Charlotte Offsay and Abi Cushman have created another terrific picture book together calledTheQuietOcean. This one is a companion to The Quiet Forest. Cushman’s illustrations draw readers into the soothing blue ocean with her delightfully silly sea creatures living their best lives, until unexpected havoc turns their world upside down.
The book’s endpapers depict the ocean floor, but it’s not what you would expect (NOTE: Don’t miss the other endpapers after you finish). A bike leans against a rock, across from a beach chair, and a bathtub and a rubber ducky sit alone not far from a harmless (?)-looking pufferfish. After the title page, where there’s a clever glimpse of a yellow fish tail, readers see that same cute pufferfish swimming happily amongst the seaweed and rocks, gliding in and out of the marine algae and seagrasses. Until…
A squid, wearing a shower cap and drinking a cup of coffee, soaks in a tub with a brush in one of his eight arms. As you can imagine, this would scare anyone who saw it, even a sea creature who has lived his life on the ocean floor. The pufferfish’s fright releases ink, and this obviously startles the squid. His once-clean body is now covered in ink! Tension builds.
A playful puffer and a startled squid in a suddenly not-so-quiet ocean. Offsay uses cumulative structure in each event, creating a fun read for both the reader and the listener. Splattered ink surprises the relaxed green turtle as he lounges in his beach chair. He falls out of the chair, spilling ice cubes from his glass, and scurries past a dolphin riding his bike. FLAP! SPLASH! The cumulative chaos continues.
The dolphin’s splashing upsets the shark, who is doing what all sharks tend to do — knitting a blanket in a lounging chair. The shark grabs the knitted blanket, which causes the yarn ball to wrap around the chair, seagrass, and rocks; the pufferfish and turtle’s eyes open wide when the shark swims into a wedding cake the whale is meticulously decorating with icing. Oh, what a mess! So … page turns quicken.
A playful puffer, a startled squid, a troubled turtle, a distressed dolphin, a shaky shark, and a wailing whale in an oh-dear-this-is-out-of-control ocean.
Havoc turns to calmness when the whale hears the ocean’s song. The shaky shark de-stresses the distressed dolphin, and the troubled turtle soothes the startled squid. Ahhh! Now that feels good.
It’s impossible not to smile while reading this story. Children learn the importance of calming their bodies and minds in stressful moments. It’s a story to share after a difficult day at school, or a funny read before bedtime. Both Offsay and Cushman have created a book teachers will keep on their shelves for years to come. Offsay and Cushman’s long list of children’s books is on my reading list, and I especially recommend this one.
Award-winning author Sylvia Rouss, who brought joy to picture book readers with her Sammy Spider series, has done it again with The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure, a beautifully written story about the wonders of animals in nature and how we can help our environment.
The rich greens, browns, oranges, and golds of the autumn forest, illustrated by Rick Penn-Kraus, come alive as they serve as the background for an oak tree and a small acorn falling from its branch. As the acorn topples, a black-and-red woodpecker attempts to catch it in his beak, “… but a sudden gust of wind startled the bird, and it dropped the acorn to the forest floor.” And this is where Acorn’s adventure begins.
A chipmunk tries to eat the acorn, but his mouth is too full. (This is what happens when you stuff your cheeks with nuts.) When a bear passes through the forest, the chipmunk scurries up a tree only to watch the bear trample the acorn to the ground. A squirrel appears and digs a hole, covering the acorn with loose soil, leaving it in the ground as autumn turns to winter. You can almost feel the chill in the air as you turn the pages.
Rouss takes the reader through the icy winter weather, showing where the chipmunk, squirrel, and bear sleep. The acorn remains buried in the ground. An earthworm digs a hole, “… making room for its small roots as they began to grow.”Penn-Kraus’s soft colors gently take us from winter to spring. And now we begin to see a sprout growing from the ground, enjoying the rainwater. The lovely interplay of light with the earthy tones resembles a photograph.
The Little Acorn’s Big Adventure concludes with the final season, summer; the woodpecker, bear, squirrel, and chipmunk return to find a growing green tree, ready to begin a new adventure. What a great way to show an acorn’s growth cycle in relation to the seasons.
Rouss’s back matter adds an extra bonus to this story. Broken down into Ten Fun Facts About Oak Trees, Ten Things You Can Do To Help Trees, and Ten Steps To Grow An Acorn, the reader learns that only 1 in 10,000 acorns grow into a tree, and if you plant trees in your garden, you need to make sure they get plenty of water.
Recycling is also essential to saving oak trees. Oak trees keep the air we breathe healthy, and it’s illegal to cut down oak trees in some states. I have oak trees on my property here in California, and it’s my city’s job to trim and maintain these magnificent trees. I also learned what to do when an acorn falls to the ground, and I am now going to make the effort to find fallen acorns and soak them in water before planting them in a pot. Children will not only enjoy the beauty of this book but also learn how we can all help our environment thrive.
