Tag Archives: Nature

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

Caterpillar Chryzzle

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Worm and caterpillar are best friends, They go for crawls and they love to sit and talk. One day caterpillar starts describing a strange and quite bewildering feeling – he is chryzzaling. He fixes himself to a stalk and wonders about life’s secrets and surprises and the deeper meaning of it all. Worm only giggles, shakes his head, and crawls away. He therefore misses when a butterfly emerges from the chrysalis and soars up into the sky. The clear, delicate-style watercolor paintings, filled with amazing details, combine realism and fantasy to round out this beautiful work. The author is one of the most successful children’s songwriters and musicians in Switzerland, Many of his songs have become true classics. He gives over 100 concerts each year in Switzerland. A QR code in the book leads to his song “Caterpillar Chryzzle.” . mjw

Title: Caterpillar Chryzzle Author: Andrew Bond Illustrator: Julie Volk Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc. New York Copyright: 2025 Original Language: German Original Title: Die Raupe spinnt Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG. Zurich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4559-6 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: The author grew up in DR Congo, UL, and Switzerland Author’s residence: Wadenswil, Switzerland Illustrator’s residence: Vienna, Austria Awards: IBBY Honor Illustrator Subjects: Butterflies, Caterpillars, Chrysalis, Metamorphosis, New experiences, Worms

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

My Name Is Long As A River

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Kaveri Thanjavur Jayalakshmi Ganesan doesn’t think her very long name is special. She wants to be called Kav. Her paati (grandmother) explains that her name comes from her family’s heritage, where she was born, and the powerful Kaveri River in South India. Kav learns that it is okay to have a long name and that she should be proud of it.  She was carefully named and each of her four names bonds her to her family and her homeland. The language in the book is beautiful and full of lovely imagery. The radiant artwork was rendered in gouache. Backmatter includes a glossary with pronunciations; an author’s note; tips on pronouncing names; a map and information about the Kaveri River; and some poems and sayings about Kaveri from ancient Tamil Sangam literature and Kannada, Kodav, and Sanskrit languages. mjw

Title: Hannah’s Winter Author: Suma Subramaniam Illustrator: Tara Anand Publisher: Penguin Workshop Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0593-522936 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: India Author’s ethnicity: Indian Author’s residence: Seattle, Washington Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: New York City Subjects: Culture, Festivals, Ganesha, Goddesses, Multigenerational family life, Rivers, Sarees, Self-confidence, Self-esteem, Traditions

Genius Noses: A Curious Animal Compendium

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This 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

Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie

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Buffy Sainte-Marie was adopted out of her Nehiyawe (Cree) community as a baby and taught herself how to play the piano at age three. Her famous song “Universal Soldier” was released in 1963. She appeared regularly on Sesame Street from 1975 until 1981. She became a peace activist, an advocate for Indigenous-focused education, and a strong supporter of Indigenous rights. Buffy’s songs have inspired three generations of fans and received international fame and many awards. The comic-inspired illustrations in this engaging book were created using a blend of digital tools and traditional media. Sketches were created with a Wacom tablet and Photoshop, then traced onto watercolor paper, where color and texture were added using gouache and watercolor paints. Ink was used to add the black lines to finish the look. Back matter includes a timeline of Buffy’s life and historical photos of her performing. mjw

Title: Meet Buffy Sainte-Marie Author: Elizabeth MacLeod Illustrator: Mike Deas Publisher: Scholastic Canada Ltd. Toronto, Canada Copyright: 2023 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1443196123 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book, Biography, Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: Canada and U.S. Author’s ethnicity: Canadian Author’s residence: Toronto Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: British Columbia Subjects: Activism, Biography, Canadiana, Composers, Creativity, Cree Indians, Indigenous, Music, Musicians, Peace, Singers, Social activists

Water: Discovering The Precious Resource All Around Us

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This question-and-answer book features a young girl and her grandfather exploring water’s role in world history and earth science. Topics include: How much water is there on earth? Why does it rain? How are rainbows and water related? How is a sea different from an ocean? What lives in our oceans? How powerful is water? What is life without water? How can we protect our planet’s water? The answers offer many vocabulary words clearly explained in the energetic text. The book’s endpapers reveal fascinating water facts. To illustrate the book, the author/artist sprinkled, dripped, and thinned acrylic paints with water. Approximately ten liters (2.6 gallons) of water were used to create the book’s gorgeous artwork. mjw

Title: Water: Discovering The Precious Resource All Around Us Author: Olga Fadeeva Illustrator: Olga Fadeeva Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2024 Original Language: Russian Translator: Lena Traer Original Title: Boda Original Publisher: Rech Original Copyright: 2022 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5622-7 Hardcover pages: 56 Age range: 8-14 Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book Author’s ethnicity: Russian Author’s residence: St. Petersburg, Russia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Russian Illustrator’s residence: St. Petersburg, Russia Subjects: Earth Science, Ecology, History, Natural resources, Nature, Oceans, Rain, Science, Seas, STEAM. Weather

Agreement Under The Stars

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There 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

Puppet

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The aging English puppeteer Silvester creates one last puppet, named Puppet.  Puppet is different because he can talk and move on his own. Silvester takes Puppet to show him the wonders of the big wide world – reading books, love, growing up, music, play-acting, and much more. They meet new friends, Fleur and her mother, and they share Silvester’s puppet-making skills with the next generation. This is a heartwarming story about creativity, imagination, and the circle of life. The language is rich and warm. This beautiful tale, inspired by Pinocchio, is illustrated with quirky black-and-white drawings. mjw

Title: Puppet Author: David Almond Illustrator: Lizzy Stewart Publisher: Candlewick Press. Somerville, Massachusetts Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-3917-1 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 8 up Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: London Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Award, Carnegie Medal, Printz Medal Subjects: Circle of life, Community, Creativity, Death, Imagination, Magic, Old age, Play, Puppetmasters, Puppets, Storytelling, Trust

HaiCuba/HaiKuba: Haikus About Cuba

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Cuba’s people, culture, and natural world are featured in bilingual haikus written in Spanish and English in this brilliant picture book. An introduction explains the poetic form. Discover Cuba’s national bird, the Tocororo, whose feathers resemble the flag of Cuba. Learn about Havana neighborhoods, salsa dancing, the Almendares River, candied sweets, and much more. The fun, vibrant illustrations were created with watercolors, colored pencils, gouache, and acrylics. Back matter gives information on the topics covered in the poems. A map of Cuba is presented on the endpapers. mjw

Title: HaiCuba/HaiKuba: Hiakus About Cuba Author: Carlos Pintado and Lawrence Schimel Illustrator: Juan Jose Colsa Publisher: Ediciones NorteSur. Distributed by Simon & Schuster. New York Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English and Spanish Bilingual ISBN: 978-0-7358-4568-8 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Poetry, haiku. Picture Book Book setting: Cuba Author’s ethnicity: PIntado – Cuban. Schimel – U.S. Author’s residence: Pintado – Miami. Schimel – New York and Madrid Illustrator’s ethnicity: Mexican Awards: Schimel has won a White Raven Award and a Bachelder Honor. Subjects: Birds, Caribbean, Dance, Flags, Haikus, Islands, Havana, Latin America, People and Places, Poetry, Rivers, Trees