This charmingly illustrated collection of nature essays is more than it might appear to be at first glance.

... shimmering.

Nezhukumatathil’s delight in the world isn’t dulled by the world’s racism, but she doesn’t shy away from sharing her experiences of being on the receiving end of discrimination.

Nezhukumatathil stuns with her nonfiction debut.

The nature writing we have been exposed to has been overwhelmingly male and white, which is just one reason that Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s latest essay collection, World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments, is a breath of fresh air.

... vivid and provocative.

The book is as much about color and race in our modern world as it is about gratitude for the smallest and strangest miracles it still manages to hold.

... awe-inducing and delightfully whimsical.

This moment of pause and panic created by the pandemic is pushing people to delve into nature and to take time to savor it during the rare times we are not housebound. And Nezhukumatathil’s World of Wonders is the perfect literary companion for this.

In beautifully illustrated essays, poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil writes of exotic flora and fauna and her family, and why they are all of one piece.

... fresh and engaging, and offers frequent surprises and perceptive commentary. Author Nezhukumatathil has previously published volumes of poetry, and now her prose flows effortlessly, with precise vocabulary that evokes clear images and captures insightful nuance.

... fascinating.

A poet celebrates the wonders of nature in a collection of essays that could almost serve as a coming-of-age memoir.

Nezhukumatathil applies her skill as a poet to a scintillating series of short essays on nature.