historic place that inspired Thoreau during his lifetime. In \u003cem\u003eWalden Then \u0026amp; Now\u003c\/em\u003e, readers take an alphabetical journey around Walden Pond. McCurdy explores Thoreau’s simple life in his cabin surrounded by nature, and highlights what has changed and what has stayed the same from Thoreau’s time to our own. Readers discover the animals, plants, seasons, and thoughts that Thoreau recorded during his life on the pond as they gain an appreciation for nature and environmentalism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMcCurdy’s beautiful wood engravings illustrate this celebration of the joy, solitude, and drama of the natural life of Walden Pond—then and now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/charlesbridge-books.com\/previews\/walden-then-and-now\/walden_preview1.html\" target=\"new\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead an excerpt!\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca title=\"John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall\" href=\"http:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/john-muir-wrestles-a-waterfall\"\u003eJohn Muir Wrestles a Waterfall\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/walden-then-and-now-spread.jpg?v=1584472316\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMichael McCurdy, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMichael McCurdy is the author and illustrator of \u003cem\u003eAn Algonquian Year\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHannah’s Farm\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eTrapped by the Ice\u003c\/em\u003e. He is also the illustrator of more than 200 books for adults and children, including \u003cem\u003eThe Founders: The 39 Stories Behind the Constitution\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Train They Call the City of New Orleans\u003c\/em\u003e. He lives in Springfield, Massachusetts, with his wife, Deborah.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNCSS\/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/star-fade.gif?4673889858015672850\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis elegant alphabet book brilliantly conveys the essence of 19th-century American author, naturalist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau’s solitary sojourn at Walden Pond. For each letter of the alphabet, McCurdy selects an item symbolizing Henry’s simple, secluded Walden world, including an anecdotal paragraph explaining how each fits into the Walden idyll, often with comparisons to Walden Pond as it is now. From “A” for the angry ants whose battles Henry described in \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e to “Z” for the zephyrs cooling the pond on summer nights, the alphabetical selections give readers a unique peek at Henry and the natural world he immortalized. Each page opens with the featured letter in crisp, black type on thick, creamy stock. Rustic, realistic black-and-white wood engravings echo Henry’s credo to simplify and feature him reading, plowing his bean field, building his cabin, playing his flute, chopping wood, roaming winter woods, cutting ice and staring at the stars in complete harmony with nature. An unusual yet entirely appropriate introduction to the famed hermit—and the other residents of Walden Pond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBooklist\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHenry David Thoreau's classic, \u003cem\u003eWalden\u003c\/em\u003e, was published more than 150 years ago and remains an environmentalist's core title today. McCurdy celebrates that enduring work in a beautiful volume, organized around the alphabet, that matches a simple rhyme about the natural world and a detailed black-and-white wood engraving with each letter. As the pages move from ants, geese, and loons to Ursa Major and zephyr, they also include notes about Walden Pond, Thoreau, and his book; and appended source notes offer additional information. Young eco-minded supporters will enjoy the nature details and the tribute to a pioneer of the conservation movement, and the spacious book design, with thick paper, will have readers returning to the pages many times for the awe-inspiring words and pictures, as well as for the message about the satisfaction that solitude can bring: \"J is for the joy he felt at being all alone.\" \u003cem\u003e—Hazel Rochman\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElegiac woodcarvings evoke the setting of Henry Thoreau's Walden Pond as the text weaves past and present in this lengthy alphabet poem. On each spread, consecutive letters face one another, making a couplet of the lines. A dark, but not somber, woodcarving illustrates each letter, and an explanatory paragraph expands upon the information in the verse. Some letters describe an emotion, e.g., \"J is for the joy he felt at being all alone,\" while the text links the comment to the present (since nearly 600,000 people visit Walden Pond each year, \"it would be hard to be alone\" there today). Other letters describe the writer's activities: \"C is for the cabin Henry built with his own hands,\" or insects or animals, \"G is for returning geese that made his spirits soar.\" Differences between a New England life in the 1840s and 1850s and today are explained. The book ends with entries from Thoreau's diary and McCurdy's inspiration and starting point for this book. Purchase as an introduction to Thoreau and for poetry shelves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWCMU\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWALDEN THEN \u0026amp; NOW\u003c\/em\u003e is described as an alphabetical tour of Thoreau’s Walden Pond. It is an elegant journey for older readers by master printmaker Michael McCurdy. This is not an ordinary alphabet book. In fact, the letters of the alphabet are used as a narrative tool to move through a series of observations originally made by Thoreau (then) and commented on by McCurdy (now). This approach to a classic piece of writing is unusual and built on integrity as McCurdy spent much time in and around Walden Pond observing its simplicities and environmental gifts. He makes charming comparisons between Thoreau’s 1854 publication and his own experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach page contains a letter of the alphabet, a statement in tandem with the letter, McCurdy’s embellishment of the topic and a wood engraving by McCurdy in celebration of the topic. For instance, the letter A is for ants and the letter B is for beans. Quoting from the book: “A is for the angry ants that Henry once saw battling. B is for the bean field in which noisy crows were prattling.” Following each line of these rhymed couplets McCurdy explains how Henry David Thoreau, in his instance, did see black and red ants fight and did plow seven miles of beans at Walden Pond. The real bonus here is that McCurdy has written Source Notes from A-Z at the end of the book that include Thoreau’s original quotations and gives the reader the exact chapter and paragraph in Thoreau’s \u003cem\u003eWALDEN\u003c\/em\u003e where each detail can be found. This provides a very nice stretch for older readers—one that could easily entice them to pick up \u003cem\u003eWALDEN\u003c\/em\u003e by Henry David Thoreau and make it their own. McCurdy has selected the alphabet and topic pairs very well. For instance, “C” is for cabin, “E” is for eagle, “K” is for kindling, “L” is for loons, “Q” is for quiet and “Z” is for zephyr. Each accompanying black and white wood engraving is powerful----especially those showing Henry David Thoreau reading a book, chopping wood, walking through wintery forest, playing the flute, fishing and contemplating the stars. Nighthawks, geese, owls, a squirrel, a hare and other creatures of Nature dot the landscape. This volume is handsomely bound using heavy weight ivory paper and a dark green fabric cover with gold letters. And there on the front cover stands the naturalist himself----one of the most beautiful wood engravings of all. \u003cem\u003eWALDEN THEN \u0026amp; NOW\u003c\/em\u003e by Michael McCurdy is a special volume for older children ages 10-14 and up (Charlesbridge, 2010). This is Sue Ann Martin for THE CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/walden-then-and-now-cvr.jpg?v=1439829477\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/walden-then-and-now-hires.zip?12150546440452842453\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-253-7\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book PDF\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-60734-249-6\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: All ages\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e9 x 9\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}