Pond (Paperback)

~ Donald Silver (Author), Patricia Wynne (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5, younger with the help of an adult. From the One Small Square series, this heavily illustrated book encourages children to observe the plants and animals that live in, on, above, and around a pond. With safety concerns and respect for wildlife apparent, it shows children how to measure off a 24-inch square for observation, keep a notebook, look underwater with a homemade viewer, examine mud dwellers, and make a diorama of the pond. Though the format is rather crowded, the book has good, full-color illustrations (sometimes magnified to show microscopic views), and a wealth of information about the rich ecosystem of a pond. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Fish and fungi, plants and protists, mammals and monera all seem to get along swimmingly in and around the peaceful-looking pond environment. But a closer look at a small square reveals an ever-changing world. . .home to a larger variety of creatures and goings-on than you'd ever imagine, even in just a drop of its water! This beautifully illustrated "you are there" science book--part of the critically acclaimed One Small Square series--is brimming over with fun-to-do experiments and activities for children ages 7 and up. Includes a pond field guide, a glossary-index, and a resource list.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070579326
• ISBN-13: 978-0070579323
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #171,239 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing But Nice Things to Say About It, April 19, 2005

By	Robert Hamilton IV "aiptasia" (Canton, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a wonderful book that can be enjoyed by all age groups and levels of education. The book's introduction says "Although a pond looks peaceful, a pond is home to more creatures doing more things than you imagined. There are millions of ponds everywhere. . .there is a good chance that one is close to your home."

The book does a good job of telling the reader about these creatures and their activities. Pond is written primarily for younger readers. From the beginning it stresses safety and adult involvement in the field activities. The book has excellent illustrations of the pond organisms and the equipment needed for the field activities. The pictures are very communicative and would be enjoyed by younger readers. The accompanying text may be a little beyond their understanding.

Overall the book describes the pond creatures, their habitats, and their activities. Some of the habitats mentioned include the surface film, lily pads, water column, and bottom muck (benthos). Some activities covered are feeding, laying eggs, photosynthesis, and absorbing oxygen, plus others. The book also talks about changing conditions in a pond, such as when it rains, nightime critters and activities, and the pond during different seasons.

The end of the book has seven pages of common pond creatures. It groups them by mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, non-insect invertebrates, plants, fungi, protists, and monera. Both this section and the well-organized index contain many pictures. The groupings may be lost on younger readers, but are very useful for higher level students.

All in all I really like this book. It is well organized and an enjoyable read. As a college educator I use this book as a reference source, yet can read it and show the wonderful illustrations to my young nieces.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Small Square -- Pond, April 15, 2001

By	Ilil Arbel, Ph.D. (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This is one of the best books in a spectacular series that represnts the world, particularly to the young child, as a place of science, high drama, and magic. The magnificent illustrations of Patricia J. Wynne, the world-renowned natural history artist, pull the reader into the world of the small small pond with power and intimacy that no photograph could ever match; the clear and concise text of Donald M. Silver encourages the exploration of science and the joy of reading. I highly recommend this book to teachers, libraries, and parents everywhere, and suggest pursuing the rest of the series as well.