Pond Circle

by Betsy Franco, Stefano Vitale (Illustrator)

Overview

On a summer night by a small pond, all seems still. But a closer look reveals a world of activity—mayflies dart, beetles dive, frogs spring, skunks shuffle, and owls swoop. As a young girl watches, the circle of life unfolds. Betsy Franco’s rhythmic, cumulative text makes this a lively read-aloud, and rich, luminous paintings by Stefano Vitale capture the bold beauty of nature. Young readers will be inspired to journey into their own backyards and discover the wonder of the living, breathing world around them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416940210
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	06/09/2009
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.34(w) x 11.28(h) x 0.42(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Betsy Franco is the author of numerous books for children, including Counting Our Way to the 100th Day! and Mathematickles!, both illustrated by Steven Salerno; and Birdsongs, illustrated by Steve Jenkins. She and her husband live in Palo Alto, California. They have three sons — two actors and a sculptor. Visit Betsy's website at www.betsyfranco.com.

Stefano Vitale is the illustrator of several books for children, including the New York Times bestseller Why War Is Never a Good Idea by Alice Walker. Stefano lives with his wife and children in Venice, Italy. Please visit his website at stefanovitale.com.

Editorial Reviews

What begins as a soothing, bedtime chant in the style of "The House that Jack Built" takes a dark turn as it covers the cycle of life. "This is the water, the deep, still water that filled the pond by Anna's house," it starts. Then readers see the nymph that eats the algae, the beetle that eats the nymph and so on. But when the food chain arrives at a snake eating a frog and a skunk eating the snake, one wonders what carnage lies ahead. The narrative pulls back at this point with an owl only diving for the skunk and ends with a coyote stalking a raccoon. Anna calls a "hello" back to the howling coyote, but it's hard to imagine most children not rooting for the prey here. Vitale's muted oils painted on wood lend themselves well to the nocturnal landscape and give depth to the murky water, but certain images, such as the beady-eyed snake and the frightening owl swooping toward the reader, might give little ones more than they bargained for. It's a worthwhile venture, to depict nature red in tooth and claw, but best saved for somewhat older readers. (Picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews