Felina's New Home: A Florida Panther Story

A unique approach to teaching children about deforestation!

Wlodarski, Loran.
Felina's New Home.
February 2010.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Growing up in a shrinking forest feels inimidating to young Felina, a Florida Panther. All that she has known and has been taught is suddenly changing as man takes over her forest to industrialize and expand. Throughout the story, children are taken on an adventure alongside Felina, as she introduces readers to the many changes that are taking place in her forest and how those changes affect not only Felina, but all of the different inhabitants of the forest.

This is a wonderful story for young children about how the wants/needs of humans impacts nature and wildlife. Loran Wlodarski, an environmental science writer, handles the topic perfectly for this age group, as while he addresses a very serious subject that could potentially worry children, he finds a way to make the story end on a positive note, by showing how some humans choose to help these animals that are being endangered by deforestion. This is definitely a book to include in your science library!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Sylvan Dell has put out a packet of teaching activities to collaborate with Felina's New Home. The packet can be downloaded here.
  
• In the back of the book, Sylvan Dell has also provided a section called "For Creative Minds," which provides related reading activities. My favorite activity to use in collaboration with the book would be the "Endangered or Threatened Animals" activity, which asks children to identify if the pictures/descriptions either help or hurt animals.
  

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