At the Marsh in the Meadow

Gr 1–3—The food chain is brought to life in a "The House That Jack Built"-esque poem with cumulative phrases. Readers see how algae at the bottom of a marsh supports the mayflies, which are in turn food for the water spiders. The water spiders are prey for the dragon flies, which sustain the minnows, and so on. Mebane and Guerlais combine their skills to create a harmonious vision of healthy marsh life. The visuals depict a sunlit golden haze above the waters with warming rays and sparkling bubbles of light beneath. This is a gentle view of the food chain. Three of the creatures, mayflies, dragonflies, and tadpoles, present smiley faces despite their role as predators. The hunting of prey is generally not depicted: only the eagle is in active pursuit of food, with sharp claws to snatch the slender fish, which she then offers to her eaglets. A brief statement on the marsh food chain is appended.