Summary: This book is about a boy who lives in a busy city. It shows all the buildings and not much nature. Throughout the book, he is explaining a secret place he was shown to by one of his neighbors. He questions how the animals got to the pond, which then goes into a section about a time before the big city was made. at the end of the book, there is a sentence stating to keep the secret safe because some people may want to change it.

Genre: contemporary realistic fiction.

Media: colored pencil

Use: I would use it as a way to get children to think about nature and its beauty, and to use as a duck/ animal book.

This is a good example of contemporary realistic fiction because the city is relatable to students coming from a city, which may have a little park where they can see animals. For the students in the country/ rural areas, they can imagine what a big city is like. They all have a secret or special place someone has shown them that makes it relatable. It has a good description and current information about common ducks you can see in a lot of different areas. The main character has a lot of relatable phrases that are being said.

THis story is about the life in a big city and a small boy found a secret place. The secret place is a small island in the middle of a stream with buildings built all around it. THis little island is a forgotten place where animals life. THe animals lived there before the city was built. the city was built around this stream and little island.

A boy discovers a secret place within the busy jumble of his city: a river that is home to wildlife he'd never known was there.

A little boy describes a secret place he's found in the heart of a big city -- a small stream where egrets, ducks, coyotes and opossums still congregate. The text is poetic while managing to avoid the mushy sentimentality that is common in picture books about the environment. The realistic watercolor paintings serve as a kind of field guide to the species mentioned, while also creating a striking contrast between the smog and bustle of the city and the peace and tranquility of the secret place. This would be a useful book to inspire children to look at the natural world around them, even if they are very removed from our classic idea of wilderness. Recommended for elementary school children, especially in urban or suburban environments. ( )