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Hello, Puddle!
A nonfiction picture book exploring a deceptively simple but unexpectedly crucial resource for wildlife: puddles! This lyrical, gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book is perfect for young science learners and nature lovers.
Hello, puddle! Who's here?
A normal everyday puddle may not seem very special. But for a mother turtle, it might be the perfect place to lay her eggs. For a squirrel, it might be the only spot to cool off and get a drink when the sun is shining down in July. And for any child, it can be a window into the elegant, complex natural world right outside their window.
With lush, playful illustrations and fun facts about the animals featured, Hello, Puddle! is a joyful celebration of the remarkable in the ordinary, and the importance of even the most humble places in fostering life.
Hello, puddle! Who's here?
A normal everyday puddle may not seem very special. But for a mother turtle, it might be the perfect place to lay her eggs. For a squirrel, it might be the only spot to cool off and get a drink when the sun is shining down in July. And for any child, it can be a window into the elegant, complex natural world right outside their window.
With lush, playful illustrations and fun facts about the animals featured, Hello, Puddle! is a joyful celebration of the remarkable in the ordinary, and the importance of even the most humble places in fostering life.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2022
1 person is currently reading
131 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 4, 2022
"Hello, puddle!
Who's here? (page 1)
Tadpoles wriggle and squiggle. (pages 2-3)
Seeds take root. (pages 4-5)
Swallows loop the loop." (pages 6-7)
Delightful as a read aloud in PreK-2nd grades. Multiple ways to read this aloud to students - depending on their needs, maturity. On each two-page spread, there's a larger print text (as quoted above) on each page that stands alone featuring one particular animal or plant. Then there's also a short caption of sorts in a smaller print, explaining in kid-friendly language that concept in more detail. Uribe's illustrations reveal the changing seasons and provide lots of content for conversation when you ask students, "What do you notice?"
DON'T SKIP THE AUTHOR'S NOTE. This book is based on ONE PUDDLE at the end of her drive and all of the animals/plants she's observed take advantage of that puddle. The rest of the BACK MATTER is kid-friendly and could be read aloud or left in the classroom library for students to peruse - "make your own puddle," "watching wildlife," "puddle lovers" (with more details about each animal featured) and a glossary.
Who's here? (page 1)
Tadpoles wriggle and squiggle. (pages 2-3)
Seeds take root. (pages 4-5)
Swallows loop the loop." (pages 6-7)
Delightful as a read aloud in PreK-2nd grades. Multiple ways to read this aloud to students - depending on their needs, maturity. On each two-page spread, there's a larger print text (as quoted above) on each page that stands alone featuring one particular animal or plant. Then there's also a short caption of sorts in a smaller print, explaining in kid-friendly language that concept in more detail. Uribe's illustrations reveal the changing seasons and provide lots of content for conversation when you ask students, "What do you notice?"
DON'T SKIP THE AUTHOR'S NOTE. This book is based on ONE PUDDLE at the end of her drive and all of the animals/plants she's observed take advantage of that puddle. The rest of the BACK MATTER is kid-friendly and could be read aloud or left in the classroom library for students to peruse - "make your own puddle," "watching wildlife," "puddle lovers" (with more details about each animal featured) and a glossary.
May 2, 2023
Beautiful illustrations. The text is broken up so you can read a simple story to really little kiddos or more in depth with science facts to older kids. Really great glossary and information about the puddle and it's ecosystem was included too. I loved that this was based off a real puddle in the author's driveway!
April 15, 2022
Darling and delightful! Kids will love it!
July 25, 2023
A lovely gentle picture book about the rich and interconnected world that can spring from a puddle.
Themes: Rain
Age: Toddler-Kindergarten
Themes: Rain
Age: Toddler-Kindergarten
April 8, 2022
Lovely! Amazing things happen, even in a little puddle. :)
March 22, 2022
A great book to share and read aloud with wonderful information at the back of the book to pique more inquiry and exploration. Great book for s STEAM program.
February 22, 2022
A great nonfiction book about a topic not often thought of - puddles! And all of the ways they support animals. I like the structure that takes you through a year of seasons with a specific puddle and all the ways it supports.
