Tag Archives: Nature

PPBF – How to Write a Poem

Posted on April 5, 2024 | 5 comments

I found the Perfect Picture Book to inspire budding poets for National Poetry Month. Enjoy!

Title: How to Write a Poem

Written By: Kwame Alexander & Deanna Nikaido

Art By: Melissa Sweet

Publisher/Date: Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: poetry, how to, nature, inspiration

Opening:

Begin with a question, like an acorn waiting for spring.

Brief Synopsis: A free-verse poem that shows children how to write poetry and inspires them to do so.

Links to Resources:

  • Discover resources to explore poetry with children at the Poetry Foundation and at poets.org;
  • Spend an hour, an afternoon, or a day experiencing nature. How do you feel? Try describing what you’ve experienced with words or pictures.

Why I Like this Book:

How to Write a Poem is a recipe that kids, and their adults, can follow to become poets. The tone is direct and easy for kids to comprehend. “Begin with a question…” “Close your eyes…” “Next, listen to the grass…” The collaged illustrations include arrows like a road map and lined paper, ready for the reader’s poetry. Even the text is part of the illustrations, as if the authors are printing like children themselves.

But Alexander and Nikaido also show us how to write poetry by adding poetic touches and natural imagery throughout. They challenge us to be open to the world around us and to dig into our feelings. They direct us to “dive deep into the silent sea of your imagination….” There, we’ll discover “a cotton candy cavalcade of sounds….” Say that aloud a few times. It just trips off the tongue and conjures up gorgeous images.

In the last few spreads, Nikaido and Alexander invite us to follow the directives, gather up the images, and write our own poems. After all, “words have been waiting to slide down your pencil…” and right onto that paper that Sweet includes for us.

How to Write a Poem is a perfect addition to school and home libraries – I read a copy from my local library, but I’ve added it to my “must purchase” list.

A Note about Craft:

In A Note, Alexander reflects that “[f]or so long, we’ve been taught that poetry is staid, complicated, and unfamiliar…” Nikaido and Alexander show us that poetry is anything but that – it’s Fun! And by addressing the reader directly, they show us that we can be poets, too.

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!

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PPBF – Just Flowers

Posted on March 22, 2024 | 2 comments

It’s spring! Here in the northern hemisphere, the hours of daylight are increasing, temperatures are warming, and, most importantly, flowers are beginning to bloom. I found the Perfect Picture Book to celebrate, with thanks to Vivian Kirkfield, whose review alerted me to it, and to Sleeping Bear Press, who granted me access to an online copy for review, so I wouldn’t have to wait to share it with you.

Title: Just Flowers

Written By: Erin Dealey

Art By: Kate Cosgrove

Publisher/Date: Sleeping Bear Press/March 2024

Suitable for Ages: 6-7

Themes/Topics: gardening, sharing, beauty, neighbors, nature

Opening:

One blustery brr day, in a dreary dull town, a new neighbor moved in next door.

“Hi!” Izzy said to him. “I’m—.”

Brief Synopsis: Izzy’s grumpy new neighbor is interested only in the roses that grow in his garden, and he directs Izzy to get rid of the other flowers that grow there. As Izzy does so, Izzy beautifies the town and brings joy to its residents.

Links to Resources:

Why I Like this Book:

In Just Flowers, readers meet Izzy, a young child who loves flowers and learning about flowers, and a grumpy new neighbor who finds beauty only in roses. As late winter turns to spring and then summer, Izzy finds a variety of flowers growing in the neighbor’s garden. But the neighbor is interested only in his rose bushes, and he directs Izzy to get rid of the other flowers. Izzy does that by giving them to many people in town, thereby brightening their lives.

Children will love learning about the various flowers growing in the garden, including their Latin names, with further information about them in the back matter. Like Izzy, they’ll wonder why the grumpy neighbor doesn’t love all of the flowers. After all, who hasn’t seen a child mesmerized by a dandelion, that most beautiful “weed.” What a great opportunity to discuss notions of beauty and worth.

Children and their adult readers will love the inclusivity of the text and illustrations: Izzy is never identified by a pronoun, the name is genderless, and they wear a rainbow hoodie; and townspeople include a pediatrician wearing a head scarf, a principal with a prosthetic leg, a fellow student in a wheelchair, and many other inclusively-portrayed people.

