Best this month
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Vanishing of the Bees Merci Mister Dash!
Mister Dash is a mon- grel with manners who always puts “his best paw forward.” He lives with Madame Croissant who owns a gift shop and spends evenings
The Brussats pub- lish the website www. SpiritualityandPractice. com where you can find more information about the items reviewed in this column.
working on her stamp collec- tion. Mister Dash relishes the peace and quiet. But Sundays are when young Daphne visits. She insists on hugging and then playing with him outside. Despite all the disagreeable things Mister Dash experiences at the hands of Daphne, he demonstrates why dogs are called humankind’s best friends. Monica Kulling’s story for children 3 to 6 years old teaches the importance of man- ners. Here Mister Dash is the tutor who patiently goes through some irritating situ- ations before demonstrating his kindness in a very visible way. The virtue of courtesy comes across loud and clear in Merci Mister Dash (Tun- dra Books, www. tundrabooks. com).
42 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
All over the world, honeybees have been myste- riously vanishing from their hives. This cogent documentary seeks to find out what is happening to these wonder workers who play such a crucial role in sustaining our ecosystem and pollinate nearly one-third of our food supply. Leading the way in the fight to save the honeybees are com- mercial beekeepers David Hackenberg and Dave Mendes. They traveled to France to talk with bee- keepers who are dealing with the same problems Americans have seen in 35 states. Honeybees in ancient Egypt were seen as healers and held in high esteem. Today they are considered to be similar to the canary in the coal mine that warns when the air becomes unbreath- able—bees are signaling that something is wrong with our environment. In Washington, D.C.,
Hackenberg and Mendes are disturbed to learn there is very little regulation over the chemicals sprayed on crops. Are the chemi- cals carried by the bees back to their hives the cause of their disappearance? The documentary ends on a positive note with stories about how ordinary people are trying to save these pro- ductive and hard-working creatures (True Mind/Entertainment One, not rated).
The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder
In this follow-up to his bestselling Saving Our Children from Nature- Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv challenges us to make the best use we can of the restorative powers of nature. Peppering the text with solid scientific research, colorful and real- istic anecdotes, and personal stories, the author demonstrates how the nature principle (reconnecting to the natural world) can improve how we live, work, play, exercise, explore, travel and relax.
Some of the fascinating developments in this regard are health-care facilities offering nature-based therapy, green exer- cises and animal-assisted therapies; evidence that families and friendships experience deeper bonding through shared times in nature; the phenomenon of more backyard gardens; and the growing trend of urban agriculture. In the future, Louv sees peo- ple relying on both technology and nature (Algonquin Books,
www.workman.com/algonquin).
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