"Suddenly the bird stops. She sees whirlpools and ripples in the duckweed. The water shimmers as something moves. It looks like a log, but it is not. Two glistening eyes stare out from the shadows."

One hot summer day, a mother alligator and a mother spoonbill leave their babies and go into the swamp to look for food. The spoonbill finds minnows, shrimp, and back swimmers to bring to her baby chicks, while the alligator eats small fish and insects close to shore.

Suddenly, the alligator spies the bright pink feathers of the spoonbill. She sinks beneath a carpet of floating duckweed, and silently swims toward the unsuspecting bird.

Will the spoonbill get away? Why do the baby alligators cry out to their mother?

Guiberson's compelling text and Lloyd's evocative illustrations are just right for even the youngest listener. Parents and teachers may appreciate the story's lesson in wetlands ecology, but children are sure to respond to the fascinating details and suspense in this real-life drama.

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