Once Upon a Forest written and illustrated by Pam Fong

 

Once Upon a Forest

written and illustrated by Pam Fong

Random House Studio, 2022, 40 pages

Forest fires are really scary and they seem to be happening with more and more frequency. Here is a wordless picture book that shows readers something they can do after a forest fire happens. It all begins when a little marmot, out watering his garden with his bird bestie, smells smoke in the distance. Leaving his home, the marmot goes exploring to find out where the smoke is coming from and discovers it is a forest fire.

After the fire is put out, the marmot loads up his wagon with gardening tools, and some of his own young saplings and heads into the forest with his bird friend. Saddened by the charred remains of trees and devastation he finds, the marmot quickly gets to work pulling the dead trees up, 

then clearing and raking the land to prepare it for new plants. As you can see, it doesn't take long for the soot from the fire to get all over the marmot. Pulling, raking and digging are hard work, but the two manage to finally plant some saplings, then pitch a tent to keep an eye out on things..  

They are there for the long haul and it's a good thing they are. As the saplings begin to take root and grow, they need water, protection from autumn wind, and later from winter's snow, and in spring, from hungry animals looking for some nice leafy greens.

But the trees grow and grown. Once they are strong and sturdy, the marmot and his bird friend return to their home, but just they are unpacking, it happens again - the smell of smoke is once more in the air. It looks like the help of our little environmental friends will once again be needed.

This is a charming story that shows young readers that they can do something to help an environment that has been laid waste through forest fires or any natural disasters. They can easily begin by planting a new tree at home in a small container for later replanting in a forest. But more than that, kids learn that they can participate in taking care of the nature world which is so important for it to thrive, especially if we want to enjoy it for years to come.  

Pam Fong has managed to convey all of that to us without writing a word, and instead by using detailed, grayscale illustrations that reflect the marmots thoughts and feelings, and by using a few color exceptions where they make all the difference, highlighting the green of the saplings, the blue of the stream where water for the plants is gotten and the marmot can wash away the soot that gets on his fur, and a golden cast as the day's work is done and the sun is setting. 

This is a perfect book to add to your Earth Day collection, and it is ideal for sharing as we enter another fire season with the coming summer months. There is much here for discussion and for generating ideas for caring for the earth.

Thanks you Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing me with a copy of this book.

Apple and Magnolia by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Patricia Metola

Apple and Magnolia by Laura Gehl,

illustrated by Patricia Metola

Flyaway Books, 2022, 40 pages

This week we celebrate Earth Day and if you read the Author's Note for this book, you will understand why I chose it as part of that celebration. Trees, Gehl writes, can communicate and even help one another by sending nutrients to each other, a process scientists are only beginning to understand. 

Young Britta has two favorite trees, an apple and a magnolia tree, and she is sure that they are best friends. Britta's skeptical dad and her very skeptical older sister Bronwyn did not think that trees could be friends, but Nana says that sometimes "unusual friendships can be the most powerful of all."

Then one day, Magnolia begins to droop, her bark becomes patchy and gray, and her leaves turn brown. Skeptical dad and very skeptical Bronwyn don't think Magnolia will be able to survive the winter, but all Nana wants to know whether or not Britta has a plan for helping her beloved tree.

Britta, with Nana's support and the help of her dog and cat devises ways to bring the two trees together in the hope that Apple would send good things Magnolia's way. First, she attaches telephone cups on string so they could communicate better, then she wraps them in a long scarf for warmth and finally, she strings lights through their branches so they could always see each other. And as time passes, Britta is sure that the trees were growing together. Naturally, skeptical dad and very skeptical Bronwyn didn't think the trees were growing toward each other, but Britta and Nana make a chart to measure the distance anyway.

Sure enough, the distance between the trees begins to gets smaller. Britta and Nana may have faith in the power of friendship even between trees, but can Apple really help Magnolia heal or is it just wishful thinking on Britta's part? What do you think?

This is a lovely, lyrical story about the importance of relationships and nature- and, according to my young readers, there are four important ones in this picture book. There is the subtle camaraderie between Britta and her dog, the close relationship between Britta and Nana, the love between Britta, Apple and Maple, and of course, the friendship between the two trees themselves. My young readers actually found five relationships, but we voted not to count the naysayers Dad and Bronwyn here because this is also a book about believing, positivity, and determination and not about giving up.

The stylish, whimsical illustrations are a pleasure to look at and explore. They have the feeling of a child's drawings done in crayon and are just perfect for this story. One other thing my kids commented on is the fact that Britta is clearly a biracial girl with a white father and a brown Nana. Apple and Magnolia makes an ideal read aloud, and is sure to generate some interesting thoughts and observations. 

