Would you try a food you knew nothing about? Or would the flowers of your childhood stick as

strongly in your mind if you didn't know what they were called?

Vocabulary expands appreciation of our surroundings, and in turn, our language shapes our behavior. By featuring items that can be found in one's own neighborhood (acorns, flowers, herbs) combined with more exotic items (raw turquoise nuggets, wolves' claws, silkworm cocoons) the imagery in A Beauty Collected is both accessible and designed to expand the mind beyond the backyard. Whether the item is a porcupine quill or vanilla pod, the goal is to encourage inquisitiveness: "What is this item? What purpose does it serve? What does it smell or taste like? Where can I find it?"