Out on the Prairie

This is a perfect package--a poetic, educational story combined with beautiful illustrations and an excellent narration. The book features the animals and plants of Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Tom Chapin starts by reading the story, which is enhanced by soft, ear-pleasing sound effects: music from various instruments, wind rustling the native plants, and realistic animal noises. Then Chapin sings the story, and even though the tune is a familiar one, the Bateman/Chapin rendition is completely original and charming. The song is followed by more detailed facts on prairie flora and fauna. The simple elegance of this trifecta of story, illustrations, and audio makes for a pleasant, relaxing experience for children and their caretakers. M.M.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

Starred review from July 2, 2012
Adapting the rhyme “Over in the Meadow,” Bateman takes readers on a trip to Badlands National Park in South Dakota, highlighting 10 animals that make their homes there. Swan’s showstopping collages have a three-dimensional quality that makes the prairie come alive—a brightly marbled grasshopper stares out at readers, while “a mother meadowlark and her little chicks Three” cluster on photographs of actual branches amid sweeping newsprint grasses. An informative appendix (also illustrated) provides further details about bison, howdy owls, grama grasses, and more. All in all, it’s a delightful introduction to a unique and beautiful ecosystem. Ages 4–7.