In the Small, Small Pond

The illustrations lead the way to an action packed, in-depth adventure of life in a small seemingly static pond. This is another caldecott honor book worthy of the accolades.

Packed with images of jumping frogs, wiggling tadpoles, honking, waddling geese, dragon flies who beat their wings rapidly, while the turtles sleep and the herons quickly snap their beaks into the water hoping to have a lunch of frog meat.

The images are different than most in that they seem bold and almost brash. The artist used colored cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils which created a very dramatic effect.

The illustrations in this book are the stand out thing in this book considering the minimal amount of words it has. I think this works both to its advantage and disadvantage. It can keep children entertained, but I'm unaware of the substance to this book. The pictures are so vibrant and corresponds well with the words attached to each page. Children would love the whacky rhyming and would be fascinated by the amazing pictures. Although I didn't see a message to this book, I can see why many children would find interest in the book.

The animals and insects that live on and in freshwater pond wiggle, waddle, hover, swoop and swirl through the stunning spreads. Young children are introduced to the basic habits of common North American wildlife and the characteristics of changing seasons even as they are treated to an array of zipper verbs.

Delightful, simple rhymes and bold illustrations that will delight a toddler. Not as good for a young reader as In the Tall, Tall, Grass, but it is still worth pulling out and giving it a try.

This is a cute children's picture book, mainly for it's word play and intrinsic illustrations. It is the winner of a Caldecott Honor, which comes as no surprise to me. I would love to use this book to help teach students about alliteration and rhyme.

Vivid colors combined with the simple sounds of pond life make this a fun book for storytime or for reading repeatedly with young children. Kids can look at the pond life in action and participate in the repetitive rhythms.

A keeper for young grades! It's fun with bright illustrations and rhyming. The book is poetic more than formal English. It introduces children to the ecosystems and wildlife in a pond through the perspective of a frog. It also introduces seasons. It could be good for circle time, or lessons on rhyming.