Over and Under the Pond

A boy and his mother take their canoe out to explore the mountain pond, paddling past painted turtles, red-winged blackbirds and a moose eating lunch. Under the water, a beaver is diving for roots from the mud at the bottom of the pond and a heron is fishing for minnows on the bank. As the day turns into dusk, raccoons and mink stalk the shoreline for supper and the loons call goodnight as the boat heads for home.

A gentle mix of fiction and nonfiction, this illustrated book is informative and beautiful but would also make a great bedtime book because of its peaceful tone and gentle palette. The wildlife featured is native to the US rather than the UK (the book is based on a trip to the Adirondack Mountains) but the book features a useful glossary of information about all the animals featured, helping children to learn about ecosystems.