  | At the marsh in the meadow Author: Mebane, Jeanie | |
| Price: $16.34 | ||
Summary:
Portrays the wetlands food chain, showing how all forms of life, from the mud at the bottom of the marsh to the birds in the sky, are directly connected to their marsh home.
| Illustrator: | Guerlais, Gerald |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 5.10 Points: .5 Quiz: 182089 |
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 02/15/2016 A freshwater marsh is much more than just standing water. From the mucky mud and the reeds growing in it to mayflies nibbling algae and the eagle swooping down to catch a fish, the marsh teems with life. Using the cumulative style and cadence of “This Is the House That Jack Built,” Mebane has created a fascinating look at the food chain in the marsh. The text is made up of short lines with the last word in each printed in colorful ink for emphasis. Guerlais’ vibrantly colored illustrations are eye-catching but sometimes lose an accurate sense of scale when featured creatures are enlarged to show detail. The information in the book is light but conveys a good sense of the relationships among the marsh’s living things. A glossary and appended notes about this ecosystem and its food chain extend concepts from the main text, though no references are provided. Pair with Gail Gibbons’ Marshes and Swamps (1998) for a more informational look at marsh life. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 02/01/2016 Gr 1–3—The food chain is brought to life in a "The House That Jack Built"-esque poem with cumulative phrases. Readers see how algae at the bottom of a marsh supports the mayflies, which are in turn food for the water spiders. The water spiders are prey for the dragon flies, which sustain the minnows, and so on. Mebane and Guerlais combine their skills to create a harmonious vision of healthy marsh life. The visuals depict a sunlit golden haze above the waters with warming rays and sparkling bubbles of light beneath. This is a gentle view of the food chain. Three of the creatures, mayflies, dragonflies, and tadpoles, present smiley faces despite their role as predators. The hunting of prey is generally not depicted: only the eagle is in active pursuit of food, with sharp claws to snatch the slender fish, which she then offers to her eaglets. A brief statement on the marsh food chain is appended. VERDICT An attractive yet additional purchase.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