If you enjoy this book, I recommend you read An Ooey-Gooeys Adventure: You’re Not Invited! written by Sylvia Rouss and David Titcher.
How the Scientist, Writer, and Nature Lover Changed the Environmental Movement
Written by Kate Hannigan
Illustrated by Katie Hickey
(Calkins Creek; $18.99; Ages 7-10)
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
“This STEAM picture book biography highlights how scientist and writer Rachel
Carson became the author of the groundbreaking book Silent Spring and the mother of the modern
environmental movement.”
From Kirkus Reviews: “A soaring tribute to the perceptive naturalist and writer who jump-started the
modern environmental movement.”
REVIEW:
In the early 1960s, author and environmentalist Rachel Carson spurred readers to action in her book Silent Spring, which called out the deadliness of DDT and similar chemicals. But before writing that bestseller, Rachel loved exploring the outdoors with all her senses.
She shared her awe of the natural world through poetry and magazine stories before studying science in college. Though Carson did not finish school, she began writing for the Bureau of Fisheries, combining her poet’s eye with the science she learned in college.
In time, Carson began publishing books about the wonders of the natural world and sharing that love with her nephew. But after World War II, Carson’s wonder turned to worry. The suburban housing boom led to the loss of forests, and urbanization meant fewer people growing their own food. Farmers turned to chemical herbicides and pesticides to boost production. But were such chemicals safe for wildflowers, animals, and humans?
Again, Carson turned to her writing—this time with a warning for readers. And though she lived to see her book published, she would not live to see its impact. Because of Silent Spring, the US government ordered a review of pesticide policy, which ultimately led to the banning of some chemicals. And it inspired other efforts to protect the Earth, including Earth Day, which we continue to celebrate to this day.
I recommend this beautifully illustrated nonfiction biography by Kate Hannigan and Katie Hickey, which honors the “mother of the environmental movement.” Sprinkled with Carson’s own words, this book encourages readers to experience nature as Rachel Carson did—with each of their senses—while Hickey’s layered art effectively showcases the color and wonder of nature. A timely and important read for a new generation of caretakers for our planet. e
There are so many things I love about this fabulous 40-page poetry book, Awesome Earth, written by Joan Bransfield Graham and illustrated by Tania Garcia! Considering its title, it can easily be called an Earth Day book.
Artwork: The most obvious is the eye-catching artwork. Tania Garcia uses such vibrant hues and striking color combinations that I was surprised to learn it’s her first ever picture book. Her seemingly simple illustrations deliver a powerful message. If you weren’t awake before reading this – both physically and symbolically —you will be afterward.
Concrete poetry: closely related to the bold artwork is the graphic arrangement of the words. Words shapeshift on every page to emphasize what’s written. Just as importantly, they underscore the book’s core message that earth never stands still.
Rhythm: I loved the variety of rhythms in this book. They felt fresh and reminded me of spoken word poetry, which kept me engaged with each poem.
Science: This book is slyly educational … I was so focused on admiring the elements mentioned above that it took me a while to realize I was actually learning about landforms, too!
A Love Story: This collection of poems goes beyond simply educating readers about landmasses. It makes us fall in love with our planet all over again:
The earth is an artist, at work every day, with powerful tools that come into play: pressure, time, wind, water, ice, too — all forming wondrous features to view. It sculpts, chisels, carves, etches, creating awe-inspiring sketches. Explore the world, enjoy its glory, listen to it whisper its unfolding story. Walk gently, with care, when you roam. Earth is a treasure, the earth is our home.
Even More Learning! As if this weren’t enough of a great book, the end is filled with interesting facts, definitions, and additional resources to explore.
Reviewed by Susan Corry. Susan Corry writes picture books and has more than ten years of experience writing and editing articles for top universities and corporations. She lives in LA with her husband, daughter, and two fluffy rescue dogs. Bluesky: @susancorry.bsky.social
From the Publisher: “Discover how a tree’s wounds and decay bring new life to the forest ecosystem in this lyrical nonfiction picture book for fans of Because of an Acorn and A Stone Sat Still.”
From Horn Book: a starred review “Lively, poetic writing and beautiful illustrations . . . Even the youngest of readers and listeners will grasp the concepts of ecosystems and the continuity of life. A model of what an excellent STEM-focused picture book can be.”
Kirkus Starred Review
REVIEW:
I couldn’t agree more! What begins as a “basic” tree book from STEM author, Leslie Barnard Booth’ and illustrator Stephanie Fizer Coleman …
quickly becomes a poetic look at the life cycle of a forest tree that survives despite wind and ice and drought; despite fire, and animal and human activity …
begging the question, “Does anything in life ever truly end?”
A perfect pairing with Whale Fall by Melissa Stewart (Random House Studio, 2023) for use in the classroom. This beautiful book’s simple, poetic language and gorgeously detailed nature illustrations will have kiddos clamoring for re-readings and personal time with the book to look more closely at the illustrations.
