Tag Archives: Nature

Under My Tree

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When Susanne, who lives in the city, visits her grandmother, she discovers a special tree in the forest. She observes unique things about her tree, such as a family of owls, the rough bark of the tree, the fruit growing on the tree, hundreds of insects, and more. She brings her friend Max to visit her tree. She won’t see her tree much in the winter, but she knows that her tree hibernates and that it will be there when she visits next year.  Integrated into the text are facts about trees and activities that will encourage readers to learn more about trees. The warm illustrations will teach children to appreciate and respect nature. mjw

Title: Under My Tree Author: Muriel Tallandier Illustrator: Mizuho Fujisawa Publisher: Blue Dot Kids Press, San Francisco, CA Copyright: 2020 Original Language: French Translator: Sarah Klinger Original Title: Sous Mon Arbre Original Publisher: Editions Grund Original Copyright: 2018 ISBN: 978-1-7331212-3-1 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-8 Genre: Picture Book, Information book Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: France Illustrator’s ethnicity: Japanese Illustrator’s residence: France Subjects: Biodiversity, Country life, Environment, Forests, Multigenerational, Trees

One World Many Colors

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“We share one world. We share many colors.” This beautiful book explores the world and its vibrant colors. White shines and sparkles in the deserts of Oman, in icy Antarctica, and in sunny Australia. Pink blooms and brightens in the blossoms of Japan, in a Paris bakery, and in the flamingos in Kenya. Other colors can be found all over the world. A map of the journey is included that highlights all the locations and objects seen. Color words are given in seven different languages. The vivid illustrations are loaded with small details that are fun to find. A note from the author explains about colors and that we all share the same world – a world we should cherish. mjw

Title: One World Many Colors Author: Ben Lerwill Illustrator: Alette Straathof Publisher: Quarto Publishing, plc Copyright: 2020 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-0-7112-4983-7 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 5-7 Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: The world Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Oxfordshire, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Paris, France Subjects: Cities, Colors, Cultures, Fauna, Flora, Nature, Rural, Travel books, World

When Spring Comes To The DMZ

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The beautiful paintings in this book show the changing seasons and the variety of wildlife that live peacefully in the Demilitarized Zone of Korea. Readers can also see the ever-present fences and soldiers. Salmon swim bravely upstream and mountain goats jump after their mother.  Grandfather goes to the DMZ every season and dreams of flinging the gates wide open and walking inside and looking up into the blue sky. The book is part of the Peace Picture Book Project by illustrators from Korea, China, and Japan. A map of Korea and historical facts are included as back matter and the endpapers provide a world map. mjw

Title: When Spring Comes To The DMZ Author: Uk-Bae Lee Illustrator: Uk-Bae Lee Publisher: Plough Publishing House. New York Copyright: 2019 Original Language: Korean Translator: Aileen Won Original Title: Bimujang chidae e bom i omyon Original Publisher: Sakyejul Publishing Ltd. Paju, Korea Original Copyright: 2010 ISBN: 978-0-87486-972-9 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction Book setting: Korea Author’s ethnicity: Korean Author’s residence: Korea Illustrator’s ethnicity: Korean Illustrator’s residence: Korea Awards: 2020 ALA Mildred Batchelder Honor Award Subjects: Grandfathers, Korean Demilitarized Zone, Seasons, Soldiers

A Good Day

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The cat and the tiger are best of friends.  Every day the cat visits the tiger in the zoo.  He is very punctual.  They spend a great deal of time together and they talk about everything.  The tiger wishes he could be free to go back home to the jungle.  They devise a plan for the tiger to escape from the zoo.  The intricately detailed illustrations depict the zoo perfectly. mjw

Title: A Good Day Author: Daniel Nesquens Illustrator: Miren Asiain Lora Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2019 Original Language: Spanish Original Title: Un Buen Dia Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5530-5 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s residence: Spain Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Buenos Aire , Argentina Subjects: Cats, Freedom, Tigers, Zoos

