Big Picture Press

Five Children’s Books for Armchair Traveling

TRAVEL & MAP BOOKS FOR KIDS

– A ROUNDUP-

I love everything about travel, the new sights, smells, tastes, and sounds. And getting there is also a big part of the excitement. But right now, staying home during the pandemic means we have to find other ways to get that thrill. There are travel programs and international webcams to watch, online museums to visit, and best of all, there are books to read. Take advantage of the variety of books that kids of all ages can enjoy for unique vicarious experiences. I hope you’ll share these books so that, while at home, your children can adventure both near and far simply by turning a page.

 

 

TinyTravelers INDIA cvrTINY TRAVELERS TREASURE QUEST: INDIA
Written by Steven Wolfe Pereira + Susie Jaramillo
Illustrated by Meiyee Tan + Abigail Gross
(Encantos; $12.99, Ages 3-6)

Help your kids become global citizens by introducing them to a vast array of fascinating destinations in this fabulous board book series. The 28-pages in Tiny Travelers Treasure Quest: India provide an engaging illustrated journey into the heart of India. My first trip to India was over 30 years ago and yet that trip has remained with me all these years because of the scenic beauty, the delicious food, the warm, welcoming people, and the majesty of the monuments such as the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. Kids, parents, teachers, and librarians will love how the book is filled with facts about the “language, history, food, nature, music, and more,” in every colorful spread. There’s a seek-and-find element woven into the text that parents can choose to play with their children during the first reading, or return to the next time. Top that off with the rhyming prose, “Bollywood movies / are one of a kind. / They have dancing, singing / and costumes combined!” and kids will be hooked. Find more info and books in the series including China, Mexico, Puerto Rico at TinyTravelers.com.

MyFirstBookofLondon coverMY FIRST BOOK OF LONDON
Written and illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius
(Walker Books U.S.; $18.99, Ages 3-7)

Covering 15 topics, My First Book of London, a large-format picture book, is just one title in this fun series that combines vibrant graphic illustrations, brief narrative and simple words to give an overview of the most well-known attractions and things to do in this beloved city. I actually laughed out loud when on the first spread I saw that for Buckingham Palace not only was Queen Elizabeth II included, but also a Corgi! I wasn’t quite sure why a fire engine was featured, (must look that up) but I’m glad that the “flag-waving crowd” and “Changing of the Guard” were depicted. Arrhenius has zeroed in on London’s museums, too, one of my favorite things about this city. There is a museum for everyone’s interests, from the famed British Museum with its mummy collection to the V&A Museum (Victoria & Albert), my personal fave. Use the book as a dictionary, as a seek-and-find book, or simply as a wonderful way to get familiar with what makes this English city so popular.

LuluandRockyinIndianapolis cvrLULU AND ROCKY IN INDIANAPOLIS
Written by Barbara Joosse
Illustrated by Renée Graef
(Sleeping Bear Press; $16.99, Ages 4-8)

The fourth book in this beautifully illustrated U.S. travel series is Lulu and Rocky in Indianapolis, informational fiction that is part story, part travelogue, and 100% interesting! The books all feature fox cousins, main characters Lulu and Rocky, and their penguin pal Pufferson. There is a welcome consistency in how each story begins the same way making it easy to read the books out of order. First readers get a sneak peek at Aunt Fancy composing a letter, then comes a map of the featured city (in this Indiana’s state capital), followed by Lulu receiving the purple envelope in which Aunt Fancy invites her to bring Pufferson to meet up with Rocky at the destination. Once together the trio embarks on an adventure in a different city that will make you want to pack your bags and hit the road to join them. Kids’ll discover that there is so much more to the “Hoosier’s paradise” than the famed motor race. In the backmatter’s two-paged “More to Know” section, each attraction visited is described in more detail so you can plan a future trip to Indy. Make sure to include the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the largest children’s museum in the world!

50MapsoftheWorld cover50 MAPS OF THE WORLD
Written & researched by Kalya Ryan and Ben Handicott
Illustrated by Sol Linero
(Wide Eyed Editions; $30, Ages 7-10)

Another picture book for armchair travelers is the detailed 50 Maps of the World, recommended for tweens. Not your mother’s atlas, this large-format book is an easy way for kids to connect with our world through travel, culture, historical and current famous personalities, geography and animals without leaving home. There is a helpful intro so kids know what to expect before diving in. What I love about this book is not just how good it feels to hold in your lap, but I also appreciate how much info has been packed into every page so there are multiple ways to approach it. Take South Africa for example. Sometimes you may pick up the book to learn the key facts about its largest cities, population, official languages, etc. Other times you may want to find out about its natural attractions such as Hole in the Wall, Tugela Falls, or Kruger National Park. You can even study a timeline or discover who once called this country home such as Elon Musk, cricketer De Villiers, Nelson Mandela, inventor Thato Kgatlhanye, or actress Charlize Theron.

Cities in Layers coverCITIES IN LAYERS: Six Famous Cities Through Time
Written by Philip Steele
Illustrated by Andrés Lozano
(Big Picture Press; $22.00, Ages 8-12)

What makes Cities in Layers so cool and accessible is how it takes kids back in time to two previous eras in history per city in addition to the present time via fact-filled pages, bright visual maps, as well as info about people who lived there. There’s even a cleverly designed “die-cut  element,” that “allows readers to really peel back layers of time.” This visually appealing large-format, 64-page picture book will delight tweens as they see the changes in the six famous cities unfold right before their eyes. Starting with an intro and a timeline, the book then covers Rome, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; Paris, France; Beijing, China; London, U.K.; and New York City, U.S.A. Cities in Layers would be the perfect companion to stories from those time periods. When looking at London from 1863, kids could learn about authors from the Victorian era, or they could read about the Great Depression when checking out the map of NYC from 1931. What’s interesting is that Steele has chosen different centuries to focus on for each city so while the pages for Paris zero in on 1380, 1793, and today, the section on Istanbul covers 550 ce, 1616 as well as the present day.  A two-page spread at the end ponders what future cities will look like while addressing population growth, the scarcity of resources, and technology. This fascinating read combines history, maps, architecture, and progress with its unique perspective that will no doubt spark interesting discussions.

Also, check out these other books:

OUR WORLD: A First Book of Geography
Written by Sue Lowell Gallion
Illustrated by Lisk Feng
(Phaidon; $18.95, Ages 2-5)

A read-aloud introduction to geography for young children that, when opened and folded back, creates a freestanding globe.

 

 

Maps DeluxeEdition coverMAPS: Deluxe Edition
Written and illustrated by Aleksandra Mizielinska & Daniel Mizielinski
(Big Picture Press; $50, Ages 10 and up)

Discover the world in this updated edition of the beloved bestseller,
featuring twenty-four all-new maps. A great large-format book for budding cartophiles and travel enthusiasts.

 

 

 

 

BIGFOOT VISITS THE BIG CITIES OF THE WORLD
Written and illustrated by D. L. Miller
(Little Fox; $14.99, All Ages)

A seek-and-find challenge for the whole family!

 

 

 

Looking for more Around the World books to share with your children? Check out the Pinterest board from Candlewick by clicking here: https://www.pinterest.com/candlewickpress/around-the-world/

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Kids Book Review – The Night Flower for National Garden Month

 

 

THE NIGHT FLOWER:
The Blooming of the Saguaro Cactus
By Lara Hawthorne
(Big Picture Press; $16.99, Ages 3-7)

 

The Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne book cover art

 

 

The Sonoran desert is busy with all sorts of activity. Lara Hawthorne’s 32-page nonfiction picture book, The Night Flower: The Blooming of the Saguaro Cactus invites the reader to explore this lively world. The book’s rhyming lines are upbeat and evocative: “Around the saguaro, in the shining moonlight, the desert is festive and thriving tonight.”

