The Horn Book Guide

LITERATURE

Ode, Eric

Otters, Snails and Tadpole Tails: Poems from the Wetlands

32 pp. | Kane Miller | March, 2019 | Trade ISBN 978-1-61067-747-9 $12.99

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ruth Harper. A small, square format and engaging illustrations make an accessible package for this poetry collection about wetland plants (cattails, fiddleheads) and, mostly, creatures: frogs, salamanders, beavers, dragonflies, etc. The poem about river otters is presented on a vertical spread, showing the animals frolicking underwater; the final poem is a (riddling) conversation between a shrew and a bat. Inviting and friendly; pitch-perfect for its audience.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano