Tag Archives: Environment

I Love You, Blue

i love you blueWhen the lighthouse keeper is rescued from the stormy sea by a whale, they become friends. Soon, Blue the whale gets into danger, too. Blue is sick with a stomach full of plastic bags. The lighthouse keeper cleans up the trash, so Blue will feel better. Charming simple text and beautiful watercolor paintings introduce young readers to the impact of plastic waste on our oceans and ocean life. An author’s note includes ways that readers can protect whales and their habitats. mjw
Title: I Love You, Blue
Author: Barroux
Illustrator
: Barroux
Publisher
: Flyaway Books
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-91307-4500
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 3-7
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: French
Author’s residence
: Paris
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: French
Illustrator’s residence
: Paris
Subjects
: Ecological and environmental issues, Lighthouses, Oceans, Plastic waste, Whales

A Dream Of Birds

a dream of birdsAs Sara walks to school in her island town, she sees a lot of birds trapped in a little house with a bright red roof. She is awed by the colored parakeets and she wants the birds to be free. The next day on her walk to school, she discovers that the door to the birdhouse is unlocked, and she opens it wide so the parakeets can take off. Sara is punished when her parents find out what she did. She worries that the freed birds may not know how to feed themselves. She goes to sleep that night and dreams that the birds will find their way. “All will be well, so long as the world has wings to dream.” The realistic illustrations in this story about love for nature and dreams for a better world were rendered in digital media. A publisher’s note gives information about Mauritius and the birds that live there. mjw
Title: A Dream Of Birds
Author: Shenaz Patel
Illustrator
: Emmanuelle Tchourkriel
Publisher
: Amazon Crossing Kids, New York
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: French
Translator
: Edwige-Renee Dro
Original Title
: Reve D”Oiseau
Original Publisher
: Atelier des Nomades. Mauritius Island and France
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-1-66250-0930
Hardcover pages
: 31
Age range
: 5-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: Mauritius
Author’s ethnicity
: Mauritian
Author’s residence
: Mauritius Island
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: French
Illustrator’s residence
: France
Subjects
: Birds, Freedom, Grandfathers, Liberty, Mauritius, Parakeets

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods Of Kids Around the Globe

Where we LiveThis intriguing book is a fun look at sixteen children’s neighborhoods around the world. First, there is a helpful page with information about maps, compass roses, legends, and scale bars. Next, we meet the children and learn about their neighborhoods – where they live, go to school and play, what they eat, and sometimes their religions. Maps of each child’s neighborhood show important places, a legend, and some words from the child’s language. The places featured are the Cook Islands, Canada, the United States, Honduras, Venezuela, Antarctica, Spain, the Netherlands, Romania, Egypt, Ethiopia, Zambia, Pakistan, India, China, and Cambodia. Both small communities and big cities are included. Back matter provides activities, a glossary, an author’s note, a further-reading list, and an index. A world map with all the locations is presented on the endpapers. The digitally rendered artwork is perfect for the book. mjw
Title: Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods Of Kids Around The Globe
Author: Margriet Ruurs
Illustrator
: Wenjia Tang
Publisher
: Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1525-3013-77
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 7-10
Genre
: Information Book, Nonfiction
Book setting
: Sixteen locations around the world
Author’s ethnicity
: Canadian
Author’s residence
: British Columbia
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Chinese
Illustrator’s residence
: New York City
Subjects
: Communities, Customs, Explorations, Human settlements, Mapping, Maps, Neighborhoods, Traditions

At The Drop Of A Cat

At the drop of a catThe French six-year-old narrator in this gorgeous picture book loves spending time in his Spanish grandfather’s incredible garden. The grandfather, Luis, left Spain because of the terrible war. He didn’t have a chance to be a kid, and he never learned to read and write. Together they watch birds. Luis speaks BIRD language. They also draw what they see in the magnificent garden. Luis is a great cook, too, making his house always smell good. Luis speaks in a vibrant and unique language, hence the title of the book, At the Drop of a Cat, and another phrase like “the apple of his pie.” At the end of the story, Luis gives his grandchild a guitar. Even though Luis cannot read or write, he imparts wonderful knowledge about nature and life to his grandchild. Dreamy, colorful, and rich, plant-filled pictures in watercolor and collage depict their natural world effectively. mjw
Title: At The Drop Of A Cat
Author: Elise Fontenaille
Illustrator
: Violeta Lopiz
Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Books. New York
Copyright
: 2023
Original Language
: French
Translator
: Karin Snelson and Emilie Robert Wong
Original Title
: Les poings sur les iles
Original Publisher
: Editions du Rouergue
Original Copyright
: 2011
ISBN
: 978-1-59270-382-1
Hardcover pages
: 36
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: France
Author’s ethnicity
: French
Author’s residence
: Haute-Loire, France
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Spanish
Illustrator’s residence
: Peru
Subjects
: Birds, Gardens, Grandfathers, Intergenerational, Multigenerational family life, Music

