On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring

PreS-Gr 3–Spring arrives with melting snow, and plants and animals begin to come to life in a series of detailed photographs. Silverman’s readable verse covers a wide array of familiar animals in their natural environments. Brisk rhymes and a musical refrain make this a lively nonfiction read-aloud. For example, in a two-page spread, Silverman writes, “On a plink-plonking, marsh-mucking, duck-dabbling day...” The accompanying photos show a raindrop making ripples in a puddle, a snowy marshland in the process of unthawing, and two ducks sitting on top of an unidentified body of water. A section in the back matter covers scientific explanations for each animal or an event mentioned in the text. The glossary is extensive, and the list of further reading features several similar books, all published within the last five years.