Before writing up this review of my blog colleague,Roxanne Troup’s latest picture book, Reaching for the Stars illustrated by Amanda Lenz, I was curious to know if she’d always been interested in space exploration. I also wondered if there was any moment in particular that has left a lasting impact on her and may have influenced her choosing this topic to write about.
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“I’ve always loved looking at the stars and trying to find different constellations. The inspiration for this story came in late 2019, shortly after I learned about NASA’s new Artemis program. I thought it would be fun to celebrate all we’ve learned about space and commemorate a woman landing on the moon while we waited for NASA’s “countdown” to launch. (Originally, my title was Countdown to Space.)”
Children are fascinated by our solar system and it’s not uncommon to find books on space exploration geared for even younger children than the target audience of this picture book. Troup has taken this topic and turned it into a rhyming story accessible even to preschoolers. Kids meet four child-like astronauts as they prepare for a mission to the moon. And while the lunar landing Artemis program has been delayed, it doesn’t detract from the fact that it will put “the first woman and first person of color” on the moon.
Space enthusiasts will soar along with the astronauts as they introduce space concepts from take-off to reaching the outer limits while genuinely enjoying their time among the stars and planets.
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“Will we witness the birth of a hot, shiny star,
or spy icy comets zip by from afar?”
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Distant constellations such as Orion, the hunter, and Ursa, the bear are included and will likely invite the very same star-gazing that Troup mentioned above. I also loved learning about GOLDILOCKS ZONES in space: The “not too hot, not too cold, just right” distance from a star where water may exist on a planet’s surface. How cool is that? Space terminology that’s been taken from a fairy tale!”
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Between the lyrical text and the unique kid-friendly art that incorporates actual NASA images collaged with digital illustrations, almost every page turn provides a visual and cosmic surprise.
I asked illustrator Amanda Lenz if the main characters were purposely depicted as children to which she replied:
“Yes, they are all intended to be children—the story is so aspirational around the next generation of space exploration I felt like it was natural to see children exploring … and hopefully that choice makes space exploration feel attainable to young imaginations.” I love this idea and I think it does help children put themselves right into the astronauts’ space boots.
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Whether for home or classrooms, Reaching for the Stars is just the kind of book to spark new interest in this popular subject and invite further deep dives at the bookstore or library. The glossary of space terms is helpful to not only children but their parents and caregivers too. Get your copy today!
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Read a review of Roxanne’s previous picture book here.
I feel lucky to live in Los Angeles. I’m close to the mountains (I live in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains), and I’m not too far from the beaches that dot our coastline. It’s easy to partake in all the great outdoors has to offer.
That’s why I got excited when I saw Nell Cross Beckerman’s latest picture book, From Park to Playa, with art by New York Times bestselling illustratorSophie Diao. From the very first spread, readers are invited to come along and observe what animals might be getting up to on the trail that leads from “city park to playa—the beach and all the people who live here.”
The path is full of activity conveyed in lyrical prose in a story that spans from morning to evening. There’s an 8th birthday party underway. It’s just one of the activities taking place out in nature’s welcoming habitat from park to playa. At a scenic overlook “downtown’s towers” can be spotted as well as birds, airplanes, trains, and colorful neighborhoods below. I love the pastel palette and the mottled textures that Diao has created using Adobe Photoshop and Procreate. People of all ages visit and admire the vast view.
As the day becomes twilight, different flora and fauna are visible on a bike path. “Why are the geese honking and squawking?” The poetic language transports from the page to the path, and the illustrations help me smell the air and feel a gentle breeze coming from the ocean. The beach scenes beckon.
Now that we’re halfway through summer, From Park to Playa motivates me to get out and explore. Even if you’re not near a beach, a hike along a lake, river, or stream where the surroundings change at different elevations can be inspiring and oh, so satisfying! The spreads that feature a child roasting marshmallows, and a family on a grunion run are two of my favorites. Can you hear the crackling of the fire? Or the waves gently lapping along the shore? These evocative moments in the picture book reach every sense, allowing readers to be transported to the great outdoors even on a rainy day.
Beckerman’s Author’s Note shares her inspiration for From Park to Playa. It details her discovery that the path she hiked for a decade was actually a thirteen-mile-long trail created to connect neighborhoods, parks, and people. I now have a new hiking destination and am eager to experience it in different seasons. What a wonderful way to open children’s eyes to nature’s remarkable and free discoveries that await them. Happy Trails!
“Thomas Jefferson is one of the most famous founding fathers, but did you know that his mind was always on science? This STEM/STEAM picture book tells how Jefferson’s scientific thinking and method battled against faulty facts and bias to prove that his new nation was just as good as any in the Old World.”
From Kirkus – Starred Review:
“The story of Thomas Jefferson’s fury at a French scientist’s misinformation about the New World introduces young readers to the scientific inquiry process … A delightfully enlightening account and a welcome antidote to our own time’s precarious truthiness.”
