Spritely, translucent watercolors jaunt across the pages of a poem by romantic poet, John Keats. The nonsensical adventure begins: “There was a naughty Boy,/A naughty boy was he,/he would not stop at home,/He could not quiet b—“ and ends with the boy still a’wondering. This poem was written by — and about — Keats in a letter to his sister as he traveled, now illustrated and presented for others to delight in its fancy.
A Song About Myself
A year in the life of Vixen, a red fox, reveals how these canine omnivores live, hunt, and reproduce. A muted palette allows Vixen to stand out as she moves throughout her territory. Additional information and resources conclude this attractive, evocative, and informative book.
The Secret Life of the Red Fox
When Hee Jun’s father accepts a position in West Virginia, everything changes for the boy and his family. His grandmother, a teacher in Korea, now stays at home; his little sister becomes a discipline problem at school; and Hee Jun does not understand English. With time, however, Hee Jun finds a friend whose yard contains a rose of Sharon, a “mugunghwa” in Korea. It is a piece of home. Gentle illustrations convey the characters’ emotions to enhance the story.
A Piece of Home
The humble and sometimes abused copper penny tells its own story in this humorous combination of fact and fantasy. It begins, “I was born in Philadelphia, where the United States was born” and continues revealing its adventures small and historical. Cartoon illustrations in simple line and real pennies augment the combination of fiction and information. The penny’s history and additional resources conclude this entertaining book.
One Proud Penny
When a little girl wakes up one morning, she sees “a sweet little…____chirping at me.” As her day progresses, there are more blank circles that readers can fill in with reusable stickers appended at the end. Almost like a visual mad lib, this participatory book covers everyday activities from morning till nighttime.
On the Spot
Margaret loved to solve all kinds of problems coming up with original ideas. She wondered why more girls didn’t grow up to be doctors or scientists. So, she studied hard and finally convinced NASA to use her software programs to get astronauts to the moon and back. Cartoon illustrations complement the conversational text. Additional information about Margaret, additional resources and photos of Margaret conclude this empowering sketch.
Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing
It’s nighttime on the farm and everyone is ready to snuggle in. But when Pig plops into his sty, he hears a MOOO! It seems no one wants to sleep in their own place. One by one, however, each displaces the interloper until sleep can really happen. Comic illustrations accompany the vivacious tale to its satisfying, sleepy conclusion.
Go Sleep in Your Own Bed!
When a girl and her brother return to the park to retrieve the forgotten jump rope, they discover a group of foxes jumping rope. They watch from afar until soon, foxes and children are jumping rope together. Wishes do come true in this mellow fantasy of talking animals with illustrations bathed in soft color.
The Fox Wish
A young girl and an older woman, Honey, bond over Honey’s garden and her chickens. When Honey must move away, the narrator is devastated until new neighbors move in and the girl can show them how to maintain the garden. An author’s note reveals that her story is loosely based on a Talmudic story about the value of effort not simply the harvest.
The Forever Garden
Endpages show swimming tadpoles; turn the page and the progression from tadpole to frog appears within brief frog facts. There are over 5,000 kinds of frogs that live all over the world. Turn the page and some of them are introduced in lively but short text and dramatic, colorful illustrations. Alliterative, onomatopoeic frog sounds are effectively incorporated into page designs of this informative and engaging book
Fabulous Frogs
Look. See. How do things look different from up high or up close? From far away? Bold, flat but textured, semi-abstract illustrations suggest how things look from different vantages points. Readers are asked to consider the tallest, smallest thing they’ve seen; what the inside of a seed might look like, and more in this effervescent glimpse at a child’s world from different perspectives.
Did You Ever See?
Chengu, a young panda, can do a lot by himself. He can climb, push, swing and more. But even the most independent panda can use a little help sometimes. Mixed media illustrations highlight the expressive Chengu amid grass and on bamboo. Children — and adults — will see themselves in Chengu’s simple adventures.
Chengdu Can Do
The life cycle of a monarch butterfly begins with an egg and a feast by caterpillars; each colorful leaf and creature is hidden beneath a well-hidden flap on bold black and white pages. The journey continues in lyrical language with colorful surprises beneath well camouflaged flaps, sure to inspire close observation and interest.
The Butterfly Garden
Everywhere people take baths, but baths and bathing traditions are different in places and countries around the world. Take a look at the Yup’ik family as they trudge across a frozen landscape to a small cabin with no windows; venture to India with a father and son who descend steps to the Ganges River. Bright illustrations and straightforward text effectively depict ways of bathing around the world.
Around the World in a Bathtub
Summer adventures begin when “the days stretch out like a slow yawn…” and “bumblebees bumble around in flowers.” Then it’s time for flip-flops, lemonade stands, camping trips and more. Double-page spreads with jaunty, child-like illustrations combine with a rhythmic text to evoke the sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes of summer.
And Then Comes Summer
A poem about the well-known Great White begins this handsomely illustrated collection of poems each about a different sea-dwelling shark. Readers will meet the Wobbegong, a nurse shark, the goblin shark, and more. Different poetic forms combine with splendid illustrations that evoke the depths of the creatures’ habitats.
Slickety Quick: Poems About Sharks
Saya takes comfort in listening to her mother’s voice on the answering machine while the family waits to be reunited. The moving story of immigration is beautifully narrated. The close-knit family will resonate with all ages.
Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation
Animals care for and carry their young much like people do — from kangaroos carrying babies in pouches in the Australian outback to penguin babies perched on their parents’ feet in the frozen Antarctic. This is brought to life in Stockdale’s signature style of lyrical text and richly hued illustrations.
Carry Me! Animal Babies on the Move
Bright, stylized illustrations are accompanied by brief descriptions that suggest the animals look like they’re wearing human attire. In this short, creative, humorous book the wooly sheep that “wears a fluffy jacket”, a rhino with “a warm coat”, a goldfish in “a tie-dye skirt”; and the “boy wears … nothing?”
What Do You Wear?
With a warm invitation, “Sun says, Wake up-/come out and explore…” all are invited to observe the new life all around. Stunning nature photographs of animals, amphibians, and insects and a brief text which encourages participation and thought continue the exploration. A bit of additional information to help answer possible questions concludes this handsome book.
Wake Up!
From 1 to 10 race cars with personalities line up to begin the race. When the lights go from red to yellow to green – off they go! Who will win? Playful, rhyming text accompanies the colorful, angular illustrations.
Race Car Count
Familiar and some not-so-familiar nursery rhymes are presented in a child-sized, sturdy format illustrated in Well’s signature style. Charming bunnies, chicks, cats and other critters in old fashioned garb and settings enliven and freshen up the ditties.
One, Two, Three, Mother Goose
Simple rhymes and colorful, flat illustrations introduce familiar farm animals and their sounds. In addition, young readers are encouraged to count from 1 to 5. Die-cuts for each animal’s eyes add texture and interest before the last animal and number roundup.
Moo: A First Book of Counting
Getting a new pup means getting a new friend but it also means getting to know each other. At first, the small brown and white dog is shy and kind of scared but that changes. Sometime dogs and kids are sloppy, smelly and noisy but it’s all worth it! Simple illustrations and straightforward text combine to present a warm story of friendship.