Tag Archives: Animals

Finding The Way To Faraway Valley

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A little polar bear and his bespectacled grandfather decide to take the long, difficult journey north to Faraway Valley. It’s “a special place, a wild place …” where great elks, tawny foxes, and mountain goats live, and  “the air smells of warm pine needles.” Before they depart, they must learn how to pitch a tent, study maps, and read about the creatures of the North and safety on ships. They travel far to discover the importance of protecting the special place and leaving it, taking only their learning and memories away. The rich illustrations were created using watercolors, gouache, pastels, and digital methods in this inspiring and moving book with an environmental theme. A star chart is included as back matter. mjw

Title: Finding The Way To Faraway Valley Author: Cecilia Heikkila Illustrator: Cecilia Heikkila Publisher: Floris Books, Edinburgh Copyright: 2024 Original Language: Swedish Translator: Polly Lawson Original Title: Den sista utposten Original Publisher: Bonnier Carlsen Bokfortag, Stockholm Original Copyright: 2021 ISBN: 978-178250-854-0 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Swedish Author’s residence: Dalarna, Sweden Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish Illustrator’s residence: Dalarna, Sweden Awards: Selma Lagerlof Society Prize, 2024 Subjects: Conservation, Dreams, Grandchildren, Grandfathers, Intergenerational, Maps, Polar Bears, Wilderness Appreciation

The Yellow Road

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This whimsical tale follows Sam on an adventurous journey. The story unfolds along a mysterious yellow road, filled with enchanting encounters and unexpected surprises, as Sam navigates through various landscapes, with friendly folk, strange giraffes, scary trolls, a gruff submarine captain, and a magical painting.  The watercolor, acrylic paint, and ink illustrations are vibrant and meticulously detailed, bringing the characters and their fantastic world to life. Overall, this charming book captivates readers of all ages with its delightful narrative and stunning visuals.

Title: The Yellow Road Author: Sven Nordqvist Illustrator: Sven Nordqvist Publisher: Floris Books, Edinburgh Copyright: 2025 Original Language: Swedish Original Title: Vagen Hem Original Publisher: Bokforlaget Opal AB, Stockholm Original Copyright: 2023 ISBN: 97178250-928-8 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Swedish Author’s residence: Sweden Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish Illustrator’s residence: Sweden Awards: The Author has won the Swedish Literature Award and the German Youth Literature Prize  Subjects: Fairy tales, Fantasy, Forests, Journey Magic, Mountains, Submarines, Trolls

Slow Adventures: Every Moment: 40 Real-Life Journeys By Boat, Bike, Foot, And Train

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This gorgeous travel guide for kids encourages them to travel slowly and experience the world in all its richness and wonder. “When you slow down and take your time, you notice the details that make each place unique. You meet people and learn about their histories and cultures. You discover new sounds, aromas, and flavors.” Four slower modes of transport: train, boat, bicycle, and your own two feet are featured in the book. A Table of Contents lists twelve journeys on foot, ten journeys by bike, ten journeys by boat, and eight journeys by train. Maps for all the journeys enrich the trips. Discover more about the world as you: slow down with the sloths in Costa Rica, trek the Inca Trail in Peru, bike through the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, discover the riches of Rajasthan in India, take a Mississippi steamboat, and more. A list of ways to travel slowly and suggestions for further reading round out this impressive work. The illustrated journeys were created in pencil and colored digitally. mjw

Title: Slow Adventures: Every Moment: 40 Real-Life Journeys By Boat, Bike, Foot, And Train Author: Carl Honore Illustrator: Kevin and Krista Howdeshell Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing. UK. An imprint of Harry N. Abrams, New York Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Title: It’s The Journey Not The Destination Original Publisher: Magic Cat Publishing, Ltd. Original Copyright: 2022 ISBN: 978-1-4197-7132-3 Hardcover pages: 96 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Information Book, Nonfiction, Picture Book, Travel Guide Book setting: The World Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s residence: London Subjects: Boats, Bicycles, Cities, Culture, Hiking, Journeys, Mindfulness, People, Trains, Transportation, Travel Guides, World

Pavlo Gets The Grumps

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Pavlo is a cat with the grumps. His mother suggests going to the park, but Pavlo says the swings are too swingy and the slide is too slidey. How about swimming? says Mama, but the water is too wet and the fishes will nibble Pavlo’s toes. Going to the movies isn’t right either for Pavlo. Finally, Pavlo hears his friend Mila calling him. She knows just what to do to get rid of Pavlo’s grumps. The simple comforting text is printed in an extra-large font, making sharing easy, especially for children who have difficulty reading regular-sized print. The brilliantly created illustrations have a soft, fuzzy quality, were rendered in acrylic paint and watercolor pencil, and were finished digitally. mjw