You can download a free Educator's Guide about how trees and their importance, how we can help trees stay healthy, and how trees may communicate with each other HERE

 Here's what the reviewers are saying about Apple and Magnolia:

★“What’s not to love about this endearing and effervescent picture book?” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ “Beautifully told and illustrated, this book is a gem on many levels.”  —School Library Journal (starred review)

Laura Gehl is the award-winning author of more than thirty popular picture books, board books, and early readers including One Big Pair of Underwear, Except When They Don't, My Pillow Keeps Moving, and the Baby Scientist series. A former science writer and teacher, Laura holds a PhD in neuroscience. She lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her husband, four children, and large stash of dark chocolate. Visit Laura online at lauragehl.com.

Twitter: @AuthorLauraGehl

Instagram: @authorlauragehl

Facebook: @AuthorLauraGehl

Patricia Metola has illustrated more than twenty books for children. Her work has been showcased by the Bologna Children's Book Fair on several occasions. She lives in Madrid, Spain. Instagram: @patriciametola

Before the World Wakes by Estelle Laure, illustrated by Paola Zakimi

 

Before the World Wakes by Estelle Laure,

illustrated by Paola Zakimi

Two Lions, 2022, 40 pages

My favorite time of day has always been early morning when no one else is awake and the world quietly brightens as I watch the sun's rays lengthening along the street outside. And that quiet, peaceful feeling has been expertly captured in this charming picture book about a sister and brother whose favorite time of day is not when it is light and bright outside as you might expect from kids wanting to be with their friends and doing all kinds of activities in school or just going out and about with their mom or even those tranquil evening moments quietly playing before bedtime.  

No indeed, Their favorite time of day is just before dusk when "everything is still gentle and quietish and full of other people's dreams and sleeping." Wrapping blankets around themselves, they silently slip out of the house and into a world just beginning to wake up, when the "stars say good morning at the same time they say good night..." as the moon pulls them home, and "...as night and day hold hands." It's a time when night and day are in perfect balance.   

And it is as if the world of nature is putting on a show just for these siblings, when trees whisper, snails dance, and birds begin to sing their birdsong. 

Before the World Wakes is such a beautiful book, written in soft language which perfectly expresses just how lyrical the dawn of a new day can be. And it is so nice to see sibling enjoying each others company, and sharing their secret morning explorations. But, it is really so secret? Lest young readers like mine be concerned that these children are out alone with no one keeping an eye out on them, astute readers will notice the figure in the window (see above) who is none other than mom. 

The watercolor, pencil, and gouache illustrations really bring home the idea of a quiet, peaceful world just waking up. The images are soft, done in a nature palette of soft pastel colors against which the sister and brother stand out in their striped pajamas and bright reddish hair.  

When I read this book to my young readers it generated all kinds of ideas and memories about early mornings, and I was surprised to find that many have been taken to the nearby park early-ish and felt the same kind of wonder that the siblings in this book experience, which makes me love mornings even more that I already did (which is exactly time time of day that I am writing this). 

What's your favorite time of day?

Thank you to Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing me with a copy of Before the World Wakes.

"The poetic text and charming pictures celebrate a special time and universal feelings" - Booklist

Meet the Author:

Estelle Laure is the author of six young adult novels, including This Raging Light, Mayhem, Remember Me, and the City of Villains series, and the picture book The Perfect Pet for You, illustrated by Amy Hevron. She lives with her family in New Mexico, where you can often find her walking the dogs and watching the sun rise before the world wakes. For more about Estelle, visit www.estellelaure.com or on Instagram: @estellelaurewrites

Meet the Illustrator: 

Paola Zakimi is the illustrator of Secrets I Know by Kallie George, Teddy & Co. by Cynthia Voigt, The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains by Annie Silvestro, and Ruby’s Sword by Jacqueline Viessid. She is also a doll maker and fine artist and lives in Argentina. Her favorite part of the early morning is listening to the buzz of the bees while the sun comes out all bright and beautiful. You can learn more about her at www.paolazakimi.com or Instagram: @paolazakimi

Celebrating Nature: Two of Our Favorite 2020 Nature Books

 

I take the opinions of my young readers very seriously, and I have come to really respect what they have to say about the books that we share with each other. This past year, because they are a little older and we were stuck in pandemic conditions and that meant no field trips to the park, we have read more nonfiction than usual, focusing mainly on books about nature. Two of our favorites were about honeybees and otters.

