Over in the Wetlands

June 1, 2015

K-Gr 4-Rose focuses on the actions of wetlands animals as they react to the approach, arrival, and departure of a hurricane. Her poetic text avoids the temptation to follow the familiar "Over in the Meadow" formula by varying rhythmic patterns to mirror the storm's energy. As the faint morning breeze intensifies in the bayou, pelicans and spoonbills search for food. A mother alligator returns to her den to keep her babies safe. Under darkening skies and churning seas, fish and turtles seek shelter while the hurricane twists and roars. Staccato pulses of verse mark its destruction before it fades, and the animals emerge to an altered landscape. Dunlavey's mixed-media illustrations reflect this trajectory, growing darker as the storm intensifies. Double-page spreads of bayou landscapes will capture and hold listeners' attention, especially close-ups such as the toothy mama gator carrying her babies in her jaws. Author's notes offer more information about featured animals from the Mississippi River Delta plus background on threats to Louisiana wetlands. Suggested websites offer additional educator resources, and some include student activities as well. VERDICT Even collections far from the Gulf Coast will benefit from adding this effective portrayal of how weather affects the natural landscape and the animals that live there.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Like the animals that live there, Louisiana wetlands can survive even a hurricane.This lyrical text uses interesting imagery, informal rhyme, and an insistent rhythm to describe the world of the bayou and the wonder of a storm. Though it opens with a peaceful scene, readers and listeners are gently warned: "a faint breeze hints that a storm draws near." Crabs scuttle, pelicans scoop, spoonbills stalk, and egrets flock. An alligator takes her babies into her den-carrying some in her mouth. Colors darken as waves and clouds move in. At the height of the storm, these double-page spreads become almost black; trees and swamp waters are barely visible. The hurricane is scary: "Pounding, / wailing, / hours endless. / Blasting, / breaking, / storm's relentless." But wetlands are resilient; these recover quickly. A black bear and her cubs appear; the alligator and her babies return. The story closes on a quiet note, with a warm sunset followed by a moonlit night. Even the dragonfly that opened the narrative has survived. An afterword reiterates the importance of coastal wetlands and offers further information about the animals described. Dunlavey's impressionistic illustrations, done with watercolor, ink, pencil, paint, collage, and digital manipulation, are reasonably accurate but still full of mystery. A reassuring portrayal of a remarkable event in an equally remarkable natural world. (Informational picture book. 3-7)

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