PPBF – Over and Under the Wetland

For those of us still in denial that fall and cooler temperatures are just around the corner, I found a Perfect Picture Book to remind us of summer adventures.

Title: Over and Under the Wetland

Written By: Kate Messner

Illustrated By: Christopher Silas Neal

Publisher/Date: Chronicle Books/2024

Suitable for Ages: 5-8

Themes/Topics: nature, intergenerational, wetlands, Florida Everglades

Opening:

Into the wetland we wander, through curtains of green in the afternoon sun.

Brief Synopsis: An exploration of the flora and fauna of the Florida Everglades wetlands.

Links to Resources:

• Learn about Everglades National Park and the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary with its famous elevated wooden walkway, the setting for this story;
• Check out the back matter to discover more about the animals mentioned in the text;
• Go on a walk or a hike near your home. Look up. What do you see in the treetops? What smells waft down from open windows? What bird cries fill the sky? Look down. What do you see by the sidewalk or trail? What scents rise from the fields or pavement? What sounds rise up to greet you?

Why I Like this Book:

Like the other picture books in the Over and Under series, Messner and Neal transport readers to a natural setting, inviting us to explore the great outdoors. In Over and Under the Wetland, readers join a young girl and her grandmother, as they stroll along an elevated wooden walkway through the wetlands of southern Florida. We experience the birds overhead and the fish and reptiles that live in the swampy wetland.

I love how the grandmother describes the swamp below as a “secret kingdom”. I also love how Messner invites readers to draw on several senses: we hear the birds, feel the breeze, see animal tracks in the mud. For those of us unable to journey to these wetlands, we’re able to slow down and stroll along to experience the sights, sounds, and smells vicariously. And, thanks to detailed descriptions in the back matter, we learn about the fascinating flora and fauna.

As with the other titles in the series, Neal’s illustrations truly bring this world to life.

In classrooms and homes, Over and Under the Wetland will delight young nature lovers and explorers and invite further research into this fascinating ecosystem.

A Note about Craft:

Over and Under the Wetland is the latest collaboration between Messner and Neal. I love how the pair explore diverse natural settings, bringing them to life for readers to enjoy.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!