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Melllifera 

by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Holiday House/Neal Porter Books, 2020, 40 pages

I have to admit that while I enjoy watching the bees in the garden go about their work gathering nectar, last summer I realized that I really didn't know much about the rest of a bee's life. Turns out, it is a pretty fascinating life, and presented in more than life size in Honeybee. Even before the reader gets to the title page, Apis Mellifera, Apis for short, squirms, pushes and chews her way out of a solitary cell in the hive, eats her fill from a nearby cell, and then begins her brief but busy life of the worker honeybee. For the first 18 days of her life, Apis remains in the hive doing all kinds of chores. First, there is cleaning up the hive nursery for future eggs, followed by queen tending, comb building, and food handling. On day 18 of her life, Apis has guard duty, protecting the hive against birds, bears, and other bees. Finally, on day 25, Apis is ready to fly and begins visiting flowers, sometimes miles and miles away from the home, collecting their nectar and returning to the hive with her honey. Then, Apis does a little dance that tells the other bees where she found her honey before heading out again, sometimes as often as nine times a day. As the days go by, Apis gets thinner and slower, until one day, she just drops to the ground and dies. And back at the nest, a new Apis emerges. I've read this book so many times to some of my young readers and judging by their reception of it, I would say that this is one of the most accessible picture books about bees I've ever read. It is written in straightforward, relatively simple free-verse text covering all stages and jobs of a honeybees life in much more depth than I've indicated here. I'm impressed at how much I learned about bees while reading it to my kids. The up-close-and-personal oil painted illustrations, done in shades of brown, black, and yellow, really capture even the smallest details of a honeybee and the hive. Back matter includes an illustration of the anatomy of a bee with informative labels, suggestions for helping out honeybees, and a short bibliography. This is an informative, well-done STEM book for science classes and for helping to make aware of the importance of bees in our lives, even as hive collapse is occurring. 

If You Take Away the Otter by Susannah Buhrman-Deever, 

illustrated by Matthew Trueman

Candlewick Press, 2020, 32 pages

Sea otters are often the star of picture books about sea animals, perhaps because they are have such sweet faces and seem so playful and friendly. But the sea otter actually plays a key role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem off the Pacific coast of North America. As Susannah Buhrman-Deever explains, there large forests of kelp growing there, providing a home for abalones, clams, sea stars, octopuses and other sea creatures, among them the spiny sea urchin, the enemy and potential destroyer of the kelp forest. Luckily, the otter is a hungry hunter, diving deep into the sea to eat whatever he finds in the kelp, including the sea urchin, maintaining the delicate balance needed for the kelp to thrive. But what if the sea otter disappeared? What would happen to this important ecosystem? At one time, the sea otter was hunted for its thick fur until they almost all gone. When that happened, the spiny sea urchin ate the kelp, causing the underwater forest to collapse. Once the kelp was gone, the other sea creatures no longer had a safe place for their eggs and babies. Fortunately, in 1911, laws were passed to protect the otter from hunters. As the otter population increased, slowly new kelp forests began to grow, providing homes for sea creatures and food for the otters. Buhrman-Deever brilliantly presents this example of the negative impact the loss of one keystone animal can have on the environment in which it lives. It is written on two levels - one in large type gives the basic story, while more detailed facts are presented in smaller type. The kids I shared this book with are young so we stuck to the basic type, and I think because the otters had a happy ending, it generated lots of conversation (more than had the ending be otherwise). The mixed-media illustrations are done in various bright to darker shades of aquamarine depending on the health of the kelp forest. Back matter included more information about kelp forests and otters, a select Bibliography and a list of books and websites for further investigation. This is another excellent informative STEM book for studies on ecosystems and the environment. 

Two Picture Books About Winter Explorations

Now that most of us are stuck inside because it's winter and we are still in the throes of the pandemic, I like to read stories to my young readers that take us outside. Here are two of my new favorite books about exploring the world in winter - one in the country, one at the seashore. 

 

Once Upon a Winter Day

written and illustrated by Liza Woodruff

Holiday House/Margaret Ferguson Books, 2020, 40 pages

It' s a snowy day and Milo wants a story, but mom is busy working. Instead, she suggests he go out and play in the snow. Grudgingly, Milo bundles up and leave the house. And the first thing he notices in the snow are little footprints around the bird feeder. A mouse was here, he thinks to himself. Milo decides to follow the tracks which lead to a winterberry bush with all it's berries gone and only a feather left behind. What happened, he wonders. Continuing to follow the mouse tracks into the woods, Milo discovers all kinds the other things to wonder about - branches from the hemlock tree that have fallen to the ground, dirt scattered in the snow, smooth ruts in the snow leading down to the creek, something that brushed the snow causing the mouse tracks to stop. As he continues following where the mouse tracks pick up again, Milo hears his mom calling him home for dinner. Darn, time to go home already. When mom offers to read him a story after dinner, Milo shakes his head no, as he pulls lays out all the souvenirs of his day in the snow: "This time," he said. "I have stories for you." This is such a lovely story about a young boy's explorations and observations of the natural world around him by simply following mouse tracks. Each page presents its own mystery about what happened at each of Milo's stops. Turn the page and discover the answer to the mystery before going on to the next one. Woodruff's mixed media illustrations done in a wintery palette offer a detailed colorful picture surrounding Milo's finds against simple mostly white background. Woodruff ends Milo's tale with labeled spot illustrations of all the creatures who are part of the story he will tell his mother. I've read this story over and over to my young readers and they never tire of it, though at this point they can readily name the creature associated with each of Milo's stops.