Booklist Starred Review and Horn Book Recommended
Review:
Does the world really need another Thomas Jefferson biography? I asked myself before reading Beth Andersonand Jeremy Holmes’s recent collaboration, Thomas Jefferson’s Battle for Science, from Calkins Creek. YES! When it’s one that’s focused on bias and Jefferson’s quest to combat the spread of misinformation. That is a book we need. (And it is great fun!)
Thomas Jefferson was passionate about science. “It was certain, peaceful, measurable.”
But when French scientist Count Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon published an encyclopedia slamming the New World, Jefferson was livid. How did Buffon know what the New World was like? Where did he get his facts? Was he biased against Jefferson’s home?
Anderson sets up the philosophical battle between Jefferson and Buffon in an accessible, kid-friendly way; and keeps the book focused through years of Jefferson’s research, correspondence with Buffon, and his very pivotal role in guiding a would-be nation to independence showcasing her skill as a storyteller and historian (and Jefferson’s never quit attitude).
Holmes uses mixed media and comic book techniques to create the look of an old, scientific journal making the book feel both modern and accurate to the period. The art plays off Anderson’s straightforward tone to create a story that is witty and extremely relevant today.
Backmatter highlights the scientific method and Jefferson’s own struggle with bias, making this book a great way to introduce both concepts to young readers.
And in 1992, she became the first Black woman to “dance through space” when she traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Lukidis’ own love of science and art shines as she shares this phenomenal woman’s story, as does the art bySawyer Cloud which illuminates Jemison’s determination to pursue her dreams.\
In Love, the Earth, by Frances Stickley, our beautiful blue planet promises to take care of us, if only we will take care of it. Scenes unfold showing us all the Earth has to offer: “Please share my food, my lakes, my land . . . / and try to lend a helping hand.” Yet, we also see that the Earth can’t do it without us.
The mixed-media illustrations by Tim Hopgood are lush and layered. The Earth is present throughout, either smiling benevolently or saddened when its land is covered in litter. The book concludes with the Earth signing off, “With All My Love, the Earth,” a heartfelt reminder of how the planet has sustained a truly vast amount of life.
In Beth Ferry’s rhyming picture book, Solar Bear, a magical solar bear gathers bears from around the globe to share stories about species extinction. By shining their glowing light “[on] otters, sloths, and manatees. / On coral reefs and chimpanzees,” they hope to foster a generation of “solar kids” who learn as much as possible about our animals, mindfully use resources, and talk to others to encourage environmental stewardship.
The art by Brendan Wenzel illuminates the animals. This is beautiful but also a preview of how close many of them are to becoming ghosts. When the solar animals interact with children worldwide, the love and hope come through in his illustrations rendered in “watercolor, pencil, acrylic, colored pencil, and pretty much everything else under the sun including an iMac.” While this blurb is funny, it’s also a great representation of pulling together to create. The heartwarming image on the cover sets the tone for this hopeful but urgent request for action.
Nicola Davies’s nonfiction picture book, Green: The Story of Plant Life on Our Planet, opens with a line about how the tree pictured doesn’t seem to be doing much, just standing around being big and green. However, we come to find the many fascinating things that trees do from the huge importance of photosynthesis to its opposite: respiration, which keeps our air in balance. We learn the history of how plants have trapped carbon dioxide, changing the air from toxic to inhabitable for all kinds of life forms.
Emily Sutton’s illustrations showcase the color green. One scene shows green existing only on a single rooftop apartment building in a city where industry is upsetting the world’s delicate balance. The story finishes with a heartwarming companion image to the opening one that sums up why green is the “most important color in the world.”
In Sona Sharma: Looking After Planet Earth (book two of the Sona series by Chitra Soundar), Sona Sharma’s personality continues to shine. This time, Sona and her friends Renu and Joy learn that the Earth is in trouble. Their teacher, Miss Rao, has them pledge to help look after the planet. Well-meaning Sona takes this to heart and starts making changes at home—without anyone’s consent. Who needs lights? Diapers—no more!
While the story is funny, the reality of this crisis comes through, showing ways we all can pitch in. The setting is vivid as are the characters. I particularly like how much of the plot is centered around the town’s annual kolam-making contest (“traditional designs that people draw in front of their homes to celebrate the winter months and the festival season”). Paatti (Grandma) uses rice flour to make the design but Sona’s other grandmother, the President, includes colored powders, glitter, and plastic decorations. Sona’s determined to stop participants from using artificial, bad-for-the-environment art supplies, but the contest is happening soon and it seems the rules allow these materials. Or do they . . .?
The black-and-white sketches by Jen Khatun throughout bring us right into Sona’s world showing her multigenerational family and the lovely kolam designs.
Fans of Peter Wohlleben’s best-selling books about trees will be glad to see he now has a hands-on guide for children in an easy-to-carry size to encourage exploration of nature, Be a Nature Explorer!: Outdoor Activities and Adventures. This illustrated 100-page book contains 52 activity ideas to keep kids busy for many outings, or even when they’re just in the backyard.
