The Thing about Bees: A Love Letter


Shabazz Larkin - 2019
    They fly in your face and prance on your food." And yet... without bees, we might not have strawberries for shortcakes or avocados for tacos! A Norman Rockwell-inspired Sunday in the park, a love poem from a father to his two sons, and a tribute to the bees that pollinate the foods we love to eat. Children are introduced to different kinds of bees, "how not to get stung," and how the things we fear are often things we don't fully understand.

Claude: The True Story of a White Alligator


Emma Bland Smith - 2020
    His story started almost 25 years ago in Louisiana, where he hatched out of his egg to discover he looked different from the other hatchlings. They were green and Claude was white. The other hatchings avoided him, and his color made him vulnerable to predators. So Claude went to a special zoo that cared for alligators where he lived in a pen by himself. Now he was safe--but alone.One day, scientists at the California Academy of Sciences heard about him and asked the zoo if he could come and live in the Academy's swamp. He made a 2,800 mile journey to his new home, where he had a surprise--he would share his swamp with Bonnie, an alligator who the scientists hoped would be a friend for Claude.Unfortunately, Bonnie didn't like Claude's differences either, so she was moved to another home. But then Claude was alone again--or was he?With Bonnie gone, Claude began to interact with the five enormous snapping turtles who shared his swamp. The turtles didn't mind at all that Claude was different! And neither do the millions of people who visit him every year. They know that Claude's differences are exactly what makes him special.Claude includes back matter with answers to frequently asked questions about the famous alligator, including information about albinism in animals.

Life-Size Zoo: From Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants, An Actual Size Animal Encyclopedia


Teruyuki Komiya - 2008
    Giraffes have eyelashes. Sloths hang from trees for days at a time without going to the bathroom. These are just some of the insights featured in Life-Size Zoo. Acclaimed wildlife photographer Toyofumi Fukuda visited Japan's premier zoos to capture remarkably vivid and detailed close-up photographs of 21 animals, from pandas and meerkats to giraffes, rhinos, and elephants (adult and baby). Each photograph is accompanied by a profile including body length, weight, and natural habitat, as well as fun facts about the animal.

Pond Circle


Betsy Franco - 2009
    But a closer look reveals a world of activity—mayflies dart, beetles dive, frogs spring, skunks shuffle, and owls swoop. As a young girl watches, the circle of life unfolds. Betsy Franco’s rhythmic, cumulative text makes this a lively read-aloud, and rich, luminous paintings by Stefano Vitale capture the bold beauty of nature. Young readers will be inspired to journey into their own backyards and discover the wonder of the living, breathing world around them.

Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring


Jan Greenberg - 2010
    The authors' collaborator is two-time Sibert Honor winner Brian Floca, whose vivid watercolors bring both the process and the performance to life.

You Don't Want a Unicorn!


Ame Dyckman - 2017
    Unbeknownst to him, unicorns make the absolutely worst pets: they shed, they poke holes in your ceiling, and they make a big mess. With a knowing wink from Ame Dyckman, creator of Wolfie the Bunny and cheerful illustrations from Rory the Dinosaur creator and Tumblr star Liz Climo, this rollicking story shares all of the ways a pet unicorn can ruin your life, and is sure to have readers in stitches.

Hippos Can't Swim and Other Fun Facts (Did You Know?, #1)


Laura Lyn Disiena - 2014
    Did you know that hippos can't swim? This hilarious book is full of fun facts about all sorts of animals, from sleepy ants to jellyfish that glow!Did you know that a zebra's stripes are as unique as a human's fingerprints?How about that ants take about 250 naps per day?Or that some jellyfish can glow--and that's called bioluminescence?Colorful, humorous illustrations accompany tons of cool facts about animals of all shapes, sizes, speeds, and species in this lively book that makes nonfiction fun!

One Minute till Bedtime: 60-Second Poems to Send You off to Sleep


Kenn NesbittNaomi Shihab Nye - 2016
    Reach for a one-minute poem!Former Children's Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt presents a blockbuster collection of all-new poetry penned by some of the most beloved and celebrated poets of our time, including Jack Prelutsky, Jon Scieszka, Mary Ann Hoberman, Nikki Grimes, Lemony Snicket, Jane Yolen, and many more. Illuminated with dreamlike wit and whimsy by New York Times illustrator and award-winning artist Christoph Niemann, here is a new bedtime classic. When the busy day is drawing to a close and the whole family is ready for rest, take a minute for poetry and send your little ones off to sleep.

Science Verse


Jon Scieszka - 2004
    / 'Cause whether his or hers amoeba, / They too feel like you and meba.What if a boring lesson about the food chain becomes a sing-along about predators and prey? A twinkle-twinkle little star transforms into a twinkle-less, sunshine-eating-and rhyming Black Hole? What if amoebas, combustion, metamorphosis, viruses, the creation of the universe are all irresistible, laugh-out-loud poetry? Well, you're thinking in science verse, that's what. And if you can't stop the rhymes ... the atomic joke is on you. Only the amazing talents of Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, the team who created Math Curse, could make science so much fun.

Animals Born Alive and Well: A Book About Mammals


Ruth Heller - 1982
    Text and illustrations introduce animals with fur or hair who nurse their young, breathe fresh air, and except for two species give birth to their young alive instead of laying eggs.

Nothing Rhymes with Orange


Adam Rex - 2017
    But when one particularly intuitive Apple notices how Orange is feeling, the entire English language begins to become a bit more inclusive.• A charming book that teaches lessons about friendship and inspires conversations about inclusiveness and cherishing our differences• The bright and big illustrations paired with funny rhymes are sure to bring a smile to readers of all ages• Adam Rex is the author and illustrator of many beloved picture books and novels, including the New York Times bestseller Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, and has worked with the likes of Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, and Jeff KinneyA Huffington Post Best Book of the Year: Vibrant illustrations, enjoyable rhyming text, and a sweet, happy ending make Nothing Rhymes with Orange a book you'll keep coming back to time and time again.• Great read-aloud book for families and classrooms• Books for kids ages 5-6 • Books for kindergarten and up

What Do They Do with All That Poo?


Jane Kurtz - 2018
    So what do zoos do with all of that poo? This zany, fact-filled romp explores zoo poo, from cube-shaped wombat poo to white hyena scat, and all of the places it ends up, including in science labs and elephant-poo paper—even backyard gardens!

The Party: and Other Stories


Sergio Ruzzier - 2018
    But Fox and Chick are always friends.

Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh


Sally M. Walker - 2015
    Harry was a veterinarian. But he was also a soldier in training for World War I. Harry named the bear Winnie, short for Winnipeg, his company’s home town, and he brought her along to the training camp in England. Winnie followed Harry everywhere and slept under his cot every night. Before long, she became the regiment’s much-loved mascot. But who could care for the bear when Harry had to go to the battleground in France? Harry found just the right place for Winnie while he was away — the London Zoo. There a little boy named Christopher Robin came along and played with Winnie — he could care for this bear too! Sally Walker’s heartwarming story, paired with Jonathan Voss’s evocative illustrations, brings to life the story of the real bear who inspired Winnie the Pooh.

High Tide for Horseshoe Crabs


Lisa Kahn Schnell - 2015
    Dual-layered text introduces the life cycle of the horseshoe crab, with a focus on the annual mass-spawning event at Delaware Bay.