May 11, 2022
A cute book about the wonders of puddles! This book talks about many of the animals and plants that help live and thrive because of puddles. The text is set up in such a way that the largest text could be read with toddlers and for those who want to know a bit more, there are a few sentences of smaller text. Then for those wanting to dive even deeper, there are end pages with more information about puddles, how to make animal-friendly puddles, and more info about some of the animals that love them.
May 15, 2022
It was interesting, and it was interesting to learn that the author had seen all this wildlife around their puddle back home. But alas, it wasn't that interesting.
May 17, 2022
Nature is filled with marvelous things.
This was a detailed introduction to the wide variety of plants and animals that rely on puddles for food, shelter, cooling baths on a hot day, and, of course, fresh water to drink. No one species dominated the plot, so it would be quite easy to use this as a jumping-off point to explore anything from how tadpoles turn into frogs to how seedlings grow to why bats are such an important part of the ecosystem. I thought this was a brilliant way to encourage young children to be curious about the world around them and have some idea of which plants or animals they might want to explore in depth in the future.
While puddles definitely aren’t as active in the winter, I did find myself wishing that Ms. Sanchez had dedicated an extra page or two to what happens in them during that season since she spent so much time discussing spring, summer, and autumn. After all, puddles do sometimes melt during the winter. This was a minor disappointment, and it could be easily remedied by a little research online or at the local library for readers who want to learn more. If all four seasons had been discussed, I would have eagerly given this a five-star rating.
It was refreshing to find a nature book that was accessible to so many different types of people. Puddles form in cities, suburbs, and small towns just like they do in the middle of the woods, and the text supported that fact. They can be observed by folks from a wide variety of backgrounds, too. One doesn’t need to run fast, spend money, listen closely, or carry any special equipment to observe what’s happening in them. This is a fantastic way to introduce kids to nature at story time, especially for families who have tight budgets, special needs, or other circumstances that might make wandering around out in the middle of nowhere difficult for them.
Hello, Puddle! offered an intriguing and educational glimpse into the sort of natural habitat that nearly everyone can find somewhere in their own neighborhood.
This was a detailed introduction to the wide variety of plants and animals that rely on puddles for food, shelter, cooling baths on a hot day, and, of course, fresh water to drink. No one species dominated the plot, so it would be quite easy to use this as a jumping-off point to explore anything from how tadpoles turn into frogs to how seedlings grow to why bats are such an important part of the ecosystem. I thought this was a brilliant way to encourage young children to be curious about the world around them and have some idea of which plants or animals they might want to explore in depth in the future.
While puddles definitely aren’t as active in the winter, I did find myself wishing that Ms. Sanchez had dedicated an extra page or two to what happens in them during that season since she spent so much time discussing spring, summer, and autumn. After all, puddles do sometimes melt during the winter. This was a minor disappointment, and it could be easily remedied by a little research online or at the local library for readers who want to learn more. If all four seasons had been discussed, I would have eagerly given this a five-star rating.
It was refreshing to find a nature book that was accessible to so many different types of people. Puddles form in cities, suburbs, and small towns just like they do in the middle of the woods, and the text supported that fact. They can be observed by folks from a wide variety of backgrounds, too. One doesn’t need to run fast, spend money, listen closely, or carry any special equipment to observe what’s happening in them. This is a fantastic way to introduce kids to nature at story time, especially for families who have tight budgets, special needs, or other circumstances that might make wandering around out in the middle of nowhere difficult for them.
Hello, Puddle! offered an intriguing and educational glimpse into the sort of natural habitat that nearly everyone can find somewhere in their own neighborhood.
May 2, 2022
This one caught me off guard, and in a good way, that will hopefully surprise and inform readers the way it did with me. I thought Hello, Puddle! would share how children and people enjoy puddles instead, readers are greeted and asked a question.
Hello, puddle!
Who's here?
Now author, Anita Sanchez, shares with readers how puddles support all different types of living beings. Each page of Hello, Puddle! begins with an introductory sentence or single word in a slightly larger font, followed by a sentence providing specific details about how a puddle helps plants and animals. Luisa Uribe illustrations also beautifully depict the changing of the seasons, subtly changing spring colours to those of fall ad having the wind tossing leaves, adding to the way a puddle supports life all year.
The author's note about how this puddle was part of her own experiences again surprised me with the many animals that puddles support. The back matter includes how to create your own puddle, additional information about all the animals mentioned, a glossary and where readers can find more information.
