Tag Archives: Science

Wind: Discovering Air In Motion

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This question-and-answer book features a young girl and her grandfather exploring the wind’s role in world history and earth science. Topics include: Where does the wind come from? What are the different types of wind? How does the wind help plants and animals? How has the wind affected history? What are ways we harness the power of wind? The answers offer many vocabulary words clearly explained. The richly textured double-page spreads were created with acrylic, collage, and digital media. They are breathtaking. mjw

Title: Wind: Discovering Air In Motion Author: Olga Fadeeva Illustrator: Olga Fadeeva Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan Copyright: 2023 Original Language: Russian Translator: Lena Traer Original Title: Bemep Original Publisher: Rech Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5599-2 Hardcover pages: 48 Age range: 7-11 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: Air, Earth Science, Ecology, History, Meteorology, Nature, Science, STEAM, Weather

The Hunt For The Nightingale

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Ten-year-old Jasper is waiting for his beloved nightingale to return to his garden to sing. He is also waiting for his sister, who has been away at college. His parents are sad and preoccupied and are not paying him much attention. So, Jasper sets out alone with his backpack, his Book of Birds, survival tools, and his courage, on a walk to find them both. On his way, he meets new friends who are also searching for lost things, discovers nature, learns to handle his loss and grief, and finds his way again. Thirty-eight wondrous bird facts are sprinkled throughout the book. Black-and-white sketches of birds further enhance this moving story. The endpapers depict all of the birds mentioned by Jasper on his journey.

Title: The Hunt For The Nightingale Author: Sarah Ann Juckes Illustrator: Sharon King-Chai Publisher: Kane Miller Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English ISBN: 978-1-68464-947-1 Paperback pages: 272 Age range: 9 up Genre: Fiction Book setting: England Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: East Sussex, England Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian Illustrator’s residence: London Subjects: Anxiety disorder, Bereavement, Birds, Death, Grief, Hope, Loss, Maps, Wilderness

The Tree That Was A World

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“The Tree That Was a World” by Yorick Goldewijk is a middle-grade book that weaves together the interconnected stories of seventeen creatures who all live beneath an ancient tree as old as the world itself. Each animal character grapples with existential questions and dreams that go beyond their expected lives—a sloth yearns to somersault, a moon moth caterpillar chooses her own path, a barn swallow searches for something she’s forgotten, and a red squirrel suspects he might actually be human. Through these surreal and thought-provoking narratives, the book explores themes of identity, belonging, and the nature of existence, all while maintaining a hilarious and imaginative tone. The creatures’ philosophical musings and quirky personalities create an unforgettable cast that challenges readers to think deeply about consciousness and what it means to be alive. The spectacular, magical mixed media illustrations by New York Times/NYPL Best Illustrated awardee Jeska Verstegen bring this extraordinary world to life, complementing the book’s whimsical and contemplative storytelling with visual artistry that captures both the wonder and strangeness of the tree’s diverse inhabitants. mjw

Title: The Tree That Was A World Author: Yorick Goldewijk Illustrator: Jessica Verstegen Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2025 Original Language: Dutch Translator: Laura Watkinson Original Title: De boom die een wereld was Original Publisher: Uitgeverij Ploegsma. Netherlands Original Copyright: 2025 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5650-0 Hardcover pages: 88 Age range: 8-14 Genre: Short Stories Author’s ethnicity: Dutch Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch Illustrator’s residence: Amsterdam Awards: Translator has won three Batchelder awards Subjects: Creatures, Trees

The Gray City

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Robin has moved to a new city where everything is gray – buildings, traffic, people, streets, her school, and even all the paint in a paint shop. She sets out in search of color. At school, she meets Alani, who hates “all this gray business.” Together, they use their detective skills to discover that the faceless Gray Works is responsible for the lack of color in the city. She and Alani sneak into the building and adjust the company’s controls to colorful. The Gray City’s colors had been hidden. Now it’s full of color. This imaginative story has eleven chapters with quite a bit of text for a picture book. The illustrations are masterful in this introduction to color theory, which is explained in the back matter. mjw

