Nonfiction Monday: The Story Goes On

We would like to thank the Orland Park Public Library for providing this book for review.

The Story Goes On
by Alieen Fisher
Illus. by Mique Moriuchi
32 page, ages 4 -8
Roaring Brook Press, 2005

Reminiscent of “There was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly,” award-winning poet, Aileen Fisher, explains the food chain cycle in this lively, ear-pleasing rhyme. The timeless tale begins with a seed that grows into a plant and is eaten by an insect. The insect, in turn, is gobbled up by frog, and the hapless frog becomes dinner for a snake, and so on. The charm of the tale is in the rhyme, rhythm and flow of the poem. “And then, in a flash, / with the stealth of a thief, / a frog’s sticky tongue / flicks out at the leaf / and snatches a meal… the bug comes to grief.” Later in the story, beetles nibble the remains of a carcass and bury the rest. “And then in the soil / made rich in this way, a seed will start sprouting / and growing some day.” Moriuchi’s textured paints and colorful collage illustrations compliment the text beautifully. Bold pictures capture the animal’s actions and facial expressions, suggesting gentle humor. After his meal, the satisfied frog smiles and pats his rotund tummy. But on the following page, an “uh-oh” look appears on the frog’s face as the sneaky snake grabs him from behind. Here’s a picture book that “ignores the gore” and presents the “food chain facts” simply and gently.—Review by Heidi Bee Roemer

Aileen Fisher was born in 1907, sold her first poem in 1927 and her first book in 1933. Over her lengthy career, she went onto write over 100 books. She authored stories, plays, biographies and picture books, but her favorite genre was poetry. She frequently chose subjects that showed her appreciation of the natural world.  In 1978, she was awarded the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. She passed away at the age of 96 in 2002. —Interview by Laura Crawford

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by True Tales and a Cherry On Top blog.