Nature Anatomy and Farm Anatomy (Storey Publishing)

I receive a lot of interesting books in the mail. Some solicited, and others unsolicited. However, perhaps two of the most interesting books I have received in recent memory are Farm Anatomy and Nature Anatomy, available from Storey Publishing. Let me tell you about them.

Farm Anatomy is a gorgeous softcover book that illustrates life on a farm. It begins by telling us about one of the most important aspects of a farm - the soil. There are images that show what generally makes up different levels of soil; what makes up healthy top soil; and the texture triangle, which shows the 12 different classifications of soil texture. Next, nutrients in soil and crop rotation is discussed and illustrated. There is also discussion of plowing, erosion, and weather patterns/predictions. Chapter Two discusses barn and other building construction. Chapter Three details farm tools you will need; how the tools have evolved through the years; and ways of doing various tasks, like felling a tree. Chapters Four and Five are my favorite chapters as they have to do with crops and animals. There are scores upon scores of illustrations, which show different varieties of fruits and vegetables, cattle, sheep, etc. After these chapters, there are recipes and guides to different cuts of meat and how to butcher them.

Nature Anatomy begins by telling us about layers of the earth, minerals, fossils, the  rock cycle, and different landforms. Chaper Two discusses atmosphere, water cycle, phases of the moon, and constellations. Chapter Three is a beautiful chapter with descriptions and illustrations of flowers, butterflies, bees, and ants. Chapter Four dissects and details trees, various leaf shapes, and even different mushrooms. The final three chapters are where we learn about animals and birds of all sizes. There are snakes, lizards, cats, dogs, and even some aquatic animals like whales. A really interesting illustration detailed the life cycle of Lyme disease and how it forms and spreads.

Both Farm Anatomy and Nature Anatomy are beautiful and affordable books that open a world of knowledge to children and adults alike. The books have a rustic/simple look and feel to them, but when you open them up you are treated to hundreds of illustrations, which not only take your breath away, but teach you as well. The amount of words on each page are enough to educate, but not enough to overwhelm. I could not put these books down and still find myself picking them up, thumbing through them, and re-reading the information contained within. I'd go so far as to say that I think I enjoyed the books as much, if not more than my son. I hope the author publishes another book to accompany these two, as I devoured these books. If you are looking for interesting books with a science theme for the traditional or homeschooling classroom, I cannot recommend these books enough!

These books were provided to me for free by Storey Publishing in exchange for honest reviews. If you found these reviews helpful, please click here and/or here and hit Yes!