Facts bookend the text, deepening a reader’s understanding about the wonderful saguaro cactus’s spectacular bloom which occurs only one night each year. “During this short period, their strong scent and brilliant white petals attract rare pollinators, including bats, moths, and doves.” For a few hours in the morning, the pollen’s shared with day creatures such as birds and bees.

 

interior artwork from The Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne
THE NIGHT FLOWER. Copyright © 2018 by Lara Hawthorne. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

Kids will like the “Did you spot . . .?” section at the end which encourages them to connect the descriptions of ten animals back to the story. The colorfully illustrated saguaro life cycle and glossary are in kid-friendly language to engage even the youngest child. I enjoyed the fresh perspective on animals such as the grasshopper mouse, a “fierce, furry hunter” which is “known to stand on its hind legs and howl at night.”

 

 

The Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne interior artwork
THE NIGHT FLOWER. Copyright © 2018 by Lara Hawthorne. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

Hawthorne’s watercolor images introduce whimsy and beauty. This glimpse at something rare is educational and fun. I may have missed the saguaro’s amazing bloom, but, if our travels take us to the desert, I’ll keep a lookout for the gorgeous rainbow grasshopper.

 

 

 

 

 

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Our Favorite Kids’ Christmas Books Part Three

NEW CHRISTMAS BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 2018

– A ROUNDUP –

PART THREE

 

Free Christmas clip art bells and holly

 

 

A Unicorn Named Sparkle's First Christmas cover illustrationA UNICORN NAMED SPARKLE’S FIRST CHRISTMAS
Written and illustrated by Amy Young
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR; $16.99, Ages 2-6)

A Unicorn Named Sparkle’s First Christmas, Amy Young’s third book in this funny series, doesn’t disappoint. Cutie pie Sparkle continues to delight readers with silly antics offset by his true friendship with the little girl who loves him.

Lucy—perhaps like someone you know—believes the best thing about Christmas is “Lots and lots of PRESENTS!” And, of course, who better to give great presents than your BFF? However, even with Lucy’s insistent reminders, Sparkle doesn’t quite grasp the concept. It is, after all, his first Christmas.

Young’s illustrations capture the exciting buildup of holiday madness (cookies, ice skating, the mall) and, of course, a crazy-messy wonderful house. If you enjoy playful underscored by heartfelt friendship, this book’s for you.

 

Little Christmas Tree book cover artworkLITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE
Written and illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle
(Big Picture Press; $15.99, Ages 2-5)

★Starred Review – Publisher’s Weekly

This beautiful, extra-large, 12-page board book’s sparkling art invites readers to journey into wintery landscapes. Each scene has several lift-the-flap opportunities for little hands to discover hidden wonders.

Written in rhyme, the story takes the reader through a day in the forest. First, the little Christmas tree awakens to find the woods have turned from green to white. Creatures explore until the sky clouds over and snowflakes fall once more.

Jessica Courtney-Tickle’s digital illustrations in Little Christmas Tree convey the best of snowy weather. Brightly colored berries and animals contrast well with the forest’s earth tones. Silver foil accents add a lovely effect. Young readers will delight in revisiting these tranquil sceneries.

 

Merry Christmas Little Elliot cover artMERRY CHRISTMAS, LITTLE ELLIOT
Written and illustrated by Mike Curato
(Henry Holt BYR; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

★Starred Review – Kirkus Reviews

Merry Christmas, Little Elliot is a lovely addition to the seasonal standards with its fresh look at a familiar theme. You may know Little Elliot (an elephant with pastel spots) from previous books. In this holiday adventure, Elliot isn’t excited because he doesn’t have Christmas spirit.

So he sets off with Mouse to try and find this elusive thing. None of the typical wonders (The Nutcracker ballet, a spectacular tree, or sledding) incite Elliot until a mysterious envelope leads the two friends to discover what this time of year truly means.

