Book Finder

Recognizable constructions from childhood such as blocks and sandcastles and playful verse are juxtaposed to actual photos of architectural landmarks from around the globe. A note about the structure and the architects conclude this imaginative look at art and architecture.

When Quincy leaves her tour of the White House, she sees a tall man standing over the Gettysburg Address. Quincy shares jokes with the ghost and helps him realize that the states are indeed united. The tall, pale ghost of Abe Lincoln can now rest easy.

Animal tails have different uses. A scorpion’s tail is used to sting its prey while a beaver uses its tail to navigate in water. A close-up of a tail and the titular question is followed by a picture of the animal and its tail in action for a playful but edifying book.

The rescue and return to the wild of an orphaned moon bear (aka Asiatic black bear) is documented in clear language and action-paced photographs. A map of Yasha’s homeland as well as a note from the scientist who worked with her and additional resources are included.

Solid colored pages with die-cuts to peek through to busy spreads and cheery rhymes encourage readers to look closely to try to find what is hidden. Settings differ and objects abound in this playful game book.

Elephant and Piggie gather everything they might possibly need when they decide to go for a drive. They have every possible thing except…the car! Humor abounds as the dynamic duo prepare and then adapt their travel plans.

As a young shoeshine boy tries to return the red scarf that floats down to him, he meets a host of people from different backgrounds. He finally locates the rightful owner of the scarf and winds up with a happy surprise. Illustrations in comic book style move the satisfying story quickly.

Follow a boy and his parents to the airport, on the plane, and through a bit of aviation history for an informative look at flying. Cartoon illustrations and information in bubbles and sidebars in an oversized format make this book just right for multiple examinations.

Every day you do so many things. How does your body do them? begins this brief, informative look at the human body and its systems (e.g., digestive, skeletal, etc.). Color photographs with overlays further enhance the engaging presentation.

Textured collage and paint illustration and various poetic forms are used to introduce creatures that live in difficult, dangerous places. Ice worms in “Frozen Solid,” for example, “…If lurking in the deepest seas,/Why not between the glacial ice,/helped by their own antifreeze?”

Toad, Mole, Rat and Badger are back in this sequel to Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 Wind in the Willows. Though several new characters are introduced, the lush language evokes the original saga and may lead readers to revisit the original.

Herman Melville’s classic tale of the great white whale and the sea captain who sought him has been recast and simplified. The rhyming ballad is reminiscent of a sea chantey, capturing essential plot elements. Lush illustrations lighten the tone for young, contemporary readers.

Perhaps one of the best known speeches of the 20th century, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” has been combined with lush paintings in a large format for a new generation. Included in this stunning book is a CD of Dr. King’s original speech.

Complex engineered paper constructions create a series of worlds in which viewers are encouraged to locate various objects. In one, “Five black spots, four blossoms blue” and more are hidden in a lush garden that emerges from a red page. Each spread deserves many examinations.

Words are everywhere and so, too, are poems; that is, if you know how to look. Those included in this small, illustrated anthology have been compiled from words in likely and unlikely locations to present a range of topics, sure to inspire young readers to find poems of their own.

Snakes are presented through up-close and personal image and text for and engaging, informative look at a host of colorful and handsome reptiles. The photographer, also a biologist, concludes with insight into his experiences photographing the sometimes uncooperative subjects.

Who was the uninvited guest found munching in a California office? It was a ringtail! Though sometimes called a cat, the small, winsome mammal is related to the raccoon. Meet David Hyatt as he studies ringtail habits and habitat, all presented in affable text and striking color photos.

Stunning full-color photographs and crisp text introduce plants that gain nutrients by capturing unsuspecting insects and small animals. Locations where they grow are placed on maps, brief experiments, and additional resources conclude this engaging look at hungry plants.

Making a mark is easy, just do it! literally. Beginning with tools of the trade (paper, pens, etc.), children are encouraged to explore the language and techniques of drawing. From basic to sophisticated, the brief text and black/white illustration are sure to engage while they inform.

A red-shirted boy is pursued by boys angered when their soccer ball winds up in a fountain. He takes refuge in an art museum which begins a fantastical adventure involving paintings-come-to-life, a wicked butcher, a dog, and lasting friendship — all through expressive, comic illustrations.

The benefits of human actions to help bat survival are introduced in this readable, realistically illustrated and well-sourced introduction. A variety of bats are included with their range identified on clear maps.

The narrator knows his mom is special by the way she does regular Mom things (like changing a diaper) but more. She also drives an old truck and teaches her son to dance the polka. The author/illustrator’s homage to his mom will be appreciated by mothers everywhere.