Wait and See by Helen Frost, Rick Lieder
Published by Candlewick Press on May 10, 2022
ISBN: 1536216313
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
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Other books from this poet and photographer set include Step Gently Out (2018) and Among a Thousand Fireflies (2016). The book’s text is a poem and it is accompanied by amazing close-up photography of praying mantises. The narrative information at the end lets you know these mantises are the Chinese praying mantis and describes the creature’s life cycle. Each page of the poem text is written with a large font, with just one word or a brief phrase on many, occasionally a complete sentence. What you can find in Wait— and See, or on a nature walk that reading this may inspire, is summed up nicely with the last sentence of the back matter: “The important thing is, if you are patient and watch closely, you will always see something that you would have missed if you were in too much of a hurry to notice.” Do take your time and just enjoy this beautiful book.

Recommend for Grades K-4

Reviewed by Betsey Noble, Marcia Buker Elementary School