Mike Curato’s classic art enhances and amplifies the story line. The beautiful book has an old-fashioned feel with a timeless message. Santa tells Elliot that he can’t give him the Christmas spirit, “You have to find that yourself.”

Be sure to look under the picture book’s dust jacket for a clever alternate cover image.

  • The above three books were reviewed by Christine Van Zandt

Writer, editor, and owner of Write for Success www.Write-for-Success.com

@WFSediting, Christine@Write-for-Success.com

 

Merry Christmas Little Pookie cover illustration by Sandra BoyntonMERRY CHRISTMAS, LITTLE POOKIE
Written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton
(Little Simon; $5.99, Ages 0-5)

I’ll be honest. Pookie can do no wrong by me. Sandra Boynton is a personal fave so I’m biased when it comes to her books as anyone who follows me on Twitter knows. 

On Christmas Eve, little Pookie pig is ready for a walk in the snow with Mama. When noses get frozen, it’s time to head inside because “There are garlands to make and lights to turn on and cookies to bake.” Family and friends will soon be arriving and Christmas songs will be sung. Boynton’s 18-page rhyming board board is festive and endearing and features all the trademark cuteness that make this a wonderful addition to the beloved go-to series. With eight books available, there’s definitely a great selection to keep your youngest ones entertained. And now, with Merry Christmas, Little Pookie in the mix, children can easily spend all year with Little Pookie!

 

The Broken Ornament by Tony DiTerlizzi book cover artTHE BROKEN ORNAMENT
Written and illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
(Simon & Schuster Books; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

Be careful what you wish for is what I kept thinking as I read The Broken Ornament, a touching picture book about empathy, thoughtfulness and self-reliance. As the story opens “Jack wanted this to be the best Christmas ever.” When that means adding more ornaments on the tree, Jack’s mother warns him about the one he intends to hang. It shatters and his mom hastily retreats upstairs followed by his dad with a box of tissues. Clearly that ornament was meaningful to his mom. It’s only when a fairy named Tinsel emerges from the ornament shards that Jack gets the over-the-top Christmas experience he longed for. But something was missing. Was there a way to replace the broken ornament? Tinsel helps Jack learn the story behind the ornament’s importance and explains that only Jack has the power to come up with a solution. Once Jack puts his mind to it, he figures out a beautiful way to show his remorse over his action that, while not bringing back the old ornament, helps everyone have a joyful Christmas after all. Sometimes there’s magic in the small things. I absolutely loved DiTerlizzi’s spread of Tinsel’s magical creatures (Santa, elves, snowmen, reindeer, nutcrackers) gathered in the snow outside the living room window looking in at the happy family. Santa’s got a spotlight on him as he holds a glowing Tinsel in his hand. Young readers will be thrilled to witness the positive outcome along with the Christmas cast of characters. Buy local and treat yourself to this beautiful book to share with your family this holiday season.

  • The above two books were reviewed by Ronna Mandel

Please click here for Part One of our 2018 Christmas Books Roundup.
Please click here for Part Two of our 2018 Christmas Books Roundup.

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It’s Group Hug Time – A Pandemonium of Parrots

A  PANDEMONIUM OF PARROTS AND OTHER ANIMALS
Written by Kate Baker
Illustrated by Hui Skipp
(Big Picture Press; $16.99, Ages 7-9)

 

 

A Pandemonium of Parrots (and other animals) by Kate Baker is a rhyming picture book chock full of clever animal groups and fascinating facts about every type of animal. Did you know that a group of flamingos is called a flamboyance? How fitting is that?

 

A Pandemonium of Parrots interior spread 1
A PANDEMONIUM OF PARROTS AND OTHER ANIMALS. Copyright © 2016 by The Templar Company Limited. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

As a preschool teacher, I could not stop myself from becoming more excited with each page turn knowing that this excellent book is not only for fun and entertainment purposes, but it also provides the ideal opportunity for learning in a colorful and unique way. Each page features a number of colorful animals doing different activities while inviting the reader to join in a search-and-find mission by asking questions like, “Who is sleeping?” or Who is swimming backwards?” or “Who just went fishing?” etc. I can already imagine my students gleefully pretending to be each animal presented. Kids will find they can identify individually with any number of specific animals in the groups depicted.