Child Of St. Kilda

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Norman John Gilles was one of the last children born on St. Kilda, a group of islands with high cliffs off the Scottish coast.   People lived there for over four thousand years, thriving in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. They survived on sea birds, eggs, and potatoes. There was no crime or need for money.  They had no automobiles.  They trusted and cared for each other. The community came to an abrupt end in 1930 when the remaining St. Kildans begged the British government to evacuate them to the mainland. No one knows what happened. Today, the islands have become a World Heritage Site, recognized for their unique wildlife and vanished culture. The book concludes with a St. Kilda Sketchbook that provides more information and a map.  The stunning images were created by hand using monoprinting techniques. mjw

Title: Child Of St. Kilda Author: Beth Waters Illustrator: Beth Waters Publisher: Child’s Play. Auburn, Maine. USA Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-78628-188-3 Hardcover pages: 64  Age range: 4-9 Genre: Picture Book, Information Book, Nonfiction Book setting: Scotland Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Cambridge, U.K. Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Cambridge, U.K. Subjects: Birds, History, Immigration, Mystery, Storms, Survival

Song Of The River

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Cam the mountain boy wishes he could go to the sea.  He follows the river from its source as a trickle of water running through pine trees all the way to the coast.  He follows it through the forest, farmlands, and towns.  Rich, detailed landscape illustrations explore the world of the river. mjw

Title: Song Of The River Author: Joy Cowley Illustrator: Kimberly Andrews Publisher: Gecko Press. New Zealand Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English  ISBN: 978-1-776572-53-3 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: North America Author’s ethnicity: New Zealander Author’s residence: Wellington, New Zealand Illustrator’s ethnicity: Canadian Illustrator’s residence: New Zealand Subjects: Grandfathers, Rivers, Sea, Stream

The Rhythm Of The Rain

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Issac is playing with a jar of water in his favorite pool on the side of the mountain until it starts to rain. When the rain stops, he follows the streams of water down the mountainside, over a waterfall, and into deeper and wider rivers.  Through the countryside and through the city, Issac wonders where the water from his jar has gone.  Eventually it reaches the great ocean.  Storms occur and some of the water climbs, as mist, into the sky.  The mist cools and turns into a cloud that floats over a mountain in a country far away from Issac’s pool.  Rain falls and the cycle begins again as it has done for millions of years.  Digitally created full-bleed landscapes of blues and greens (with silver rain on the book jacket) show the story of the water cycle. mjw

Title: The Rhythm Of The Rain Author: Grahame Baker-Smith Illustrator: Grahame Baker-Smith Publisher: Templar Books, an imprint of Candlewick Press Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English Original Copyright: 2018 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0575-6 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 4 up Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: Bath, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: Bath, England Awards: 2011 Kate Greenaway Medal Subjects: Rain, Rivers, Water cycle, Weather

You’re Strong With Me

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A new baby giraffe bounds through the grasslands and her mother tells her not to wander off on her own. The mother explains the oxpecker bird, fire, baby fish in the creek, and always proclaims, “…you’re strong with me.” Shades of brown and gold and triangle and diamond shapes are reminiscent of African textiles.  The original artwork was created with ink on paper and completed digitally.  Companion books are You’re Safe With Me and You’re Snug With Me. mjw

Title: You’re Strong With Me Author: Chitra Soundar Illustrator: Poonam Mistry Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd.  London Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-911373-75-9 Hardcover pages: 40 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book, Folklore Book setting: African Grasslands Author’s ethnicity: Indian born British Author’s residence: London Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian Illustrator’s residence: U.K. Awards: 2019 Kate Greenaway Shortlist Subjects: Baby animals, Giraffes, Grasslands, New experiences, Parents

