Author/Illustrator Karen Patkau
Tundra Books 2012
Ages 7+
Swamps are often drained to create farmland or to reduce disease, but such measures can prove disastrous. Author and illustrator Karen Patkau takes us on an amazing journey through one of the earth’s most important ecosystems. Discover the plants and animals that swell in its damp conditions – from algae, duckweed and bald cypress trees to purple gallinules, bobcats and alligators – and how they interact with their wetland environment. Find out about a swamp’s vital roles in the food chain, in preserving soil and in cleaning water.
LOOK INSIDE
AWARDS & HONOURS
• Silver Birch Express Award Nominee 2013
• Green Book Festival 2012 Honor Book
REVIEWS
• “These titles recommended here look at … ecosystems … with a keen respect and awareness for the world we live in. … Much of the world’s food is grown on grassland, and the importance of protecting this ecosystem is highlighted in Karen Patkau’s Who Needs a Prairie? (Tundra, 2014; Gr 1-3). The book jacket is a call-to-action and inside, the message is relayed in flowing, lyrical text and artistically painted landscapes. Author/illustrator Patkau renders the temperate prairie seasons accurately, as well as emotionally, such as deer foraging in a blizzard, creatures fleeing a grass fire, and a meadowlark singing after a rain. … Other ecosystems in the series include: Who Needs a Desert?, Who Needs an Iceberg?, Who Needs a Jungle?, Who Needs a Reef?, and Who Needs a Swamp? — all great to read-aloud choices for content vocabulary and text-to-picture connections.” – School Library Journal’s Curriculum Connections
• “Nonfiction picture books are not nearly as common as they once were,but author and illustrator Karen Patkau proves that the genre is not dead. Her beautiful illustrations and maps present information in an easy to understand format for young readers. … Each book includes simple text for beginning nonfiction readers supported by detailed illustrations of the plant and animal life in each ecosystem. … All of the books in this series contain valuable information supported with illustrations that help young readers understand the content. The message in each is clear. We need to care about these different ecosystems.” – Highly Recommended – Canadian Materials
• “… Patkau offers a series of vibrant scenes … striking illustrations. The text both interprets the visual content … and offers paragraphs of diverse facts.” – Booklist
• “Patkau explains the importance of each ecosystem with clear and concise details … Each volume explains what makes a particular ecosystem unique … Written at a Grade 2 to 5 level, the books are 32 pages long and the text is limited to one-quarter of the page, which is an attractive feature for reluctant readers. This series should prove to be a useful resource to introduce young students to the world’s ecosystems and their importance to our survival.” – CANADIAN CHILDREN’S BOOK NEWS “The Classroom Bookshelf”
• “Part of Tundra Books’ new Ecosystem Series, Who Needs an IceBerg?, Who Needs a Jungle? and Who Needs a Swamp? … explore the importance of these vastly different regions, and the unique role they play in the world. Each book brims with the captivating creatures that make their homes here, ecological features, fact notes, a glossary and a map. For all ages.” – Guelph Mercury
• “Patkau introduces readers to the North American Arctic ecosystem efficiently and methodically, discussing habitat, the food chain and seasonal changes, along with the ever-important formation of the iceberg. “Who needs an iceberg?” she asks, concluding with a discussion of global warming. Her digitally composed illustrations at times offer informative scenic views, and at times, present readers with more direct scientific information. This, as well as its companion volumes Who Needs a Swamp? and Who Needs a Jungle? offers a clear, readable introduction for budding naturalists and geographers.” – Toronto Star
• “… Tundra has just published the first three books in a new series called the Ecosystem Series. This [Who Needs a Swamp?] is the first one that I have read, and found it to be informative and accessible for young readers. … Patkau provides ‘just enough’ clear information … to keep her readers interested and moving forward. … Fascinating and fun learning, that’s the best kind of nonfiction for young readers! Don’t miss the other two books in this brand new series, Who Needs a Jungle? and Who Needs An Iceberg?” – salsfictionaddiction
• “… Karen Patkau … has created six Ecosystem Series books exploring the value of spaces that we North Americans once considered “wasted” — the prairies and swamps — and also looks at why humans, as much as animals, need reefs, icebergs, jungles and desert. The books are recommended for young people, ages seven to 10, but the wisdom behind the text is multi-generational.” – Prairie Messenger
KAREN PATKAU 