 

interior spread 2 from A Pandemonium of Parrots
A PANDEMONIUM OF PARROTS AND OTHER ANIMALS. Copyright © 2016 by The Templar Company Limited. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

A Pandemonium of Parrots is the perfect precursor to a zoo field trip or story time on any day of the week when your child is looking for a book about their favorite creatures. The helpful back-matter includes incredible facts about each type of animal group such as the fact that some beetles are strong enough to snap a pencil! Youngsters will not be disappointed with this fresh and interesting take on animal groups with illustrations by Hui Skipp that are richly colored, captivating and full of life.

Check out A Pandemonium of Parrots and enjoy the pretend play it is sure to inspire.

  • Reviewed by Ozma Bryant
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Debbie Powell’s Walk This World at Christmastime

 

 

WALK THIS WORLD AT CHRISTMASTIME
Written by Big Picture Press
Illustrated by Debbie Powell
(Big Picture Press; $17.99, Ages 5-8)

 

 

Walk This World at Christmastime, a twenty-four-page picture book, is an interesting and unusual addition to your holiday books. Set up as an advent calendar, the relatively sturdy lift-the-flap windows numbering one through twenty-five reveal images and accompanying text. Each page has additional flaps for curious fingers to discover, bringing the total of interactive windows to more than seventy. The left-hand page contains a four-line loosely rhyming poem and the concluding line “Where am I?” Beautiful background illustrations and clues beneath the flaps help readers solve this question (the answer is provided on the right-hand page).

A younger child will enjoy the many tactile experiences and the colorful, abundant pictures. Older kids will gain a deeper understanding of how different cultures celebrate Christmas around the world, learning our similarities such as “Candles at Christmas are a symbol of the triumph of light over darkness.” New ways to celebrate will be discovered as well: “The Gävle goat is a giant Swedish Yule goat made from straw.” Diversity in religious practices are explained: “In Lalibela, Ethiopia, Christian pilgrims dressed in white robes flock to the beautiful rock churches.” Interspersed historical tidbits inform, for example, that the first advent calendar was made in Germany in 1851.

Many pages have fun food facts. “The Chinese give gifts of apples on Christmas Eve,” “Enjoy a Lebanese Christmas feat of kibbeh pie—made from minced meat and bulgur—along with tabbouleh and honey cake.”

Walk This World at Christmastime concludes with an easy-to-follow world map depicting the book’s journey. A dotted line connects the countries and continents, uniting our world through our holiday celebrations.

Read about illustrator Debbie Powell here.

  • Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt

Writer, editor, and owner of Write for Success www.Write-for-Success.com

@WFSediting, Christine@Write-for-Success.com

Co-editor of and writer for SCBWI’s Kite Tales https://SCBWIKiteTales.wordpress.com/

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ANIMALIUM by Jenny Broom and Katie Scott

 

Animalium
curated by Jenny Broom (author) and Katie Scott (illustrator)
(Big Picture Press, $35.00, Ages 8-12 – but will be enjoyed by all ages!)

 

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2014

✩Starred Reviews – Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness

Animalium-cvr.jpgTurn off the TV, power down the devices, and take the children to the museum … simply by opening up this visually impressive book! Colorful, intricately drawn animal life forms, will instantly grab children’s attention.

Beginning with its oversize format and a bronze-colored admittance ticket, the book’s design was intended to create (or recreate) a museum visit. Turn the pages and step into the “museum.” At the “Entrance,” the “curators,” Jenny Broom and Katie Scott, welcome children and invite them to “See for yourself how the tree of life evolved from the simple sea sponge into the diverse array of animals found on Earth today (p.1).”

