World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments

Hands-down one of the most beautiful books of the year. NPR From beloved, award-winning poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil comes a debut work of nonfictiona collection of essays about the natural world, and the way its inhabitants can teach, support, and inspire us. As a child, Nezhukumatathil called many places home: the grounds of a Kansas mental institution, where her Filipina mother was a doctor; the open skies and tall mountains of Arizona, where she hiked with her Indian father; and the chillier climes of western New York and Ohio. But no matter where she was transplantedno matter how awkward the fit or forbidding the landscapeshe was able to turn to our worlds fierce and funny creatures for guidance. What the peacock can do, she tells us, is remind you of a home you will run away from and run back to all your life. The axolotl teaches us to smile, even in the face of unkindness; the touch-me-not plant shows us how to shake off unwanted advances; the narwhal demonstrates how to survive in hostile environments. Even in the strange and the unlovely, Nezhukumatathil finds beauty and kinship. For it is this way with wonder: it requires that we are curious enough to look past the distractions in order to fully appreciate the worlds gifts. Warm, lyrical, and gorgeously illustrated by Fumi Nakamura, World of Wonders is a book of sustenance and joy.