I think everyone will agree that Izzy’s kindness paired with these not-roses flowers makes them anything but just flowers. Whether you read Just Flowers at home, in a classroom, or at the library, this hope-filled, inclusive story will bring a bouquet of smiles to brighten your life.

A Note about Craft:

I knew I wanted to read and review Just Flowers the minute I saw the cover and read the title. A lifelong gardener, I wondered about the qualifier “just,” as in only, merely, or less desirable, with flowers. I was intrigued to find out what made them less desirable, who considered them just flowers, and to what they were being compared. What a wonderful title to get readers thinking before they even open the book!

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!

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PPBF – Is This a House for Hermit Crab?

Posted on March 9, 2024 | 2 comments

Today I’m happy to feature a newly-illustrated version of a classic picture book that truly is a Perfect Picture Book.

Title: Is This a House for Hermit Crab?

Written By: Megan McDonald

Art By: Katherine Tillotson

Publisher/Date: Neal Porter Books/2024 (originally published by Orchard Books in 1990, with illustrations by S.D. Schindler)

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: hermit crabs, home, moving, nonfiction, nature

Opening:

Hermit Crab was growing too big for the house on his back.

Brief Synopsis: A hermit crab outgrows its shell and seeks a larger one.

Links to Resources:

  • Read the Back Matter to find out more about hermit crabs and other sea creatures;
  • Make your own hermit crab.

Why I Like this Book:

With its endearing main character seeking a new home, its repeated question, “Is this a house for Hermit Crab?”, and its repeated refrain that begs readers to turn the page, “So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand…scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch”, Is This a House for Hermit Crab? is sure to become a favorite in homes, libraries, and classrooms.

Although McDonald wrote the text over 30 years ago, the story seems fresh and the amount of text seems just right for read-alouds, even to younger kids. Tillotson’s vibrant watercolor, acrylic, finger paint, and collage illustrations made me feel like I was walking on the beach with Hermit Crab and snorkeling above the underwater action. And the facts in the Back Matter will make this a welcome resource as kids seek to learn more about hermit crabs and other ocean creatures.

A Note about Craft:

As a querying picture book author, I follow the advice of those in the know and only include books published within the last three years, max five years, as comparable titles. But as you can see above, McDonald penned the text for Is This a House for Hermit Crab? over 30 years ago. Which goes to show that some picture books that we may remember from our childhoods or from our children’s childhoods stand the test of time and are worth studying as mentor texts. In this case, I think a combination of several factors helps this story seem fresh today: the relatable story – crab has to move; the fact that very few, if any, picture books about hermit crabs have been published in the last several years; and the fairly short text with its distinct refrain – “So he stepped along the shore, by the sea, in the sand…scritch-scratch, scritch-scratch.”

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!

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PPBF – Over and Under the Waves

Posted on February 23, 2024 | 4 comments

Grab your paddle and climb aboard for a magical journey in this Perfect Picture Book!

Title: Over and Under the Waves

Written By: Kate Messner

Art By: Christopher Silas Neal

Publisher/Date: Chronicle Books/2022

Suitable for Ages: 5-8

Themes/Topics: kayaking, marine life, nature

Opening:

Over the waves we paddle, away from the beach to the water’s deep blue.

Brief Synopsis: A girl and her parents kayak over the sea kelp beds in Monterey Bay.

Links to Resources:

  • Learn more about kelp forests;
  • Discover kayaks and kayaking;
  • Check out the amazing back matter with Author’s Note, information about the animals, and further reading suggestions.

Why I Like this Book:

In this gentle journey in Monterey Bay, a young girl and her family explore what they see above the waves, and readers learn about life underwater. I love that Messner chose a non-motorized boat that silently glides through the water and that doesn’t distract from the peaceful surroundings. I also love that the family propel themselves, just as the sea creatures propel themselves through the water. And I especially love when the worlds above and below the waves intersect, when, for instance, a sea lion dives from the rocks into the sea, whales breach the surface causing the kayaks to rock, and the young narrator’s red jacket matches both the kayak and the octopus swimming below them.

As many of you probably know, Over and Under the Waves is part of a series of picture books by Messner and Neal that explore the natural world and the connections that unite creatures and plants over and under various divides. Neal’s soft mixed-media illustrations combined with Messner’s fact-filled text provide a perfect way to explore nature in classrooms, libraries, and homes.

