“This is the crunch in the darkening wood / of teeth against bark where the willow once stood / on the shore near the lodge that Beaver built.” A playful and informative patterned text modeled on “The House That Jack Built” follows the construction of a beaver lodge and the activity in and around that lodge over the course of a year. Beaver, its mate and subsequent offspring, and other creatures make appearances. There’s a musk turtle “burrowed down deep” under the lodge; a goose that builds a nest on top of the lodge; “buttonbush, alder, and sedge” that hide ducklings “from Hawk on her ledge … ” and more. Only the words “the lodge that Beaver built” are repeated with each new refrain, making for a spare and elegant narrative. Full of rich language and fascinating glimpses of the drama of the natural world, it is set against lovely, muted ink-and-colored pencil illustrations. An array of “Beaver Facts” concludes the volume.   (Ages 4-8)