“Following Slugs and Snails” is one of my favorites because I find these creatures fascinating. I learned that snail shells almost always spiral to the right (clockwise) and sit on the right side of their bodies. If you find a snail whose pattern runs counterclockwise, they’re called “snail kings”—so exciting, like finding a four-leaf clover! You can even record a snail or slug’s slime trail imprint onto a piece of plastic wrap, then add that to your journal as part of your collection and for further observations.
This fun guide’s pages are enlivened with illustrations by Belle Wuthrich, and photos. This winning combo elevates this book to the top of my list for gift-giving. Pair this welcoming book with a blank journal and watch kids get their nature explorer groove on. Parents will thank you!
From the Publisher: “A spring storm brings the chance to build a rain garden in this charming, actionable picture book about protecting our waterways.”
From Publishers Weekly: “An upbeat problem-solving story…”
With rhyming verse and bright, colorful illustrations, Michelle Schaub and Blanca Gómez tell an upbeat story of rain
that gives kids a hands-on way to participate in conservation—rain gardens—in the newly released A Place for Rain!
A unique concept in the picture book space, this book would make a great classroom read-aloud for Earth Day or throughout Earth Month to promote environmental awareness.
Backmatter offers a step-by-step guide to help families create their own rain gardens at home, additional conservation resources, as well as a cautionary line to call your utility company before you start digging. A recommended for all who care about our planet.
This book is chock full of holes—shallow and miles deep, microscopic and visible from space, human-caused and natural, mysterious and maddeningly familiar.
When you think of holes, what comes to mind? Maybe the irritating hole in your sock. Or the hole on the shelf where you plucked out this book. But did you know there are holes that suddenly devour entire gas stations? Big holes in the ocean that are visible from space? Small holes in balls that prevent a backyard home run?
A hole is a part of something where there’s nothing at all. Holes are investigated by scientists, used by artists, designed by engineers, and fixed by problem-solvers. They can be natural or human-made, big or small, plentiful or scarce, mysterious or painfully familiar. Many are important to our everyday lives, whether we give them credit or not.
INTERVIEW:
Katrina Tangen:THIS BOOK IS FULL OF HOLES is so fun and fascinating! You cover such a wide range of holes. How did you decide what to include and how to organize them?
Nora Nickum: Brainstorming all different kinds of holes was a fun part of the process. But the book did require a good structure so it wouldn’t be just a list. I was intrigued by the fact that a hole seems like empty nothingness, but in fact, it can be really useful, or annoying, or dangerous, or life-saving. And holes appear in all different STEAM disciplines, from engineering and ecology to music and art. I began writing about all the different qualities that holes could have, and eventually shaped it into a consistent opposite structure on every spread. Readers will find fascinating examples of how holes can be tiny or enormous, form slowly or quickly, be used to speed something up or slow something down, and so on.
KT:The idea of a hole is both really concrete and really abstract. For example, the idea that a hole can be closed on the bottom as well as open. I wouldn’t have said an indentation was a hole, even though there are other holes with bottoms that I do think of as holes, like golf holes. So it gets a little mind-bendy when you start thinking about what makes a hole a hole! Were there challenges in figuring out how to explain those concepts?
NN: That’s one of the things that made this topic so fun for me! I spent time researching definitions of holes, and felt like I got to a place where I had a solid one that wasn’t full of holes itself (haha). And I started the book with that definition: “A hollow place. An empty space. A part of something where there’s nothing at all.”
KT:That’s such an intriguing definition! Which type of hole is your favorite? I was fascinated by blue holes and the holes in airplane windows—I hadn’t heard of either before!
NN: Those two kinds of holes were the genesis of the book! I used to travel a lot and often wondered why there was a tiny hole in the airplane window. And later, when I read about blue holes in the ocean and saw beautiful photos taken from the air, I was really intrigued and thought about doing a picture book focused on those, but it turned out there hadn’t been a lot of research about blue holes yet. Then a light bulb went off in my head and I combined them into a book about holes, which let me add lots of other fascinating examples. My favorite hole in the book is actually the seal’s breathing hole in the Arctic ice–I liked that I could make the same hole represent both of the opposing concepts, danger versus safety. And I love how Robert Meganck illustrated it with one scene carrying across both pages, with the seal and the polar bear.
KT: Wow, that’s such a fun origin story! I love it when things come together like that. Were there holes that didn’t make it into the final book?
NN: Yes, sadly. Buttonholes, groundhog burrows, swimming holes, and holes in pinhole cameras were on my list at one point or another, but ultimately cut. Some types of holes didn’t make it in because they didn’t fit the opposites structure as nicely as I wanted. Others were too straightforward to feel interesting or to merit any sidebar text. Fortunately, all of my favorites made it in!
KT:I’m glad you didn’t have to cut any of your favorites! The illustrations are great and add so much humor. Did any of them surprise you?
