As of: April 6, 2024, 9:00 a.m
By: Michaele Heske
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Right in the middle of the location of his new children's book: Jan Haft shows “My Meadow”. © Melanie Haft
Nature filmmaker Jan Haft has written a children's book. It should “make you want to go out and look at a meadow”.
Esterndorf - The well-known nature filmmaker Jan Haft from Esterndorf has written a children's book: "My meadow - discover a wonderful world." Rustling grasses, brightly colored flowers, dancing butterflies, buzzing and buzzing insects: Haft takes children aged six and over on a wonderful journey Voyage of discovery. “The book should make you want to go out and look at a meadow,” says Haft. He also wants to reach parents and grandparents and promote the joy of reading aloud.
The natural paradise “Wiese” is home to hundreds of plants and even more fascinating animals that live in amazing communities on several floors. There's the ladybug, for example: "It's so small that it can run up and down a flower stalk." It's perfect for climbing, because the little insect has two claws and lots of hair on each of its six legs: "It even comes up a window pane,” says the biologist in clear, child-friendly words.
Or the white stork: “He strides majestically through the meadows, scaring up grasshoppers and now and then a snake: Here he gets his fill.” Just like the heron, which, however, stands very still with its neck bent and its head tucked in, lying in wait for mice or frogs wait.
The father of three had previously invented “Grasshopper Joe” for his children, and of course he also appears in the colorful stories, which are sometimes illustrated with photos and sometimes with illustrations by Claire Lenkova and are sometimes a bit reminiscent of a comic.
The idea for the book came from the publisher: meadows are part of the curriculum for primary school children, but there are hardly any children's books that fit the theme. “As a child, I was enthusiastic about nature and read a lot of non-fiction books,” says Haft. Nowhere is the diversity greater than in the meadow. And at the same time, no native habitat is so threatened.
In simple language, Haft explains the basics and the special features of the “meadow” habitat. His aim is to make it clear to children that the “wonderful world of the meadow” must be protected. After a long walk, you can also google the local flora and fauna on the Internet, he advises. “You learn very quickly.”
The documentary filmmaker lives with his wife on a farm near Dorfen, where his production company Nautilusfilm is based. He grazes two water buffaloes on a piece of land. A natural habitat for water buffalo and cattle is also to be created in a fenced area between the outskirts of the city and Niederham on the north bank of the Isen. The initiative goes back to prison. Water collects in their tread holes and wallows. This in turn promotes natural processes from which many rare plant and animal species benefit.
The nature filmmaker is currently preparing a feature film about cattle pastures around the world, parts of which take place in the US prairies and Africa. And it's about similar ecological connections, just one size larger.
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Information about the book
Jan Haft's “My Meadow – Discover a Wonderful World” for children aged six and over has been published by Penguin Junior and costs 19 euros or 15 euros as an audio book.