Around the Pond: Who's Been Here?

From School Library Journal PreSchool-K?An introduction to eight different wild creatures that live near or in ponds. Following the same format she used in In the Woods and In the Snow (both Greenwillow, 1995), George creates a guessing game for two children taking a walk in a natural area. Here, the youngsters set out to pick blueberries for pie, but they are soon distracted by the telltale signs they see and items they find along an old deer path around a pond. With each discovery, they ask "Who's been here?" Turning the page provides the answer?viewers will find a brilliant gouache painting of the animal, fish, or bird in its natural habitat. There is a brief note on each creature at the end. A few quibbles?the wood duck's nest is so high in the tree that it is doubtful children could see into it (but readers have a wonderful bird's-eye view); the heron's body is shown but not the distinctive long legs; and it's not clear whether the river otter has running water to swim in. Flaws aside, the large detailed paintings and the brief text make this a lovely book to share with children as an introduction to animal life and to tracking.?Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VTCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From