NN:Robert Meganck’s illustrations are so creative and funny, while also being accurate in the ways that are important for a nonfiction book. The one showing a person threading a needle was his idea–I hadn’t been that specific in the manuscript, and I updated the sidebar text to reflect his art. And I love how Robert has hidden other kinds of holes in the background of several illustrations (see what you can find in the “speed something up…slow it down” spread). But the illustration that might surprise readers the most is the one they’ll find on the flip side of the book jacket–it’s a big hide-and-seek playground scene where kids can search for all different kinds of holes!
KT:Kids will love that! I think my favorite is how the front and back cover play off each other. So clever! I also love the backmatter—how did it develop? Including hole-related idioms was such a good idea!
NN:The idioms in the back matter–like “loophole” and “square peg in a round hole”–were originally in the main text, but as my editor and I worked more on the opposites structure, we decided they didn’t quite fit there. I also revised the back matter later to discuss the actual holes that those terms refer to, like loopholes in castle walls, before talking about their current usages in English. I was so eager to see how Robert would depict those idioms, and of course his fabulously quirky art there is delightful.
KT:Do you have any suggestions for other great picture books that could be paired with yours?
NN: Definitely! A bundle of books about holes would be a whole lot of fun. I’m excited about Skylaar Amann’s new picture book, Alone Sometimes: Everybody Needs a Hole in the Ground, which also releases in March 2024. And I love Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s funny book Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. Melissa Stewart and Amy Hevron also have a wonderful nonfiction book about animals called Tree Hole Homes: Daytime Dens and Nighttime Nooks.
KT:What do you hope young readers will take away from your book?
NN:Some giggles, for one thing. But I also hope it will make readers look at the world around them differently, seeing holes and patterns and making connections they hadn’t made before. It was really fun for me to brainstorm different kinds of holes with my family, looking at things in our kitchen, outside on walks, and other places, and I think kids will have fun doing the same!
KT: I know I definitely will! Thanks for sharing with us—it’s been a “hole” lot of fun!
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Click here to purchase a copy and support independent bookstores via Bookshop.org.
Nora Nickum is the author of This Book is Full of Holes (Peachtree, 2024) as well as the middle-grade book Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest (Chicago Review Press, 2023). Both are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections. Her stories and articles have appeared in children’s magazines like Cricket, Ladybug, and Muse. Nora also leads ocean conservation policy work for the Seattle Aquarium. She lives on an island in Washington state. Learn more about her at www.noranickum.com.
Katrina Tangen lives in Southern California between Disneyland and the beach. At Harvard, she studied Folklore & Mythology, History of Science, Psychology, and Religion, so she knows a little bit about a lot of things. This turned out to be excellent training for writing nonfiction for kids! Her debut Copy That, Copy Cat!: Inventions Inspired by Animals (Barefoot Books, 2023) was a Bookstagang Book of the Year and a Cybils Award Finalist. Find her at katrinatangen.com.
Bold, gold, the chrysalis gleams. And deep down inside . . . the butterfly dreams.
Every year, monarch butterflies migrate to warmer climates for overwintering months. However, changing environments make it continually more difficult to find food and places to lay eggs. In this nonfiction picture book, the monarch’s life cycle is detailed in lyrical verse as stunning art accompanies each stage in the butterfly’s life.
The most recognizable butterfly, monarchs are classified as a vulnerable species by the IUCN, and face drastic challenges when it comes to locating food sources–milkweed.Milkweed for Monarchs is the perfect resource for young readers to learn more about these beautiful insects and how they can foster monarch-friendly environments in their own backyard. Backmatter includes actionable ways for readers to help this vulnerable species.
INTERVIEW:
GoodReadsWithRonna: How did you decide to write about butterflies in your new nonfiction picture book, Milkweed for Monarchs?
Christine Van Zandt:During the pandemic, we bought a milkweed plant with the vague idea that we were helping butterflies in some way. Little did we know that our plant was loaded with eggs and soon we had a bunch of very cute caterpillars. Sadly, they were eaten by various predators in our garden, but that set me out on this journey, wondering about monarchs.
GRWR:What eats monarchs? I thought they were poisonous.
CVZ:When the monarch caterpillars eat milkweed leaves, they do retain some of the plant’s toxins. And they have the bright “stay away” body markings consisting of yellow, white, and black stripes. But they still end up being dinner for other insects, spiders, birds, lizards, and mammals. In our garden, we’ve seen ants carrying little caterpillars away; raccoons and birds pluck them off.
GRWR:Did you encounter any obstacles trying to sell this book?
CVZ: It took me a while to figure out how to write it. I tried it in prose and verse, in fiction and nonfiction. The version that ended up working best was a short rhyming poem with facts in sidebars and in the backmatter.
An earlier version of this manuscript won first place at SCBWI-LA’s 2021 Writers Day and also earned me the annual Sue Alexander Grant. Even so, when the manuscript went out on submissions, some publishers passed stating they already had a monarch book on their list and they didn’t want to compete against their own products.
