Book Reviews for Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond

A sing-along inspired by the sights and sounds of a pond.

When Jo visits her grandfather’s farm, she observes the plants and animals she finds by the pond, sketching them so she can share them with Old MacDonald later. She first notices the reeds, and the sound they make: “Jo MacDonald saw a pond, / E-I-E-I-O. / And in that pond she saw some reeds, / E-I-E-I-O. / With a swish-swish here.” The familiar tune starts on page one and never misses a beat, begging kids to participate. Indeed, the rollicking atmosphere during a sharing of this book will likely be in marked contrast to what is happening inside it. As Jo settles in to watch, her quietness and stillness pay off as some animals gradually emerge: fish, frogs, ducks, a bird, a few coons, some deer and a dragonfly. Backmatter includes Jo’s final sketch (delightfully childlike) as well a paragraph about each animal, a list of books about ponds and some activities that can help youngsters be a naturalist like Jo. Observant readers will notice the clever design of the illustrations that hides the last-mentioned animal and the next one within the spread. Bryant’s softly colored watercolor creatures echo Jo’s rosy-cheeked childhood innocence and have just a touch of expression in their faces.

Sure to inspire a rousing storytime, this is also likely to encourage readers to explore the world around them.

— Kirkus Reviews (August 1, 2011)

Old MacDonald’s granddaughter, Jo, discovers a quiet pond on the farm, thereby bringing a new ecosystem to today’s readers within the familiar framework of a song they know and love. With notebook in hand, Jo draws each animal she spies as the pond community comes to life with a “blurp-blurp here” and a “scree-scree there.” When a largemouth bass leaps to catch a whirring dragonfly (but fortunately misses), he makes a huge splash that scatters the animals, and the pond is once again quiet. Young children will chime in at singing the tune as they enjoy the onomatapoeia and meet eight pond inhabitants. Bryant’s appealing, soft-flowing watercolors offer clues as to what animal comes next and are great for encouraging predictions. Back matter includes Jo’s drawings, an activity for kids to match sounds to animals, information on the flora and fauna, and ideas about how to become a naturalist like Jo.

— Booklist (American Library Assn.) (November 1, 2011)

Soft watercolors illustrate this variation on the Old MacDonald nursery rhyme. Page by page, children meet the flora and fauna of the pond ecosystem through the eyes of a little girl, who is recording her own observations in a sketchbook. The farmer’s granddaughter’s sketches follow the story.

This is an ideal read aloud/sing along for the library or classroom. Teachers will want to take advantage of additional information at the end describing the wildlife that Jo observed and a brief list of books, websites and activities to help children be naturalists like Jo.

— HRLC Book Evaluation (April 2012)

Even though the tune is familiar the words and setting take you to a different part of Old MacDonald’s Farm, his pond. Here we follow Old MacDonald’s granddaughter, Jo as she explores a pond ecosystem through the eyes of a seven/eight year old. I love the hint of what’s to come on the next page—see if your children can figure out who they will see at the pond next. . . . Another aspect I love about Jo MacDonald is the information for educators, children, and parents found at the end of the book. One can find information on each animal seen at the pond, where one can go to learn more about the pond ecosystem, and my personal favorite . . . How to Be a Naturalist Like Jo. Use this book to enhance your study of ecosystems or to introduce ponds before going on a family excursion or school fieldtrip. Lastly, utilize this book for the joy of reading about science.

— National Wildlife Federation – Jennifer Hammonds (September 2011)

We’ve all heard the story of Old MacDonald and his farm. This book tells the story of his granddaughter, little Jo MacDonald, and the things she observes in and around a pond. Readers of all ages can sing the familiar tune as they learn about fish and animals that make “a swish-swish here and a blurp-blurp there” during a busy day at the pond. Vibrant watercolors bring the lively creatures of the pond to life while activities and additional information give young readers extra incentive to learn about the world around them.

— Kern County Family Magazine (September 2011)

This adorable take on “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” made me and my daughter want to clap our hands and sing the story. We thoroughly enjoyed reading and rereading it. My daughter got a kick out of the surprise element near the end of the book (you’re going to have to read it to find out!) and she’ll pick this book out to read/sing on her own.

Jo is a girl who happens to be a little naturalist, observing and sketching the wildlife such as fish, birds, and dragonflies around a pond (coincidentally, my daughter and I have been attending a local children’s Audubon Naturalist Society activity which has a pond where we identified dragonfly nymphs and other wildlife).

