From black and yellow-tailed alligators to black-masked raccoons, little shelled turtles to web-footed ducklings, there are many babies in the bayou. Each group is protected by their mother, and (in some cases) watchful of the other group...

Babies in the Bayou is another of prolific author/illustrator Jim Arnosky's many wonderful works of picture-book natural history. Pairing a simple text of no more than a sentence or phrase per page with gorgeously colorful artwork, done in acrylic paints, this is a book aimed at younger picture-book audiences. Like many of Arnosky's other titles in this vein, it is meant to be informative, but only in the most basic sense of giving an idea of this important ecosystem. There is no back matter here, and no list of further reading. I think the idea of these books is to build an appreciation for the natural world and its wonders, and to increase general knowledge, rather than to serve as a non-fiction reference. It is definitely successful in creating a sense of atmosphere, and in capturing the beauty of the bayou. Recommended to young animal and nature lovers. ( )

Media: Trasnparent acrylic colors
Age appropriateness: intermediate
Review/critique: This was a good book with lots of knowledge in it, it was about many of the animals that inhabit this habitat and their babies. I thought that this was a good informational book, because even though the information is simple, it is substantial enough to where it informs of what an animal would look like and some of their characteristics.

Simple text givies clues to what comes next. Beautiful illustrations of wildlife in the bayou. Great writing intro; great for teaching about connections.

This book about the bayou with gorgeous detailed illustrations uses simple descriptions of mothering behaviors to catelog and describe the animals inhabiting the swampy areas of the bayou. It is a great study of a specific eco system that children will enjoy discovering and learning about. ( )

The text is nothing special, but the illustrations are really striking and full of gorgeous color.