GRWR: So it sounds like butterfly books are considered evergreens like dinosaur, alphabet, or things-that-go books?
CVZ: Yes they are, so both my area of focus for the story and how I presented the text had to come from a fresh angle. I’m passionate about trying to help the monarchs. The western monarch’s population went from 4.5 million in the 1980s to fewer than 2000 butterflies in 2020. The just-in 2023 count shows the population is still ~95% down.
Monarchs need milkweed because that’s the only plant their caterpillars can eat; that became my focus, how the milkweed plant is essential for this insect’s survival. Milkweed plants are also amazing: they get eaten down to nothing and keep regrowing. I welcome munched-on plants in my yard because that means insects are being sustained through their life cycle which, in turn, benefits the larger food web.
GRWR: As picture book writers we’re often told not to write in rhyme unless it is extremely well executed. Was that a problem you encountered?
CVZ:I actually didn’t but I also feel my rhyme was solid by the time we sent it out on submissions because I’d applied the various checks such as scansion. However, writing in rhyme makes revisions much harder because each round with the publisher meant not just updating the text but also redoing the rhyme. Sometimes I had to scrap stanzas and write new ones.
And rhyming books have limitations because they are not as likely to be translated into a foreign language since so much more is involved in translating poetry, though it does happen. With my first book, A Brief History of Underpants—which was written in prose—a Korean-language translation came out not long after it was published. I’d love for Milkweed for Monarchs to be translated, especially into Spanish since many monarch butterflies overwinter in Mexico’s mountains and the butterflies have been part of Mexican culture for generations. Also because the gorgeous illustrations are by Alejandra Barajas who is from Mexico.
GRWR: While the main text of the book is a short poem, the facts in the sidebar and backmatter are in prose, right?
CVZ:Yes, and that meant switching my brain back and forth as we worked through the various drafts!
GRWR:How did you do that?
CVZ: I would read through one pass focusing only on the poem, then on another pass, I’d work on the facts.
GRWR: Beyond being a gardener, are you involved with monarchs in other ways?
CVZ: We’ve had our garden designated a sanctuary which basically means that we promise to garden without pesticides, providing a certain number and variety of different kinds of milkweed plants including native ones, and also providing nectaring plants for the butterflies and other pollinators.
Beyond that, I’ve applied for and been granted free plants for a local LAUSD inner-city school and started their butterfly garden. I’ve also volunteered forXerces for several years now, helping count the butterflies overwintering along the Southern California coast, and uploading that data to their central database.
GRWR: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
CVZ: I hope my book imparts a sense of wonder and a feeling of hopefulness. It doesn’t take much to make a difference whether for the monarchs or for other creatures in our world.
GRWR:Thank you, Christine, for sharing your amazing experience with us today. I’ve learned so much!
BUY THE BOOK:
Support independent booksellers by purchasing a copy of Milkweed for Monarchshere.
Author Christine Van Zandt Photo Credit: Marlena Van Zandt
AUTHOR BIO:
Christine Van Zandt is an editor, writer, and award-winning author. Her nonfiction picture books include A Brief History of Underpants (becker&mayer! kids, 2021) and, Milkweed for Monarchs (Beaming Books, 2024). She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her family. You can find her at www.ChristineVanZandt.com.
“Beginning with the planting of a single seed, the journey of bringing a pumpkin to harvest comes to life for young readers. Under Molly’s watchful eye and care, each stage of growth is showcased. And at the end, Molly’s lovely pumpkin is turned into a delicious pie for one and all to share in a celebration of gratitude. Back matter includes fun facts about pumpkins, the important pollinators who help them grow, as well as a pumpkin pie recipe.”
Review:
It’s amazing what comes from a single seed—a plant, a bountiful harvest, a delicious recipe—but on another level that seed also sprouts tradition and community. And that’s the story Sue Heavenrich and Chamisa Kelloggtell in their new book, THE PIE THAT MOLLY GREW.
Following the cumulative structure and rhyme scheme of A House That Jack Built, Heavenrich follows a plant’s journey from seed to sprout … vine to flower … and fruit to table while touching on science concepts like photosynthesis and pollination. Illustrator, Chamisa Kellogg, adds to the book’s seasonal appeal with textural artwork in muted tones.
And while I’m not usually a fan of cumulative stories (or stories that riff on a familiar rhyme), this one is exceptionally well-written. Nothing comes across as forced or monotonous. It flows wonderfully. The phrases are varied each time they appear yet never deviate from the established rhyme pattern. I also love that each variation inspires a deeper understanding of the scientific processes involved in growing plants.
Accessible backmatter offers readers and/or teachers more information about pumpkins, pollinators, and a pie recipe. A delight to read! Click here to download a pdf of kids’ activities.
(Charlesbridge; $17.99, Ages 5-8;
also available in Spanish as NUESTRO TECHO ES AZUL)
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:
This heartfelt story of resilience follows two siblings as they work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Maria destroys their home in Puerto Rico.
