At the Poles

The author of At the Pond and In the Woods takes readers to the most remote regions of our planet in this beautifully illustrated poetic ode to the creatures that inhabit the North and South poles.

The stark, cold landscapes of Earth’s poles may seem inhospitable, but their snowy hollows and glacial waters hide an astounding variety of creatures, from the tiny, fascinating tardigrade to the mysterious giant squid, from the fleet-footed Arctic hare to the majestic polar bear. Perfectly adapted for the climes they call home, these animals defy logic and invite awe. New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns his eye—and his pen—to the Arctic and Antarctic with lively poems filled with humor, admiration, and love, while illustrator Ellen Rooney’s vivid multimedia art brings touches of warmth and beauty to the austere landscapes of the poles. Complete with notes on each animal in the back matter, At the Poles speaks to the preciousness of life at the ends of the Earth.

David Elliott is the award-winning author of many books for children, including the New York Times best-selling And Here’s to You! as well as On the Farm, In the Wild, In the Sea, On the Wing, In the Past, In the Woods, and At the Pond. He is also the author of Baabwaa and Wooliam, illustrated by Melissa Sweet; Nobody’s Perfect, illustrated by Sam Zuppardi; and The Two Tims, illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo. David Elliott lives in Warner, New Hampshire.

Ellen Rooney is an artist and the illustrator of many books for children, including Dusk Explorers, by Lindsay Leslie, which received a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and Grandmother School by Rita Singh, which won the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize in Canada. Originally from Massachusetts, Ellen Rooney now lives in British Columbia, Canada.