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Illustrations and simple text describe the many different types of baby animals and insects and their mothers found in the Okefenokee Swamp

"Deep in the swamp in the warm morning sun. Lived a mother river otter and her little pup One." Count from 1 otter pup to 10 baby crayfish as readers learn about the special relationships of baby and mom mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects that make their home in the Okefenokee Swamp.

Set to the familiar tune of “Over the Meadow” this non-fiction picture book introduces readers to the plants and animals of the Okefenokee Swamp. Count your way from one to ten through a stunning variety of birds, reptiles, and mammals that live in this cypress swamp, located in southern Georgia and northern Florida. An alphabetical glossary of facts is included at the back of the book.

The rhyming text of this book not only introduces readers to the swamp flora and fauna, it also uses some great vocabulary expanding words, such as “bask” and “trilled.” The painterly illustrations are accurate and detailed, but never stilted or stiff. There is wonderful movement and a sense of playfulness as the animals soar, jump, swim, and fly through the lush swamp landscape.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2012/08/book-231-deep-in-swamp-by-donna-m.ht...

(easy, poetry, counting, Louisiana) This book follows several critter's activities in a basic day on the swamp. With each page, a new critter is introduced in rhyming fashion and the count increases with each page. For example, the first page is one river otter with her mama, second page is two baby turtles with their mama and so on. This is a good book to read to younger children to introduce them to a swamp habitat. When I read it to children in my library, they were inquisitive about several words in the book as well, such as the word, 'bask". So not only is counting and swamp habitat broached in this book but vocabulary as well. ( )