Over and Under the Pond
By Jan Carr,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Lovely book about wildlife teeming in and around a pond.
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What's the Story?
In OVER AND UNDER THE POND, a boy and his mom paddle over a pond in a canoe. When the boy asks, "What’s down there?" the text describes the life that's both over and above the pond. For instance, under the pond beavers dive for "delectable roots," and dragonflies "catch minnows in their monster-fast jaws." Above the pond, a red-winged blackbird collects grasses for her nest. As "the sky turns from sunset to dusk to dark," the two head home, while "Night settles over the pond … and the hidden world under the pond."
Is It Any Good?
A book that's as deep and bountiful as the pond it plumbs, this profile of a rich, busy ecosystem will entrance all nature lovers. In Over and Under the Pond, author Kate Messner's text is clear and informative as well as lyrical, with passages such as "The water’s a mirror, reflecting the sky," and a description of dragonfly larvae catching minnows "in monster-fast jaws."
Illustrator Christopher Silas Neal's art makes the pond come alive, revealing what cannot easily be seen below the surface. In one spread with a striking perspective, we look down at the pond from the great height of a woodpecker pecking a tall tree. In another, we look up from the depths at the bottom of the boat. Neal cast the boy and the mom as African-American, and it's our pleasure to take a ride with this thoughtful, observant pair, as our attention is drawn to all the wildlife around them.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the animals featured in the "About the Animals" key at the end of Over and Under the Pond. Can you find each of the animals in the story?
Which animals are herbivores (plant eaters) and which are carnivores (meat eaters)?
Is there a place near you where you can observe animals in their natural habitat? What can you see and hear if you're quiet?
Book Details
- Author: Kate Messner
- Illustrator: Christopher Silas Neal
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Bugs , Great Boy Role Models , Science and Nature , Wild Animals
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Chronicle Books
- Publication date: March 7, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 5 - 8
- Number of pages: 48
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 13, 2017
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