(2) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Hunter. “He was the best dancer with the most powerful moves. He hissed loudly and bravely. He had a long, sleek neck and a fine bill. When he called her, she swam nearer.” And thus, two Canada geese mate for life. Every year these constant companions raise a clutch of goslings, migrate south in the winter, and return to the same spot each spring to birth and raise yet more young geese. But then the male dies. For days the female remains by his body and eventually stays behind and alone when the rest of the flock migrates south. Soft mixed-media illustrations, paired with gentle text, underscore not only the tranquility of the geese’s early life but also the isolation of the female’s existence after the death of her mate. Her seclusion ends a year later when she spots an unattached male and the two begin a life together. Back matter offers facts about Canada geese, validating a mourning period when a mate dies as well as opening up areas for further inquiry, such as habitat encroachment and the threat of lead poisoning; also appended with a brief bibliography of internet sources.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Hunter. This picture book shows a birdy abode coming together for a wren family, with lots of specifics: snakeskin to scare predators; moss used for lining the nest; an egg sac anticipating spiders that will eat mites. Ink and colored-pencil illustrations in muted colors give close-up views of the nest and its inhabitants, and a glossary and ­additional "wren facts" further expand the information in the rhyming "House That Jack Built"–like text.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) PS Illustrated by Anne Hunter. Tension mounts in this lyrical narrative as Loon Baby waits and waits for Mama to return with dinner. Deciding to look for her at last, he makes his very first dive underwater: "Suddenly there he was in the green lake-light..." Attractive watercolor and ink illustrations show the fauna and flora of the north woods, with fine black crosshatching to sculpt the shapes.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Hunter. This book explores the ways a Christmas tree is useful all year round. Each double-page spread begins by asking, "Who would like a Christmas tree in...?" and for every month one animal offers its perspective. Painterly watercolor and ink illustrations depict the animals against an ever-present grove of fir trees. Information on Christmas tree farm ecology is appended.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Hunter. In each verse of this evocative poem, the speaker describes an experience--sleeping outside, holding a snake, nursing a baby bird--and ends with the question, "Have you ever done that?" The next speaker responds with a different experience, until the poem ends with an invitation to participate in nature's wonders. Hunter's illustrations, their simple shapes accented by crosshatching, add mystery and drama.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert