Wetlands Kindergarten Reading List

Come Out, Muskrats*, Jim Arnosky. Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, New York; 1989; 28 p.; NF

Summary: Colorful, realistic, pastel illustrations of wetlands. In late afternoon, muskrats come out of houses to swim in shallow wetlands and eat green water weeds, swim between water lilies and race among cattails until dawn.

Comment: Award winning artist, writer and naturalist presents the picture story, Come Out, Muskrats in his typical, accurate style. The muskrats are depicted as part of the wetland community with other Wildlife naturally found in wetlands, such as the Common Yellowthroat (a warbler), Wood Ducks and sunfish, as well as other animals such as deer and a fox, that frequent wetlands during the day to feed or drink. Muskrats commonly inhabit wetlands, including fresh, brackish, or saltwater marshes, ponds, lakes and rivers.

Common Frog, Oxford Scientific Films. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York; 1971; 24 p.; NF

Summary: Superb breathtaking close-up photographs with simple, one sentence captions presenting life cycle of the common frog. A kindergartner could follow the story which is preceded by a more detailed introduction describing the physical habits, characteristics and environment of this species of frog occurring in Europe and United States.

Comment: Common Frog was prepared by a British team of renowned zoologists and photographers. Frogs and other amphibians, such as toads and newts, live on land and in water, and often occur in wetlands. Readers are encouraged to seek out other books on frogs and amphibians in general. The illustrated portion of the book begins with a scene of a wetland and a caption that common frogs live in dam areas, which is typical wetland habitat.

Dragonflies, Cynthia Overbeck. Lerner Publications, Minneapolis; 1982; 48 p.; grades 1 to 3; glossary and index; NF

Summary: Attractive and informative. Provides easy to understand information on dragonflies, common members of wetlands communities. Explains the three stage process of development these insects undergo beginning in wetlands and other water bodies. Emphasizes the value of dragonflies and that they are not harmful.

Comment: Children are naturally curious about insects and dragonflies are no exception. It is important to remind children dragonflies are not harmful but rather very helpful as they feed on mosquitos. Dragonflies are found in many wetlands; some are indicators of good water quality. They are part of the food chain.

Fish Eyes*, Lois Ehleert. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York; 1990; 34 p.; pre-kindergarten to grade 1; E

Summary: Simple, easy to understand and written for the very young reader as she or he learns to count the brilliantly colored fish swimming through the pages. Actively involves the student in the lives of fishes while teaching the child to count the many fish as they begin their life cycle in wetlands. Invites reader to put on a suit of scales, fins and tail, then swim downriver (from where she or he is born into as a fish, perhaps in wetland adjacent to a river).

Comment: Wetlands serve as nurseries for many fish. Fishes are important members of the animal kingdom. They are also important to the food chain and the fishing industry. In Fish Eyes, Lois Ehleert introduces the student to the world of fishes.

If You Were a Wild Duck Where Would You Go?*, George Mendoza. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, Inc., New York; 1990; 32 p.; pre-kindergarten to grade 2; E

Summary: A sophisticated picture with superb drawings and good text. A wild duck narrator looks at the past when the environment was bountiful and searches today through the polluted environment for a home.

Comment: With our wetlands rapidly disappearing, a wild duck has fewer and fewer places to choose for its home. Many that remain, are polluted. If You Were a Wild Duck Where Would You Go? will encourage readers to place value in saving and restoring our wetlands for the future.

Let's Find Out About Frogs, Corrine J. Nadeen. Franklin Watts, Inc., New York; 1972; 44 p; grades 1 to 3; NF

Summary: Nice illustrations of frogs in wetlands habitats. Contains factual material about frogs in easy reading format suitable for children in the latter months of grade one to grade three, with information on: differences between frogs and toads, growth stages from egg to tadpole to adult frog and the community in which they live.

Comment: Let's Find Out About Frogs is one of many books on frogs, animals that - like other amphibians - live part of their life on land and part on water. All frogs must return to water to breed. They are commonly found in wetlands, making wetlands important to the life cycle of frogs. Other related book topics to look for are tadpoles, amphibians, salamanders, and toads.

Lily Pad Pond*, Bianca Lavies. Dulton; 1989; 30 p.; kindergarten to grade 2; E

Summary: Colorful, eye-catching book with excellent pictures. Contains good ration of pictures to white spaces and text - an important feature in capturing the very young reader. Has nothing specific about mammal and little on plant life. Introduces concept of food chain at an easy to understand level.

Comment: Organisms are correctly named. In Lily Pad Pond, the colorful scenes of ponds and other wetlands are entertaining and depicted by easy to understand captions.

The Lorax*, Dr. Seuss. Random House, New York; 1971; 68p.; pre-kindergarten to grade 3; E

Summary: A Dr. Seuss book - this one on the impact of environmental pollution. In the days when the grass is green and the ponds still wet, Once-ler comes to the glorious places and sees the glorious Truffula Trees growing mile after mile with their bright-colored tufts. In his beloved style, Dr. Seuss writes about the pond -

"From the ripulous pond came the comfortable sound of the Humming- Fish humming while splashing around."

