Safe Crossing

Ages 5 to 8

How does an amphibian cross the road? With the help of the Amphibian Migration Team! Learn all about a citizen scientist who acts as a crossing guard for migrating amphibians and helps build them a tunnel to safety in this delightful nonfiction picture book!

From Kari Percival, Ezra Jack Keats Award-winning author of How to Say Hello to a Worm, comes an entertaining and informative children’s book perfect for curious, nature-loving young readers.

Every spring, frogs and salamanders must travel from wooded uplands where they were born to vernal pools where they will mate. Unfortunately, roads constructed through their habitats have made the journey dangerous for these slow-moving animals. Many never reach their destinations. But with the help of the Amphibian Migration Team, there is hope for a safe crossing!

Readers will learn so much about amphibians and their habitats and get a great introduction to civic participation, too. The citizen scientist at the heart of this story presents her proposal for a wildlife tunnel to her local City Council and coordinates with stakeholders in the process like a wildlife biologist, a herpetologist, a roadway engineer, a surveyor, the Conservation Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Transportation, contractors, and reporters. It’s a fascinating way to find out how local government works and how kids can actively create social change. 

Playful and educational, Safe Crossing offers an empowering example of how even the youngest citizens can raise awareness about a meaningful cause, drive change, and unite people locally and globally.

BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST: Citizen scientists are rallying around the world. You, too, can train to be an amphibian crossing guard! Protecting amphibians as they migrate to and from laying eggs means protecting many endangered species.

CONNECTION AND CONSERVATION: Doing citizen science gives kids and caregivers a meaningful way to connect with neighbors, friends, and their local ecosystem. This book offers a powerful example of how children can make a difference by raising awareness and uniting a community around causes they care about.

FASCINATING BACKMATTER: There’s so much to learn! Additional resources at the back of the book include information on amphibian life cycles, crossings, and safety, wildlife tunnels, road safety, becoming a community scientist, and a glossary. As an added bonus, the front and back endpapers feature scavenger hunts for spring peeper tadpoles, spotted salamander eggs, tiny fairy shrimp, and much more!

Perfect for: Kids who love science, nature, and animals Teachers, educators, and librarians seeking classroom books with STEM content Scout troop leaders and parents looking for engaging nature books for kids Environmental activists and club leaders Fans of Over and Under the Pond, We Are All Connected: Caring for Each Other & the Earth, and National Geographic Kids books

About the Author

Kari Percival is an award-winning author, illustrator, and former science teacher. She has a Master’s degree in environmental science with a certification in science teaching from Antioch University New England, near where the Harris Center for Conservation Education leads one of the largest amphibian crossing programs. Her work often focuses on science inquiry, nature, and how children can get involved in community science. Her art style is rooted in the woodcuts she has been carving and printing for more than two decades. She lives with her husband and two children north of Boston, Massachusetts.