Book excerpt: Life in a pond is exciting. Birds, bugs, and shrews skitter across the surface. Turtles and fish zip along under the water’s surface. Beavers, herons, and others make themselves at home by the pond’s edge. In this book, readers in grades 3-5 will discover how these animals survive and thrive in freshwater pond biomes around the world. This NGSS-aligned series is packed with interesting facts and vivid photos that introduce readers to a variety of land and water animals. Each book includes a glossary, comprehension questions, and an activity for home or the classroom.