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Science writer Kimberly Ridley is an award-winning author of nonfiction books for children. Her joy is sharing her love of nature and writing with children through her books and school visits. Kimberly’s picture books, The Secret Pool (Kirkus starred review) and The Secret Bay, have received honors including Riverby Awards from the John Burroughs Association for “outstanding natural history books for young people.” Her newest book is THe Secret Stream A former magazine editor, Kimberly has written for publications including The Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, and Downeast Magazine. She holds an MS in Science Journalism. Megan Elizabeth Baratta is a children's book illustrator and winner of the School Library Journal's inaugural 2022 Endies Award for Best Map. She lives in central New York with her husband, daughter, and three cats. She loves rendering scenes of ordinary life and showing their quiet beauty. Her books include Most Days, I Begin With Spring, and The Secret Stream.
Follow a headwater stream from its start as a spring in the forest on its journey to becoming a river, nourishing life all along its length. The main text, written in the first person from the point of view of the stream itself, sticks to the top or left of each spread, introducing major ideas: how insect larvae and nymphs recycle leaves; kingfishers; beaver dams, etc. Further information on, for instance, aquatic insect metamorphosis or otters' transparent eyelids, is found underneath headings in a slightly smaller font. As the water flows downstream, children read about riffles, how aquatic insects must anchor themselves or be washed down to be a trout's meal, the importance of trees along the stream's banks, and the animals that find food or shelter near the water. Most but not all animal species are labeled in the illustrations, which are mostly realistic looking and come to life with masterful use of shading and sunbeams. The text alternates between rhyming and not, which can be distracting. Endpages are two halves of a map showing the course of the stream and the many sights pointed out in the text. Young naturalists will be heading to the nearest stream to explore. -- Kirkus