Laura Bryant’s illustrations are clean and colorful and give hints of the next animal to make an appearance. I loved the way the author Mary Quattlebaum connected Jo to Old MacDonald and included Jo’s nature sketches in the story. The repetition and illustrations can help early readers begin to recognize words and the animal noises are appealing to even very young kids. Jo is inquisitive, observant, respectful of wildlife, and artistic to boot. I have high hopes my daughter can be just like Jo!

A couple pages at the end of the book offer information about pond flora and fauna as well as additional activities for kids and resources.

With a growing movement for kids to get “plugged into nature” (versus staring at a TV or computer all day) and the latest concern that kids have what author Richard Louv dubs “Nature Deficit Disorder,” this story introduces a way to get outside to explore. I’m planning on taking it out in the spring to read to my daughter (or she can read it to me) and any of our outdoor pals. It fits right in with some research I had begun this past spring and summer about progressive approaches for teaching children such as outdoor education and the forest schools of Europe. I believe experiential learning is one of the best way kids (and many adults) learn, and nature studies help kids gain a better understanding, as well as appreciation, of the bigger world around them. Young kids already have a natural interest in wildlife and Jo MacDonald models more nature exploration as well as an exciting, benevolent look at the great outdoors.

— Vegbooks – Huyen MacMichael (October 22, 2011)

Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond is a lovely little children’s book. The majority of the book is a read-aloud story that your child will soon have memorized to the tune of Old MacDonalds Farm. I can visualize creative children adding in body movements to go with the sounds of pond life. My favorite part of this charming book is the last several pages, a parent’s guide to the major players in the story and activities for visiting an actual pond.

— International Wildlife Rehab Council – Kai Williams (October 2011)

Old MacDonald had a farm, this we know for sure! However, Jo MacDonald lives on the farm and what does she have? A pond! With Jo MacDonald, young readers are introduced to the same classic tune of “”Old MacDonald had a farm” with a new spin catered to young and curious minds. With Jo, children learn about the wild creatures one can find at a pond on a farm. The fish, frogs, ducks and a few fun surprises will delight your little reader and give mom and dad a break from Old MacDonald for a little while.

Hailey’s thoughts:
“I read it! It’s about the Froggy’s and the pond. It was great. I have to read it again. Jo saw a pond. E-I-E-I-O. She saw a frog. Old MacDonald’s with a rib-it here and a rib-it there. I like it.”

Madison’s thoughts:
Old MacDonald’s Jo saw the pond. She saw deer, fish, frogs, raccoons, birds, fish, ducks and bugs. Henry would like this book. I can read it. I like it.

Mom’s thoughts:
I enjoyed reading this book to my children. While mindless for me to read, they absorbed it. Madison is learning to read in school and loves to point out words she knows. This book was easy for her to read. She did a great job reading it on her own with little help from me. Hailey was excited over the book. She would get all giggly and excited to point out the animals as well as singing along! We enjoyed the book and read it often. It’s a great spin off the beloved children’s song “Old MacDonald had a farm” and introduces a new world of animals that can be found at the pond on a farm or in the wild. I also enjoyed how Madison picked up on Jo being Old MacDonald’s daughter. I would recommend Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond to others.

— Kids Reader Views – Madison (age 5) and Hailey (Age 3) Schlarman (December 2011)

Rating: 5 stars (Excellent)
Did you know that Old MacDonald, who “had a farm,” also had a granddaughter? When Jo MacDonald visits her grandfather’s farm, she sees a pond, “E-I-E-I-O.” What does she find there? She hears cattail reeds swishing, bluegill fish blurping, a bullfrog croaking, mallard ducks quacking, a red-winged blackbird screeing, a raccoon chatting, a white-tailed deer flicking its tail, and a green darner dragonfly whirring. Can you guess what one of the fish might try to do when it sees the dragonfly?

The classic children’s song “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” has helped generations of children learn about animals on a farm. Now his granddaughter, Jo MacDonald, uses the same tune to encourage youngsters to discover all the interesting plants and animals around the farm’s pond. Author Mary Quattlebaum grew up in the country surrounded by woods, fields, and a pond just like Jo MacDonald’s. Her text will engage little ones’ ears with rhythm, repetition, wordplay, and onomatopoeia, and illustrator Laura Bryant’s lively watercolors of the pond community, along with Jo, the plants, and the animals, will charm their eyes.

From an educational standpoint, the book introduces the concept of ecosystems. Endnotes feature a color and matching activity, further information about the plants and animals in the pond ecosystem, resources on how to learn more about ponds, and suggestions for becoming a naturalist like Jo. More downloadable indoor and outdoor activities for children using this book may be found at the publisher’s website. Children are very curious about the natural world, so they’re invited to come along with Jo MacDonald, and Grandpa, to learn about the wild creatures at the pond on the farm, including fish, frogs, ducks, and a few surprises too!

