Tag Archives: Science

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

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

Panthera Tigris

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A highly educated scientist whose knowledge is astounding realizes that he knows nothing about Bengal tigers.  He reads every book about tigers that he can find and concludes that he must travel to the Indian jungle to learn more.  After his long journey, he asks a local hunter to be his guide.  He proceeds to tell the guide all he knows about tigers. He doesn’t stop talking and the guide never gets a word in.  When confronted by a magnificent tiger, the guide climbs the nearest tree and the scientist learns that the guide’s practical experience is best.  The tale is inspired by Swami Prajnanpad, a modern Indian guru and philosopher (1891-1974).  Fine lined drawings splashed with greens, browns, and neon orange complement the humorous text.  They include complicated diagrams and anatomical details. mjw
Title: Panthera Tigris
Author: Sylvain Alzial
Illustrator: Helene Rajcak
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: French
Translator: Vineet Lal and Sarah Ardizzone
Original Title: Panthera Tigris
Original Publisher: Rouergue. Paris
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-0-802855299
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: India
Author’s ethnicity: Born in Monaco
Author’s residence: Paris
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: Paris
Subjects: Bengal tigers, Humor, Scientific expeditions

The Forest

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This beautiful book is for those who are captivated by a walk in the forest.  The open-ended mystery of what lies beyond the forest is achieved through bold illustrations, embossing, die cuts, and gatefolds.  The elaborate embossed images show first a baby, then a young child, and on through to an old, wrinkled face.  New greenery grows from lines in the landscape.  This stunning work of art is about the adventure of life. mjw
Title: The Forest
Author: Riccardo Bozzi
Illustrator: Violeta Lopiz and Valerio Vidali
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: Italian
Translator: Debbie Vidali
Original Title: La Foresta
Original Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books, New York
Original Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 978-1-59270-218-3
Paperback pages: 72
Age range: 10 up
Genre: Picture Book, Information Book
Author’s ethnicity: Italian
Author’s residence: Italy
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish – Lopiz, Italian – Vidali
Illustrator’s residence: Ibiza, Spain.  Berlin
Awards: A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2018
Subjects: Allegory, Explorers, Forests and forestry, Metaphysical, Natural world, Paper engineering, Toy book

Milky Way

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In the remote mountains of Ladakh in India, Tashi is worried about his friend the roly-poly moon.  The moon always gives him “a special smile-eyes closed and no teeth showing,” But every night, the moon gets smaller and smaller until it eventually disappears.  Tashi thinks this is because the moon doesn’t get enough milk to drink.  So Tashi leaves a tall glass of milk on the window sill every night for the moon, and little by little the moon gets its full round shape back with its special smile.  Tashi’s grandma explains the phases of the moon.  Bold, colorful illustrations enhance the fun story.  A glossary of Ladakhi words and a note about Ladakh is included.  A lesson plan can be downloaded from the Yali Books website. mjw
Title: Milky Way
Author: Mamta Nainy
Illustrator: Siddhartha Tripathi
Publisher: Yali Books.  New York
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-9890615-6-8
Hardcover pages: 44
Age range: 4-6
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Ladakh, India
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: New Delhi
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: Ahmedabad
Subjects: Buddhism, Culture, Himalayas, Moon, Tibet

Birdsong

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In spring, Katherena and her mother pack up their belongings and move from their home in the city by the sea.  Their new home sits on a hill overlooking a field and another home.  An older woman named Agnes lives in that home.  In summer, Katherena visits Agnes, whose yard is filled with berries, flowers, and birds.  In fall, Katherena visits Agnes again and again and they talk about the moon and the seasons.  In winter, it’s harder for Agnes to get around and Katherena draws pictures.  In the next spring, Agnes has grown weaker and Katherena decorates Agnes’s room with all of her drawings.  The textured illustrations in this book were rendered in TBC.  They warmly depict the story of a young girl and an elderly woman who share their love of nature and art.  A glossary explains Cree words that are integrated into the text. mjw
Title: Birdsong
Author: Julie Flett
Illustrator: Julie Flett
Publisher: Greystone Books Ltd.
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77164-473-0
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 3-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Cree-Metis
Author’s residence: Vancouver, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Cree-Metis
Illustrator’s residence: Vancouver, Canada
Awards: 2020 ALA American Indian Literature Award, 2020 USBBY Outstanding International Books List
Subjects: Emotions, Indigenous, Intergenerational friendship, Nature, Seasons

