"A tree hole can be
deep in the woods
High in the rain forest
canopy, a female tree frog
searches for a tree hole
filled with rainwater. She
attaches her eggs to the
walls above the pool.
When the tadpoles hatch,
they fall into the water.
Every few days, the female frog
returns to the sky-high nest. She
checks on the tadpoles and lays
unfertilized eggs for them to eat."
I am forever grateful to Melissa Stewart and others who choose to pen nonfiction books for children. They have the best ideas, and a plethora of patience when it comes to doing the research needed to write reliable information books for the kids who are constantly on the lookout to learn important things about nature they do not yet know.
On her blog, she says this:
"My personal mission as an author is to share the beauty and wonder of the natural world with young readers. I want to inspire kids to see and appreciate the world around them in new and exciting ways.
For more information, be sure to check out her website at https://www.melissa-stewart.com/
In her newest book, she looks to the trees and presents an abundance of arboreal inhabitants. She begins with a child invited to imagine sitting at the base of a tall tree where there is a hole with a space big enough to provide shelter for that child.
"As you crouch down
and close your eyes,
the sounds of the outside world
fade away.
And you wonder ...
What would it be like
to live inside a tree?"
Ms. Stewart goes on to describe great variety in the types of tree holes that attract various creatures. They may be large or small, calm or rowdy, deep in the woods or on the edge of a field. The list continues with on-target facts concerning the animals who choose each of the habitats. Residents are described in short paragraphs that provide just enough information to send interested readers looking for more. Most will be familiar to kids who love the natural world.
Amy Hevron creates acrylic and marker on wood illustrations that are then digitally collaged to give texture and depth to her images. Readers will certainly gain understanding by looking closely at each one. Melissa Stewart adds a fact list about each that includes scientific name, size, habitat, range, diet, life span and a fun fact.
This is a stellar information picture book!
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