Winter's presence has yet to be realized here. I, like many children, am waiting for snow. Until then, I can think about what the snow and ice mean for creatures in the winter. In Under the Snow, written by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Constance R. Bergum, animal activities in a field, in a forest, on a pond, and in a wetland are given special attention. The young readers on the library's story steps are fascinated with the facts All have gasped when they hear this:
My favorite response, though, came from this line:
"A carp rests quietly on the muddy bottom. It isn't even tempted by the water striders lying just a few inches away."
As we talked about water striders in the summer, one listener described them as "raindrops on the lake surface, making drops, circles, and ripples."