Customer Reviews

Butternut Hollow Pond (Millbrook Picture Books)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although the facts presented here are nonfiction, the plot reads like fiction, blending an ecological study of a pond's life with descriptions of different animals' lives. Bob Marstall's realistic wildlife illustrations enhance the day's journey on Butternut Hollow Pond.

When teaching science lessons on food webs or food chains, this would be an excellent addition to the lesson. The story of how each animal depends on other to survive is well told and beautifully illustrated. I especially liked the panorama view of the pond when you open the book's cover and back.
Butternut Hollow Pond (Millbrook Picture Books)

My almost 7 yr old really, really enjoyed this book. He loved the pictures and he understood the words.
It is just a beautiful book. I hope to see more books by this author.

Heinz, Brian J., author. Marstall, Bob, illustrator. Butter Nut Hollow Pond (2000).
An Informational Science Picture Book.

Telling the cycle of life through pictures and words, Butter Nut Hollow Pond, informs readers about ecological study. It details the life of turtles, hawks, woodchucks, and pumpkinseed fish. Using humans to unveil the story in a peaceful setting, it is filled with drama throughout, enticing youngsters into the story.

The author has been an elementary school science teacher for twenty-three years (author page, unnumbered). He accurately gives information on his topic, engaging readers as he writes. The information is accurate and the wording is easy for young students to understand. For example:
As the bass circles back, kerploosh! Something hits the water above him and dangling legs seem to struggle and twitch. The bass strikes as another meal. But not this time. The object is hard. It pulls violently at the fish's jaw and is dragged forward. Moments later, a young boy hauls him in on rod and reel (pages, unnumbered).
Reading or listening to the words, young minds are given easy instruction on the circle of life as well as how the human aspect enters in.

The pictures are top notch. The writing, give me a break. What elementary age child wants to decipher each sentence for the meaning. " the sky blushed... the water is dapple in a confetti of pale light" Parents read it yourself and just talk about what the pictures represent, you know what your child understands. It's a grown up kids book being marketed as a juvenile book.