The Elephant

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The illustrations of the elephants in this book are done in watercolor, acrylic, pencil, and crayon. They are accurate, strikingly detailed, and beautifully rendered.  They make the book!   Here, we join a young boy as he learns interesting facts about Asian and African elephants.  Elephants are intelligent and have amazing memories and excellent hearing.  They walk on their tip-toes and are either right-tusked or left-tusked.  Tusks can be as long as two seven-year-old children from toe to toe.  An introductory note describes modern threats to elephants and a map shows where these fascinating animals live today. mjw
Title: The Elephant
Author: Jenni Desmond
Illustrator: Jenni Desmond
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books.  New York
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-59270-264-0
Hardcover pages: 48
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Nonfiction, Information book
Author’s ethnicity: British
Author’s residence: London
Illustrator’s ethnicity: British
Illustrator’s residence: London
Subjects: Africa, African elephants, Asiatic elephants, India, Zoology

Coming Home

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A lone Scandinavian robin migrates across Europe to Great Britain in the winter to escape the harsher northern winters and to find his mate before Christmas. The striking illustrations of the red-breasted bird were created digitally. Robin migration facts are included. mjw
Title: Coming Home
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator: Kerry Hyndman
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Copyright: 2018
Original Language: English 
Original Publisher: David Fickling Books, Oxford
Original Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0042-3
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 3-7
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Scandinavia, Britain
Author’s ethnicity: English
Author’s residence: Devon, England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: London, England
Subjects: Birds Christmas, Holidays, Robins

Hey There, Earth Dweller!

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This quirky Earth Science book takes readers through a plethora of subjects including the big bang, the history of humankind, climate change, the galaxy, and beyond. A combination of photography and mixed media illustrations add a humorous touch to this comprehensive and engaging read. mm
Title: Hey There, Earth Dweller!
Author: Marc ter Horst
Illustrator: Wendy Panders
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division/ Aladdin/Beyond Words
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: Dutch
Translator: Laura Watkinson
Original Title: Hé aardbewoner!
Original Publisher: Uitgeverij J.H. Gottmer
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-1-58270-656-6
Hardcover pages: 176
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Information book
Author’s ethnicity: Dutch
Author’s residence: Nijmegen, Netherlands
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Dutch
Illustrator’s residence: Netherlands
Subjects: Animals, Civilization, Earth, History, Humans, Nature, Plants, Space

Spur: A Wolf’s Story

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A young wolf named Spur, who is looking for food, is hurt when a shot comes from a helicopter that appears in the sky.  Spur’s family scatters for cover.  When the woods get quiet again, Spur finds another pack of wolves.  She tells them of the attack.  Although she misses her family, she feels grateful to the new pack. After a while, the roar of the helicopter returns.  She warns the other wolves and they hide.  Then, Spur hears a familiar wolf call.  It is her brother.  She splits from the pack and joins him.  Evocative artwork of wolves in their natural habitats enhances this empowering story. An author’s note tells more about culling wolves to protect livestock and to stabilize caribou populations, and the fact that there is evidence that killing wolves helps.  A resource list is also included. mjw
Title: Spur: A Wolf’s Story
Author: Eliza Robertson
Illustrator: Nora Aoyagi
Publisher: Greystone Kids Books
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-77164-341-2
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-9
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s residence: Montreal, Canada
Illustrator’s residence: Berkeley, California
Subjects: Caribou, Nature and environment, Seasons, Wolves

Who Built That? Modern Houses

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Who Built That? Modern HousesPart-biography, part-introduction to modern homes; this book offers up an incredible amount of information about the lives and design styles of architects such as Gerrit Rietveld and Frank Lloyd Wright. Primary color pen illustrations clearly depict the materials and floor layouts of each architect’s unique design and creative voice. mm

 

Title: Who Built That? Modern Houses
Author: Didier Cornille
Illustrator: Didier Cornille
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press, New York
Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 9781616892630
Hardcover pages: 75 
Age range: 10-13
Genre: Nonfiction, Information books
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: Le Mans, France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: Le Mans, France 
Subjects: Architecture, Color, Design, Houses

The Second Sky

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Gilbert, a baby penguin, wants to fly in the sky like an albatross.  He practices to no avail because he has big clumsy feet and small fluffy wings.  He falls on his face, his back, and his bottom.  His uncle tells him to give it up, but Gilbert knows he will find a way to fly.  He finally spreads his wings, jumps, tumbles, and splashes into the sea.  He sinks and sees stars, moons, clouds, forests, gardens, and mountaintops.  Under the sea, he flies.  He discovers the second sky in his own element.  The watercolor and pencil illustrations are beautiful with Gilbert’s movement and action. mjw
Title: The Second Sky
Author: Patrick Guest
Illustrator: Jonathan Bentley
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright: 2019
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0802-855206
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Australian
Author’s residence: Australia
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Australian
Illustrator’s residence: Australia
Subjects: Determination, Flight, Penguins