Tag Archives: Environment

Outside: A Guide to Discovering Nature

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In this non-fiction picture book, readers will learn about a large variety of subjects that all encourage outdoor exploration. Throughout the book there are many questions for young scientists to ask followed by their answers. There are also experiments that readers can attempt. The book is mainly illustrated in black and white with pops of orange and blue but there are a few pages in the center of the book with full color illustrations of interesting animals. The back matter is filled with educational materials as well, such as a glossary, a timeline of important dates, and websites to learn more about the different topics. This book is sure to help young explorers expand their love of nature.  amo

Title: Outside: A Guide to Discovering Nature Authors: Maria Ana Peixe Dias and Inês Teixeira do Rosário Illustrator: Bernardo P. Carvalho Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Portuguese Translator: Lucy Greaves Original Title: Lá fora Original Publisher: Planeta Tangerina Original Copyright: 2014 ISBN: 978-1-8478-0769-4 Hardcover pages: 368 Age range: 8-12 Genre: Non-Fiction, Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Both Portuguese  Author’s residence: Portugal Illustrator’s ethnicity:Portuguese Illustrator’s residence: Portugal Awards: Winner – “Opera Prima” Award 2105, Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2015 Subjects: Amphibians, Astronomy, Birds, Bugs, Clouds, Flowers, Geology, Mammals, Oceans, Rain, Reptiles, Tide Pools, Trees, Wind

Dragonfly Kites/Pimithaagansa

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Two young Cree brothers, Joe and Cody, are spending the summer with their made-up toys, like stick friends and stone children. They find a wild baby Arctic tern, squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks, and they make up names for everything, even the ants. Their favorite activity is flying dragonfly kites. They make them by catching dragonflies and tying thread around the middle of each dragonfly before letting it go. They then chase their dragonfly kites. At night, when they go to bed, they dream of the dragonflies. The creative, clear, and delicate collage illustrations are influenced by Cree artists. The book is written in English and Cree and is the second book in the Magical Songs of the North Wind trilogy. mjw

Title: Dragonfly Kites/Pimithaagansa Author: Tomson Highway Illustrator: Julie Flett Publisher: Fifth House Publishers, Canada Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English/Cree Translator: Tomson Highway Original publisher:  Harper Collins Original Copyright: 2002 ISBN: 978-1-897252-63-5 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 6-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Manitoba Author’s ethnicity: Born in Manitoba, Canadian, Aboriginal Author’s residence: Ontario Illustrator’s ethnicity: Cree-Metis ancestry Illustrator’s residence: Vancouver, BC Awards: Illustrator has won the first PMC Aboriginal Literature Award in 2014 Subjects: Bilingual books, Canada, Cree children, Dragonflies, Dreams, Kites, Siblings, Sleep

Are You An Echo? The Lost Poetry Of Misuzu Kaneko

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Misuzu was born in a Japanese fishing village in 1903. She loved school and books and, unlike most girls, got to stay in school until she was seventeen. Her mother managed a bookstore, where Misuzu spent many hours. Young Misuzu wrote poetry and quickly became a successful children’s writer. She wrote about stars, snow, fish, silkworms on mulberry leaves, dandelions, and all the world. An author’s note and a translator’s note provide more information and tell that her work was nearly forgotten. This meticulously researched picture book, with lovely paintings of early 20th century Japanese life, features Misuzu’s heart-breaking story and a collection of her poetry in English and the original Japanese. mjw

Title: Are You An Echo?  The Lost Poetry Of Misuzu Kaneko Author: Misuzu Kaneko (1903-1930), David Jacobson Illustrator: Toshikado Hajiri Publisher: Chin Music Press,  Seattle, Washington Copyright: 20116 Original Language: Japanese Translator: Sally Ito and Michiko Tsuboi Original Copyright: 1923-1928 ISBN: 978-1-634059626 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 9-14 Genre: Poetry, Picture Book Biography Book setting: Japan Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Kaneko lived in Japan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Japan Subjects: Authors, Fishes, Haiku, Japanese Poets

Chirri And Chirra

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Two young identical twin girls go on a bicycle ride through the natural world. They stop at the forest café for acorn coffee and clover blossom tea. Their next stop is the forest bakery, where they meet a bear and a rabbit, and have mulberry and strawberry jam sandwiches on honey bread and walnut bread. After lunch, they play in a nearby pond and nap under a big tree. Then, they move on to the forest hotel, where there is a concert with all the animals singing. “What a wonderful night in the forest!” Lively, adorable, and sweet colored pencil, pastel, and crayon illustrations look like mid-20th century lithographs. mjw