 

Seaside Stroll by Charles Trevino,

illustrated by Maribel Lechuga

Charlesbridge, 2021, 32 pages 

It's a cold, windy winter day when a young girl, her doll, and her mother bundle up and head out to the beach. There's still snow on the sand to play in, seagulls flying overhead to chase, all kinds of gifts from the sea - seaweed, shells, and stones, even crabs scurrying as seagulls circle - to explore. But tripping on the edge of a tide pool just as a wave hits causes the doll to drop from the little girls hands. Oh dear! Our heroine reaches in to save her doll, and the two of them are wet, cold, with sopping shoes, socks and scarf. Time to go home and have a warm shower, then put on some cozy clothes, have a nice supper and a story about a brave crab until bedtime. The beach in winter sometimes feels like a magical place with all the other people gone and Charles Trevino has really captured that magic. What really makes this a standout picture book, however, is the lyrical language coupled with the textured digital and watercolor illustrations. The blue of the ocean with its white caps reminded me so much of the Atlantic Ocean in winter. One of the things that makes the language so expressive is that every word used begins with the letter S - nouns, adjectives, verbs and interjections are all carefully chosen sensory words that brilliantly tell this story: "Scruffy shoes, socks, sweater...scratchy silly scarf." In the back matter, Trevino explains the four parts of speech used, and points out special lines that match other lines. There is also suggestions for what you might find if you decide to explore the beach. I haven't read this to my young readers yet, but I have told them about it and they really looking forward to our next story time (and so am I). 

What are your favorite winter stories?

🌎Two Books for Earth Day, April 22, 2019

Earth Day is April 22nd and I would like to share two of my new favorite books that help kids learn to appreciate the earth and all its magnificence and to hopefully instill a desire to take care of it. First up is...

A Brief History of Life on Earth 

written and illustrated by Clémence Dupont

Prestel Junior, 2019, 76 pages

This history of the earth and its inhabitants unfolds over time in this accordion-style book, taking readers from the very beginning of earth's life 4.6 billion years ago when it was just a boiling hot ocean, through each period of growth and formation, past, for example, the now familiar Jurassic Period to the present day or Holocene Epoch and beyond. As readers turn the pages, they can explore each of the 16 ages in the earth's life and see what changes each contributed, including the formations of oceans, volcanoes, lands, forests, mountains, as well as life forms such as plants, fish, birds, insects, and animals (which would include mankind).

Each age has a paragraph long clear and coherent explanation describing that period, with simple, labeled illustrations on every page. The illustrations are done in a folk art style, and in soft earth tones to match each era.

Young readers will want to explore each page extensively, so be prepared for lots of questions. This is the kind of book that will lead many to want visit the nearest natural history museum for more understanding and subsequent continued readings of this wonderful book. The accordion-style unfolds to 26 feet, which just happens to be the same length as a triceratops. When the book is unfolded to its complete length, you really get the idea of how old the earth is and what a wonderful place of change and evolution it is, which makes the last page all that much more poignant and important - a single human standing on a glacier that is melting, asking the question of all readers "And what now?" The future of earth is in our hands and how we treat it now will determine its future.  Turn the unfolded book over and there is a timeline of earth's first 4.6 billion years. This is the book I have been using to introduce my young readers to Earth Day and its importance, but it's a book we will be going back to again and again. It is just that wonderful. 

Wilderness: Earth's Amazing Habitats by Mia Cassany,

illustrated by Marcos Navarro

Prestel Junior, 2019, 48 pages

Here is an oversized book that can go hand in hand with A Brief History of Life on Earth because life needs a habitat and this is the book that will tell all about the different kinds of habitats many of the earth's creatures call home. Here you can read about the 16 natural habitats covering only about 5% of earth's surface around the world, and each one is trying to save the animal and plant life that live in them from becoming extinct because of climate change, deforestation and human intervention. Begin your round-the-world journey of these habitats with a helpful map of the world showing just were each one is located, and, as Mia Cassany writes, "Welcome to the most stunning nature show on earth." 