Excellent addition to collections to use as a mentor text and how much more there is to puddles
Hello, puddle!
Who's here?
Now author, Anita Sanchez, shares with readers how puddles support all different types of living beings. Each page of Hello, Puddle! begins with an introductory sentence or single word in a slightly larger font, followed by a sentence providing specific details about how a puddle helps plants and animals. Luisa Uribe illustrations also beautifully depict the changing of the seasons, subtly changing spring colours to those of fall ad having the wind tossing leaves, adding to the way a puddle supports life all year.
The author's note about how this puddle was part of her own experiences again surprised me with the many animals that puddles support. The back matter includes how to create your own puddle, additional information about all the animals mentioned, a glossary and where readers can find more information.
Excellent addition to collections to use as a mentor text and how much more there is to puddles
April 26, 2022
HELLO, PUDDLE is a unique children's book that makes the reader look at puddles from a different perspective. Whether people jump in a puddle or completely avoid it, they don't realize the use that one piece of water has for animals. They help snails stay wet, ducks find bugs, birds take baths, and wasps make nests. That isn't even all!
The illustrations are bold and pop off the page while maintaining an adorable look. After reading this, both my daughter and I will look at puddles completely differently. They help so many animals that it makes you realize they aren't something to take for granted. I also love how the author addresses how puddles disappear in the winter for the most part but we'll see them again in spring. There's a fun activity in the back of the book involving making your own puddle and watching the wildlife that react to it. In addiction to that, a glossary is at the end to explain any terms children might not understand.
Final Verdict: HELLO, PUDDLE is a thought-provoking children's book perfect for nature lovers everywhere. In it, you'll enjoy both the nature aspect of puddles and rain while seeing how they help animals live a better life.
The illustrations are bold and pop off the page while maintaining an adorable look. After reading this, both my daughter and I will look at puddles completely differently. They help so many animals that it makes you realize they aren't something to take for granted. I also love how the author addresses how puddles disappear in the winter for the most part but we'll see them again in spring. There's a fun activity in the back of the book involving making your own puddle and watching the wildlife that react to it. In addiction to that, a glossary is at the end to explain any terms children might not understand.
Final Verdict: HELLO, PUDDLE is a thought-provoking children's book perfect for nature lovers everywhere. In it, you'll enjoy both the nature aspect of puddles and rain while seeing how they help animals live a better life.
July 17, 2023
I really like the book because it describes many of the different plants, animals, and insects that you find around a puddle. I think this could also be used for a pond as well or other types of water. The illustrations were beautiful with lots of details. I like how the author did not just write the living thing but added detail. For example, the female turtle needs soft soil for their eggs to be laid. And snails make tracks and need the puddles condition to help them breath.
This book would be great for students will they are learning about how water affects many different living things. I work with littles in a learning center, and this would go out on the bookshelves during June and July. This is the time we work with water and learn about pond animals and insects. I will be looking for this book to purchase and use in my classroom.
This book would be great for students will they are learning about how water affects many different living things. I work with littles in a learning center, and this would go out on the bookshelves during June and July. This is the time we work with water and learn about pond animals and insects. I will be looking for this book to purchase and use in my classroom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2025
I picked this book for a homeschool unit on freshwater life. We live in an area that is dry year-round, so it's clear how much the birds and insects appreciate even just a container left outside with some water. We see birds splashing in water caught in the big leaves of our strelizia plant. We see bees that look so thirsty they'll sit on your finger for a drop of water! Or more disturbingly seem to be crazy for your morning coffee too. But what this book made me realize is that I've overlooked the importance of mud. I didn't make the connection that we have so many butterflies hovering above the soil when we've watered the flowerbeds because they're sucking up nutrients through the mud. I didn't think about the bees and wasps that need a bit of mud to make homes. So here we are trying to maintain a patch of mud after this lovely picture book about puddles.
October 4, 2023
Hello, Puddle! by Anita Sanchez is an ALA Notable Children's Book recommended for ages two to eight years old. I love how many teaching and learning moments there are throughout the book. There are things like tadpoles turning into frogs, seeds taking root, swallow birds and what they raise their babies in, where turtles lay eggs, how ducks drink water, and so many other things. This is a great book for a science class to teach about biology and how animal reproduction works. Overall, this book will definitely be used in my personal classroom library because of how interesting and informational it is!
