This lyrically written and gorgeously illustrated ode to ponds is crafted in a uniquely American poetic form called American cinquain.
Pondering: A Story in Cinquains
Three girls
walk an old trail,
an overgrown path through
thick woods, in search of a hidden
secret
"A story in verse about three friends visiting a pond. Each page has a cinquain that beautifully describes the narrative action. With gorgeous figurative language and perfectly chosen vocabulary, the story weaves around the ecosystem of the pond, highlighting all the plants and animals there. Glowing artwork matches and amplifies the ideas of the text with its natural palette of mixed media, giving readers even more to contemplate as they page through. An excellent mentor text for writing poetry, this is equally suited for a science unit on habitats or ponds. The conciseness of the verse makes it easily accessible to young readers while providing an amazing lesson of word choice to older ones. This is a truly lovely book is to be savored repeatedly, and is a must for any picture book collection."
"School Library Journal, starred review
Authors:
Paul Paolilli & Dan Brewer
Illustrator:
Dao Thuy Linh
Publisher:
Hachette Book Group - Worthy Kids
32p - Ages 4-8 ISBN-139781546008668
AVAILABLE May 12, 2026
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