Before an intense hurricane hits their home in Puerto Rico, Antonio told his sister vibrant stories each night. During the storm, they huddled with their parents in a closet and hear the storm blow the roof right off their home. After the storm, their family uses a temporary blue tarp for a roof, and Antonio stops speaking. Gradually the siblings imagine their blue roof playfully–as the ocean above them or a parachute helping them fall from the sky. As the narrator helps her little brother feel safe once more–and after the family and community build a new roof–the little boy begins to speak again.
INTERVIEW:
Katrina Tangen:One of the reasons Our Roof is Blue is so touching is that it was inspired by your own childhood. Did you do research too?
Sara Echenique: Oh, absolutely. In addition to drawing from my personal experiences with hurricanes, I spoke with family and friends on the island who lived through Hurricane Maria, and read article after article about the experience of Puerto Ricans on the island post-Maria. I spoke with parents of children who have lived under blue tarp roofs to better understand their own experiences. And for the book’s back matter, I researched pretty extensively the latest science on climate change, and how it is exacerbating hurricanes and other major weather events.
KT: I thought this was a color book at first, so the storm came out of the blue for me (so to speak)! I think that made it even more impactful. Was it hard to find the right level of scariness?
SE:That’s so funny because you just never know what a reader is going to take into your story. My own young children have always been drawn to books that don’t shy away from the truth. I went into writing this story knowing that I needed to trust my readers, both old and young, because they want and need these types of stories. Unfortunately, many of them will be impacted by inclement weather events stemming from climate change at some point in their lives. I wanted to be honest about that, but it was important to me that it didn’t feel hopeless or inaccessible. Yes, the storm is scary, but my hope is that it doesn’t overshadow their bond, and their use of play, imagination and storytelling to help each other.
KT: It’s heartbreaking how many kids this story is directly relevant for. But you did a great job finding that balance. One of the ways you do that is through the central image of the roof and its colors. How did that evolve?
SE:I drew from several mentor texts, including A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams. Among so many beautiful parts of her book, I was drawn to how, on its surface, the story could be about a chair, but she brings depth and layers to the experience. I tried using the roof this way to make the tragedy more accessible, which allowed me to anchor Antonio and his sister’s emotional journey around their roof’s visible journey.
KT: I really love the sibling relationship—was that always part of the story?
SE: Yes (and thank you)! Throughout the story’s many, many iterations, their relationship was always central. Family is such an important part of the Puerto Rican community. I was fortunate to grow up with siblings who anchor me, and am raising children who will hopefully feel the same way. In Our Roof is Blue, Antonio and his sister were always going to find the other side of trauma because of, and for, each other.
SE:I’ve always loved reading and writing, filling dozens of notebooks throughout my childhood. I dreamt of becoming a veterinarian who writes stories about their job (like James Herriot) and got in the habit of scribbling haphazard character profiles of all the people in my life. I put that particular dream on pause when I pursued my English degree from Williams College and law degree from the University of Michigan School of Law. Shortly after having my oldest two children, I reconnected meaningfully with children’s literature and rediscovered writing as a creative outlet. Several years (and one additional child later), my writing dream has become a reality!
KT:What was your favorite book as a kid?
SE:I can’t choose just one! I most fondly remember the Babysitters’ Club series by Ann M. Martin, which my mom often read along with me. It was a glimpse into life on the mainland and I vividly remember my heart racing when I discovered a new book in the Scholastic Book Fair flyer. I love that the series has had a revival in graphic novel form and now get to enjoy re-reading them with my own daughter.
KT: I loved the Babysitter’s Club too! Thanks for giving us a behind-the-scenes look atOur Roof is Blue. It’s going to be a meaningful book for so many people.
Sara E. Echenique Photo Credit: Rebecca Zilenziger
AUTHOR BIO:
Sara E. Echenique is a Puerto Rican lawyer and children’s author living in South Florida with her three young children, husband, and their rescue dog, Luna. She acquired a degree in English from Williams College and a law degree from the University of Michigan School of Law. After almost a decade practicing as a litigator in cold New York City, Sara decided to move her family to a place that felt more like her childhood home.
Roaring Brook Press published her debut middle-grade book, Hispanic Star: Roberto Clemente in September 2022 in both English and Spanish, which received a starred review from the School Library Journal and was long-listed for the SCBWI Impact & Legacy Fund’s Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World. Charlesbridge Publishing published her debut picture book, Our Roof is Blue (Nuestro techo es azul), in April 2023 in both English and Spanish.
INTERVIEWER BIO:
Katrina Tangen lives in Southern California between Disneyland and the beach. At Harvard, she studied Folklore & Mythology, History of Science, Psychology, and Religion, so she knows a little bit about a lot of things. This turned out to be excellent training for writing nonfiction for kids! Her debut picture book, Copy That, Copy Cat!: Inventions Inspired by Animals (Barefoot Books, 2023), uses riddles to introduce biomimicry.
AUTHOR BIO:
