At the Marsh in the Meadow

by Jeanie Mebane, Gérald Guerlais (Illustrator)

Freshwater marshes are found throughout the United States and in many countries around the world. And in every marsh, there is an opportunity to view dozens of species of animal life. Written in a rhyming cumulative style like The House that Jack Built, At the Marsh in the Meadow portrays the wetlands food chain, showing how all forms of life, from the mud at the bottom of the marsh to the birds in the sky, are directly connected to their marsh home. Author Jeanie Mebane has worked with the National Park Service and U. S. Forest Service, and has lived near or worked at marshes from Florida to Arizona and Alaska.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Nonfiction, Animals, Childrens, Science, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2016

Reviews

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book were fantastic and it was great to learn more about the food chain in the marsh. I didn’t love how the book kept building on the text (it got too unwieldy and my child didn’t like it), but I understand that it was doing this because of the song about the leaf on the tree that builds on itself as it goes.

[Tommie Branscum · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be an interesting read for grade levels that discuss food chains/webs. I am hoping it will also work as a cumulative read-aloud for younger students. This one has a glossary at the end so I can use it to teach that text feature.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are bright, bold and engaging. The text is cumulative and rhythmic, which would be fun to read aloud. The entire progression describes the marshy food chain, detailing who eats what, and how life is sustained.

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could use some more refined illustrations.

[Karly Simmons Fifarek · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter loves this book! Beautiful illustrations, great rhythm to read aloud. Descriptive words and learn about the ecosystem of a marsh.

[Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS!!!! Written in a rhythmic cumulative style like “The House that Jack Built.” The author starts with the marsh and the mucky mud, the reeds and the algae and then begins to build the food chain – mayflies eat the algae, water spiders eat the mayflies and so forth. The repetitive, rhythmic verse lends itself to young children jumping in to repeat phrases and act out some of the verbs – nibble, grasp, slurp, etc. The illustrations are vibrant, clearly support the text and worthy of looking at carefully before, during, and after reading aloud. Great for PreK-Kinder studying animals and food chains. Might go really well with the NGSS K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Goodreads listing of the title of this book is missing words. It should be "At the Marsh in the Meadow."
I enjoy most variations of "Over in the Meadow" and this nears the top of my list. It brings the food chain into focus.
Beautiful illustrations, some, such as the minnows, are very realistic; I can almost feel the sun shining and reflecting off the water and scales of the fish. Most of the text is in easy-to-read white font agains dark backgrounds, with the species being names are in larger, colored, font.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book goes through a food chain in a marsh in the meadow. Each page adds onto the last--the eaglets get fed by the eagle who catches the fish who swallow the tadpoles and on and on. Great for repetition.

Good for preschool storytimes.

[Beckyt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book! I was lucky to hear Jeanie Mebane read this at her book launch. Mebane's text makes the food cycle of marsh life clear and easy for children to understand. Readers will enjoy the beautiful and detailed illustrations.

[AbsentLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun way to introduce food chains to primary students that engages and promotes comprehension and reader connections. A cumulative tale with illustrations that bring life to what could have been a dry subject.
Also a fun read-aloud that introduces insect/animals and lots of new vocabulary.

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mebane makes nonfiction fun by using a cumulative storytelling technique to explain the food chain & ecosystem of meadow marshes. Back matter expands the text.

[Lois Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely read-aloud for a child. Jeanie's language is engaging and fun, and the illustrations draw a young reader right into the thriving life cycle of a marsh.