Wild Ideas - by Elin Kelsey (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A new book that celebrates the 'nature' of creative problem solving"--Front jacket flap.

Book Synopsis

From the creators of You Are Stardust comes a new informational picture book that brings the big ideas of their first book down to earth.

Wild Ideas looks deep into the forests, skies and oceans to explore how animals solve problems. Whether it's weaving a safe place to rest and reflect, blowing a fine net of bubbles to trap fish, or leaping boldly into a new situation, the animals featured (including the orangutan, humpback whale and gibbon) can teach us a lot about creative problem solving tools and strategies. Like You Are Stardust, this book uses lyrical text grounded in current science alongside wonderfully detailed art to present problems as doorways to creative thinking. Wild Ideas encourages an inquiry-based approach to learning, inviting readers to indulge their sense of wonder and curiosity by observing the natural world, engaging with big ideas and asking questions. An author's note at the end delves deeper into the research behind the text.

Review Quotes

A Kirkus Best of 2015 Selection

"Speaks directly to young readers in a carefully constructed, elegant, accessible language that transcends the ordinary and demonstrates not even the slightest hint of condescension... This is a work that will be read and examined again and again, with something new to be discovered at every turn. Profound and entirely wonderful."
--Kirkus Reviews - STARRED REVIEW

"The illustrations are three-dimensional dioramas that are sure to spark plenty of creative ideas."
--Ithaca Child

"An imaginative and illuminating catalog of various animals' problem-solving strategies...[a] heartening celebration of our kinship with other beings."
-- Brain Pickings

"Each statement supported by scientific fact is woven into the whimsical world of Kim's visuals. This book frees us to be more than we thought we could be."
-- Librarian's Quest

"The perfect mixture of science and storytelling that children will love to read and parents and teachers will love to use as a teach tool."
- South Florida Sun Sentinel

"The depth of the images and the surprising facts work together to create a lovely connection between the readers and the natural world."
-- The Boston Globe

"Delightful dioramas bring the book's accessible prose to life."
--Science Magazine

"Young kids who like to write stories will be interested in this beautiful book."
-- San Francisco Book Review

"Kelsey presents simple, powerful examples in warm, accessible language...beautifully presented and rich in ideas."
- Booklist

"Although most readers will be drawn to this book because of the animal content, they might pick up some problem-solving skills in the process."
-- School Library Journal

"A strong voice and an angle that makes it different from other books...a fun book to discuss in science and environmental studies."
--The International Educator

About the Author

Dr. Elin Kelsey is a science educator, speaker and consultant who has worked with a variety of museums, zoos and aquariums, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Calgary Zoo, to name just a few. She is an adjunct professor at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and at Royal Roads University, as well as the author of ten books. She lives in Pacific Grove, California.

Soyeon Kim is an artist and illustrator who specializes in work that merges real-life materials, sketching and painting to produce three-dimensional pieces. Born in Korea but now living in Toronto, Ontario, she is a graduate of the York University visual arts program.