In The Garden With Flori

In The Garden With Flori

When Linn’s grandfather breaks his leg, she offers to take care of his garden. Unfortunately Linn’s dog, Flori, likes to dig and the garden gets filled with snails. By the end of the book, all is well. The lifelike, very detailed illustrations are magical. Back matter includes information about the common garden snail. mjw

Title: In The Garden With Flori
Author: Sonja Danowski
Illustrator
: Sonja Danowski
Publisher
: NorthSouth Books, Inc. New York
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Marshall Yarbrough
Original Title
: Garten mit Flori
Original Publisher
: NordSud Verlag AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright
: 2021
ISBN
: 978-0-7358-4458-2
Hardcover pages
: 56
Age range
: 4-9
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: German
Author’s residence
: Berlin, Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: German
Illustrator’s residence
: Berlin, Germany
Awards
: Danowski has won the Batchelder Award
Subjects
: Dogs, Flowers, Gardens, Grandfathers, Humor, Intergenerational, Love, Patience, Snails, Vegetables

9 Kilometers

9 kilometersA young boy walks nine kilometers – over five-and-a-half miles – to school through the mountains and rainforests of Chile. He observes butterflies, birds, and animals, as he crosses a stream and crawls under a barbed wire fence. He likes to walk and count. Endpapers show maps of his route. An opening note explains a bit about the metric system. The vibrant and detailed illustrations are rendered in acrylics and show interesting perspectives in this important book about perseverance and the right to an education. Back matter tells of other walkers around the world – in China, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Kenya, Uruguay, Venezuela, and other parts of Chile. Some of them walk as much as 30 kilometers round-trip to get to school. Descriptions and photos of birds that live in southern Chile are also included. mjw
Title: 9 Kilometers
Author: Claudio Aguilera
Illustrator
: Gabriela Lyon
Publisher
: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.
Copyright
: 2023
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Lawrence Schimel
Original Title
: 9 Kilometros
Original Publisher
: Ediciones Ekare Sur,.Santiago, Chile.
Original Copyright
: 2020
ISBN
: 978-0-8028-5600-5
Hardcover pages
: 56
Age range
: 5-9
Genre
: Picture Book
Book setting
: Chile
Author’s ethnicity
: Chilean
Author’s residence
: Chile
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Chilean
Illustrator’s residence
: Chile
Awards
: 2021 White Ravens Catalog (Spanish edition)
Subjects
: Birds, Chile, Counting, Education, Global cultures, Journeys, Kilometers, Math, Numbers, Perseverance, Schools

Rainbow Fish And The Storyteller

Screen Shot 2022-11-12 at 3.01.36 PMIn this ninth story about Rainbow Fish, he meets a new friend, Humbert. Humbert tells the other fish fantastic stories. First, there’s a plug in the bottom of the ocean that, if taken out, all the water in the sea will be drained dry. Next, there are several shoals of fish that are threatening the territory of Rainbow Fish’s friends. And finally, there’s a blue whale living nearby that is going to eat all their food. Now, Rainbow Fish catches on that Humbert is just telling exaggerated stories. When they see Humbert all alone by some rocks, they feel sorry for him and want to help him. They suggest that he should use his storytelling talent to tell interesting and true stories at storytelling shows for everyone. The vibrant, beautiful watercolor paintings enhance this important lesson for young children about making friends and not telling lies. mjw
Title: Rainbow Fish And The Storyteller
Author: Marcus Pfister
Illustrator
: Marcus Pfister
Publisher
: NorthSouth Books, Inc.
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: German
Translator
: David Henry Wilson
Original Title
: Der Regegbogenfisch glaubt nicht alles
Original Publisher
: NordSud Verlag, AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright
: 2022
ISBN
: 978-0-7358-4500-8
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 4-9
Genre
: Picture book
Author’s ethnicity
: Swiss
Author’s residence
: Bern, Switzerland
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Swiss
Illustrator’s residence
: Bern, Switzerland
Subjects
: Animal fiction, Fish, Friendship, Honesty, Truthfulness, Values

The Barren Grounds: The Misewa Saga, Book One

The Barren groundsSeventh grader Eli and eighth grader Morgan are Indigenous foster children in this middle-grade First Nations fantasy. The children feel disconnected from their culture and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home. They find a secret portal in an unfinished attic that leads to another reality, Aski, with frozen, barren grounds. They meet Ochek, a hunter supporting his starving community. He teaches the children traditional ways, and together they embark on a mission to save Misewa. Engaging characters, life lessons, adventure, cliffhangers, evocative descriptions, and twists make this a compelling read about the importance of taking care of the land. “The land provides everything that anybody would need. If you take only what your need, the land renews itself so that it can provide more…In exchange, because we don’t really have anything the land wants, we honor it for what it gives us.” The book is reminiscent of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe. A map of the North Country and a Swampy Cree Glossary and Pronunciation Guide are included. mjw
Title: The Barren Grounds
Author: David A. Robertson
Publisher
: Puffin Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-0735-2661-24
Paperback pages
: 256
Age range
: 10-17
Genre
: Fiction, Novel, Fantasy First Nations
Book setting
: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Author’s ethnicity
: Norway House Cree Nation
Author’s residence
: Winnipeg, Manitoba 
Awards
: Honor Book in the USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Books, Robertson is a two-time winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award
Subjects
: Cree culture, Fantasy, Folk tales, Foster homes, Indigenous stories, Myths, Chronicles of Narnia, Orphans, Traditions