— Home School Book Review – Wayne S. Walker (September 2011)

Old MacDonald used his famous generations-old lively song to introduce multitudes of children to farm animals. In this new book from Dawn Publications’ 2011 Fall catalog, Jo MacDonald uses her grandfather’s song to introduce children to the inhabitants of ponds.

Author Mary Quattlebaum learned about ponds, plants and animals as a child while helping to tend her family’s garden. She had a pond similar to the one in her book. She enjoys sharing her love nature with her readers in this book and numerous others she has written.

The familiarity of the famous “Old MacDonald” song with new lyrics enhanced by beautiful illustrations makes this book ideal for family reading and classroom sharing. Its paperback format is perfect for story time. Illustrator Laura J. Bryant said, “Illustrating children’s books has given me an endless supply of creative freedom and joy.”

Quattlebaum combines rhythm, repetition, wordplay and onomatopoeia to create a rich, pre-literacy environment for young readers. Her careful research to provide an information-filled reader is impressive.

— Elk City Daily News – Dee Ann Ray (September 4, 2011)

What a refreshing wat for young children to learn to appreciate some of the wonders of the natural world! In addition to the fun and friendly lyrics of this familiar song, the author provides background information as a resource for older friends, family and teachers who may be reading this lovely book, too.

— Cheryl Carles, PhD, co-founder of Project Learning Tree, Project WILD and the Children & Nature Network

— Bill Hilton Jr., Executive Director, Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History

I had the chance to spend time with a terrific children’s book writer earlier this week. Mary Quattlebaum and I talked about lots of things though our conversations most often came back to children and books.

In Mary’s recent book, Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond (Dawn), old farmer (with the E-I-E-I-O) MacDonald’s granddaughter Jo observes life around a pond. The playful language and illustrations provide children with a joyful glimpse of an ecosystem while suggesting to adults how to make the book come alive through related activities.

As Mary and I talked about why she wrote this book (and is bringing Jo MacDonald back to continue to explore nature) she explained that this was a way to recapture the joy of her country childhoodd—and to remind adults and children that they’re missing a lot if they don’t explore the world beyond their walls.

It reminded me that children are naturally drawn to the world around them. I couldn’t help but relive the time when my son was less than 3 years old when, as we were walking down a city street, he squatted down over a weed. On that weedd—unseen to my jaded eyed—was a small white moth (or maybe a butterfly; it had wings in any case).

And I’ll never forget the shriek of surprise when we read Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar (Philomel). With the turn of a page, a bright butterfly was revealed. Or when we collected cicadas in various stages of development and then let them go.

Books like Mary’s can help children and adults reconnect with the natural world—even in the city. Observing and talking about what we see on a nature walk can happen anywhered—even in urban areas. These “outside” experiences are easily complemented by books and a visit to a library or bookstore.

— Reading Rockets (WETA Wash. Educ. Telev. Assn.) -Maria Salvadore (August 5, 2011)

Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond by Mary Quattlebaum and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant is another great book from Dawn Publications. You might remember that I reviewed the companion book Jo MacDonald Had a Garden just last month. Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond is just as cute the “Pond” book and Booking Son had fun reading it. Once again, the book can be “sung” to the tune of Old MacDonald Had a Farm, and what kid doesn’t have fun with the E-I-E-I-Os?

Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond tells the story of Jo, a little girl who discovers all of the creatures that live near a pond. Smaller children will like learning the animal sounds and slightly older children will appreciate the humor at the end of the story. This book introduces kids to the concept of ecosystems and would be ideal for preschool and early elementary science classes.

Booking Son was past the target age for this book, but he still enjoyed practicing his reading. He was hoping for some puzzles at the end of the book like there was for Jo MacDonald Had a Garden, and there was a page where children can match the sound to the animal. However, he thought that was a little too easy and would have preferred a “search and find” activity. What we both enjoyed was the very end of the book which featured the various plants and animals that Jo encountered at her pond. This section also gives suggestions for additional resources about pond life and how children can start being a naturalist.

The publisher also offers an excellent activity guide for Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond. There are ideas for activities related to dragonflies and frogs as well as some ways to increase their observation skills. In addition, there are instructions for reed weaving and ideas for creating a pond drama.

I was really impressed with Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond and all of the supplemental activities the publisher provides. If you haven’t taken a look at Dawn Publications yet, then I think you’re missing out.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a copies of these books.

— Booking Mama – Julie Peterson (March 12, 2012)