A breath-taking two page spread of the “Tree of Animal Life” follows. The curators explain that this unusual tree illustrates ” … how organisms that appear to be very different have … evolved from one another over millions of years … (p. 5).” Children (and adults) will find it fascinating to follow the branches up from the stem (Invertebrates) to see the development of, and interrelationships between, animal life forms. For example, a lungfish and a cockatoo once shared the Vertebrate branch. The curators note that the further away from the stem a species is, the more the species has evolved in order to survive.

As children continue turning pages, they enter individual “galleries” (or book chapters) which are ” … arranged by shared characteristics and in evolutionary order to show how the animal kingdom… (p.1) ” developed over eons of time into invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Int-art-Animalium.jpg
Interior spread from Animalium by Jenny Broom and Katie Scott, ©2014 Big Picture Press.

 

The curators encourage their young visitors to ” … look for characteristic similarities and read the text to find out more about how the animals are comparable. (p.1).” Each gallery also sports a “habitat diorama” where children can learn about the ecosystem that supports those animals and how they have adapted to life in that environment. In examining the Arctic Tundra, children will learn that many of the mammals there, such as the polar bear, are predatory carnivores, requiring the protein found in meat to help fuel the energy these animals need to keep warm.

Broom’s narrative is engaging and flows smoothly. While age appropriate, it is not simplistic nor condescending. Scientific vocabulary (cnidarian, amphibian, phylum) is used throughout the book with the meanings gracefully woven into the narrative.

Two page spreads feature general information and characteristics about a group of animals. A “Key to the plate” presents information specific to the animals found in the accompanying illustration, numbered like a field guide. Scott makes excellent use of the book’s oversized format with a stunning full-paged spread of the Emperor Penguins and a diagram of the Nile Crocodile’s skeleton. Other spreads, such as the European frog, cover the bottom halves of two pages. This enables Scott to effectively and sequentially depict the frog’s five stages of development from frogspawn to adult. Her intricate pen and ink drawings, digitally colored, are reminiscent of work done by artists and naturalists like John James Audubon.

Additional material in the book includes a preface by Dr. Sandra Knapp of the Natural History Museum of London, England stressing the importance of biodiversity and a “Library” of several online resources.

Check out Big Picture Press to see several images from the book and Candlewick Press for information on the author and the illustrator and to order your copy. Watch the YouTube book trailer below, too.

So visit a “museum” that never closes-and keep children engaged for many hours. Animalium is a highly recommended middle grade nonfiction book for home, schools, and public libraries plus there’s never an admission fee.

– Reviewed by Dornel Cerro

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Walk This World: A Celebration of Life in a Day by Lotta Nieminen

TRAVEL THE WORLD WITHOUT A PASSPORT
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Walk This World: A Celebration of Life in a Day (Big Picture Press, $17.9, Ages 5-8), illustrated by Lotta Nieminen and written by Jenny Broom, is reviewed by Rita Zobayan.

Your child can visit ten countries from the comfort of home. Walk This World: A Celebration of Life in a Day is a large-sized, lift-the-flap (more than 80 of them!) book that presents splendid art and joyous prose. Children and parents will discover clues for each country and an adventure on each page. Can you spot flags, foods, animals, and landmarks? Who is hiding behind the window and door flaps? What are they up to?

The adventure begins in New York City and continues in France, Russia, Brazil, and India to name a few of the locations.  Although the narrative is sparse, it provides descriptive information about the countries.

Sunny streets and tilting towers, a waiter stops to mop his brow. From the water, gondoliers greet me with a friendly, “Ciao!”

Teaming streets and bhangra beat, rhythm moves me side to side. Brilliant saris can’t outshine the vibrant smile of the bride.

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The true feat in Walk This World: A Celebration of Life in a Day is the artwork, and that’s really what Big Picture Press is all about. There are dozens of details on each page: simple portrayals of everyday life that celebrate our planet.  Walk This World: A Celebration of Life in a Day is truly a celebration.

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