And that is an understatement. Each two-page spread gives the name and location of the habitat being highlighted. Some are protected by the county in which are are located, others are national parks, or UNESCO World Heritage sites, chosen because they have plant and animals living in them that are unique to that area in particular, and the earth in general. Information specific to the location and type of animals there are covered with detailed illustrations that depict them in their natural environment. As you can see, the habitats are located in a wide variety of countries and climates. For example, habitats found in rain forests and other tropical locations may have very similar damp climates, but they also have very different plants and animals from each other. In contrast, the cacti in the dry Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley in Mexico is totally different, but they can survive a dry climate because of their ability to store their own water. On the other hand, the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve is so big it has a diverse climate and that means a diverse animal and plant populations. 

The illustrations, as you can see, are magnificent, done in bright colors and chock full of big and small details for young readers to explore. Curious kids will appreciate the last 6 pages designed to help readers find out more about what is in each of the 16 natural environments illustrated. And, while Wilderness does not give in-depth information about each habitat and the life each supports, it is certainly a excellent stepping stone to more explorations.

I can't recommend these books highly enough for your young readers Earth Day celebrations and activities.  

To learn more about Earth Day and what you can do, be sure to visit the Earth Day Network

🎄Gift Suggestions: Nature At Its Finest - A Picture Book Roundup

We have read a lot of books about nature this year and I thought I would post which ones left the greatest impression on my kids. Each one would make a wonderful holiday present for curious young readers this year.

Fur, Feather, Fin: All Of Us Are Kin

written by Diane Lang, illustrated by Stephanie Laberis

Beach Lane Books, 2018, 48 pages, Age 3+

The animal kingdom is just chockablock with diversity and in this rhyming nonfiction work, Lang introduces young readers to six diverse classes of animals - mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, arthropods, and fish - and two different animal categories - water dwellers and detritivores. Within each class and category, Lang manages to describe the characteristics of each class, the similarities they share with each other and their differences. For example, kids learn that mammals such as bears, dogs, and even whales are born not hatched, that the they are fur bearing, and that mama mammals nurse their young, providing them with nourishment and warmth. Turn the page and young readers discover that they too are mammals - diverse yet connected. The rhyme is simple but informative, giving just enough information so that kids aren't overwhelmed with facts they are too young to fully appreciate. This is a really nice introduction to the animal world. Laperis' spot illustrations are naturalistic and warm, and invite readers to explore.    

Lovely Beasts: The Surprising Truth

Written by Kate Gardner, illustrated by Heidi Smith

Balzer & Bray, 2018, 48 pages, Age 4+ 

Basically, this is a book about breaking animal stereotypes and showing young readers that there are two sides to each of the lovely beasts spotlighted in the charming book. Spiders may be creepy at first, but turn the page and discover what great crafters they are spinning their intricate webs; bats may look ugly but they also play an important role in controlling insect populations, thereby helping the environment. Some bats even help replant forests, and others disperse seeds. Young readers will learn these facts and more. Each animal is given two two-page spreads, one showing the common belief about them with a supporting illustration, and one showing their softer side, also with supporting illustration. Each of Smith's illustrations, done in charcoal pencil, then photoshopped, are gentle, thoughtful, and focused. Text and illustrations create a real celebration the biodiversity of the animals and their importance in the ecosystem. Back matter is included.

A Day in a Forested Wetland by Kevin Kurtz,

illustrated by Sherry Neidigh

Arbordale Publishing, 2018, 32 pages, Age 4+

Kids can spend a day in this forested wetland and see just what goes on and meet the many different species that make their home there. Following the same format as his other A Day in...series, Kurtz rhyming text begins with sunrise in the wetland and goes through a 24 hour cycle, introducing a multitude of species active at different parts of the day and night. There are a few drawbacks to this book. One is that the rhyme doesn't work in two places (my kids didn't notice this) and it feels forced, and two, there are some words that need to be defined in the context of the creature being talked about (we made a list of those words and looked them up later, then went back to the page where they were found). However, Neidigh's illustrations are beautifully detailed, yet with a simplicity that will help young readers work out some of the definition omissions. A wise teacher can do much with this book, as I found out using it with my kids. There is some very useful back matter with activities for kids to do, all of which can be photocopied and used in classrooms. There is a longer focus on the beaver, a page covering the different kinds of wetlands, and a search and find picture where kids have to match the animal with its name and what it does. My kids were particularly taken with this and it actually generated lots of talk about the animals. 

