Poo Pile on the Prairie

K-Gr 3–In scenic illustrations that have a sort of transparent look associated with tissue paper, a display of bison invites readers into the pages to learn about poo—and its magic. Left alone in nature, poo becomes its own ecosystem over the months, becoming food and a family home for dung beetles, a place for flies to lay thousands of eggs, and party central for meadowlarks, box turtles, and flycatchers. Over the summer, seeds left there turn into flowers, crickets come “for supper,” and eventually a butterfly garden blossoms. For how this story opens and given the subject, the beauty on the prairie rivals any garden, but what children will see is almost an entire city of activity in this budding ecosystem. An author’s note, additional reading, and selected sources create substantial back matter and the basis for classroom use.