Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems (Caldecott Honor Book, BCCB Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award) - Hardcover

Sidman, Joyce

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0618135472 ISBN 13: 9780618135479

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2005

Synopsis

From spring’s first thaw to autumn’s chill, the world of the pond is a dramatic place. Though seemingly quiet, ponds are teeming with life and full of surprises. Their denizens—from peepers to painted turtles, duckweed to diving beetles—lead secret and fascinating lives. A unique blend of whimsy, science, poetry, and hand-colored woodcuts, this Caldecott Honor-winning collection invites us to take a closer look at our hidden ponds and wetlands. Here is a celebration of their beauty and their mystery.

About this title

From the Author:

"I've always loved water.  As a kid, I frequently got into trouble for coming home with muddy sneakers, the result of straying too close to the nearby swamp (it wasn't called a wetland then, just a swamp).  Summers were spent near lakes or ponds, swimming or canoeing.  Later, when I had my own children, we'd often visit ponds to fish or swim. I began to wonder what else (beyond fish, frogs, and ducks) lived in the water.  What were those tiny insects that swam around?  What happened to them when a pond dried up or froze over?   As I learned more about water insects, their names enchanted me: backswimmer, water strider, water boatman.   I imagined them as creatures in a drama, each with their own part to play.  SONG OF THE WATER BOATMAN is a compromise between my wish to give each pond creature an imaginative voice (the poems), and my fascination with their real-life behavior (the nonfiction notes)."

About the Author:

Joyce Sidman has written many other award-winning books.  Find out more at joycesidman.com.  Beckie Prange lives in Ely, Minnesota. Her first book received a Caldecott Honor.  beckieprange.com

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0618135472
• ISBN 13: 9780618135479
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Prange Beckie