Come follow the trail with William and Cammy Clue after clue tells them what bird or animal has been there before and left its trace behind.Join them in a journey of discovery. Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 2000--selected by Natn'l Science Tchrs Assoc. & Child. Bk Cncl. PreSchool-Grade 2?Large, brilliant, lifelike illustrations are George's trademark. Here her gouache paintings provide the pleasure of a game while giving youngsters the enjoyment of a nature walk. Cammy and William explore the woods on an autumn afternoon and on successive pages notice such things as an empty nest, a gnawed branch, feathers, and bones. Each observation prompts the question, "Who's been here?" Turning the page reveals the answer in both a closeup double-page spread and descriptive text. The last object the youngsters find is a picnic basket?a surprise from their father. The forest scenes are vivid and unsoftened?some of the creatures who have "been there" became meals for others. The last page provides more information about the featured creatures and the flora and fauna surrounding them. This book invites repeated perusal. It's an ideal title for primary-grade nature study that could sharpen the perception of any child going on a woodland field trip. The large print and generous pages make it an excellent choice for group sharing.?Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. Ages 4^-7. Siblings William and Cammy set off on an autumnal walk through the woods near their house. Although they don't see any wildlife on their trek, they do observe traces of creatures'activities--including a northern oriole's nest, the remains of a red squirrel's meal, a monarch butterfly's cocoon, and a mud dauber's home. Succinct text explains the evidence the children note, ending with the question "Who's been here?" The following double-page spread provides the answer; detailed notes on the habits of these animals are appended. Children will be drawn to George's vivid gouache paintings, especially those depicting the animals in their natural surroundings. Two of the examples involve predator-prey relationships that may upset very young listeners, but for most children this will be an excellent introduction to classroom nature units and the perfect prelude to a walk in the woods. Kay Weisman Lindsay Barrett George was born in the West Indies and grew up in New Jersey. She received a B.F.A. degree from Manhattanville College, and an M.F.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin, where she majored in drawing and printmaking. After her studies in the Midwest, Lindsay returned to the east coast and worked as a fine-art printer in New York City. She later got a job in publishing, working as a designer in a children's book department, and was married to William T. George. Lindsay left New York City, had two children, and now spends her time creating children's books. In Her Own Words... "When I was a little girl, my favorite pastimes were looking at things, drawing them, and making up stories about them," Lindsay Barrett George says. "My art has always been about the familiar things that I find inside my house or outside my front door. I have been fascinated by pillows, chocolate Kisses, tea bags, dogs, family, friends, and food. Writing and illustrating children's books never seemed a possibility until Bill and I raised a family in Pennsylvania. We lived out in the woods in a log cabin on a lake. I spent a lot of time walking and looking and sketching the animals, the trees, the rocks, and the mountains. The next step was obvious-why not write about them, paint them? "I like to show children places they might not have seen before, and, perhaps, to make them see more than just the surface of things. The paintings that I make and the stories that I write represent what I think about and care about. I hope my books connect me to children who want to stop and look at the same things that I find fascinating."