The Once-ler chops down the trees for their tufts, despite the warning of the Lorax, " a sort of man...shortish...oddish...mossy..." Then, the Once-ler builds a factory and cuts down more tufts, selling more and more tufts he makes into the ever-popular "Thneed." Unfortunately, his factory polluted the lands, even the pond:

"You're glumping the pond where the Humming-Fish hummed. No more they hum, for their gills are gummed. So, I'm sending them off. Oh, their future is dreary. They'll wall on their fins and get woefully weary in search of some water that isn't so smeary."

The final pages impart the message that the future of the environment is up to individuals as wisened Once-ler tosses the last Truffula seed to a passerby, saying:

"Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care...Unless someone like you cares...nothing is going to get better. Then the Lorax and all his friends come back."

Comment: Like his other classics, Dr. Seuss writes in his true whimsical style but the message is the impact of greed and human development on the environment. The pond and its fishes and swans are impacted and forced to seek other homes to live if possible. Wetlands, like other resources, are limited. Only when individuals care for and protect wetlands in their community will they be conserved and restored.

Make Way For Ducklings*, Robert McCloskey. The Viking Press, Inc., New York; 1971; 72 p.; kindergarten to grade 2; E

Summary: Simple, well-illustrated drawings of mallards are very realistic. Begins with "Mr. and Mrs. Mallard" looking for a safe home to raise their family and attempting to nest in Boston Garden which quickly reveals many dangers. Ducks settle in a cozy spot along Charles River. Once ducklings hatch, Mr. Mallard departs for Boston Garden. Later, Mrs. Mallard leads ducklings across traffic and town to join Mr. Mallard at island in Boston Garden.

Comment: Make Way for Ducklings is a classic story for young children about a family of ducks. Ducks and other waterfowl are just one group of wildlife that breeds in wetlands. The loss of wetlands as nesting habitat for ducks through human activity such as draining and filling wetlands has greatly reduced the duck population.

Over ten percent of the Charles River Watershed in the Boston area consists of wetlands such as grassy marshes, swamps and damp meadows. The Charles River Watershed Association was founded in 1965 in response to increasing public concern over the environment and poor condition of the Charles River. One of the many programs sponsored by the Charles River Watershed, the Adopt-A- Brook program, enables schools and other organizations to care for the wetlands of the Charles River.

The Noisy Counting Book, Susan Schade and Jon Butler. Random House, New York; 1987; 8 p.; pre-kindergarten to grade 1; E

Summary: Part of series, A Just Right Book; super-sturdy pages. Counting book with delightful, attractive and funny illustrations of a boy who goes to fish in a quiet pond but soon becomes frustrated as rising noise disrupts quiet when first one frog says, "Ga-Dunk," then two ducks say, "Wak," and noise increases until six mosquitos say, "Bzzz," at which point boy hollers, "QUIET!"

Comment: The Noisy Counting Book contains excellent representations of a pond that captures the essence of one type of wetlands with animals and plants that occur naturally in these areas.

Old Mother West Wind*, Thornton W. Burgess. Heary Holt and Co., New York; 1990; 90 p.; pre-kindergarten to grade 4; F

Summary: Full color edition with extraordinary illustrations of this classic, the first of the Old Mother West Wind series, which was first published in 1910, will stimulate children's imagination. Stories involve many characters living in wetlands and other bodies of water: Jerry Muskrat, Billy Mink, Little Joe Otter, Spotty the Turtle and many more. The following is a passage from chapter, "Little Joe's Slippery Slide at the Smiling Pool," which children will enjoy:

"Peter Rabbit kept coming nearer and nearer until finally he stood at the top of the slippery slide. Billy Mink crept up behind him very softly and gave him a push. Peter Rabbit's long legs flew out from under him and down he sat with a thump on the slippery slide. "Oh," cried Peter Rabbit, and tried to stop himself. But he couldn't do it and so away he went down the slippery slide, splash into the Smiling Pool."

Comment: Stories from Old Mother West Wind with their mischievous characters like Billy Mink (above) are part of an American childhood. A major influence on children's literature, Thornton Burgess has written over 50 books for children, many on the lives of animals living in wetlands. Look for other titles of T. Burgess on individual animals from Old Mother West Wind that inhabit wetlands. His works emphasize the importance of wetlands to the lives of many animals. Burgess' books are ideal for reading to prekindergarten children.

Puddles and Ponds*, Rose Wyler. J. Messner, New York; 1990; 32 p.; grades 1 to 3; NF

Summary: Attractively illustrated; describes some of the many living things inhabiting or visiting puddles and ponds. Information generally accurate. Suggested hands-on activities throughout book.

Comment: Bodies of water such as puddles and ponds are often wetlands. Often wetlands are areas that are so shallow that plants grow completely across them or that may be dry during long periods of the year. Puddles and Ponds is also about wetlands. Some activities are well-suited to the primer reader, ages 6 to 8, while others lack sufficient instructions, and could end in failure. Teachers need to be careful and suggest the reader seek assistance if difficulties arise.

