Puddocks’s Pond is written and illustrated by Nan Eshelby. It is an educational and entertaining children’s picture book written in rhyme. It is 36 pages long and each page has a beautiful, bright illustration to depict the story. Some illustrations are left blank for children to colour themselves. The drawings are quite detailed, so there is plenty on each page to encourage discussions about the animals and insects. Eshelby uses words that are easy for children to understand. Her clever rhymes tell the story of Puddock the frog. He tells the children that frogs speak to each other in rhyme. He has a magic lily crown which helps him to talk to the children, Maisie, Daisy, and Mo. He asks them to build a pond in the garden so that all the animals and insects can benefit from the water. He explains how they all need water to live. He says that soon frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies, pond skaters, damselflies, foxes, hedgehogs, and birds will visit the garden to use the pond. Eshelby shows children what tools they need to build a pond and how to do it. Puddock explains to the children that toads and frogs will lay eggs (spawn) in the pond and soon tadpoles will hatch, which will eventually turn into frogs. The author hopes the book will inspire children to build ponds and that they will always find ways to help wildlife. I recommend the book to children from age 4 upwards. This is an excellent learning resource. It encourages children to be helpful and caring towards nature. At the end of the book, the author provides more detailed info on frogs, toads, and newts. This information will appeal to older children up to the age of about 10.
Susan Gibbs, A LoveReading4Kids Ambassador
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