A great book for teaching how nature is connected and how different plants and animals depend on each other. The artwork is stunning in its detail. The text is sparse making it great for younger readers. ( )

Name: Something Wonderful
Author: Matt Ritter
Illustrator: Nayl Gonzalez
Genre: Children Fiction
Source: Netgalley
Summary:
The story is about the life of a fig seed which fell on a giant tree and how it replaced the giant tree, grew big, reproduced and again its seeds fell on a giant tropical tree. And a wonderful life again bloomed.
My Opinion.: It has beautiful illustrations. I really like the background art because it gave me manga kind of vibes (even though it is very different). The story was rather simple, I would say this book is for a much younger age group. I liked the fact that the book was quite informative and would encourage people to know more about nature. ( )

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In his book “Something Wonderful,” Matt Ritter narrates a beautiful story about a fig tree in a tropical rainforest. Starting as a tiny seed, it eventually develops into a magnificent tree. With the assistance of a group of wasps and a chestnut-mandibled toucan, it then proceeds to produce more fig trees. This cycle of life and death maintains the perpetuity of the forest.
The illustrations by Nayl Gonzalez do more than providing a mere backdrop to the story. The readers feel they are present in the scene, witnessing the life cycle of the fig tree and the wasps. The extremely detailed pictures tell many stories, should you be observant enough to perceive them. I do not want to spoil anything for the prospective readers, but keep an eye out for the frog, will you? In addition to the aesthetic beauty, I was amazed by the way Gonzalez scales the pictures up or down. This provides a magnified view or a birds’ eye view, as required.
The topic of the book represents a textbook example of mutualism that renders the fig tree and the wasp partners for life. Incredibly, Ritter could describe this ninety-million-years-old phenomenon in a way that would appeal to children and teenagers, not to mention the adults. This book will enlighten the readers about the intricately entwined life stories and interdependence of different life-forms. The glimpses of biodiversity in a tropical rainforest will not only educate them but also help them appreciate the natural resources our earth so generously provides.
Children of the age group of 8 to 12 years will be able to read this work on their own. Additionally, the parents might consider reading the book aloud to younger children. However, adults will also enjoy the book, especially if they are interested in the biological world. This book is, true to its title, something wonderful. ( )