The wetland is a murky, moist, and mysterious world. Atop its glittering surface and beneath its shadowy depths, birds, bass, minks, and muskrats struggle to survive and flourish. Madeleine Dunphy's lyrical prose shows the relationships between the wetland's plants and animals, giving young readers a clear picture of how each living creature depends on the others for survival. Illustrator Wayne McLoughlin adds stunning visuals, with luminous, detailed paintings that convey the fragile beauty and complexity of this critically important ecological community.