A Note about Craft:

Messner’s use of first-person point-of-view enables the reader to feel as if they are in the kayak with the young narrator and her mother.

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!

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PPBF – A Walk in the Woods

Posted on February 16, 2024 | 1 comment

I’m sticking with books about nature published by Neal Porter Books this week. But as you’ll see, today’s Perfect Picture Book is quite a bit different than the one featured last week.

Title: A Walk in the Woods

Written By: Nikki Grimes

Art By: Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

Publisher/Date: Neal Porter Books/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: nature, healing, grief, death

Opening:

A week after the funeral, I stare in the morning mirror, angry that my father’s eyes stare back at me.

Why, Dad?

Why did you have to leave?

Brief Synopsis: After his father’s death, a young boy follows a map left by his father to find a treasure in the woods they’d often walked through together.

Links to Resources:

  • Take a walk in the woods, and try one of the activities listed for woodland walks in New York State;
  • Is there a hobby or other activity that you share with a parent or other relative? Find some time to share that hobby or activity today;
  • Choose one or more of the woodland creatures mentioned in the text and draw a picture or write a poem or story about it;
  • Think about and answer the discussion questions in the Educators Guide.

Why I Like this Book:

Nikki Grimes’ poetic, emotion-laden text transports readers into the thoughts and heart of a young boy grieving the loss of his father. As the story begins, readers feel the anger, and sorrow, filling the narrator. But as he journeys into the woods, the woods he and his father had enjoyed exploring together, he calms. He notices the forest creatures. And when he discovers the treasure (I won’t spoil the ending by disclosing its contents), he discovers that his father will always be there with and for him.

I love how Grimes shows the reader the healing power of nature – with each step the narrator takes, we feel his hurt and anger dissipate. I love, too, how she showcases woodland creatures, providing a roadmap for readers to discover interesting details about them.

After Jerry Pinkney died in 2021, son Brian Pinkney added watercolor and gouache paints to his father’s sketches for A Walk in the Woods. Seeing the finished illustrations is a poignant reminder that art mimics life.

A Walk in the Woods received many starred reviews. Understandably so. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking to reconnect with nature, to destress, or to heal from emotional trauma or loss.

A Note about Craft:

Per her “Note About the Journey” in the back matter, Grimes writes that she and Jerry Pinkney had been friends forever but had never created a book together. They both loved nature and they wanted to feature an African-American main character engaging with nature. After she’d written the powerful text, Jerry Pinkney created sketches inspired by the woods near his home in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. Then, as mentioned above and as Brian Pinkney elaborates in “A Walk to My Heart” in the back matter, he added color to his father’s sketches. Wow! Although I doubt any writer or illustrator can match the irony and beauty of this creation story, the gorgeous book that resulted is a reminder to create from the heart and to create based on our own lived experiences.

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!

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PPBF – How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures in It

Posted on November 10, 2023 | 5 comments

I’m fortunate to have spent a few weeks recently in my “happy place,” St. John in the US Virgin Islands. There, I snorkeled and meandered along the National Park shores, glimpsing a bit of the beauty explored in today’s Perfect Picture Book.

Title: How the Sea Came to Be: And All the Creatures in It

Written By: Jennifer Berne

Illustrated By: Amanda Hall

Publisher/Date: Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers/2023

Suitable for Ages: 6-10 (and younger)

Themes/Topics: poetry, geology, nature, marine biology, non-fiction

Opening:

Part One: The Birth of the Sea

Billions and billions of years long ago,

when the Earth was young and new,

the world was so hot, rock melted and boiled,

and fiery, wild winds blew.

Brief Synopsis: A 4.5 billion year history of the seas and the creatures that have lived and continue to live in them.

Links to Resources:

  • Discover 33 ocean-themed experiments, crafts, and activities for kids;
  • Try discovering, and explaining, how your home, family, school, or town came to be, and how it has evolved over time;
  • Check out the fascinating Back Matter, including Author and Illustrator Notes, descriptions and illustrations of ocean creatures over time, a fold-out illustration and description of the eras of earth history, key terms and concepts, and recommended sources for both children and educators.