Rain Drop Splash*, Alvin Tresselt. Lothrop, Lee and Shepherd Co., New York; 1965; 17 p; kindergarten to grade 2; E

Summary: Picture book, simple story; raindrops begin to fall and eventually form a puddle which then becomes a pond with water lilies and fish. Raindrops continue as pond spills over into lake with bigger fish and pickerel weed, and Red-winged Blackbirds. Raindrops flood farms, roads and cities and impact all life, people included.

Comment: In addition to Rain Drop Splash, Alvin Tresselt also wrote Beaver Pond, a wetland book. Rain Drop Splash illustrates one very important benefit of wetlands: their natural ability to retain rainwater and reduce flood levels during rainstorms. It demonstrates the impact of heavy rains and flooding with illustrations depicting wetlands absorbing water run-off during rain. Natural wetlands reduce flood peaks during storms. Their loss can increase flooding.

A River Dream*, Allen Say. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston; 1988; 32 p.; grades I to 3; E

Summary: Breath-taking color illustrations! Fun tale of boy Mark whose dreams and reality merge as he lies in bed with a fever and opens a prize box from an uncle. Mayflies flutter out of the box and Mark follows them outdoors to find a river has replaced his street. He climbs into a boat. Rowing, he sees his uncle fishing, joins him, catches magnificent trout in the shallow waters and faces a tough choice whether to keep the trout or release it and leave the river as he found it.

Comment: Many wetlands occur along rivers. A River Dream brings together a touching story of a boy's adventure and step toward maturity with two of the many opportunities rivers, wetlands and other bodies of water provide: fishing and boating. The shimmering paintings reveal the intrinsic beauty of wetlands and rivers.

River Parade*, Alexandria Day. Viking, New York; 1990; 36 p.; kindergarten to grade 2; E

Summary: Great splashes of shimmering watercolor mirroring the hot summer day on the river. Young boy rides up a river with his father on a hot summer day, with his toys. One by one, each toy falls into the water, and finally, so does the boy, finding it wonderful swimming.

Comment: River Parade contains nice representations of wetlands along the river, with marshy vegetation, fish and mallard ducks. It depicts important wetlands values, including good water quality, plant and animal life, and recreation.

The Seminole*, Emilie U. Lepthier. Children's Press, Chicago; 1985; 48 p.; grades 1 to 2; index; NF

Summary: Easy reading with abundant photographs from the New-True-Book Series. Traces the history of the Seminole Indians, who were originally from the Creek Tribe in Georgia and Alabama but were forced to Florida swamps, to the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp. Describes events of the three Seminole Wars in the 1800's and the tactics used by the Seminoles to strike at the settlers then disappear in the swamps. Depicts the life of the Seminoles in Florida today.

Comment: Author Emilie U. Lepthier describes the Seminole way of life in the swamp, including information on their education and government, village life, ability to sustain themselves by hunting and fishing, handicrafts and present way of life. (This is not the same book as the one listed by same title under Elementary Level by Martin Lee.)

Spring Peepers, Judy Hawes. Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York; 1975; 34 p.; kindergarten to grade 2; NF

Summary: Attractively illustrated with large colorful drawings of peepers. Describes the peeper, how to look for peepers, the different kinds of peepers or tree frogs in the United States and even includes the song of the tiny Coqui of Puerto Rico, "ko- Kee, ko-Kee."

Comment: Spring Peepers is actually about tree frogs that return to the water, particularly wetlands, to mate in the spring and can be heard in the evening in marshy, wet places, including puddles and ditches. Spring Peepers is highly recommended for learning about life in wetlands. Wetlands play an important role in the life cycle of spring peepers, for this is where many hatch into tadpoles, emerge as tree frogs and return to breed.

The Ugly Duckling*, Hans Christian Anderson, English text by Anne Stewart, Greenwillow Books, New York; 1982; grades 1 to 3; F

Summary: Captivating, newly illustrated and interpreted. Classic fairy tale of badly treated ugly duckling which later emerges as a swan. Begins in a country surrounded by lakes and pools; newly hatched duckling is mocked and laughed at, retreats to a great swamp with wild ducks, is nearly killed by hunters and somehow survives the winter in a swamp. Duckling leaves home among the reeds in swamp in spring and finds himself in a "forest of rushes and water" where he looks into his reflection into the water and finds he has emerged as a swan.

Comment: The beloved classic, The Ugly Duckling, is easily read to pre-kindergarten children and can be read by children beginning late in the first grade. Many of the settings throughout the tale are in wetlands, such as the swamp and the forest of rushes where the three swans appear floating on the water (known as forested wetlands). Waterfowl such as the ducks and swans, are true inhabitants of wetlands.

List of Additional Books for Primary Students

The sections describing these additional books are in parenthesis:

Animals of the Ponds and Streams, Julie Becker (elementary)
Explore a Spooky Swamp, Wendy W. Cortesi (elementary)
Frogs, Toads, Lizards and Salamanders, Nancy Winslow Parker and Joan Richards Wright (elementary)
Green Darner, Robert M. McClung (elementary)
In the Middle of the Puddle, Mike Thaler (elementary)
Marshes and Swamps, Linda M. Stone (elementary)
Wetlands: Bogs, Marshes and Swamps, Lewis Buck (elementary)