babies/tots
Remember
By Joy Harjo
Illustrated by Michaela Goade
Former Poet Laureate Joy Harjo and Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade, of the Myshoke and Tlingit Nations, respectively, create a vibrant swirl of words and art that highlight the interconnectedness of all things. This stunning book is perfect for celebrating April as National Poetry Month and Earth Day on April 22. To give just one example of the lyrical text, the child reader is reminded to “Remember the wind./Remember her voice./She knows the origin of this universe.”
ages 3 – 7
Line Up!
By Susan Stockdale
Through lively rhyming text, acclaimed author/illustrator Susan Stockdale notes the many animals that line up “in remarkable rows,” from the enormous elephants on the African plain to the tiny ants crawling up a stalk. Stockdale’s vivid colors, realistic depictions of the natural world, and carefully researched backmatter make for a nonfiction book that both educates and entertains.
Elephants Remember
By Jennifer O’Connell
Author/illustrator Jennifer O’Connell received the 2014 Green Earth Award for a children’s book that advocates stewardship of the environment. “Elephants Remember” is as touching and dramatic as that earlier winning nonfiction title, “The Eye of the Whale.” O’Connell tells the true story of conservationist Lawrence Anthony who earned the trust of the angry matriarch of a herd of troubled elephants and welcomed them to his wildlife sanctuary in Zululand in South Africa. He and the elephant leader, Nana, became friends; and when Lawrence died, the herd traveled 12 miles to mourn him. This remarkable tribute to the animal-human bond is a wonderful read-aloud for Earth Day.
ages 8 – 11
Where I Live: Poems
Selected by Paul Janeczko
Illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Poems about home, street and town sashay and bounce through these pages, all written by master poets such as Janet Wong, Reuben Jackson, Nikki Giovanni, Naomi Shihab Nye and Linda Sue Park. In “Ode to a Sprinkler,” Gary Soto extolls the “helicopter/Of water/Slicing our legs.” Nikki Grimes enjoys the “hot, hot dance beat” in “Block Party.” And Langston Hughes muses on a city that “Spreads its wings/Making a song/In stone that sings.”
A Kid’s Guide to Saving the Planet: It’s Not Hopeless and We’re Not Helpless
Written by Paul Douglas
We have every reason to be concerned about our planet, our only home. New inventions and technologies will help, but cleaning the planet – saving the world – will require all of us to pay attention and take action. In this inspiring, informative book, nationally recognized meteorologist Paul Douglas offers realistic solutions and actions that kids can participate in now. Available wherever books are sold and at beamingbooks.com/store/product/9781506466392/A-Kids-Guide-to-Saving-the-Planet.
