Discover the natural world like never before with this very close look at Mouse's backyard, where every square foot is rich with life and energy. Colorful illustrations, photographs, and images from an electron microscope combine to reveal the cells that form all creatures great and small. See how these microscopic building blocks are precisely arranged in lovely structures like flowers, ferns, feathers, and fungi. This visual adventure invites young readers and adults alike to stop and look closely at the world around them, whether it's Mouse's backyard, their own backyard, a schoolyard, a patch of weeds, or a patch of woods. Be patient, observe carefully, and beautiful, hidden worlds will unfold. This is an ideal book for teaching children about the natural world around them. Middle grades?ages 8-12. AUTHOR: James Nardi is a biologist at the University of Illinois who began learning from nature as a child on an Indiana farm.