Why I Like this Book:

With an engaging, child-friendly ABCB rhyme scheme, Berne shares the fascinating 4.5 billion-year history of the seas and its inhabitants. Starting out when the earth was a fiery mass with no water, Berne recounts how rains fell to the earth as it cooled, creating oceans “all over the world.” From there, she shows how the “teeniest, tiniest stirrings of life” multiplied in the oceans and how they evolved into more complex life forms, including jellyfish, worms, and creatures with “the very first feet.”

In the final third of How the Seas Came to Be, Berne explores the seas from the surface warmed by the sun to the far depths, showing eager readers the fascinating creatures that dwell in each ecosystem.

Berne’s detailed descriptions combined with Hall’s luminous illustrations of these creatures are a true treat for lovers of oceans and the life that inhabits them. Particularly stunning are the spreads showing creatures inhabiting the darkest depths set against a black background and a scene filled with reef dwellers in their bright, multi-colored finery. In her Illustrator’s Note, Hall shares her life-long fascination with natural history and informs readers that multiple trips to the Natural History Museum in London and the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences in Cambridge, England, informed her illustrations, which were vetted for accuracy by the Principal Researcher at the Natural History Museum.

Informative Back Matter completes this stunning picture book. How the Seas Came to Be should be in every elementary school classroom and library, and it’s also a welcome addition to home bookshelves. Note that the recommended age range is a bit older than the average picture book, however, I think the rhyming text and detailed illustrations will draw in younger sea lovers, too.

A Note about Craft:

Berne tackles 4.5 billion years of history in one picture book. Not a small undertaking by any stretch of the imagination! I think it helps that she divides the text into three distinct sections, arranged in chronological order. And while the first two sections follow a timeline, the third, in which she explores current sea creatures, divides them by layers of habitat, from the deepest depths of the ocean to those creatures nearer the surface with which humans are most familiar. That the story ends on a beach with children present shows, I think, that we, the readers and all humans, are connected to “the first life [that] came to be in the sea.”

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!

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PPBF – The Enchanted Symphony

Posted on October 20, 2023 | Leave a comment

With so many awful things happening in the world right now, I think we all can use a book that focuses on life’s pleasures, the things that really matter. I think today’s Perfect Picture Book does just that.

Title: The Enchanted Symphony

Written By: Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton

Illustrated By: Elly MacKay

Publisher/Date: Abrams Books for Young Readers/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: music, overcoming adversity, plants, nature, community, arts

Opening:

Piccolino lived in a small village, famous for its charms. Its people were happy and creative – singing and dancing felt as natural to them as breathing. They cherished their families, their friendships, and the abundant green countryside around them.

Brief Synopsis: When a mist envelops a small village and all the plants wither,  Piccolino and his father, the maestro of the opera house orchestra, assemble the plants in the shuttered theatre and restore them with music.

Links to Resources:

  • Play some lively music. How does it make you feel? Does your mood change if you play softer, quieter music? How do your pets react to the music?
  • Attend a live musical performance, if possible. How does seeing the musicians and/or hearing the music in a different venue change the experience for you?
  • In addition to music, what lifts your spirits when you’re down. Share your simple pleasure with family or friends by drawing a picture of it, inviting them to join you, or telling them about it;
  • Discover the story behind an online image that inspired this picture book in the Authors’ Note.

Why I Like this Book:

The Enchanted Symphony is a hopeful fairy tale that explores the power of art, nature, and community. At the outset, we meet our protagonist, young Piccolino, whose name reminds me of the lilting musical instrument after which Andrews and Walton Hamilton presumably named him. He lives in a happy village where the little things in life matter. But as the townspeople become more interested in commerce and profits, a purple fog rolls in, enveloping the town. Plants wither, birds leave, and the townspeople become glum. When Piccolino plays the piano in the shuttered opera house and notices a plant perk up, he works with his father to fill the opera house with plants, reconvene the orchestra, and fill the hall, and the town, with music and joy.

I love that Andrews and Walton Hamilton chose a young boy to bring about this magical transformation. And I love the takeaway that community, nature, and the arts should be central in our lives, not the material possessions we purchase.

MacKay drew the illustrations, cut them apart, set them up in layered vignettes, and then photographed them with light. This gives them a lustrous appearance and stage-like feel, making them the perfect compliment to text authored by two theatre icons that celebrates the arts.

