Out on the Prairie
Donna M. Bateman, illus. by Susan Swan. Charlesbridge, $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-58089-378-7
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. (July)
