Book Finder

Stunning photographs accompanied by lyrical text describe rain and its effects in a rainforest and on people. This handsome book can be read as poetry, examined for its photography, and/or used as an introduction to the water cycle and weather.

Baseball was very popular in 1900 but it was played mostly by boys.  In a small state in a small town in New England, however, a girl named Lizzie was going to change that. Lizzie’s natural skill at the sport was evident early on and she (with the support of her family) stuck with it to become the Queen of Baseball. Buoyant illustrations and readable text combine to present an upbeat story of this early female athlete.

A girl lives in a family of snake-lovers who dispel the myths that make her dislike the often misunderstood reptile. Factual information combines with lively story illustrated in distinctly different styles to highlight the differences between them. 

Where is home? What makes a home? People throughout history, around the world, and in all cultures have made their homes in different structures to suit different needs which are explored here in highly detailed, often playful illustrations and limited text.

Pedro Martinez grew up in the Dominican Republic but became a star in baseball’s major leagues. His life is presented in luminous illustrations and readable text all presented in a large and appealing format.

A mother tells her child the story of the real Winne, the true story of how a young veterinarian left his native Canada to fight during the First World War. The bear cub he found became a part of his military before finding a more permanent home and inspired a childhood classic. Gentle illustrations depict the fondness between the man and bear and that shared by mother and child pictured in spot illustrations. Factual information about Harry Colebourn is included as an album. Another book about how Winnie-the-Pooh came to life is presented by Sally Walker in Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh with gentle watercolor illustrations. (2016 Caldecott Medal Winner)

Open the large formatted book and explore the United States. Each state (and the District of Columbia) is presented handsome, colorful, and highly informative maps to create a memorable journey.

How the times in which people live is reflected in what they wear is presented in a crisp text and loads of illustration. Readers travel through time beginning with fashions seen in hieroglyphics to the space age. Well organized and engaging, this is sure to inform as well as intrigue – and perhaps inspire further exploration of history or fashion.

Poor Mary Mallon did not realize that she carried a disease that might (and sometimes did) kill the families for whom she cooked. How the early 20^th century medical mystery was solved is presented in a well-researched, spellbinding narrative. In addition, Gail Jarrow’s Fatal Fever: Typhoid Mary (Calkins Creek) focuses on those responsible for tracing Mary.

In order “To know a spider you must first look into its eyes” – literally! Readers can do so in this fascinating look at a variety of spiders through a series of close up, full color photographs and lucid text to describe the characteristics of spiders. Even those with arachnophobia will appreciate the unusual but thorough approach to these creatures.

Listen to the “groove” as readers make their way through the history of Motown, the people who made and performed it, and the times in which it was performed. The history of Motown is inextricably tied to the history of African Americans in the U.S. and is presented here in vivacious narrative and extended by images of the time. Source notes and other back matter complete the riveting portrait.

Join National Geographic Explorer, Daniel Raven-Ellison, as he takes a comprehensive look at wolves and what individuals can do to help their survival in the wild. Handsome full color photographs are interspersed with text for an appealing format in this informative and empowering presentation.

This episode details the time when Benjamin Franklin was in France and how he explained the mysterious cures proffered by Dr. Franz Mesmer. The light touch in a format reminiscent of a graphic novel makes the snippet of history accessible and appealing. Source notes complete the book.

Glimpse stories from the childhoods of well-known athletes from a variety of sports. People range from Babe Ruth to Yao Ming, Julie Krone to Tiger Woods with lots in between. Cartoon illustrations are sprinkled throughout for an inviting package that ends with a bibliography and an index.

The author/illustrator’s look back at his early years started in Drawing from Memory (2011) continues here. Allen doesn’t really fit in at his father’s friend’s Southern California military academy.  Leaving it was the start of a journey toward finding the artist within. Told through a variety of artistic pieces and styles and a highly person narration, readers will empathize and ache with this Caldecott winning artist. 

Travel the world without leaving your living room. Much more than an ordinary atlas, this book of maps is a visual feast for readers of all ages, with lavishly drawn illustrations. It features not only borders, cities, rivers, and peaks, but also places of historical and cultural interest, eminent personalities, iconic animals and plants, cultural events, and many more fascinating facts associated with every region of our planet.

Follow the crow along a stream and a long and winding road, with other animals and landmarks along the way. At the close of each journey is a small map. Each map is joined together to show the wider world and how the different parts connect.

You live in your home…but where is your home? It’s in your neighborhood…but where is your neighborhood? It’s in your town, which is in your state, which is in North America, which is on the planet Earth, which is in the solar system, which is in a galaxy of stars called the Milky Way.

Have you ever wondered what a badland is? What about a gulch? Do you wonder what an isthmus is? Or a seamount? What about the difference between a plateau and a plain, or a knob and a knoll? The sixty-three entries from A to Z describe the earth’s features — its physical geography — from the highest mountain peak to the deepest ocean trench, in clear, concise terms. Each entry is beautifully illustrated in full color.

Different woodpeckers swoop, slam, tap, click, and grow throughout the seasons. They are introduced in handsome collage illustrations and a rhythmic text which uses alliteration and onomatopoeia to bring the birds alive. Additional details and identification is included at the conclusion.

Fourteen critters are presented here through well-placed photographs and fascinating factoids. From small (“the female tarantula lays 500 to 1000 eggs in a silken sac…”) to tall (“a giraffe’s tongue is black”), to up in the air (the hummingbird) or down in the water (a seahorse), this book is fun and informative.

The octopus is not only intelligent, it can be remarkably adaptable able to change color, shape and even skin texture. This fascinating overview is illustrated with attractive watercolors and includes additional detail in back matter. For older readers (ages 9 to 12), The Octopus Scientists (opens in a new window) by Sy Montgomery with photographs by Keith Ellenbogen follows octopus scientist, Jennifer Mathers, and her international team as they learn about and try to better understand this clever creature.

From whales to wasps, glimpses into animal behavior makes for intriguing reading. A pig eating python concludes the brief, engaging book illustrated with cut and torn paper collage. Back matter includes a bit more detail about the creatures described.

The authors followed a wolf pup and his pack for six years, living in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. Their observations provide readers with a look at life for a shy wolf whose life becomes better with a strong companion shared in dynamic photographs and an informal narration.