A FAWN IN THE GRASS

Inspired by a fawn’s temporary residence in her yard, Ryder (Each Living Thing, 2000, etc.) offers a child’s brief nature walk in simply written verse: “There’s a squirrel who clings to the side of a tree. / There’s the flash of a jay, / and the buzz of a bee.” Narahashi’s sensitive, gently brushed watercolors echo this simplicity; together, text and pictures make everything the young observer notices, whether it be as commonplace as wildflowers or ants, or as rare as a half-seen fawn in the grass, seem equally marvelous. Different perspectives help to focus attention and suggest ways of looking at the world, sometimes very closely as “a trail on a leaf” leads to a close-up of “a snail underneath” or from a bird’s-eye view “as a hawk circles high.” This quiet stroll will leave readers of any age with a deeper appreciation for the natural treasures all around them and add immeasurably to the pleasures of a walk of their own. (Picture book. 4-6)