Of Walden Pond: Henry David Thoreau, Frederic Tudor, and the Pond Between
Two white men, both “dreamers,” mine the treasures of Walden Pond. Henry David Thoreau, a nature lover, aspires to live simply and record in writing his observations of the pond and its wildlife. Frederic Tudor, a man in debt, sees a business opportunity in Walden Pond. From his one-room cabin, Thoreau watches as Tudor arrives with men, horses, and equipment and begins to harvest a thick layer of ice from the frozen pond. Written in poems and divided into sections according to season, the narrative describes the ice’s temporary storage (“blanketed in sawdust and hay” next to the pond), lengthy sea voyage to India, and eventual consumption by the wealthy white inhabitants of Calcutta. Even after it has left Walden Pond, the ice continues to inspire Thoreau’s diary entries; he imagines it “mingled with / the sacred water / of the Ganges.” Soft illustrations evoke the pond’s natural beauty and provide fascinating glimpses into ice harvesting and storage. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Ashley Benham-Yazdani
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 7-9
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Formats:
Picture book
Poetry
Subjects:
19th Century
History (Nonfiction)
Nature/Environment
Observation
Seasons
Work and Labor
Publisher:
Holiday House
Publish Year: 2022
Pages: 39
ISBN: 9780823448586
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 974 Cline-Ransome