We Must “Apprentice ourselves to turtles”

Turtles can teach us about a sacred, cyclical renewing time that connects us to eternity, says science author (of 36 books!) Sy Montgomery. Sy talks process, experience, and, animals, with Librarian Luke Steere and Science Teacher Sarah Friswell Cotton from Wilson Middle School in Natick. Joining Montgomery is humble illustrator Matt Patterson, who truly is as Sy says-- a "turtle savant". Patterson's work is featured with Sy's on two recent books all about turtles, one for adults and one for children. Our discussion checks-in with how the book is being received, and delves into the nature of time, aging, falling in love with a research topic, and human-animal relationships. Mentioned media: Sy Montgomery: https://symontgomery.com/books/ Matt Patterson: https://www.mpattersonart.com/ From Head and Heart conference page https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/teachers/professional-development/from-head-and-heart-caring-for-the-environment-through-science-stories-and-action Freshwater Fish of the Northeast, illus. by Matt Patterson The Book of Turtles, Sy Montgomery, illus. by Matt Patterson The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery From Head and Heart conference page https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/education/teachers/professional-development/from-head-and-heart-caring-for-the-environment-through-science-stories-and-action Becoming a Good Creature, Sy Montgomery, illus. by Rebecca Green Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery, Matt Patterson (Illustrator) “Endangered Turtles Offer Hope In an Era of Despair A look at Sy Montgomery's compassionate portrait of turtles,” https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/animal-emotions/202311/endangered-turtles-offer-hope-in-an-era-of-despair Artists for Conservation, https://www.artistsforconservation.org/ “Sy and her buddy Fire Chief, a snapping turtle,” https://symontgomery.com/sy-and-her-buddy-fire-chief-a-snapping-turtle/ Dog Smart, Jennifer S. Holland https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739453/dog-smart-by-jennifer-s-holland/ An Immense World, Ed Young https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/616914/an-immense-world-by-ed-yong/ Turtle Survival Alliance, https://turtlesurvival.org/ Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer, https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/ Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben https://www.peterwohllebenbooks.com/about Finding the Mother Tree, Susan Simard, https://suzannesimard.com/finding-the-mother-tree-book/