The Enchanted Symphony is a delightful book to read at home or in classrooms, and it provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss with your littles what is truly important in life.

A Note about Craft:

The idea for this picture book was an online photo of a symphony hall in Spain filled with plants during the pandemic when public venues worldwide were shuttered. Rather than tying this book to the pandemic, however, Andrews & Walton Hamilton imagined a misty fog overcoming a town after the townspeople had lost sight of the simple pleasures that mattered. This, I believe, will prolong its shelf-life. The fog also serves as a metaphor for losing sight of what matters, as a traveler loses the way on foggy roads.

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!

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PPBF – In The Night Garden

Posted on September 22, 2023 | 10 comments

As we transition from summer to fall in the northern hemisphere, I’m savoring the last warm nights spent in a garden, as it’s so lovingly depicted in this Perfect Picture Book.

Title: In the Night Garden

Written & Illustrated By: Carin Berger

Publisher/Date: Holiday House, Neal Porter Books/2023

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: nature, bedtime, night, seasons, wonder, lyrical

Opening:

In the night garden fireflies look like fallen stars.
Moonflowers unfurl and release their intoxicating perfume.

In the night garden you can lie
on the cool grass and look up to the
millions and trillions of stars…

Brief Synopsis:

A lyrical bedtime story about the mysteries to be enjoyed in the nighttime garden.

Links to Resources:

  • Grab a blanket, flashlight or lantern, and some warm milk or chamomile tea, and venture out into your back garden or local park. How is it the same as daytime visits to this space? How does it differ? What do you hear? See? Smell?
  • Check out these firefly craft and reading suggestions;
  • Enjoy some crafts and books related to the Night Sky.

Why I Like this Book:

In the Night Garden is a lyrical ode to slowing down and savoring the wonders of nature by a different light. The calming, low-word-count text and expansive, collaged illustrations invite us, the readers, to join a young girl and her cat and experience a special space that changes with the seasons.

And if you become frightened in the “darker than dark” and if you hear “sounds that you don’t know”, there’s no need to be afraid – natural occurrences like foxes hurrying home or winds blowing through trees might be the cause. And some sounds, like a “slow stream” murmuring, the songs of bullfrogs or crickets, or the hoots of an owl could lull you to sleep, the ultimate objective of any parent at bedtime.

The detailed collages and lyrical text invite multiple readings, and the repetition of certain characters, like the cat, encourage young children to inspect each spread to find familiar images.

A Note about Craft:

In the Night Garden encourages you, the reader, to experience this special space. I think addressing us directly helps readers focus on the many wonders explored and brings an intimacy to the experience.

In an email announcement of the book’s release, Berger stated that the collages were “made, painstakingly, by hand with all sorts of paper and ephemera, including really old materials like grocery store ledgers from the 1800s and vintage letters. I love these materials because they contain hidden stories and mysteries.” Including these layers adds visual interest and detail that enriches the entire experience.

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PPBF – For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day

Posted on January 28, 2022 | 3 comments

As the title of today’s Perfect Picture Day indicates, today is a day to celebrate! Not only am I excited to share this lovely new anthology, but I’m excited to participate in Multicultural Children’s Book Day (see below for more about this annual celebration).

Title: For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day

Written & Edited By: June Cotner & Nancy Tupper Ling

Illustrated By: Helen Cann

Publisher/Date: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers/2021

Suitable for Ages: 4-10

Themes/Topics: gratitude, family, nature, blessings, friendship

Opening:

FOR EVERY LITTLE THING (Nancy Tupper Ling)

For morning song and gentle brook,/ a faithful friend, a favorite book,/ for robin’s eggs and swinging trees/, the daffodils and dancing bees—

Brief Synopsis: An anthology of poems and prayers to celebrate and express gratitude.

Links to Resources:

  • Try writing your own poem or prayer of gratitude beginning with the words, “May you always be blessed by” or “I am kind like”.
  • What do you like to see or feel when you wake up in the morning? Is it the smiling face of a loved one, a purring kitten, the sun lighting up the room, or maybe puppy kisses? Try describing your favorite morning sight in words or pictures.
  • One of the poems describes dreams as a “nighttime quest”. Where do you like to wander in your dreams? Describe a dream in words or pictures.