Fly with Me: A Celebration of Birds Through Pictures, Poems, and Stories 

by Jane Yolen, Heidi E.Y. Stemple, Adam Stemple, and Jason Stemple

National Geographic Kids, 2018, 192 pages, age 9+

This is an absolutely stunning book, a worthy tribute to Jane Yolen's late husband, and father of Heidi Stemple, who was an ardent birder. It is filled with facts, poetry, and stories, along with information about each bird. There is a wide variety of birds and each one gets it own page with a stunning full color photograph. I found myself slowly poring over the breathtakingly beautiful photography, reading and rereading the poetry and learning more than a few things about birds. I thought my kids would be a little young for this book, but there was plenty for them to enjoy. They liked learning that there are state birds and that ours in New York is an Eastern Bluebird, a bird we share with Missouri. There were songs that have been adapted to birds, and we had a lot of fun learning and singing them, and we are now participating in some of the birding project suggested on page 170 including the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. This is a book we will be returning to again and again. My kids favorite bird? - the Bee Hummingbird on page 127.

Birds and Their Feathers written and illustrated by Britta Teckentrap

Prestel Junior, 2018, 96 pages, age 6+

Did you know that the study of feathers is call plumology? Well, neither did I until I read this book. This is a small, more subdued book that is mainly focused on feathers. And feathers, it turns out, are quite amazing, or as Teckentrap writes "Feather are among the most remarkable things made by nature. They are delicate, complex, extravagant, beautiful and strong - all at the same time." The development and the structure of feathers are covered, as well as the types, the colors, and the size of feathers. My kids and I were interested to learn that our favorite bird - the bee hummingbird - has the smallest feathers in the bird kingdom. There is all kinds of other little known information included and it is all fascinating. Teckentrap's delicate illustrations are all realistically detailed in soft earth tones. I really enjoyed sharing this book with my kids even though some of the information was a little advanced for them. Since kids always seem to like finding feathers in the park, this seems like an ideal book for them.

Magnificent Birds illustrated by Narisa Togo

Candlewick Studio, 2018, 32 pages, age 10+

Illustrator Narisa Togo has created this lovely book featuring fourteen different birds and it certainly reflects her own lifelong avian love. Each bird is placed in its customary habitat and given a two page linocut spread done in a palette of soft, subtle but natural color. Accompanying each illustration is text that gives the bird's name, species, and to where it is native. For example, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Arcbilocbus Colubris, Native to North and Central America. Togo has really captured the natural beauty and drama of each bird, from the more common of the species to the more unusual, offering the reader a wide variety from around the world. Young readers who are already interested in birds will appreciate this book, and those who haven't discovered the fascinating world of birding are in for a real treat. 

Welcome to the Neighborwood written and illustrated by Shawn Sheehy

Candlewick Press, 2015, 18 pages, age 4+

This is definitely a favorite with my kids - it's a pop-up book about seven different animals that live in the forest. Each one is a builder in its own right, born with the tools and the know-how they need for constructing their different homes. There is the land snail living in its own mobile home, the hummingbird is a master at building nests and hiding them, the garden spider spins its sticky, intricate webs, the honeybee and its hive, the potter wasp who builds a kind of lunch box for its offspring, the beaver who creates its own habitat complete with underwater entry tunnels, and finally, the stickleback, builder of an underwater nest for the mother of his offspring. Sheehy includes a fair amount of age appropriate information about all of these creatures, with accompanying pop-up of them in their environment. He brings it all together with a pop-up of their neighbors, stressing the interdependence and harmony in which they reside in the "Neighborwood."

My First Wild Activity Book written by Isabel Otter-Barry Ross,

illustrated by Maxime Lebrun

Silver Dolphin Books, 2018, 32 pages, age 5+

I love activity books and this is perfect for budding naturalists. It begins with an invitation to become an explorer and to take a journey through seven different habitats around the world, including the rainforest, the desert, the ocean, the mountains, the savanna, and the polar ice of the North and South Poles. Within each habitat, kids will find pictures to color, puzzles to solve, spot the difference challenges, seek and finds, mazes to travel, and dots to connect. The illustrations are friendly and brightly colored. There are scenic fold-out illustrations for each habitat, and stickers at the back of the book that kids can use to finish each scene. I like this book not only because it has lots of information for kids to learn about the natural world, but it also helps to develop problem solving skills. My kids and I spent a lot of time with this book before we went on to some of the other books I've included here. We had a lot of fun while learning new information about animals and where they live. 

I have included three books about birds in this post, partly because they are such good books and partly because birds the the easiest way to begin fostering an interest in nature. We all have birds wherever we live. When my Kiddo was young, and learning about the natural world, I bought her a pair of binoculars, a waterproof notebook, and an inexpensive camera (nowadays, you can use your phone camera) and we would go to the park to see what we could find. We made a nature book filled with pictures, leaves. pressed flowers and anything else we found that looked interesting. I'm not in the business of promoting products, but these are what I use now:

I hope you find some of these gift ideas useful, meantime I wish you 

Four Picture Books that Celebrate Nature

Today is Earth Day all around the world and what better way to acknowledge a day set aside to support environmental protection than with these are four beautifully done picture books that celebrate nature.

