Welcome to the Neighborwood by master paper craftsman Shawn Sheehy is at once a breathtaking work of interactive art and a fact-filled exploration of the great outdoors. Young readers learn about the habits and survival skills of seven different creatures through pop-up models of the places they call home. Each burrow and nest bursts from the page in 3-D form, and Sheehy complements these visual astonishments with information about each animal. In easy-to-absorb prose, he explains the ways in which they adapt to the wild, construct homes and flourish.
In magical, surprising spreads, a garden spider hangs from a leaf, its web a delicate backdrop, and a honeybee surveys its complex comb. Tucked in the branches of a leafy tree, a hummingbird’s nest opens wide to reveal its winged inhabitant. Filled with color and detail, these pages truly pop, a testament to paper’s remarkable potential as a creative medium.
A former science teacher, Sheehy has said that his goal as an author is to create an awareness of and respect for the environment in young readers. Providing an intriguing peek inside an ecosystem, this book enchants even as it instructs.
This article was originally published in the March 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