Title: Pavlo Gets The Grumps Author: Natalia Shaloshvili Illustrator: Natalia Shaloshvili Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-3554-8 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Ukrainian Author’s residence: UK Illustrator’s ethnicity: Ukrainian Illustrator’s residence: UK Subjects: Anger, Cats, Feelings, Love, Sadness

SOS Water

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Lalo, a sailor, encounters a talking goldfish in a fishbowl on a pile of trash. Her name is Rosa, and she longs to have a better life. Lalo takes Rosa to a pond, a mountaintop, the Arctic, the jungle, the desert, the beach, and the River Seine. But everywhere is polluted with empty plastic water bottles. Lalo dreams that he has magical powers to clean the world. Several spreads show different animals cleaning up the ubiquitous water bottles. They come to a community garden and meet Bibo, a gentle little garden gnome, who suggests the perfect place for Rosa – a magic pond next to his house. The final page shows Lalo drinking a big glass of refreshing tap water. Whimsical line drawings saturated with water bottles further distinguish this important environmental lesson. A Spanish-language edition is also available. mjw

Title: SOS Water Author: Yayo Illustrator: Yayo Publisher: Tradewinds Books. Vancouver, Canada Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-990598-23-4 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 6-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Colombian Author’s residence: Montreal, Quebec  Illustrator’s ethnicity: Colombian Illustrator’s residence: Montreal, Quebec Subjects: Goldfish, Plastic water bottles, Pollution, Sailors, Water, Water pollution

Peter Pan

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This beloved children’s classic is retold in rollicking rhyme accompanied by new art. The fantastic adventure features Tinkerbell, the Lost Boys, the Darling family, Nana, and the villainous Captain Hook. When Peter Pan flies into the Darling children’s bedroom, he convinces Wendy and her brothers to come with him to the magical Neverland, where children never grow old. The gorgeous illustrations are rendered in muted blues. A favorite is the magnificent map of Neverland, with pirates, mermaids, and the relentless ticking crocodile. This fabulous introduction to Peter Pan has a silver-embossed cover and a ribbon bookmark. Based on the original story by J.M. Barrie, a percentage of the profits from this book go to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. mjw

Title: Peter Pan Author: J.M. Barrie (1860 – 1937). Caryl Hart Illustrator: Sarah Warburton Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd. Copyright: 2018 – Verse adaptation Original Language: English Original Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Original Copyright: 1911 ISBN: 978-1-78800-007-9 Hardcover pages: 72 Age range: 4 up Genre: Fantasy Fiction. Picture Book Book setting: London and Neverland Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Sheffield, England (Hart) Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Bristol, England Subjects: Crocodiles, Fairies, Fantasy, London, Magic, Neverland, Pirates, Rhyme, Rhythm

Hiro, Winter, And Marshmallows

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Hiro is a bear too curious to sleep all winter long. Her stomach rumbles, and her heart longs for adventure. She packs her things into her backpack and slips away from her sleeping family. She discovers winter and snow and smells the odor of burning wood and sweet, gooey toasted marshmallows. She finds a bonfire party, but scares everyone away except for Emile. He is a little boy hiding behind a tree. He whispers to Hiro that the marshmallows are done. He knows because he is a marshmallow expert. Hiro doesn’t want to scare Emile. Slowly, they begin to converse. “What’s it like being a bear?” And “What’s it like being an Emile?” They share stories and have fun together until Emile hears his mom calling for him. They both return to their homes. Hiro’s mom completes this quirky story with, “Goodness, it smells like marshmallows in here!” The delightful artwork in this dreamy fairytale is rendered in colored pencils, watercolors, acrylic paints, and markers. mjw

Title: Hiro, Winter, And Marshmallows Author: Marine Schneider Illustrator: Marine Schneider Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2024 Original Language: French Translator: Vineet Lal Original Title: Hiro, hiver et marshmallows Original Publisher: Versant Sud Original Copyright: 2018 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5632-6 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Belgian Author’s residence: Brussels, Belgium Illustrator’s ethnicity: Belgian Illustrator’s residence: Brussels, Belgium Subjects: Bears, Bonfires, Hibernation, Marshmallows, Parties, Snow, Winter

Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life In The Mountains

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This inspiring picture book biography about Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb Mt. Everest, is the perfect introduction to this trailblazer. As a young girl, Junko dreamed of a life climbing mountains, but most mountaineering clubs said “No women allowed,” and they wouldn’t sponsor her. She even had to sew her own gloves because all gloves were designed for men – way too big for her small hands. But Junko was eager and unstoppable. She planned, trained, and dreamed beyond the horizon. She put together an expedition to summit Mt.Everest with an all-women team. After years of preparation, Junko and her fellow climbers traveled to Nepal. They established camps beyond the moving ice and deep crevasses. They encountered an avalanche, but finally, Junko and her guide made it to the top – where Earth met the sky. After her success, she took on new challenges. She climbed the highest mountains in more than 70 countries and campaigned for sustainable mountaineering to protect the wild spaces she loved for future generations. The illustrator used a Japanese calligraphy brush and India ink to make drawings on watercolor paper, and then she colored the drawings digitally using Adobe Photoshop. The illustrator is the Japanese designer who created Hello Kitty. The language is poetic and lovely. Backmatter includes an author’s note, a timeline, a glossary, and a bibliography. mjw