Above and Below: Lift the Flaps to See Nature's Wonders Unfold

Text by Patricia Hegarty, illustrations by Hanako Chulow

Kane Miller, 2017, 22 pages, age 5+

Young readers can explore eight different animal habitats or ecosystems - the ocean, the rain forest, the north pole, a river, mountain caves, the African Savannah, cliff tops, and the forest - in this beautiful lift-the-flaps book. There is a short introduction to each ecosystem, followed by brief facts of the most common animals, insects, flora, and fauna found there at ground level. Lift the flap and you will discover what animals are usually found either above or below ground level, uncovering a world generally hidden from most of us. The flaps make this a fun interactive book and are a nice size for young hands, each one is the size of half a page, great for young hands and for further explorations. I used this book to introduce kids to a unit on ecosystems for Earth Day and they loved it, especially discovering what was under the flaps. The illustrations are both realistic and whimsical, and there is lots happening on each page, but not to the point of distraction. A lovely way to learn about the wider world around us.

Give Bees a Chance

word and picture by Bethany Barton

Viking BFYR, 2017, 40 pages, age 4+

The narrator of this book introduces the reader to his best friend Edgar. The two love all the same things except bees, Edgar just does not like bees, and especially not their stingers or sacs of venom, not after being stung (an event that is humorously depicted along). The narrator is crazy about bees, and begins a campaign to convince Edgar to change how he views bees, all 25,000 kinds of bees. Barton's illustrations may be characteristically cartoonish, but don't let that fool you. She has included a lot of information about bees throughout the book, including their anatomy, how a hive works, a nice two page spread about how honey is made (something I didn't know in detail), why they sting and how to get a bee to leave you along, their job as major pollinators, and how bees are disappearing in such large numbers. This is a book meant to introduce kids to bees, so read the Author's Note at the back, particularly readers who are already bee-lovers, and then, be sure to check out the end papers, front and back.

On the Wing by David Elliott

illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

Candlewick, 2014, 2017, 32 pages, age 4+

I keep returning to David Elliott's books about nature over and over again. From On the Farm, In the Wild, and In the Sea, my young readers learned about nature and poetry together. Now they can do the same with On the Wing. In this collection of 16 poems, Elliot celebrates a wide variety of birds. The poems range from playful to serious, but all catch the essence of each individual birds. Pair this with Elliott's other books to give young readers a nice rounded poetic picture of nature and its beauty in our world. Stadtlander's beautiful realistic gouache illustrations place each bird in to natural habitat, and extend the poetic mood. With only two exceptions, each bird/poem pairing is spread over a double page. Kids are sure to develop a beginning appreciation for the avian world after reading On the Wing.

A River 

written and illustrated by Marc Martin

Chronicle Books, 2017, 44 pages, age 4+

The narrator of this book is a young girl sits at her desk drawing when she looks out the window at the river flowing by outside. Seeing how it stretches out in the distance, the narrator begins an imaginary journey floating down the river in a silver boat. Floating through a busy. congested city, past factories and their dark, dirty smoke, moving through the countryside past farms, past a waterfall taller than a building, finally entering a jungle full of different vegetation and animals, on to the ocean  with its variety of fish, then into the midst of a powerful ocean storm, only to find herself back at her desk, her daydream shattered by the heavy rain outside her window. This is a nice book for introducing young readers to the different environments in the world. The colorful, dramatic illustrations are done in watercolor, gouache, pencil and digital collage, and both compliment and extend the simple observations made by the young girl on her journey. After reading A River, go back to the first page and see how many of the prompts you can find that were incorporated into the daydream. There is must to discover and discuss in this lovely book

The Blue Whale and The Polar Bear, two books written and illustrated by Jenni Desmond

April 22nd is Earth Day, but this year it is also a day to March for Science, to celebrate the vital role that science plays in our lives and in the wider world around us. Earth Day and March for Science are especially important now that their needed funding for research, development and education is being threatened. I would share two of my favorite science books about two species that are also threatened due to causes like habitat loss, climate change and toxins in the waters where blue whales swim, and the Arctic region where polar bears live.

Once upon a time...
a young boy takes a book off a shelf, and, lying on his bed wearing a red crown that looks suspiciously like those tissue paper crowns that come in Christmas crackers, he begins to read a book called The Blue Whale. And so do we...

Desmond's lovely meta-fiction picture book introduces readers to the magnificence of "the largest living creature on our planet," the blue whale, through factual information, comparisons, and stunning illustrations. Using simple and direct language, readers learn, for example, that the world's largest creature has a big 1,300 pound heart, actually the size of a small car; that blue whales can weight as much as 160 tons, about the same as 55 hippopotami.

