Liam Heneghan is professor and chair of environmental science and studies at DePaul University. He is a Dubliner, an occasional poet, a tin whistle player, and a father of two grown children to whom he read every night of their early years.
"Beasts at Bedtime is so rich in intent and achievement, its short
chapters so densely packed and the whole book so stimulating and
timely."-- "Dublin Review of Books"
"Beasts at Bedtime is a book that tells us about who we are; those
of us that tell our children these stories as a way of shaping
their experience; those of us that were, perhaps, shaped by them as
well. It is a book about parenting . . . because it shows us how to
draw out the ecological shading of these stories in the
conversations we have with children (and indeed, with ourselves)
about them."-- "3 Quarks Daily"
"Beasts at Bedtime combines a reflective passion for nature, and a
close naturalist's eye, with a genuine and gentle wisdom. . . . The
book is informed by eco-theory throughout, but always maintains a
lightness of touch, and is never saddled by over-formality."--
"Irish Times"
"Beasts at Bedtime is a thoroughly delightful read, informative and
genuinely interdisciplinary. . . . Heneghan integrates accounts of
his own childhood reading and treks into the wild. His voice is
that of a Renaissance man, equally at home discussing Hieronymus
Bosch and grasses, ground beetles, and hedgehogs. His prose is
lovely. This book will be useful to librarians, environmentalists,
teachers, children's literature scholars, and, of course, parents.
Essential."-- "CHOICE"
"Beasts at Bedtime [surveys] classics of children's literature with
a wonder that is fresh and palpable. . . . Seeing familiar texts
through the eyes of an environmental biologist proves fascinating.
. . . This is a book for bedtime, roaming associatively through
memory and reflecting on the important role played by children's
books in shaping adults with an empathetic interest in the natural
world."-- "Times Higher Education"
"[Heneghan] has learned over the years that the parent doesn't need
to choose explicitly environmentally themed books in order to pass
on a love for the natural world to their kids. In fact, some of the
most common books to be found in children's bedrooms can do the job
perfectly. In Beasts at Bedtime, he takes a look at books like
Doctor Dolittle and Peter Rabbit, to see what they teach us about
the natural world."-- "The Journal"
"Don't put this book down or click it away. Stunningly scholarly
yet also moving and magical, Beasts at Bedtime is a brilliant
treatise and true ideological work. What you are holding is a
permission and a chance to read stories in a way that was
previously closed off to adults. Thank you, Liam Heneghan, for
doing your bit for the rest of us--human and nonhuman alike--unlike
and in between."-- "Timothy Morton, author of Humankind: Solidarity
with Non-Human People"
"For many of us, the beauty and splendour of the natural world seem
to fade with the passage of time. . . Beasts at Bedtime [inspires]
adults themselves to rediscover the wonder of their own childhood
reading.-- "Times Literary Supplement"
"This is a beautifully written, personal, and evocative book about
children's literature and the fostering of an environmental
sensibility through acts of reading with the child. There is a
genuinely musical, almost mystical quality to Heneghan's writing.
Deeply felt and voiced by a highly personalized narrative persona,
Beasts at Bedtime reads, at times, like a nighttime tale to a
child; at times, like a comforting set of adages to a confused
adult; at times, like a TED talk."-- "Seth Lerer, author of
Children's Literature: A Reader's History from Aesop to Harry
Potter"
"Today's children will face huge environmental challenges, from
climate change to oceanic pollution. In Beasts at Bedtime,
ecologist Heneghan argues that books can help children deal with
these grim eventualities. . . . Story has the power to develop
empathy and build knowledge, as well as nurture curiosity and
imagination. Childhood reading is undeniably formative, and it's
refreshing to see it being taken seriously. Children's books alone
cannot save the natural world; but they can spark concern, teach
the science and reveal strategies in ways both subtle and
direct."-- "Nature"
"We all know that nature plays a central role in many children's
classics. . . [Heneghan] wrote this book to help parents 'excavate
the green content' from bedtime reading. Beasts at Bedtime is proof
that most kidlit has teachable moments embedded in it."-- "The
Toronto Star"
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