Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance, by Jane Drake and Ann Love. Annick Press, 2017. $14.95 ages 10 and up

"Every plant and animal needs a certain amount of core space to survive. That space has to include the right arrangement of water, food, and shelter for the species. A whale needs a lot more water than, say, a shrimp.  In rewilding, a core is a stretch of habitat large enough to support all the forms of life that exist there naturally in the wild."

There are efforts being made throughout the world to ensure that natural habitats are restored in support of the plants and animals native to those particular spaces. The introduction explains:

"Rewilding is a big, new idea. "Rewilders" are stepping back and completely rethinking the relationship between people and our living Earth. Rewilders want to restore habitats to their natural state, easing the damage done by humans. They want to recreate wild environments that will support native species and make room for animals to move freely across vast spaces. In this way, they believe, we can help our endangered species survive ... and thrive!"  

There you have it! Now you know what Jane Drake and Ann Love want us to learn while reading their new book. The design is appealing and educational, with a mix of archival and current photographs, captioned info boxes, conversational and accessible text for their target audience, and a smooth transition from one section to the next.

There are six sections presented in a useful table of contents, each section providing a list of headings that will allow readers to find what is of most interest to them as they read. Each heading describes the theme for two pages of information. I chose The American Eel as a starting point; I had little knowledge of a constantly occurring crossword answer. The two pages provide just the right amount of information to satisfy my need to know, without overwhelming me with too much data.                                                                   
I like that attention is given to efforts around the world - from Yellowstone to Namibia, from Europe to Newfoundland and Labrador. The authors also let readers know about the successes from a variety of places. The overview it provides will encourage those with a lingering interest to find out more. I think that is a very special benefit when our children read nonfiction. 

Readers will learn about keystone species, cores, wildlife corridors, and efforts to scale back our worries about endangered species. They will also come to know that the best laid plans are not always successful, and that failure leads to further efforts to improve ideas and methods for helping to 'rewild' our world.

Final pages include a glossary, a list of selected sources, ideas for further research, image credits and a helpful index.