We learned about Costa Rica today through reading All Around the World: Costa Rica! Costa Rica has purple and orange crabs and more than 300 large stone spheres that are over 1,000 years old. This country still has many active volcanoes and a large rainforest filled with spider monkeys and jaguars. Costa Rica also has a cloud forest as a result from the cooling air from nearby mountains. . Do you know Costa Rica’s only big city that is also the capitol? It’s San Jose! Fun fact: This country does not have an army and stays neutral.
Donnelly Public Library has a new fun game called Atlas Adventures! The kids and I had so much fun learning to play the board game. Our goal was to put our puzzle of the world map together!
The Umbrella, with its delightful story and exquisite paintings of a lush tropical settings, perfectly complements Jan Brett’s most popular picture book, The Mitten, set in snowy woods where furry animals crawl into a boy’s mitten.
Jan visited the Monteverdi Cloud Forest in Costa Rica and was beguiled by it, “Just like Carlos, the boy in my story.” she says. “The swirling mist and dappled sunshine challenge the visitor. Birds and animals appear and disappear as if seen through a kaleidoscope. The shape and coloring of a creature often mimic the leafy world it lives in. One of the most rewarding sights is the resplendent quetzal with its long tail resembling the trailing vines hanging from its perch.”
Jan Brett’s glorious artwork provides a rare look at this mysterious habitat high on a mountain.