In this gorgeous companion to the acclaimed Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal bring to life a secret underwater world. In this book, readers will discover the plants and animals that make up the rich, interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. Over the pond, the water is a mirror, reflecting the sky. But under the pond is a hidden world of minnows darting, beavers diving, tadpoles growing. These and many other secrets are waiting to be discovered...over and under the pond.
Publishers Weekly
★ 02/20/2017
As day turns to night, a boy and his mother take in the sights above and below their rowboat in this contemplative follow-up to Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt. Messner’s elegant narrative, written from the boy’s perspective, creates an intimate connection with the setting (“Over the pond we drift, heads tipped up to the sun. A woodpecker clings to a teetering pine, digging for ants”), and Neal’s milky mixed-media images examine the pond and its inhabitants—moose, painted turtles, ospreys, and others—from virtually every angle, soaring high above the water and down into its depths to dazzling effect. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
"A contemplative journey through an ecosystem."—USA TodayTime Magazine Best Books of the Year"
Playful and lovely to read aloud. even older budding naturalists will find something to enjoy here."-School Library Journal
"Dazzling."-Publishers Weekly, starred review"
Conveys the sights and sounds and motions of a peaceful day spent enjoying and observing nature."-The Horn Book Magazine
Children's Literature - Phyllis Kennemer
A young African-American boy and his mom take a rowboat onto the surface of a pond. They observe life forms both above and below the water. The hidden world under the pond supports minnows, crayfish, turtles and bullfrogs. As they pass tall rushes, they see whirligig beetles on the pond’s surface. Turtles jump from a log, making splashing sounds when they hit the water. Redwing blackbirds fly overhead. A moose eats water lilies. They see fish, birds, and small animals hunting and eating evening meals of fish and plants. They turn the boat for home as the sky turns from sunset to dusk. Six pages of back matter contain an author’s note about the ecosystem on Barnum Pond in the Adirondack Mountains and detailed descriptions of the twenty animals and insects mentioned in the text. Includes a bibliography and suggested websites. The illustrations in muted tones of blue, green, and brown contribute to this comfortable exploration of pond life. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.; Ages 4 to 7.
School Library Journal
06/01/2017
K-Gr 4—Messner and Neal have followed up on their proven formula (Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt; Over and Under the Snow), this time focusing on the ecosystem of an Adirondack pond at twilight. While a woman and boy in a canoe are seen at various points admiring the pond, the wildlife and plants are the real characters of this story, beautifully illustrated in mixed media. Neal captures minute details that will have readers easily recognizing specific species. With descriptive verbs and the use of onomatopoeia, Messner's prose is both playful and lovely to read aloud, and the slow close of the day and early night depicted make this an ideal bedtime book. An author's note, an "About the Animals" section, and a list of further reading bump up the age of potential readers, as even older budding naturalists will find something to enjoy here. VERDICT Librarians can confidently purchase this title for elementary schoolers.—Courtney Lewis, St. Catherine's School, Richmond, VA
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2017-03-06
The author-illustrator team that brought readers into the garden and under the snow (Over and under the Snow, 2011, etc.) now takes them on a breathtaking journey beneath the calm waters of a pond.Though the surface of the water seems calm, it is teeming with life, as a small black boy and his mother discover during an afternoon row. This book is another artistic triumph for Messner and Neal, whose perfect marriage of prose and pictures creates a lush, watery world filled with color and brimming with activity. Each double-page spread, done in a soothing palette of greens and blues, reveals the pond to be a vibrant and rich habitat where fish, amphibians, animals, and birds lay eggs, build nests, store food, and otherwise engage in the cycle of life. Each illustration focuses on a creature that lives either above or below the pond's surface, and the child protagonist's sense of wonder is mirrored by the author's evocative prose. The events of the book occur within the space of one day, and as afternoon fades into evening, the yellows of the flowers and pink of the sky give way to night-blue in an arresting symphony of color. Well-researched backmatter provides inquisitive readers with additional information about the creatures they see. A magical artistic and informational world that readers will delight in visiting again and again. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
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