Safe Crossing - by Kari Percival (Hardcover)

About the Book

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!

Book Synopsis

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!

2026 ALSC Notable Children's Book

2026 Texas Bluebonnet Award List Selection

A Green Earth Book Award Winner

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

Review Quotes

"[A]n inspiring and aspirational choice for youngsters looking to get more involved with bettering the world around them." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Author-illustrator Kari Percival awakens children's curiosity... Safe Crossing is an exciting, informative call to action for budding scientists and environmental activists." -- Bookpage, Starred Review

"Gently encourages kids to volunteer within their own communities." -- Booklist

"Informative and beautiful." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Sumptuous in text and image... Percival celebrates the wonder of biodiversity--every pictured creature is marquee-worthy

--alongside the passion and hard work that animate conservation efforts." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"This book [is] as informative as it is beautifully illustrated and designed." -- The Horn Book Review

"Young eco-activists looking for an ambitious but doable local project will find both useful informational guidelines and inspiration here." -- School Library Journal

A Green Earth Book Award Winner

A Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award (WCCPBA) Finalist

A 2026 ALSC Notable Children's Book

A 2026 Texas Bluebonnet Award List Selection

A PEN America Best Book of 2025

A Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2025

A BookPage Best Picture Book of 2025

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.