Tag Archives: Nature

Dragonfly Kites/Pimithaagansa

Dragonfly KitesTwo 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

The Bear Who Wasn’t There: And The Fabulous Forest

the-bear-who-wasnt-thereA very positive bear, who is nice and handsome, too, sets out on a journey to find himself. With the help of Turtle Taxi, he travels through the Fabulous Forest that has eight directions – north, south, east, west, breakfast, lunch, right, and wrong. He meets Convenience Cow, Lazy Lizard, and Penultimate Penguin. In the end, he finds that he himself is just what he has been looking for all along. The musical wordplay and unusual illustrations in this absurd, clever, and philosophical story will remind readers of Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland, and The Wizard of Oz. mjw
Title: The Bear Who Wasn’t There: And The Fabulous Forest
Author: Oren Lavie
Illustrator
: Wolf Erlbruch
Publisher
: Black Sheep/Akashic Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: German
Original Title
: Der Bar Der Nicht da War
Original Publisher
: Verlag Antje Kunstmann GmbH
Original Copyright
: 2014
ISBN
: 978-1-61775-490-6
Hardcover pages
: 48
Age range
: 4-10
Genre
: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Born in Tel Aviv
Author’s residence
: Tel Aviv
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: German
Illustrator’s residence
: Germany
Awards
: Illustrator has won the German Children’s Book Prize,  the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, and the 2017 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Subjects
: Bears, Identity, Nature

Are You An Echo? The Lost Poetry Of Misuzu Kaneko

are-you-an-echoMisuzu 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

Chirri and ChirraTwo 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

Teacup

teacupThis picture book is a simplistically beautiful tale about a boy who journeys to find a new home on a boat with a teacup that is filled with dirt. The gorgeous illustrations effectively reflect the various colors, light, and perspectives of the environments. Every page includes lovely views of the sky, water, ocean, and the various creatures that inhabit them. The book is a wonderful story about a voyage full of personal growth, perseverance, hope, and the promise of a friendship. Readers of all ages and backgrounds will find this story resonating. ema

 

 

Title: Teacup
Author: Rebecca Young
Illustrator
: Matt Ottley
Publisher
: Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
Original Publisher: Scholastic Australia
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7352-2777-4
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range: 4-8
Genre
: Fiction Picture Book
Authors’ ethnicity: Australian
Authors’ residence
: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Australian
Illustrator’s residence
: New South Wales, Australia
Awards: 2016 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, and the 2016 NSW Premier’s Literary Award
Subjects: Journeys, Oceans, Sailing, Trees

The Wolves Of Currumpaw

The wolves of CThis 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

The Lie Tree

Screen Shot 2016-07-20 at 10.03.20 AM14-year-old, Faith, is trying to find her place in Victorian England. Her father, a natural scientist, is falling from power when his work is uncovered as a fabrication. The whole Sunderly family moves to the island of Vane to avoid disgrace. When Faith’s father is found dead in an apparent suicide, Faith refuses to believe the local narrative and starts a personal investigation into the death. She acts as a natural scientist to find clues including a strange tree that grows on lies that she whispers to it in the dead of the night. This gothic mystery will keep readers engrossed as they follow Faith’s journey to uncover the truth.  amo
Title: The Lie Tree
Author: Frances Hardinge
Publisher
: Amulet Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
Original Publisher
: Macmillan U.K.
Original Copyright
: 2015
ISBN
: 978-1-4197-1895-3
Hardcover pages
: 410
Age range
: 12-18
Genre
: Mystery
Book setting
: England
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: England
Awards
: Costa Book Of The Year 2015, Carnegie Medal Shortlist 2016
Subjects
: Science, Victorian England

Trunk To Trunklet

51NP5FIKmdLIn this rhyming picture book readers will learn about animals and their babies. Each page is a new verse about a different animal mother and her young. The illustrations are black and white rubbings with accents of color on each page. They highlight the natural forms and shapes of the animals that we see in our world. Young readers will love learning about the connection that these baby animals have to their mothers.  amo
Title: Trunk To Trunklet
Author: Jorge Luján
Illustrator
: Mandana Sadat
Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: Spanish
Translator
: John Oliver Simon
Original Title
:
Original Publisher
: Enchanted Lion Books
Original Copyright
: 2016
ISBN
: 978-1-5927-0194-0
Hardcover pages
: 32
Age range
: 3-7
Genre
: Information, Poetry, Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: Argentinian
Author’s residence
: Mexico
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: Belgian
Illustrator’s residence
: Paris, France
Subjects
: Animals, Bears, Cats, Elephants, Kangaroos, Lambs, Monkeys, Owls, Pigeons, Seals, Tigers

The Perfect Tree

mediumYoung 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

Smart About Sharks

Screen Shot 2016-07-26 at 1.44.10 PMAnother outstanding information picture book written and illustrated by Owen Davey. Readers will love the crisp, realistic colors that portray their favorite sharks, such as the great white and hammerhead, as well as unusual sharks like the sand devil shark. With an informational table of contents and an index, it is easy to navigate to learn anything about sharks from their place in mythology to shark social life. Each page is perfectly balanced with educational facts intermixed with lively sharks that look as if they are swimming in and out of the pages. This well researched book will immerse all readers in fascinating facts about the most well-known predator of the seas.  amo
Title: Smart About Sharks
Author: Owen Davey
Illustrator
: Owen Davey
Publisher
: Flying Eye Books
Copyright
: 2016
Original Language
: English
ISBN
: 978-1-9092-6391-8
Hardcover pages
: 40
Age range
: 7-12
Genre
: Information Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity
: English
Author’s residence
: United Kingdom
Illustrator’s ethnicity
: English
Illustrator’s residence
: United Kingdom
Subjects
: Mythology, Ocean Animals, Sharks, World Records

The Saver Of The Almond Tree

The Saver of the Alamond TreeThis 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

The StormA 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