Tag Archives: Animals

Pavlo Gets The Grumps

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Pavlo
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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SOSLalo, 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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peterThis 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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HiroHiro 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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GorillaThis 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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sundayFor 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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loveTwo 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

Esma Farouk, Lost In The Souk

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EsmaWhile Esma is on holiday visiting her extended family in Morocco, she goes to the souk – a huge marketplace full of street performers, delicious food, and sassy monkeys. Charmed by the bustling market’s sights, smells, and sounds, she loses track of her mother and aunt. Through the unexpected help of a troupe of acrobats, a fortune teller, and a monkey, Esma is reunited with her family, The lively and humorous artwork was created using digital gouache, watercolor, and colored pencils. mjw

Title: Esma Farouk, Lost In The Souk
Author: Lisa Boersen and Hasna Elbaamrani
Illustrator: Annelies Vandenbosch
Publisher: Floris Books, Edinburgh
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: Dutch
Translator: Polly Lawson
Original Title: 1001 paarse djellabas
Original Publisher: Uitgeverij JH Gottmer/HJW Becht BV, Haarlen, the Netherlands
Original Copyright: 2020
ISBN: 978-178250-885-4
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-7
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Marrakesh, Morocco
Author’s ethnicity: Dutch and Dominican
Author’s residence: Amsterdam
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Moroccan
Illustrator’s residence: Amsterdam
Subjects: Acrobats, Djellabas, Fortune tellers, Grandparents, Markets, Monkeys, Multicultural, North Africa, Souks, Spices

Genius Noses: A Curious Animal Compendium

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Genius NosesThis beautiful collection of animal noses around the world tells kids everything they ever wanted to know about animal noses. A Table of Contents divides the book into Flying Creatures, Ground-dwellers, Underground Diggers, Happiest When Hanging Out In Trees, and Water Creatures. Aardvarks, Dik-Diks, Pigs, Proboscis Monkeys, Coatis, and many, many more are clearly explained and illustrated in detail. A comprehensive Glossary, Notes, and a thorough index are included. The front endpapers show a world map and the back endpapers depict many animals drawn to scale, compared to humans. The witty drawings rendered in ink and colored pencil round out this impressive work. mjw
Title: Genius Noses: A Curious Animal Compendium
Author: Lena Anlauf
Illustrator: Vitali Konstantinov
Publisher: NorthSouth Books, New York
Copyright: 2023
Original Language: German
Translator: Marshall Yarbrough
Original Title: Geniale Nasen
Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright: 2023
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4535-0
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 6-12
Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book
Author’s ethnicity: German
Author’s residence: Marburg, Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Ukrainian
Illustrator’s residence: Marburg, Germany
Subjects: Animal habitats, Diversity of nature, Noss, Zoology

Agreement Under The Stars

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AgreementThere was a time in the forest when the animals lived together in peace and harmony. But little by little the outside grew around them and the forest seemed to grow smaller and smaller. The animals couldn’t stand it anymore and soon there were quarrels. An emergency committee came up with a solution to restore peace. Some animals would be active during the day and sleep at night. Others would come out at night and sleep during the day. Since nobody volunteered to take the night shift, the committee selected animals to be the night creatures. However, the reason why we have daytime and nocturnal animals is not how it is told in the story. The book’s real message is that deforestation has caused the disappearance of one-third of our forests. The realistic-looking animals and bright colors rendered in ink and watercolors with rubbings and stamped textures are very appealing. The book is printed on “stone paper,” a special paper made of limestone. The paper doesn’t come from cutting down trees, doesn’t use water, and doesn’t need harmful chemical products. A final note tells more about deforestation and things we can do to save our forests. mjw
Title: Agreement Under The Stars
Author: Susana Rosique
Illustrator: Susana Rosique
Publisher: Cuento De Luz. Madrid,, Spain
Copyright: 2024
Original Language: Spanish
Translator: Jon Brokenbrow
Original Title: Acuerdo jajo las estrellas
ISBN: 978- 84-19464-82-8
Hardcover pages: 38
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Spanish
Author’s residence: Spain
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence: Spain
Subjects: Cooperation, Deforestation, Empathy, Forests, Harmony, Nocturnal animals, Parable, Peace, Solidarity, Survival, Sustainability