Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Summary: As a boy watches a beaver build a lodge, a stick breaks away and floats down the river. It gets stuck against a boulder for the winter, but when spring comes, it continues along the river to the ocean. After getting tangled in fishing nets, the stick washes up on shore, where it is discovered by the same boy, now on vacation at the beach. He takes the stick–now a piece of driftwood–back with him to his home by the river. The last page shows him sitting in a tree with his driftwood, watching the beaver once again. Includes a two-page author’s note with additional information on driftwood. 48 pages; ages 4-8.
Pros: This gorgeous science book tells the stick’s journey in the context of the changing seasons, showing the cyclical nature by ending the story where it began. The colored pencil illustrations realistically and beautifully portray the different landscapes.
Cons: Humans do it again: as per usual, the author’s note mentions how humans have messed up the production of driftwood, which plays an important part in beach ecosystems.