Title: Chirri And Chirra Author: Kaya Doi Illustrator: Kaya Doi Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Japanese Translator: Yuki Kaneko Original Publisher: Arranged with Alice-Kan, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-59270-199-5 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 3-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Japan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Japan Subjects: Bicycle rides, Forest, Music

The World In A Second

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Inspired by the question – “What are they doing on the other side of the world right now?” – this wondrous, work-of-art picture book focuses on the natural and cultural events happening at the same moment in time in twenty-three different locations. A volcano rumbles in Papua-New Guinea, at 10:32 pm. A girl hurries home from school in Seydisfjordur, Iceland, at 12:32 pm. A ripe orange falls in an orchard in Mertola, Portugal, at 1:32 pm. The art is bold and graphic, with varying perspectives. A world map at the back of the book indicates where and when each moment took place and will get readers to think globally. mjw

Title: The World In A Second Author: Isabel Minhos Martins Illustrator: Bernardo P. Carvalho Publisher: Enchanted Lion Book, New York Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Portuguese Translator: Lyn Miller-Lachmann Original Title: O mundo num segundo Original Publisher: Planeta Tangerina, Portugal Original Copyright: 2008 ISBN: 978-1-59270-157-5 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Pictire Book Book setting: 23 locations, including Angola, Argentina, Australia, Azores, Baltic Sea, Brazil, Hungary, Iceland, Indian Ocean, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Papua-New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Venezuela,and USA Author’s ethnicity: Portuguese Author’s residence: Portugal Illustrator’s ethnicity: Portuguese Illustrator’s residence: Portugal Awards: 2011 Banco del Libro de Venezuela Best of the Year Subjects: Culture, Diveristy, Geography, Time World

The Wolves Of Currumpaw

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This beautifully illustrated tale follows the 19th century true story of Ernest Thompson Seton and Lobo, king wolf of the Currumpaw Valley in New Mexico. Seton set out to hunt and trap Lobo, but was torn between his love of nature and his hunting ability. The death of Lobo was a turning point for Seton. He then devoted his life to protecting the wolf species and to the conservation of American wildlife. Grill’s stunning colored pencil drawings enhance and extend his modern retelling of Seton’s drama, Lobo, the King of Currumpaw, originally published in 1898. Seton went on to found the Boy Scouts of America. Back matter includes an illustrated glossary and an appendix, which includes an author’s note and lists of books, websites, and places where readers can learn more. mjw

Title: The Wolves Of Currumpaw Author: William Grill Illustrator: William Grill Publisher: Flying Eye Books, an imprint of Nobrow Ltd.  London Copyright: 2016 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-909263-83-3 Hardcover pages: 80 Age range: 7-14 Genre: Picture book, Information book, Nonfiction Book setting: New Mexico, U.S. Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: London Awards: Author/illustrator has won the 2015 CLIP Kate Greenaway Medal Subjects: Foxes and wolves, Exploration and discoveries, Old West, Wildlife conservation

Bronze and Sunflower

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Set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution (late 1960s and early 1970s), Sunflower, a young girl and her artist father are banished to do hard labor in the countryside at a cadre school. It’s a difficult life for her and she is lonely. She meets Bronze, the mute son of poor villagers, who is bullied by the other village boys. After Sunflower’s father dies, Bronze’s family takes her in despite facing extreme hardship, and Sunflower finally finds happiness. This engrossing, beautifully written novel, with luminous imagery, will broaden readers’ horizons. Notes in the back of the book provide historical background and information about Cao’s inspiration for the book. mjw

Title: Bronze and Sunflower Author: Cao Wenxuan Illustrator: Meilo So Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. London Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Chinese Translator: Helen Wang Original Copyright: 2005 ISBN: 978-1-4063-4846-0 Paperback pages: 400 Age range: 9 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: Damaidi, China Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: China Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chinese Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Author Medal, 2019 Global Literature in Libraries Initiative Shortlist Subjects: China, Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Friendship, Poverty, Survival

The Perfect Tree

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Young Jack travels through the forest one night to find the perfect tree. The perfect tree to chop down. As Jack journeys through the woods he finds many trees, but finding the perfect tree is difficult. Suddenly, there is a breakthrough. A kind woodpecker promises Jack that he will take him to the perfect tree. Many animals show Jack the perfect tree and he starts to see that the perfect tree shouldn’t be cut down but instead lived in, climbed on, and loved. The whimsical cut-paper collages show the natural beauty of nature and help the reader understand that any tree can be the perfect tree. amo