A blue whale's anatomy would, of course, require it to be proportional to its size, and thus, it has a 6" eye, a 3 ton tongue, and a mouth so big 50 people could stand inside it. Not surprisingly, a full grown whale eats four tons of food per day, mainly krill, a shrimp-like sea creature. A baby blue whale can drink up to 50 gallons of its mother's milk everyday.

Desmond's text is only half the story, and her beautiful illustrations tell the rest of the tale. Done in a combination of collage, paint and color pencil, with a palette of predominantly ocean-worthy blues and whites, they offer readers an interesting mixture of realistic and imaginative images.

Be sure to read the Author's Note at the beginning of the book to better understand what she is trying to do with this book. There's lots more information throughout The Blue Whale, just waiting for a curious child to come along and begin reading.

Just as she did in The Blue Whale, Jenni Desmond begins this book with a young girl sporting a red crown pulling a book from a shelf, and who then curls up on a couch with her favorite stuffies and begins reading The Polar Bear. And so do we...

In this meta-fiction picture book, readers learn all about the polar bear, its anatomy, its habitat, what it hunts and likes to eat. Polar bears, also called sea bears, spend most of their life in the frozen Arctic regions of the world, and have a body that has adapted to the harsh conditions there. Two layers of fur, a tough hide and a thick layer of fat really helps, as do their very big paws, each about the size of a dinner plate, that help them hunt, dig, swim, and make pretty good snow shoes. They are large animals, though not nearly as large as a blue whale, but, Desmond writes, more like the length of two seven year-old kids.

Polar bears need to eat a lot, but don't have to eat every day. Their main food sources are seals, walrus', narwhals, and beluga whales and a polar bear will walk long distances in search of food. They usually eat about 40 seals a year. Interestingly, polar bears get their water from the seals fat, because sea water is too salty to drink. Unlike other bears, polar bears don't hibernate, but can sleep for long periods of time, especially in summer when ice melts and food is hard to find.

These are just some of the interesting facts that Desmond shares with readers about the life of polar bears. And just as she did with The Blue Whale, Desmond lets the illustrations tell half the story. The mixed-media illustrations are done in combination of paint, crayon, color pencil, in a palette that is more versions of mainly icy blues and winter whites than I would have imagined possible.

Be sure to read the Author's Note at the beginning of this book to learn about the dangers faced by polar bears from the environment and from man. These beautiful bears are a very vulnerable and threatened species.

Both The Blue Whale and The Polar Bear are imaginative and informative at the same time. Each book succeeds in two ways - they celebrate reading nonfiction and they educate readers about an threatened creature. The presence of the young readers in places where they would not ever be found adds a fanciful note to these otherwise factual narratives, carrying a lovely message about how you can get lost in a good book. And these are two books that my young readers got very lost in.

These books are recommended for readers age 5+
These books were purchased for my personal library

April 22, 2017 is Earth Day

Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner, art by Christopher Silas Neal

Just in time for spring and especially for Earth Day, Kate Messner gives her young readers Over and Under the Pond, a beautiful companion to her previous books Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt.

As a curious young boy and his mother paddle around a pond in their rowboat, he asks his mother what's under the water's surface. His mother tells him there's a secret world underneath their boat, a world of minnows, crayfish, turtles, bullfrogs, and tadpoles slowly growing into frogs, learning how to hop on newly developed legs.
There's even a beaver diving down into the depths of the pond for some yummy roots to eat,

And there is just a much going on out the water and around the edge of the pond - a goldfinch getting ready for its first flight, a moose munching on water lilies, ospreys flying overhead, and raccoons scrounging up some supper.

The pond is teeming with life above and below, all there for anyone who takes the time to quietly observe it. Its abundance of plants and animals form an important ecosystem. As Messner explains in her Author's Note, sometimes this ecosystem is threatened by pollution or the loss of habitat. It's important to maintain these ponds so that the cycle of life can continue.

Besides her Author's Note, Messner includes additional information about all the creatures that depend on the pond, from the smallest caddisfly larvae to that big old moose and the role each one plays in nature. There is a lot to be learned in this book and an ideal reference for anyone who might want to make their own explorations.

Christopher Silas Neal's mixed-media illustrations are the perfect compliment to Messner's lyrical text. A palette of muted, gently blended watery blues, springy greens and browns all add to the feeling of the interconnectedness of nature. Neal has chosen to present the pond and the area surrounding it from various points of view: my favorite is the bird's eye view looking down, or maybe it's the fish eye view looking up, or maybe it's just all of them.

Over and Under the Pond is an ideal book for young readers curious about the world they live in, for lover's of nature, protector's of the environment and everyone else. It is a book kids can return to again and again.

This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was sent to me by the publisher, Chronicle Books

 April 22, 2017 is Earth Day