Inspired by Endangered Species: Animals and Plants in Fabric Perspectives

Inspired by Endangered Species: Animals and Plants in Fabric Perspectives by Donna Marcinkowski DeSoto combines stunning art quilts with educational essays on animals and plants in peril of extinction.

This big, oversized art book offers hours of interesting reading on the importance of preserving wildlife and wilderness.

Getting to know the vanishing species will spur interest in the work of the organizations working to preserve them, including the Sea Turtle Conservancy and to the WILD Foundation which are funded by a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book.

As a quilter and fabric lover, I enjoy looking at the details of the quilts. The artists show great skill and discretion in the use of preprinted fabrics.

Each species is given a large photograph presenting its representational art and its binomial nomenclature, description, habitat, and threat level.

I love the use of three-dimensional elements in some of the quilts. For fiber artists, there is a wealth of inspiration to be found in these quilts.

The contents include

• Forwards by biologist Kim O'Keefe Beck, member of Board of Directors of Defenders of Wildlife, and professor and author J. Drew Lanham, also a Board of Director member of the Audubon Society  
• Conservation and the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) by Wendy Strahm
• Introduction by the author explaining the origin of the book and how species become identified as endangered
• 182 quilts of endangered animals and plants
• Biodiversity and the Firecrown by Peter Hodum
• What About the Wetlands? by John Overland
• On Mammals and Reviving Species by Janet Rachlow and Jim Witham
• Art and Heart: Our Place in the Story

Fiber artists and quilters will love this book. I also envision it as a gift (especially from a quilter) to younger readers with an interest in nature and wildlife.

With its broad scope of interest, I plan on donating my copy to my local library to sit alongside DeSoto's previous book Inspired by the National Parks, which I reviewed here and donated to our library. Some books are meant to be shared.

I received a free book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Inspired by Endangered Species: Animals and Plants in Fabric Perspectives
by Donna Marcinkowski DeSoto
Schiffer Publishing
Size: 8 1/2″ x 11″ | 182 color images | 280 pp
ISBN 13: 9780764357893
hard cover $34.99

from the publisher

Lively, colorful, and skillfully made fabric “portraits” of 182 endangered species bring them to real, vibrant life. Each portrait features fascinating animal and plant facts from rescuers, scientists, conservationists, and more: where they live, what their superpowers are, why they are at risk, and how we can help. Dedicated and passionate people who work to protect endangered species share details of their roles and specialties, the planning behind conservation measures, threats to healthy habitats, and inspiring success stories. This book fosters eco-awareness and responsibility with a hopeful and positive tone, not only educating but inspiring action.