Title: Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life In The Mountains Author: Anita Yasuda Illustrator: Yuko Shimizu Publisher: Clarion Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-06-324241-8 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Information Book, Nonfiction, Picture Book Biography Book setting: Nepal. Japan Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Ontario, Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: New York City Awards: 2025 Caldecott Honor,  Subjects: Gender stereotypes, Himalayas, Mountain climbing, Mountains, Mt. Everest, Sherpas, Sustainable mountaineering, Trailblazing, Yaks

John The Skeleton

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John is a newly retired skeleton. He was a classroom teaching aid in a South Estonian school. Gramps and Grams bring John to their outdoor summer kitchen on their farm deep in the woods. Every day is exciting for John. He rides in a car, meets the farm animals, scares some crooks in the village, visits with the grandchildren, takes a bath and makes a snow angel. He even becomes part of an art exhibit at the city museum. Short chapters and folk art pencil illustrations in black and white with pops of beet red present a view of Estonian culture with saunas, pixies, and linden-blossom tea. The text is also medically accurate. This quirky, affectionate story portrays what it means to care for one another, grow old together, and appreciate the little things. mjw

Title: John The Skeleton Author: Triini Laam Illustrator: Marja-Liisa Plats Publisher: Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books Copyright:2024 Original Language: Estonian Translator: Adam Cullen Original Title: Luukere Juhani juhtumised Original Publisher: Paike ja Pilve, Saue, Estonia Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-1632063700 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 6-12 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: South Estonia Author’s ethnicity: Estonian Author’s residence: Estonia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Estonian Illustrator’s residence: Estonia Awards:2025 Batchelder Award, soo5 ISBBY Outstanding International Books, 20221 White Raven Catalog Subjects: Aging, Death, Farms, Grandchildren, Grandparents, Retirement, Skeletons

Big Gorilla: A Book Of Opposites

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This brief, oversized concept book teaches young readers about opposites. What’s the opposite of alone? Together. What’s the opposite of old? Young. Anthony Browne’s delightful depictions of different kinds of primates, with their intriguingly detailed facial expressions, will educate and entertain. The surreal primate portraits were rendered in watercolor and gouache. mjw

Title: Big Gorilla: A Book Of Opposites Author: Anthony Browne Illustrator: Anthony Browne Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK  Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978- 1-5362-3569-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-5 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: 2000 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Apes, Concepts, Gorillas, Monkeys, Opposites, Primates

Sunday

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For Martin and his dog Maize, every Sunday is the same. His family always sits in the same seats at the dinner table, watches TV, cooks, and folds laundry. But this Sunday, things will be different because Martin and Maize decide to travel the world. The world is waiting. They travel to freezing ice caps, baking lava flows, the home of sacred creatures, arid deserts, fertile forests, and seas teeming with pirate ships, After their adventure, they long to find their way home to tell Grandma where they have been, They might even travel beyond the world on their next magical Sunday. The line art, bold matte colors, and hidden pictures produce an etched look that adds to the drama in this story about imagination, dreams, and play. mjw

Title: Sunday Author: Marcelo Tolentino Illustrator: Marcelo Tolentino Publisher: Blue Dot Lids Press, Sacramento, California Copyright: 2025 Original Language: Portuguese Translator: Rahul Bery Original Publisher: Companhia das Letras. Sao Paulo, Brazil ISBN: 979-898985-88-11 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Brazilian Author’s residence: Sao Paulo, Brazil Illustrator’s ethnicity: Brazilian Illustrator’s residence: Sao Paulo, Brazil Subjects: Action, Camels, Creativity, Dogs, Dragons, Grandmother-son relationships, Imagination, Pirates, Penguins, Play

L Is For Love

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Two adults and four children set off in the dark to sell lemons at the market in this L-focused story, leaving grandparents behind. They are lucky to catch a lift on a red bus. They travel through lightning until the morning light, looking at lazy lions and a lonely leopard. They arrive at the loud, large market in Lagos, where they sell their lemons and enjoy lunch. On the long way home, this time by foot, they see elephants and arrive home late to greet the grandparents, where L is for love. The beautiful double-page spreads, loaded with detail, and rendered in mixed media depict the bustling market stalls, the natural world, and the rich relationship of the family. mjw

Title: L Is For Love Author: Atinuke Illustrator: Angela Brooksbank Publisher: Candlewick Press. Somerville, MA Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-3555-5 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 3-7 Genre: PIcture Book, Alphabet Book Book setting: Nigeria Author’s ethnicity: Nigerian Author’s residence: Wales Illustrator’s residence: LOndon Subjects: Alphabet, Cities, Lagos, Lemons, Love, Markets, Transportation