Title: The Gray City Author: Torben Kuhlmann Illustrator: Torben Kuhlmann Publisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc., New York Copyright: 2024 Original Language: German Translator: David Henry Wilson Original Title: Die graue Stadt Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag AG, Zurich, Switzerland Original Copyright: 2023 ISBN: 978-0-7358-4554-1 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 6-10 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: German Author’s residence: Hamburg Illustrator’s ethnicity: German Illustrator’s residence: Hamburg Awards: 2019 Batchelder for Edison Subjects: Cities, Color, Color Theory, Discovery, Imagination, Libraries, Mystery, Science

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

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

Big Gorilla: A Book Of Opposites

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This brief, oversized concept book teaches young readers about opposites. What’s the opposite of alone? Together. What’s the opposite of old? Young. Anthony Browne’s delightful depictions of different kinds of primates, with their intriguingly detailed facial expressions, will educate and entertain. The surreal primate portraits were rendered in watercolor and gouache. mjw

Title: Big Gorilla: A Book Of Opposites Author: Anthony Browne Illustrator: Anthony Browne Publisher: Candlewick Press Copyright: 2024 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Walker Books Ltd. UK  Original Copyright: 2024 ISBN: 978- 1-5362-3569-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 3-5 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: English Author’s residence: England Illustrator’s ethnicity: English Illustrator’s residence: England Awards: 2000 Hans Christian Andersen Award Subjects: Apes, Concepts, Gorillas, Monkeys, Opposites, Primates

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

Room On Our Rock

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There are two ways to read this story. When read conventionally, from front to back, it tells the tale of a group of seals and a seagull on their rock who are afraid of some approaching seals who have nowhere to go because their rock is being engulfed by the sea.  The first seals cry out, “This rock is ours. Go back to your own. Shoo! Go away!” They insist that the newcomers cannot join their rock group. The danger of the sea builds. However, there are two sides to every story. At the end of the first standard reading – “No room on this rock? Can it be true? Read back to front for another point of view.” When read this way, with the exact same words on every page, sharing, acceptance, and generosity emerge. “There’s space for plenty more. So it’s ridiculous to say – There’s no room on our rock.” The story now becomes an uplifting tale of hope. The seals on the rock welcome the struggling refugees. A subdued palette of soft blue-gray watercolors portrays the marine environment in the clever two-sided story.  This book is a companion volume to Move That Mountain by the same authors and illustrator. mjw

Title: Room On Our Rock Author: Kate and Jol Temple Illustrator: Terri Rose Baynton Publisher: Kane Miller, A division of EDC Publishing Copyright: 2019 Original Language: English Original Publisher: Scholastic Press. Australia Original Copyright: 2018 ISBN: 978-1-61067-902-2 Hardcover pages: 32 Age range: 4-8 Genre: Picture Book Author’s ethnicity: Australian (both Kate and  Jol) Author’s residence: Sydney, Australia (both Kate and Jol) Illustrator’s ethnicity: New Zealander Illustrator’s residence: Taupo, New Zealand Awards: Charlotte Huck Award 2020 Subjects: Acceptance, Compassion, Danger, Fear, Inclusion, Marine life, Refugees, Rejection, Seals, Sharing, Exclusion

Tibbles The Cat

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A curious house cat named Tibbles and her owner move across the world from England to a small island off the coast of New Zealand in 1894. The cat discovers a new, rare species of flightless birds – the Stephens Island Wren – that had been previously undescribed. Unfortunately, Tibbles causes the extinction of the bird by preying on it. This true story made a huge impact on the world by alerting humans to the dangers of introducing non-native animals to other parts of the world. Included are interesting facts about the bird and its discovery. The vintage-inspired illustrations, speech bubbles, and diagrams enhance this darkly comedic story that brings global awareness of the unintended consequences of human actions on the environment. mjw

Title: Tibbles The Cat Author: Michael Sanda Illustrator: David Dolensky Publisher: Albatros Media Group Copyright: 2023 Translator: Mark Worthington Original Publisher: Meander. Prague ISBN: 978-8000070056 Hardcover pages: 24 Age range: 6-9 Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction, Information Book Book setting: New Zealand Author’s ethnicity: Czech Author’s residence: Prague, Czech Republic Illustrator’s ethnicity: Czech Illustrator’s residence: Prague, Czech Republic Subjects: Birds, Cats, Comics, Conservation, England, Extinction, Graphic novels, New Zealand, Ornithology, Stephens Island Wren, Zoology