Book Finder

Many animals are extinct — but not only is there a great deal that can be done to stop continued extinction, new creatures continue to be discovered. Handsome, detailed illustrations combine with brief narrations just right for dipping in and out. Done in collaboration with the Smithsonian, the book includes additional information and resources.

Travel across the U.S. and meet some kids where they live. This carefully crafted and well-researched introduction introduces individuals who live in different places but share a great deal in common. A companion volume to the author’s This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World (opens in a new window).

Humans could learn a great deal from ants and in fact share many things with humans. They live in families, have different jobs, and do better when they work together. Humorous (bug-eyed) ants and lighthearted text introduce these fascinating critters. 

From congas to triangle, travel the world through many musical instruments, including voice. The author and illustrator intentionally developed this book to help discovery through sight through lighthearted line illustrations and sound via QR codes that showcase each specific sound with a final musical composition by the author.

From an abandoned empty lot that Nevaeh called haunted, Mr. Tony and the kids from PS175 transform it into a lush garden that produces food to share. Childlike illustrations complement the gradual transformation. An author’s note includes information about Harlem Grown, the community nonprofit, as well as steps to start a garden.

Aspiring pilots and airplane enthusiasts will enjoy the brief, clearly illustrated introduction to the many types and uses of planes. Similarly, sturdy pages are used in the companion volume, Helena Harštová’s Submarines (opens in a new window) for children interested in sea explorations (from the All Aboard! series).

History and food combine in an attractive, illustrated, and family friendly cookbook. Additional activities are suggested including a playlist of music to which to dance! Additional information and resources about Juneteenth are included.

The lasting friendship between Indigenous people and people in Ireland started in the mid-19th century, continued through the pandemic, and endures to this day. This little-known piece of history is told through straightforward language and images that evoke the periods, places, and peoples. Backmatter includes timeline, resources, as well as author and illustrator notes. 

Boxes of books are loaded from a handcart to a truck and onto a shipping container where a four-week journey starts. The format highlights the length of the container ships that travel from there to here finally getting books into a bookshop. A range of ideas are simply presented coupled with a more detailed description of the travel creating a book that can be read on two levels cleverly augmented by simple but effective illustrations.

Although two-thirds of the world is covered by oceans, a mere five percent of them have been explored. Readers are invited into the history of diving through engaging, realistic illustrations and informative narration, from ancient times to the present.  An author’s note and additional backmatter conclude this attractive book.

A big brown bear announces it is the only bear in the book, until a polar bear — and then other bears — join them. Together, they discover (along with the reader) how different types of bears are similar and different. Fact and humor combine in this humorous informational picture book with additional resources included.

A prickly hotel? Plants and animals thrive because of the cactus and its spring flowers, seeds, et al! The simple text describing this environment and the lives it supports provides an intriguing introduction to the desert ecosystem.

Young children are invited to a powwow in this 1-to-10 counting board book — beginning with one car traveling to the powwow to 10 tribal citizens enjoying the celebration. The indigenous author and illustrator team that wrote Powwow Day (for slightly older readers) now introduce younger readers to the powwow tradition.  

Words in English and Spanish label bold shapes depicting people, common animals, and familiar objects on sturdy pages. Interesting juxtapositions add to the appeal on bright spreads.

Is that sound the bus? No, it’s the garbage truck! Other sounds bring more vehicles to the neighborhood. The school bus finally arrives bringing the child’s sister home!

From polar bears to owls, animals introduce shapes in one book (Hello Hello Shapes (opens in a new window)) while an axolotl to a zebra present color in another book (Hello Hello Colors (opens in a new window)). All animals — many endangered — are identified at the end of each sturdy book. 

Unique and quite handsome fish in this small, sturdy edition present a range of emotions accompanied by sophisticated descriptive word — sure to encourage conversation with young children.

Rhythmic language and irresistible photographs depict young children and animals each consuming colorful, healthy foods. Additional fruits and veggies are identified on end pages.

Have you ever considered how long a tree lives? Or where chocolate comes from?  Comical illustrations add jauntiness to this playful but informative book sure to intrigue young readers. 

With Spring comes “new life and new beginnings … Nature is hard at work …”  Children and their adults can celebrate the season with a wide range of easy-to-follow activities from pressing flowers to finding edible flowers, from growing strawberries to making strawberry fruit leathers. (Part of the Little Homesteader series)

A rhyming text and detailed illustrations combine to reveal bees’ activity, culminating in a large gatefold to reveal a lush garden. Backmatter provides information about types of bees and their role in pollination.

This story follows a brother and sister on their way to Grandma’s house to celebrate Lunar New Year. Protected and guided by the 12 magical animals of the zodiac, they’ll travel through the city into a vast tea garden, a serene bamboo grove, and across an ancient stone bridge to gather special treats for their big, celebratory family dinner. Young readers will delight in the clever die-cut surprises throughout and the dramatic quadruple gatefold at the end that reveals a special, festive surprise complete with dragon dancers and fireworks. 

This bilingual English and Mandarin Chinese book introduces children to Lunar New Year traditions — from buying new clothes to special foods and decorations. Children will enjoy seeing different family members preparing for and celebrating the holiday together, and the included family tree is a great visual for teaching the names of different family members.

The new year festival lasts for 15 days full of preparation, celebration, and symbolism. Join Ling, her sister Mei and granny Po Po as they clean the house from top to bottom, pick fresh flowers from the garden, visit friends and family, and carry red lanterns through their neighborhood. Ling invites the reader into her home and family, allowing the reader to experience this special celebration first-hand. Discover more details about how the festival is celebrated in China and beyond in the backmatter plus activities such as guess the riddle, make your own red envelope, and a recipe to make delicious Lunar New Year ‘pot sticker’ dumplings.