The Web at Dragonfly Pond - Softcover

Ellis, Brian "Fox"

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1584690798 ISBN 13: 9781584690795

Publisher: Dawn Publications, 2006

Synopsis

A boy goes fishing with his father and describes the interrelationships among the insects and animals he encounters, from the mosquito that bites him to the dragonflies, bullfrogs, and fish that he finally catches and eats. Includes facts about wetland species in the story.A boy goes fishing with his father and describes the interrelationships among the insects and animals he encounters, from the mosquito that bites him to the dragonflies, bullfrogs, and fish that he finally catches and eats.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Ellis provides readers with a step-by-step depiction of a food chain that exists in a pond. He cloaks the information in recollections of a fishing excursion with his father, although he acknowledges that not all the events actually occurred in a single day. From the annoying mosquito that bites him to the bass that Brian catches for his family's supper, the boy observes various predator-prey relationships. His father's pronouncements sometimes sound more like a textbook than a conversation. Italicized phrases and paragraphs seem to signal Brian's thoughts, but the font change confuses as much as it clarifies. Maydak's illustrations convey some of the beauty and drama of the setting, but his depictions of people, especially their facial expressions, are much less effective. It is unlikely that children will read this book by themselves. The detailed explanations about the book's main characters following the story also seem to signal its intended use by adults reading to children. Teachers looking for supplemental material for units on pond ecology might consider the book. However, Brian J. Heinz's Butternut Hollow Pond (Millbrook, 2000) or Gordon Morrison's Pond (Houghton, 2002) are better choices. For an outstanding visual and poetic introduction to pond life, don't miss Joyce Sidman's Song of the Water Boatman (Houghton, 2005).–Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Review:

"...a delightfully illustrated tale both entertaining and educational...A great read for the fisherman father and son!" -- Ventura County Parent, June 2006

About this edition

• Publisher: Dawn Publications
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1584690798
• ISBN 13: 9781584690795
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32