Pablo Neruda Book of Questions

Pablo NerudaThis bilingual Spanish-English edition, the first illustrated selection of 70 questions from Pablo Neruda’s original poem (320 questions), The Book of Questions, is a glorious introduction to Neruda’s works for young children. “Why don’t they teach helicopters how to draw honey from the sun? How did the abandoned bicycle find its freedom? Does the earth chirp like a cricket in the symphony of the skies?” These are a few of the unanswerable imaginative questions posed in the text. The book is large and includes fold-out pages. Blues, reds, and yellows against black or white backgrounds created by pencil and ink have a folk art feel. This is a gorgeous book. mjw
Title:  Pablo Neruda Book Of Questions – Bilingual Spanish-English
Author: Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)
Illustrator
: Paloma Valdivia
Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Books
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: Sara Lissa Paulson
Original Title
: Libro de las Preguntas
Original Copyright
: 1974
ISBN
: 978-1-59270-322-7
Hardcover pages
: 80
Age range
: 5 up
Genre
: Picture Book, Poetry
Author’s ethnicity
: Chilean
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Chilean
Illustrator’s residence
: Santiago, Chile
Awards
: Nobel Prize in Literature 1971
Subjects
: Bilingual, Chilean, Hispanic, Imagination, Poetry, Questions, Spanish

Lands Of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain

Lands of BelongingPublished for the 75th anniversary of the Partition of India, this engaging book is an exploration of the history, achievements, and culture of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain. “This book aims to piece together how South Asian and British history are connected. You might find it interesting, surprising, and sometimes very sad – but for the people of South Asia, and for South Asians in Britain, the future is full of hope and excitement.” The book not only provides historical details but it also spotlights Indian cuisine, traditions, festivals, dances, sports, famous people, language, and more. Included are a table of contents, a calendar of celebrations, a timeline of events, a glossary, and an index. Glorious artwork brings each page to life in this beautiful information book. mjw
Title: Lands Of Belonging: A History Of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain
Author: Donna and Vikesh Amey Bhatt
Illustrator
: Salini Perera
Publisher
: Nosy Crow, London
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-83994-468-0
Hardcover pages
: 64
Age range
: 7-12
Genre
: Nonfiction, Information Book
Book setting
: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Britain
Author’s ethnicity
: East African (Vikesh)
Author’s residence
: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Born in Sri Lanka
Illustrator’s residence
: Toronto
Subjects
: Ancient empires, East India Company, Festivals, Food, Games, Holidays, Independence, Partition, World War I, World War II

It’s Up To Us: Building A Brighter Future For Nature, People, and Planet

It's up to us

This beautifully illustrated book is introduced by King Charles. His call to action for our planet is divided into four sections –Nature, People, Planet, and Terra Carta. The Terra Carta is a plan of action for the Earth created by HRH the Prince of Wales, now King Charles. The text is included in the book. Thirty-three award-winning artists from around the world have contributed wonderful artwork. Profiles of the illustrators are included as back-matter. The story tells how Nature operates and how People have damaged it. Information about the Prince’s Foundation and an index/glossary are also provided. mjw

Title: It’s Up To Us: Building  A Brighter Future For Nature, People, and Planet
Author: Christopher Lloyd
Illustrator
: 33 artists from around the world
Publisher
: What On Earth Books
Copyright
: 2022
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-9137505-6-5
Hardcover pages
: 64
Age range
: 6-10
Genre
: Picture book, Information book, Nonfiction
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: 33 illustrators from around the world
Subjects
: Climate change, Conservation, Earth, Environment, Global community, Green living, Prince of Wales, Recycling, Sustainability. Terra Carta, Values

The Mountain

The Mountain

The bear claims that a mountain is a forest full of trees and green things. The sheep says that a mountain is a meadow with flowers, herbs, fresh smells, and buzzing bees. All the animals have their own opinions in this clever story about different perspectives. The detailed artwork is very appealing and magnificent. mjw

Title: The Mountain
Author: Rebecca Gugger
Illustrator
: Simon Rothlisberger
Publisher
: NorthSouth Books, New York
Copyright
: 2021
Original Language
: German
Translator
: Marshall Yarbrough
Original Title
: Der Berg
Original Publisher
: NordSud Verlag AG. Zurich, Switzerland
Original Copyright
: 2021
ISBN
:978-0-7358-4457-5
Hardcover pages
: 48
Age range
: 4-8
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Swiss
Author’s residence
: Switzerland
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Swiss
Illustrator’s residence
: Switzerland
Subjects
: Ants, Bears, Chamois. Forests, Octopi, Perspectives, Poin of view, Sheep, Snow hare, Tolerance