ON DUCK POND
BY JANE YOLEN
ILLUSTRATED BY BOB MARSTALL
SEQUEL TO THE “IMAGINATIVE AND ORIGINAL”* ON BIRD HILL WELCOMES CHILDREN TO THE WONDER OF NATURE
*starred, Kirkus
(February 2017) This spring, Cornell Lab Publishing Group is pleased to present On Duck Pond (April 2017; ISBN: 978-1-943645-22-0; $15.95; Ages 3 – 5) by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Bob Marstall, the sequel to the critically acclaimed children’s picture book On Bird Hill that launched the imprint.
On Duck Pond continues the story of a boy and his dog as they explore a nearby pond. However, their peaceful adventure is interrupted by a flock of ducks that alight on the pond and scatter its inhabitants. When the ducks take flight, the frogs, fish, and other creatures return and serenity descends again, inspiring the boy to appreciate both the calm and the cacophony of nature’s beauty.
Yolen’s lyrical poetry combined with Marstall’s beautiful full-page illustrations, which offer both sweeping landscape views of the pond as well as detailed close-ups of its occupants, brings to life the stillness, rising chaos, and return to balance of this rhythmic tale. At the end of the book, young readers will find a unique interactive element that encourages them to explore the natural world, offering information about the pond habitat as well as detailing the different animals children can search for within the book’s illustrations: the Eastern Cottontail, the American Bullfrog, the Dragonfly, and more. On Duck Pond is the perfect bedtime story to send little ones off into quiet slumber as the pond’s residents settle once more.
“Both the words and the illustrations are well crafted, but together they become something more: a beautiful picture book that is unexpectedly moving.” – Booklist, starred review (On Duck Pond)
“A prolific and skillful writer, Yolen chooses her words carefully and interestingly, putting them together in ways that read aloud gracefully…Another fine entry for a ‘sense of wonder’ collection.” – Kirkus (On Duck Pond)
“[A]n intimate reflection on a small Massachusetts pond, where a placid scene can change at a moment’s notice…this story feels grounded in careful, quiet observation…A sunlit glow seems to infuse Marstall’s landscapes, and he’s carefully attentive to the physical details of the birds, frogs, and other creatures the boy notices.” – Publishers Weekly (On Duck Pond)
About the Author: Jane Yolen has authored more than 350 books including the Caldecott-winning Owl Moon, loved by children and bird watchers of all ages, You Nest Here With Me which is a popular new favorite, and the New York Times bestselling series How Do Dinosaurs. Jane Yolen’s books have been translated into over 20 languages and are popular around the world. Her husband David Stemple was both a well-known bird recordist and a professor of computer science and he taught the entire family how to identify birds. Many of Ms. Yolen’s books are about wildlife subjects, especially the winged kind. Jane lives in Easthampton, MA.
About the Illustrator: Bob Marstall is the illustrator of nine nonfiction children’s books, including The Lady and the Spider, which sold over a quarter-of-a-million copies and was a Reading Rainbow selection. Bob has also been honored with an ALA Notable; an IRA Teachers’ Choice; a Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children; and three John Burroughs selections. In addition, two of Bob’s books are included in the New York Times Parent’s Guide’s “1001 Best Books of the Twentieth Century.” Bob lives in Easthampton, MA.
About the Cornell Lab: The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a world leader in the study, appreciation, and conservation of birds. Our hallmarks are scientific excellence and technological innovation to advance the understanding of nature and to engage people of all ages in learning about birds and protecting the planet. birds.cornell.edu
For more information, please contact Tracey Daniels at tracey@mmpublicity.com or 828-808-2581.