Review by Booklist Review
In the heart of winter, a deep layer of snow blankets fields and forests, ponds and wetlands. So begins Stewart's lyrical portrait of the hidden world beneath the snow. Ladybugs and snakes are protected in the crevices of a stone wall. Chipmunks in burrows, butterflies in brush piles, insects in rotting logs, and a host of other animals take refuge from the harsh cold. Bergum's watercolor illustrations painted in panels suggest the passage of time and include close-up insets of wildlife in various habitats. The words and art combine to give readers glimpses underneath the snow and in some cases under the ground divulging secrets of survival for many species as they get ready for spring. Many of the facts will wow children, such as the frog that is frozen solid yet still alive, and pique interest to read more. A great companion book for Joyce Sidman's Song of the Waterboatman and Other Pond Poems (2005), this beautiful picture book will complement the science curriculum and also makes for a great read aloud.--Austin, Patricia Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Stewart takes readers on an informative journey, describing how snakes, voles, spotted salamanders, carp, beavers, and red-spotted newts, among other animals, "spend their days" during the winter months. Fascinating facts-a wood frog can freeze solid on the forest floor and survive-make the spare text intriguing and fun. Beautiful paintings in muted watercolors convey the creatures in their habitats and the quiet of the season. This pleasing addition is a great read-aloud for units on winter and animal habitats.-Michele Sealander, Hamburg School, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A snow-covered countryside may look barren of life, but Stewart's quiet text takes readers under the blanket of white to "a hidden world" where ladybugs sleep en masse and voles tunnel from tree to tree, where a wood frog freezes safely solid and bluegills and waterboatmen share frigid waters, where a turtle lies buried in mud and "even on the coldest winter days, red-spotted newts dodge and dart, whiz and whirl just below the ice." Bergum's equally quiet watercolors spread across the pages in panels that offer cross-sections and magnified details to give readers glimpses of the world beneath the snow. Their precision lends a dignity and beauty even to a sleeping centipede and a barbeled carp. Readers will come away with an appreciation for the adaptability and endurance of the animal world. (Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
