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Growing fruits and vegetables doesn’t take a lot of space; they can even grow in crowded cities! From beekeeping to chickens, small areas can support food which leads to sharing, eating, and caring for others and the environment. Once the concept of urban agriculture is introduced, who knows what may blossom?!

J.J. Tully, a retired search and rescue dog, takes on the task of finding two lost chicks that their mother fears were kidnapped. Not only does J.J. solve the mystery, he finds unexpected friends. There’s plenty of adult humor in J.J.’s narration, but lots of laughs for newly independent readers, too.

The mystery of why a Pacific seabird nests inland has only recently been solved. Lyrical language and evocative illustrations with additional information inset on each page brings the modern scientific thriller to light. Additional resources conclude this handsome volume.

Striking photographs combine with readable text to provide an introduction to polar bears. Text appears in two fonts, allowing readers access to more information and enhancing its use with different ages and interests. Additional material about the animals and further resources conclude the book.

For a quick tour of Orlando and a glimpse at the state of Florida, a fast tour in photographs and information snippets may be just right. A brief overview of the high points of the city and state, some of its famous inhabitants, and more are provided. This is one of a series that may pique curiosity about states and some of their better-known cities.

Want something to do that may spark creativity? Try making inkblots to see what and how you see! Sophisticated children will find this highly illustrated, step-by-step, how-to book of creating, seeing, and imaginatively using inkblots engrossing.

One never knows until they try something — much like a small yellow fledgling that is afraid to leave the nest. Lyrical language and textured, stylized collage illustrations combine for a surprisingly sophisticated push toward flying independently.

Some of them worked; others didn’t but all were based in the folk and academic traditions of the times. With wit and insight, historical medical remedies from around the world are introduced as is the science behind them. Additional resources end this amusingly illustrated book.

If you thought that haiku was a staid poetic form, then you haven’t come across this collection! Boys and all things boy are presented for each of the four seasons. Sprinkled throughout are humorous line drawings that extend the light tone.

Stunning, full color, close-up photographs of birds combined with evocative poems in different forms present memorable portraits of birds. Factual material about each feathered creature is inserted on every double-page spread to complete the picture.

While children in one part of the world doze, wash, or pick fruit, readers can lift a flap to see others singing, climbing a tree, or sleeping. Carefully formatted illustrations and brief text introduce maps, time zones, and different cultures with varying levels of complexity.

A sly walrus evades the zookeeper, all the while hiding in plain sight: at a lunch counter, in a window display, and many equally obvious (and silly) places. After taking a swimming prize, the walrus returns to the zoo. Flat forms augment the understated comedy of this wordless tale.

“Things were quiet on the Tuckers’ farm…” but really took off once a peacock came to live with them. The chickens become jealous and so trade places with the peacock with very funny results. Cartoon illustrations add humor and charm to the understated, appealing text.

Stylized illustrations place readers in the 1920s and 1930s, a time when baseball was played on the streets, listened to on radio, and enjoyed in stadiums. A rhythmic text introduces some of the period’s heroes while capturing its spirit.

From Monday through Sunday, Silly Lilly tries on a new role each day — from vampire to teacher, ending the week as candy taster. Simplified comic book panels are sure to help new readers comprehend the story as they make meaning from word and image.

When Bad Bart who was the “biggest, burliest pirate this side of the Atlantic” meets Mean Mo, “maddest, mightiest pirate this side of the Pacific,” an unwinnable competition ensues that ends in romance. The rollicking pirate adventures are told with verve and humor.

At the start, the square was perfect and red but things change and so does the square. In a series of images accompanied by playful language, the red square changes into different forms and colors, challenging the reader to think literally outside of the box — that perhaps change isn’t such a bad thing after all.

Tom rides his new red bike to his friend’s house but the bike disappears when he knocks at Sam’s door. Sam has taken it for a spin, much to Tom’s irritation. Expressive illustrations and minimal text depict the friendship, chagrin, and ultimate resolution in a satisfying saga.

Having a wildly imaginative big sister is great — except when she goes off with a friend. Comic illustrations combine with a child-like narration to reveal the ups and downs of being the youngest of a sibling pair. Readers are sure to recognize the emotions in this inventive tale.

Who would have thought that a child’s stuffed toy, interest in the outdoors and animals, and childhood dreams would predict her future work and life? This picture book biography of Jane Goodall’s early life does just that, effectively placing actual photographs of young Jane and her toy chimpanzee at the opening and conclusion of this simple but effective sketch.

Max, Ruby, and friends are back for a series of short everyday adventures. They cook and open a restaurant, learn to swim and save a special buddy, and more. Humorous, textured illustrations in a large format are just right for bedtime (or anytime) sharing.

Even though chickens Midge, Pip, and Dot discover that Rooster Sam cannot fly, they still admire and love him. Short vignettes in easy language about silly chickens on a farm combine with uncluttered illustrations to convey a range of silly and cocky fowl behaviors.

Folks often resist change, even when it came to improving roads and modes of transportation in a growing United States. An informal text and informative but relaxed illustrations capture the essence of this history, suggesting what may be next. Additional resources are included.

The narrator (always within her mother’s sight) independently picks berries for jam. When she encounters a bee she remembers to stand still until it leaves. The same encounter is told again from the bee’s perspective for a satisfying story told in rhyme with expressive illustrations.