In the Small, Small Pond by Denise
Fleming
Great Reading
New big books to share with a group! Big books are ideal for use with a
large group—they are oversized at 14-1/2 x 18 inches. A perfect way to
enjoy Holt favorites with many children at once!
Denise Fleming’s Caldecott Honor book illustrates a small, small pond
through the seasons while introducing common wildlife and action verbs.
Also available in big book format: The Colors of UsBy Karen Katz Here
are My HandsBy Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault, illustrated by Ted
Rand Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?By Bill Martin Jr,
illustrated by Eric Carle
Personal Review: In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming
I like Denise Fleming's In the Small, Small Pond because she brings back
memories now of when I was a young child and was learning to read. I
can remember this particular book and it's wonderful illustrations. To look
at her pictures and read the action words on each page is like really being
there. I can imagine the sound of a firefly's wings hovering and the sight of
minnows rushing away when something disturbs the water. Her choice in
words and pictures together, make this book very easy to understand and
hard to forget. I like Fleming's work in The Small, Small Pond because she
bases her picture book from a frog's perspective. I think this is a wonderful
idea for younger children. It may answer a child's questions about, "What
are animals thinking?" This type of response is good for children because
it stimulates the mind into wandering, why? Denise puts such a large
amount of time in effort into what she does to prepare for a story as well as
what she does to make the illustrations come alive. Her careful planning
and creative ideas make her books very insightful. I think Fleming
contributes to children's education very well. She shows areas such as
science and nature in her books. I believe that since she puts so much
time and effort into her planning, then authentically contributes to a child's
education. In children's literature, she opens the door for imagination. Her

illustrations are done by pulp-painting and she is very willing to give ideas
and instructions on how to do them yourself. I think this idea is great
because it can be inspiration to children who want to be writers or
illustrators. She shows there is more to illustrating a story than simply
throwing together words and matching them with pencil and crayon
drawings. Her creativity is what keeps children interested. Good books
invite children to play with new language, give excellent reference points
for future understanding and might even open windows to other cultures. I
believe that this book fits two of those criteria. In the Small, Small Pond
shows young children how other animals prepare for the winter. Children
could look at this book and then maybe compare it to some of the animals
that are around their homes and remember what Fleming said about
tadpoles, minnows and frogs then make connections. Another strong point
that Fleming hits is a new way to say some of the words that children might
hear every day. When the frog leaps into the water and makes a "splash",
a child might think of what a "splash" sounds like. At the same time, a
heron "plunges" into the water and then children can compare what a
"splash" and a "plunge" sound like either in their head or sound it out.
Fleming also allows children to use their imagination. A reader is allowed
to see what it's like from a frog's point of view. He travels from the shores
of the pond to under the water to learn about what each animal does for
preparation for winter. As you can see, I love Fleming's In a Small, Small
Pond and recommend it to any lower grades elementary classroom library,
or even your own child's library at home!
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