AT THE FROG POND

A quiet, poetic look at the inhabitants of a secluded flog-pond on a summer afternoon, enhanced by softly evocative paintings in muted gray, green, and gold. The brief, predictable text verges on the precious as small fish ""scoot"" and salamanders ""scuttle,"" avoiding the large pike who is hunting for food: ""He is a thief and a glutton who snaps at anything that passes by his mouth."" While the author and illustrator are well-known in Germany, this effort is adequate as an example of literature in translation but not outstanding as a nature book.