Elegant prose and peaceful illustrations in this book recount the cycle of a vernal lake in Denali National Park in Alaska. The arctic wildlife who inhabit the land are each tied into the narrative as they use the lake for various reasons. ( )

In the Denali National Park in Alaska, a teeming and thriving community of varied ecosystems live and support each other. This book is dedicated to educating the reader about Denali's Disappearing Lake, or vernal lake which disappears after the runoff from the snow in mountains settles into the ground. The book wonderfully creates an exposition of each season, and all the animals that entertain and take part in that ecosystem (caribou, fairy shrimp, goldeneye ducks) to name a few. I enjoyed the paintings of each horizon as it changed seasons page to page. i also enjoyed the lush verbal imagery as it lended a hand to wanting to visit this place. children would love the imagery both verbal and ornate and would be fascinated by the animals both known and unknown. It would be a great read within a block about closed or open ecosystems and ponds. ( )

Genre: Informational
Age App: 1-2
Summary: The Denali National Park is explained throughout this book. The wording is simple and communicates mostly through art. The lake is only there for part of the seasons which the book describes without actually stating. While the lake is gone, it explains the other animals living in the same area.
Media: Watercolor ( )

http://talesofarampaginglibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/12/for-picture-books-that-re... ( )