Title: The Perfect Tree Author: Chloe Bonfield Illustrator: Chloe Bonfield Publisher: Running Press Kids Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-7624-5586-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-6 Genre: Fantasy, Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: London, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: London, England Subjects: Animals, Nature, Trees

The Saver Of The Almond Tree

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This colorfully illustrated, bilingual Chinese-English book in the Master Cheng Yen Tells Stories series contains three stories. The Man in White reminds readers that only people with kindness and virtue can realize the beauty of life. Empress Kymyo tells that when we do good deeds and give to others, we should think of it as our duty. The Saver of the Almond Tree relates that we should treat everyone equally with a sincere heart. The diverse stories are presented in traditional Chinese pinyin and English. mjw

Title: The Saver Of The Almond Tree Author: Shih Cheng Yen Illustrator: Winni Lin Publisher: Jing Si Publications Co. Ltd.  Taipei, Taiwan Copyright: 2015 Original Language: Chinese – English Bilingual Edition Translator: Tzu Chi USA Editorial team ISBN: 978-986-6661-88-4 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture book, Folklore Book setting: China, India, Japan Author’s ethnicity: Chinese Author’s residence: China Illustrator’s ethnicity: Chinese Illustrator’s residence: China Subjects: Birds, Buddha, Empress, Kindness, Royalty, Trees, Wisdom

The Storm

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A little boy is excited about a trip to the beach with his parents, but his teacher warns him to hurry home because a bad storm is coming. The sky grows darker and the boy’s parents close the shutters, bring in the plants, and prepare for the weather. The powerful storm rages, but the boy is not scared. He goes to bed and dreams he is on a big ship with propellers to drive the storm away. He awakens, the skies are clear blue, and they can go to the beach. Rich, black and gray charcoal sketches convey the boy’s emotions – excitement, frustration, worry, and excitement again. Moments of blue are used meaningfully in the illustrations. mjw

Title: The Storm Author: Akiko Miyakoshi Illustrator: Akiko Miyakoshi Publisher: Kids Can Press. Toronto, Canada Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Japanese Original Title: Taifu ga Kuru Original Publisher: BL Publishing Co Ltd, Kobe Original Copyright: 2009 ISBN: 978-1-77138-559-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-7 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Japanese Author’s residence: Tokyo, Japan Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: Tokyo, Japan Awards: Nissan Children’s Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix Subjects: Emotions and feelings, Nature, Storms, Weather

Wild Eggs: A Tale Of Arctic Egg Collecting

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Akuluk, a young girl living in the Northwest Territories of Canada, travels to Nunavut to visit her grandparents. She travels through the tundra of the Arctic and learns about her grandparents’ traditions. In this peaceful book, she grows to understand the customs and rules of egg collecting in the Arctic and grows closer to her family heritage. Beautifully illustrated pages show the natural landscape and intricate egg shells encouraging readers to look closely at the painting as they follow the story.  amo

Title: Wild Eggs: A Tale Of Arctic Egg Collecting Author: Suzie Napayok-Short Illustrator: Jonathan Wright Publisher: Inhabit Media Copyright: 2015 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-77227-025-9 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 5-7 Genre: Realistic Fiction, Picture Book Book setting: Nunavut, Canada Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada Subjects: Arctic, Canada, Eggs

Under Water, Under Earth

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In this information picture book, readers are taken inside the earth and deep underwater. With two main topics, the book is split in the middle so readers can pick which area they’d like to explore first. In the colorful, digitally created images, thousands of interesting facts are unveiled as each page brings the reader further under water or under earth. You’ll want to spend hours looking through each detail from facts about the deepest caves to information about the first submarines.  amo

Title: Under Water, Under Earth Author: Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński Illustrator: Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński Publisher: Big Picture Press Copyright: 2016 Original Language: Polish Translator: Antonia Lloyd-Jones Original Title: Pod ziemią, pod wodą Original Publisher: Wydawnictwo Dwie Siostry Original Copyright: 2105 ISBN: 978-1-78370-364-7 Hardcover pages: 112 Age range: 7-9 Genre: Information Picture Book Book setting: Earth Author’s ethnicity: Polish Author’s residence: Poland Illustrator’s ethnicity: Polish Illustrator’s residence: Poland Subjects: Animals, Deep Sea Vents, Geology, Inventions, Marine Life, Pipelines, Submarines, Tunnels, Titanic, Tectonic Plates, Volcanos