Many of us have brought a shell home from the beach or picked up a colourful rock to keep. These objects remind us of special times in our life.Sometimes these keepsakes create a spark of interest and maybe a compulsion that you need more of these special objects. Have you ever conisdered that this might make you a collector?
Natural History Collector: Hunt, Discover, Learn! by Mike Sanchez, an educator at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, has created a informative book for would-be natural history collectors of rocks, animal tracks, seashells, fossils, insects and plants.
It is a beginners guide for children on what to do with their treasures. Natural History Collector: Hunt, Discover, Learn! 'will help you learn how to clean, store and display your specimens.'
It will provides readers with easy to follow tips on how to: build your collection, collect specimens and record information in a field note book. This book provides a range of projects for child collectors to make including: how to build a display box or to take plaster casts.
The inclusion of stories about collectors from the past and present, is an inspiring addition for would-be collectors. The book encourages children to research their interests further and to join local groups of collectors who share their passion.
Natural History Collector: Hunt, Discover, Learn! educates and reminds readers that they need to be considerate, environmentally friendly collectors. That a collector only takes what they need from the natural environment and if there is only one of a kind that you do not collect it. It informs readers that there are rules and laws about taking specimens, from asking permission from a landowner to obtaining a permit.
The drawings and photos in this book are a wonderful addition to the text. Some of the photos show how specimens are stored, cleaned and the range of equipment used in the collection process. I love that children were photographed assembling the projects, making the projects feel possible to complete with occasional adult supervision.
The information in the book, Natural History Collector: Hunt, Discover, Learn! will help children create their own library or museum just like the collections found in the The Incredible Cabinet of Wonder.
The joy of being a collector is sharing your collection with your family, friends and maybe even a local club. Have fun collecting and learning more about the natural history that sparks your interest. Maybe it will lead to a life-long passion or a career in geology, botany, zoology, marine biology, entomology or palaeontology.
Title: Natural History Collector: Hunt, Discover, Learn!
Author: Michael Sanchez
Publisher: Quarry Books, $24.99
Publication Date: 24 January 2018
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781631593673
For ages: 7 - 12
Type: Non-Fiction, Junior Non-Fiction
