Book Finder

A young scientist explains to a caterpillar what it will be when it grows out of this stage of its life. With clear illustrations, accessible language, and lots of humor, science comes to life in the hands of the creator who wrote the informative and equally engaging The Real Poop on Pigeons and Snails Are Just My Speed.

Brief information is placed on open pages with lots of white space to highlight portraits of baby dinosaurs that are seriously cute and seriously funny. The baby T-rex — “tyrant lizard king“ — is placed in a bejeweled royal crown, with a partial view of a huge parent looking down at the fuzzy baby. Additional information and comparative size chart conclude this informative, amusing book. 

Folk art and crisp language introduce the human heart to readers (along with some interesting tidbits about other creatures’ hearts). Accessibly written by a pediatric cardiologist, this handsome book can be read from cover to cover or dipped in and out of.

One side of the accordion folds out to show a range of human faces (plus one canine). Infants can see familiar toys and objects on the other side of the foldout.  Sturdy pages and bright, simple illustrations are just right for the youngest to examine again and again.

Around the world, grandparents and grandchildren share everyday activities but most important of all, they share lots of love. Warm families are depicted in each color photograph in the latest addition of the Global Babies series.

Following each rhyming clues is the animal that inspired various inventions such as snowshoes and water fins. More familiar inventions are followed by lift-the-flaps to intrigue or confound more sophisticated readers.

From purple lupines in Olympia (Washington) to pink “bleeding tooth fungus” in Maine’s Acadia National Park there are other vivid colors from nature that can be found in ten of the nation’s most visited national parks.  

Budding backyard scientists can start exploring their world with this stunning introduction to these flowery show-stoppers — from seeds to roots to blooms. Learning how flowers grow gives kids beautiful building blocks of science and inquiry.

Meet seeds that pop, hop, creep, and explode in this vividly illustrated introduction to the simplest concepts of botany. Learn about the many ways that seeds get from here to there, engaging children’s curiosity with strong action verbs. Clear photographs with fact-packed captions provide supporting details, explaining the role of seed features and functions in creating new generations of plants. Concludes with an illustrated glossary and back matter featuring more resources.

How many people actually know where chocolate comes from? How it’s made? Or that monkeys do their part to help this delicious sweet exist? Kids will learn that chocolate comes from cocoa beans, which grow on cocoa trees in tropical rain forests. But those trees couldn’t survive without the help of a menagerie of rain forest critters: a pollen-sucking midge, an aphid-munching anole lizard, brain-eating coffin fly maggots — they all pitch in to help the cocoa tree survive. Two wise-cracking bookworms appear on every page, adding humor and further commentary, making this book accessible to readers of different ages and reading levels.

In Manu National Park in Peru, an amazing fourteen different species of monkeys live together. That’s more than in any other rainforest in the world! How can they coexist so well? Find out in this lyrical, rhyming picture book that explores each monkey’s habits, diet, and home, illustrating how this delicate ecosystem and its creatures live together in harmony. From howler monkeys to spider monkeys to night monkeys, young readers will love getting to know these incredible primates and seeing the amazing ways they share their forest.

With the soothing rhythm of a bedtime story and the scientific wonder of a nature documentary, comes a celebration of the moon and all the creatures who rely on its light to find their way home. Under the glow of a shimmering moon, creatures great and small creep out of their dens, using its light to hunt, fend off predators, build their nests or build families. As the moon changes phases these animals adapt their behavior to match its waxing and waning — while human animals look on in wonder.

On the night of November 20, 1969, eighty-nine young Native American activists crossed the San Francisco Bay under cover of darkness, calling themselves the “Indians of All Tribes.” Their objective? To claim the former prison island of Alcatraz, basing their actions on an 1868 treaty that said abandoned federal land could be returned to Indigenous peoples. Taking a stand on an island reclaimed as “Indian Land,” these peaceful protestors brought worldwide attention to the issues facing present-day Native Americans, as well as the centuries of unjust federal Indian policy.

Ever wonder what to do when it’s too rainy, too hot, or you just want to do something different? Ideas abound in this inspiring collection of activities for both indoors and outside. Some will require adult supervision; others are just right without. All are clearly presented in an easy to follow, illustrated format.

Heroes are “curious, critical, and even uncertain in the face of adversity.” This was true of Claudette Colvin who planted a seed that started the Montgomery bus boycott. Her story is told from her point of view juxtaposed to the Rosa Parks, a lifelong activist. Cartoon illustrations and accessible language tell the story of how many people came together to effect change.

The development of the atomic bomb during World War II first originally presented in the author’s book, Bomb, has been recast in a graphic format. Dramatically illustrated, the story in history comes vividly to life in a fresh and different way.

Dip in or start at the beginning to follow the trail to amazing, unique, and always intriguing tidbits of information about a world of animals. Silly and often laughable illustrations open the format for an open and appealing book.

What is wind? How does it help people and animals? Is there wind in space? These and other intriguing questions are asked then briefly answered on each briskly illustrated double page spread. Though there is no back matter, both author and illustrator thank authoritative sources.

Though a whale dies and sinks to the ocean floor, it creates life that is sustained for another 50 years. Illustrations evoke the deep water while introducing the various creatures that come to feed on the carcass over time. Additional information adds depth to the riveting exploration.

Have you ever looked up and wondered what’s up there? Voyager 2 joined Voyager 1 as only the second interstellar spacecraft to explore the solar system up close. Evocative illustrations and a narrative by the spacecraft is likely to intrigue budding astronomers and set them on a course for further information.  

Lush illustration in an accessible format demonstrates the wonder of plants. From how they breathe (and help other organisms breathe) to how they cooperate with other creatures, and more is included. A table of contents and glossary (though no additional resources) conclude the brief, attractive, and informative presentation.   

A special bond grew between Lawrence Anthony and the matriarch of the elephant herd he rescued as he patiently helped the elephants after relocating them to the Thula Thula Reserve. Even after Anthony’s death, the elephants remember him. This touching, true story is handsomely illustrated with soft, realistic acrylic painting. Informative back matter and additional resources are included.

Poetry, photography, and information combine to present a range of fascinating creatures. Though rhymes can feel a bit forced, the combination is a unique introduction to a range of bees, bugs, and other things that crawl and skitter. By the same creative team: Bugs: Exploring the World of Crawly Critters.

Around the world there are ancient “time capsules” waiting to be rediscovered. They come in the form of “ancient rock paintings, drawings, and etching.” Ancient cave art is presented in dramatic illustrations and an informative text peppered with questions. Extensive back matter concludes this riveting glimpse at human’s ancestors.