Cherry Blossom And Paper Planes

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Adin and Dina are best friends.   They live on a farm and share a love of cherries, climbing the trees to eat the fruit, and saving the pits to plant around the village.  When Adin moves to the city, Dina misses him and her summer becomes long and lonely.  Adin is lonely, too, in the city.  Dina’s father takes her to the city to visit Adin.  They climb to a balcony on Adin’s apartment building and fold paper airplanes that can hold the cherry pits.  They send the planes into the air.  After a long winter apart, spring arrives and the blossoming cherry trees seem to provide a trail between the two best friends.  The rich illustrations that are hand-drawn using gouache and pen gently depict the green and yellow village and the city Adin and his mother move to.  This is a sensitive story about the power of friendship. mjw

Title: Cherry Blossom And Paper Planes Author: Jef Aerts Illustrator: Sanne te Loo Publisher: Floris Books Copyright: 2020 Original Language: Dutch Translator: Polly Lawson Original Title: Kersenhemel Original Publisher: Em Querido’s Uitgeverij Original Copyright: 2017 ISBN: 978-178250-561-7 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Belgian Author’s residence: Belgium Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch Subjects: Cherry blossoms, Cities, Farms, Paper planes, Farms

The Jasmine Sneeze

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Haroun is a happy cat living in Damascus, Syria.  He loves lazing and sleeping on the marble floor next to the fountain in his favorite courtyard.  But Haroun has a problem.  The fragrance of the beautiful jasmine flowers causes him to sneeze.  He decides to eradicate the problem by putting old fish skeletons, chicken bones, and other stinky smells into the jasmine tree pots. However, the jasmine spirit is watching his every move.  She is not happy and so she counter attacks Haroun in a funny way.  Haroun learns his lesson and peace returns to Damascus.  The illustrations are bright and cheery.  An author’s note explains more about Damascus, the City of Jasmine.  mjw

Title: The Jasmine Sneeze Author: Nadine Kaadan Illustrator: Nadine Kaadan Publisher: Lantana Publishing, Ltd. Copyright: 2018 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Lantana Publishing Ltd. United Kingdom Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-911373-31-5 Hardcover pages: 36 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Damascus, Syria Author’s ethnicity: Syrian Author’s residence: United Kingdom Illustrator’s ethnicity: Syrian Illustrator’s residence: United Kingdom Subjects: Cats, Flowers, Jasmine

Patience, Miyuki

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A young Japanese girl Miyuki anxiously awaits spring with her grandfather.  One sleepy flower doesn’t bloom and Miyuki goes in search of the finest water to awaken the precious and delicate flower.  Her grandfather suggests that she just sit in the sunshine with him and watch and wait.  The magical illustrations with bold origami floral patterns are rendered in watercolor and colored pencils.  They invite children to pay attention to the natural world. mjw

Title: Patience, Miyuki Author: Roxane Marie Galliez Illustrator: Seng Sound Ratanavanh Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press. New York Copyright: 2019 Original Language: French Original Title: Attends Miyuki Original Publisher: De La Martiniere Jeunesse. Paris Original Copyright: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-61689-843-4 Hardcover pages: 28 Age range: 5-8 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: Japan Author’s ethnicity: French Author’s residence: Saint-Etienne, France Illustrator’s ethnicity: French Illustrator’s residence: Paris, France Subjects: Flowers, Gardens, Grandfathers, Kindness, Patience, Spring, Water

Koala

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Beautiful watercolor illustrations and interesting text introduce young readers to koalas.  Baby koalas are called joeys.  They drink milk in their mothers’ pouches.  The koala in this story gets swatted from his mother’s pouch because it is time for him to find his own way, forage for food, and escape from predators.  Factual material is included in smaller print.  The last page of the book contains even more information about koalas. The book concludes with an index. mjw

Title: Koala Author: Claire Saxby Illustrator: Julie Vivas Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-5362-0896-2 Paperback pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: Australia Author’s ethnicity: Australian Author’s residence: Melbourne, Australia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian Illustrator’s residence: Sydney, Australia Subjects: Australia, Eucalypts, Koalas, Marsupials, Zoology