November 19, 2022
We love puddles at our house so this book was a dream come true for our little puddle jumper!
Puddles are fascinating! So much life happens there and this book documents the animals, plants, weather, and necessity for a good puddle.
The back of the book is full of information for inquisitive minds. How to on making a puddle, puddle lovers, glossary with new words (though some words were not in the book, and that's a little bothersome for me.) and loads of other reading and websites to continue learning.
Will keep this one in mind for rainy homeschool days in the future...
Puddles are fascinating! So much life happens there and this book documents the animals, plants, weather, and necessity for a good puddle.
The back of the book is full of information for inquisitive minds. How to on making a puddle, puddle lovers, glossary with new words (though some words were not in the book, and that's a little bothersome for me.) and loads of other reading and websites to continue learning.
Will keep this one in mind for rainy homeschool days in the future...
February 16, 2023
Puddles are fun for children to splash in, but they are also a whole habitat for lots of different creatures! Told through the life cycle of a puddle, readers see different creatures go to a puddle for different reasons and at different points in the life cycle. This would be good for a garden program or just taking home to read and explore with puddles you see in your community with preschoolers and older! If you just read the short first line in each spread, it could be a good book for toddlers too.
August 29, 2023
While this book is not technically shelved in the nonfiction, I feel like it has enough information that is given to qualify. I would use this a way to introduce puddles or different life cycles, possibly paired with something on tidepools. I could also see this used as a way to help children learn how to observe nature around them, like if you were going on a nature walk. There is also information presented at the back that talks about the different animals they talked about using the puddle. All in all, a solid book, especially if you are trying to teach small children.
April 13, 2022
I love this! This is a great read informative picture book that can work for younger and older readers alike. Each spread begins with a simple, rhyming sentence that can stand alone for younger readers that is then followed by 2 or 3 more sentences that add detail and context for older readers. It also has great, detailed illustrations that suit the text perfectly and fantastic notes and additional resources in the back.
April 15, 2022
I didn't know puddles were actually helpful to our environment. (It seems so obvious now, whoops.) HELLO, PUDDLE! is a gentle introduction into how puddles can provide help for a range of animals and insects, even. I also appreciate that the author discussed the not-so-cute creatures like wasps and mosquitos (*shudders* I hate them, personally, but I respect that the author took the time to explain their place in nature, the food chain, etc.).
April 5, 2022
What a great starting source for kiddos and parents who want to learn more about nature and wildlife. Not only are the illustrations and story great, but the resources in the back of the book are Golden. I will be recommending this one to all of my patrons this Spring.
I will also be reading this for a story time!
I will also be reading this for a story time!
July 10, 2022
A useful book for teaching about water with ample information in the back matter about the water needs of all types of animals. The author's note explains that she has this very puddle near her own house and she has seen all the life depicted here relying on that puddle for different purposes -- the deer drink, the turtles lay eggs, the bats eat mosquitoes, etc.
March 12, 2024
What a delightful book! The illustrations were charming and detailed. The kind of illustrations where, each time you look at them, you notice something new. I like the concept of the ways animals use puddles for food, shelter, and water. I never knew that puddles were so lively! I will certainly look up more books by this author and illustrator.
February 10, 2023
Simple text describes the many creatures that visit or live in the puddle. The illustrations are very appealing in spite of being "done in Adobe Photoshop while looking out the window." Back matter includes additional information and a bibliography.
April 11, 2024
Beautifully illustrated. I love how the pages could be used simply for the younger students but could be used for an in depth science lesson.
Even though this book is educational, it still can be used as a read aloud. The readability is there!!!
5 stars
Even though this book is educational, it still can be used as a read aloud. The readability is there!!!
5 stars
April 22, 2024
This book is a great way to introduce how a puddle serves many purposes for animals and plants within an ecosystem. This is a great way to introduce the water cycle or how ecosystems work together and all help each other live.
Want to read
September 9, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
May 6, 2022
Background knowledge. Two levels of text for beginning and more advanced audiences.
June 2, 2022
Not earth shattering, but educational and pleasant.
June 30, 2022
A cute, short picture book about the variety of plants and animals that thrive on a puddle. Educational, but still fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews