24 Carrot Writing
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Book Picks
  • About

DEEP IN THE SWAMP by Donna M. Bateman

9/27/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
~Review by Amanda Smith

Deep in the Swamp, written by Donna M. Bateman and illustrated by Caldecott-Honors winner Brian Lies (Charlesbridge, 2007), is a charming book young readers will love to hear over and over again. This rewrite of the children’s counting rhyme “Over the Meadow” introduces different animals of the Okefenokee Swamp. The familiar sing-song rhythm and rhyme are perfect vehicles for presenting lesser-known animals and plants, and names of animal babies to children. These elements combine to make this book much more than a counting rhyme.  Deep in the Swamp contains illustrated, alphabetized backmatter providing interesting, bite-sized facts for those curious about the fauna, flora, and geography in the rhymes.

Brian Lies’ ability to combine friendly, relatable animal faces and realistic nature illustrations brings warmth and character to this concept book. The illustrations teem with environmental details that will keep young eyes engaged for multiple readings.
 
On Writing:
Deep in the Swamp is an excellent mentor text for interesting word choice. Bateman uses words and word-combinations that are delicious to read out loud. It is clear that she paid close attention to where she placed concentrations of sounds, internal rhyme, and long and short sounds. For example, in her rhyme about nine rat snakes, the snakes “climbed up a pine where the bamboo vines twine.”  She also uses vivid, active verbs throughout. The sounds of the words play as important a role as content and illustrations in making this book a sensory experience. 

To learn more about Brian Lies, visit www.brianlies.com


0 Comments
    Our favorite mentor texts to guide your writing and revisions. 
    Join Our Email List
    Join Our Facebook Group

    Categories

    All
    Amanda
    Annie
    Biography
    Book Review
    Contemporary
    Craft
    Early Chapter Book
    Fiction
    Fractured Fairy Tale
    Francine
    Graphic Novel
    Historical Fiction
    Kelly
    Kristi Mahony
    Magical Realism
    Megan Litwin
    Middle Grade
    Narrative Nonfiction
    Nonfiction Picture Books
    Novel In Verse
    Picture Book
    Point Of View
    Rhyming
    Young Adult

    Archives

    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Book Picks
  • About