Why I Like this Book:

In this lovely anthology of over 50 poems and prayers, the authors have written and chosen works that celebrate family, friends, and nature and that express gratitude for life’s many blessings.

I especially loved the first morning poem, My Day Begins with Kisses (Susanne Wiggins Bunch) with its image of “kisses, the slobbery, doggy kind.” What child could resist that wake-up call?

In I Can Be Kind (Leslie Paramore), we read in the opening lines that “I can be kind, although I am small, I can be kind, to one, or to all”. And in the final self-affirming lines, we learn that “I can be kind, as kind as can be, I can be kind, to you and to me!” What a wonderful reminder for kids of all ages to love ourselves as well as others!

As day ends and we prepare to drift off to sleep, we can set off on a Sea of Dreams (Susanne Wiggins Bunch) as “[w]aves of slumber and welcome rest invite me on a night-time quest.” Even the most reluctant sleepers will be excited for that journey!

From a Navajo Night Way Song, to a poem by Emily Dickinson, to reflections by Helen Keller and Rabbi Rami M Shapiro, and to a selection from the Chandogya Upanishad, For Every Little Thing includes traditions of gratitude from many cultures. Several poems and prayers mention “God”, but none is preachy nor sectarian. Diversity is present in the gorgeously-detailed illustrations, too. Rich shades of blue and yellow infuse each page, including the endpapers. I can envision children pouring over these illustrations, especially the finely-drawn flora and fauna, as they find joy in ordinary moments and appreciate the small wonders of their worlds.

Divided into seven sections that span a day from morning to nighttime and dreams, For Every Little Thing includes poems and prayers that families will enjoy reading again and again.

A Note about Craft:

In “A Note about this Book,” the authors share that “When a child expresses gratitude, the world feels like a better place….Our hope is that families will celebrate the wonders of the universe as they read together.” I think that by including a wide variety of poems and prayers by a diverse selection of voices, and by arranging the selections into seven distinct categories that span an entire day, the authors achieve their goal.

*I received a copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review.

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!

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2022 (1/28/22) is in its 9th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

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PPBF – The Pond

Posted on November 12, 2021 | 11 comments

Transitioning to a new home or community is a recurrent theme of many of the picture books I review. But as frequent movers know, moving generally doesn’t occur in the absence of other difficult transitions, as today’s Perfect Picture Book shows.

Title: The Pond

Written By: Nicola Davies

Illustrated By: Cathy Fisher

Publisher/Date: Graffeg Limited/2017

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: death, grief, moving, new beginnings, nature, healing

Opening:

Dad talked a lot about the pond. “There will be tadpoles,” he said, “and dragonflies.” Mum told him that our garden was too tiny and my brother said that ponds were gross and stinky.

Brief Synopsis: The narrator’s father dreamt of creating a pond in the back garden. But when he died, the pond was just a messy hole until it wasn’t.

Links to Resources:

  • Check out these fun pond-themed activities;
  • Do you enjoy a particular place or activity with a parent or grandparent? Draw a picture of what you enjoyed together.

Why I Like this Book:

When the young narrator’s father dies, he finds comfort in his father’s dream of building a pond in their back garden. At first, the pond is little more than “a muddy messy hole that filled our garden…that filled our hearts.” Neither the narrator’s mother nor his brother are interested in fulfilling the dream of a pond. When a duck lands in the muddy hole and the narrator adds water from a hose, more mess ensues, and the narrator runs to his room “and screamed at Dad for dying.”

Then, one day the following spring, someone, presumably Mum, lined the hole with plastic and shored up the edges. The narrator filled it with water, expecting no more by this point than “a hole with water in it.” But nature had other thoughts, “our pond had come to life.”

From the text and the gorgeously-dark illustrations, it’s clear that nature has provided the family hope in the midst of grief. I think this is a wonderful and soothing reminder to children who have lost loved ones to seek solace in nature and to continue pursuing their loved one’s dreams.

But there’s more to this poignant journey through grief. After finally finding solace in nature, the family move from the house, obviously unable to bring the pond with them. I’m sure you can guess their first activity in the new house, but I urge you to read The Pond to find out, and to share it with anyone grieving or moving.

A Note about Craft:

Davis could have ended the story when the pond came to life and provided solace to the grieving family. But she upped the tension with the addition of a move and the necessity of leaving the pond behind.

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!

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