Pond Life

by George K. Reid, Sally D. Kaicher (Illustrator), Tom Dolan (Illustrator)

Alternative cover of ISBN 0307240177

POND LIFE is an introduction to the plants and animals that live in quiet fresh waters of North America. Emphasis is on life found in ponds but included in the hundres of species described and illustrated in color are many plants and animals that live in lakes, streams, and wetlands.

Genres: Nature, Reference, Nonfiction, Science, Field Guides, Guides, Ecology

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Spencer Orey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little reference book for kids and adults that captures the richness of life in ponds. Some good science with diagrams but nothing too overwhelming. Useful for imagining the intricacy of life in little watery places.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

My objective was to find a book that we could partially read through to help the kids start classifying pond life into differently categories. Some of the book's classifications were muddled (bacteria included in plant section) and the text was a bit dry. It would not work great as a field guide because it covers the entire US. The opening pages, however, were great and reading them before our first spring hikes great enriched the experience. I'm not going to keep working through the pages as a read aloud but keep it on our shelf for reference.

[Sumnerd Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought about becoming a Limnologist (Marine biologist = Ocean; Limnologist = freshwater) in college, and decided I can still be one! There are plenty of citizen scientist volunteer opportunities where I can explore this interest. Also, I can just get out and explore and do my own amateur studies.

This is a handy Field Guide style book that explores life in freshwater systems. This is a book I bought and read for a Michigan biology course. I am giving 5 stars because it does exactly what it sets out to do. #TheyUnderstoodtheAssignment

[Brian Hutzell · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is some overlap among Pond Life and other Golden Guides, but there is still plenty in this series entry to make it worthwhile. Golden Guides were written primarily for students and hobbyists, and some of them are now showing their age, but I’ve been having a good time revisiting some of them recently. Not only do they provide a good science/nature refresher course, they take me back to my grade school and junior high days, when I had quite a collection of these little books.

[Maria Hagen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had the format of a reference book, not one that I would actually read for fun. It was highly informative, very dense, but I felt that it would serve me little if I actually saw something in a pond and wanted to look it up.
As a child I would only have skimmed through the pictures of this book, but it would be something I might take into the woods with me if I hike with children.
There is a lot of very scientific vocabulary that would be difficult for a child to understand. I think it is a good book for children who really love ponds, but would be uninteresting to others. It might also be good as a quick reference book for adults with little biology background like me.

[Jason Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the original 67 publication of this classic, a must read for any kid...I found it rummaging through an old trunk...my four year old has fallen in love with it, just like I did when I was his age.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Election Night distraction #2 told me exactly what I wanted to know: how ponds are formed, how living things arrive to inhabit said ponds, and what exactly is the difference between a pond and a lake. Nice pictures, easy reading, a refreshing calm before a beautiful storm.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a kid who spends most of your time playing around in swamps, this book is a must-have.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a kid living on a farm and fascinated by the life around me, this guide was indispensible!

[Stephen]

1

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good field guide to pond life for younger readers.

[Benjamin Plume · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great guide from St. Martin's

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Golden Guides are always interesting and informative.