Be a Tree!


Maria Gianferrari - 2021
    We are fueled by air and sun. And, like humans, trees are social. They “talk” to spread information; they share food and resources. They shelter and take care of one another. They are stronger together.

How Big Were Dinosaurs?


Lita Judge - 2013
    And a huge fold-out chart compares the dinos to each other, from the tiniest Microraptor to Argentinosaurus, the largest animal to ever walk the land.*An NPR Best Book of 2013*

How to Be an Elephant


Katherine Roy - 2017
    If it's a challenge for these 7,000-pound giants, what's it like for their newborn babies?An infant elephant has precious little time to learn the incredible array of skills that are necessary to keep up, from projecting her voice across a 10-octave range to using the 100,000 muscles in her trunk to stay hydrated. But this giant-to-be has the perfect classroom--a family herd made up of her mother, sisters, cousins, and aunts. With their help and protection, she'll learn how to survive, how to thrive, and how to be an elephant. Award-winning author-illustrator Katherine Roy's How to Be an Elephant delves into the intricate family dynamics at play in a typical African herd. Drawing upon the latest scientific research and Roy's own expedition to Kenya, and brimming with lush watercolor illustrations and detailed diagrams, this book vividly portrays the life and development of an elephant from an uncertain newborn into a majestic adult. As informative as it is beautiful, Roy's unique portrait of an elephant's life will captivate young explorers and animal lovers alike.

Number One Sam


Greg Pizzoli - 2014
    Will he learn what it truly means to be a winner?

A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi


James Yang - 2021
    Wandering through an outdoor market, through the forest, and then by the ocean, Isamu sees things through the eyes of a young artist . . .but also in a way that many children will relate. Stones look like birds. And birds look like stones.

Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild


Catherine Thimmesh - 2018
    But within the past forty years, more than fifty percent of the panda’s already shrinking habitat has been destroyed by humans, leaving the beautiful and beloved giant panda vulnerable to extinction. Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds—poaching, habitat destruction, pollution, human overpopulation, and global climate change—the panda is making a comeback. How? By humans teaching baby pandas how to be wild and stay wild.

Look Where We Live!: A First Book of Community Building


Scot Ritchie - 2015
    The children find adventure close to home while learning about the businesses, public spaces and people in their neighborhood. Young readers will be inspired to re-create the fun-filled day in their own communities.

Someday Is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-ins


Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich - 2018
    Valuable." — Kirkus Reviews starred review "Relatable and meaningful ... A top addition to nonfiction collections." — School Library Journal starred reviewMore than a year before the Greensboro sit-ins, a teacher named Clara Luper led a group of young people to protest the segregated Katz drugstore by sitting at its lunch counter. With simple, elegant art, Someday Is Now tells the inspirational story of this unsung hero of the Civil Rights movement. As a child, Clara Luper saw how segregation affected her life. When she grew up, Clara led the movement to desegregate Oklahoma stores and restaurants that were closed to African Americans. With courage and conviction, she led young people to “do what had to be done.” Perfect for early elementary age kids in encouraging them to do what is right and stand up for what is right, even at great cost, this is a powerful story about the power of nonviolent activism.Someday Is Now challenges young people to ask how they will stand up against something they know is wrong. Kids are inspired to follow the lessons of bravery taught by civil rights pioneers like Clara Luper. This moving title includes additional information on Clara Luper’s extraordinary life, her lessons of nonviolent resistance, and a glossary of key civil rights people and terms.

Lovely Beasts: The Surprising Truth


Kate Gardner - 2018
    Porcupines are scary. Bats are ugly.Or are they . . . ?This captivating book invites you to look beyond your first impressions at these awe-inspiring animals in the wild. After all, it’s best not to judge a beast until you understand its full, lovely life.

Mr. Elephanter


Lark Pien - 2010
    Elephanter looks after the peppy elephanties! A charming, quirky picture book debut by an acclaimed cartoonist.Early every morning, Mr. Elephanter arrives at the Elephantery to care for his diminutive charges, who greet him with toots and trumpets. There are hugs and hellos all around! They all eat pancakes, paddle and splash in the neighborhood pool, and parade through the bustling city. After naps, Mr. Elephanter pretends he’s a tunnel, tower, and bridge, while the elephanties play all around him. In fresh watercolors exuding warmth and whimsy, Lark Pien introduces the doting Mr. Elephanter—and the most adorable miniature creatures you’ll ever meet.

Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten


Laura Veirs - 2018
    Elizabeth Cotten was only a little girl when she picked up a guitar for the first time. It wasn't hers (it was her big brother's), and it wasn't strung right for her (she was left-handed). But she flipped that guitar upside down and backwards and taught herself how to play it anyway. By age eleven, she'd written "Freight Train," one of the most famous folk songs of the twentieth century. And by the end of her life, people everywhere—from the sunny beaches of California to the rolling hills of England—knew her music.

Standing on Her Shoulders


Monica Clark-Robinson - 2020
    Acclaimed illustrator Laura Freeman's remarkable art showcases a loving intergenerational family and encourages girls to find female heroes in their own lives.Standing on Her Shoulders will inspire girls of all ages to follow in the footsteps of these amazing women.

The Best Part of Me: Children Talk About Their Bodies in Pictures and Words


Wendy Ewald - 2002
    Ideal for parents and teacher to use to discuss body image, self-esteem, and diversity with children.

Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued


Peter Sís - 2021
    He intertwines Nicky’s efforts with the story of one of the children he saved—a young girl named Vera, whose family enlisted Nicky’s aid when the Germans occupied their country. As the war passes and Vera grows up, she must find balance in her dual identities—one her birthright, the other her choice.

Give Bees a Chance


Bethany Barton - 2017
    Give Bees a Chance is for anyone who doesn't quite appreciate how extra special and important bees are to the world, and even to humankind! Besides making yummy honey, they help plants grow fruits and vegetables. And most bees wouldn't hurt a fly (unless it was in self-defense!).Bethany Barton's interactive cartoon-style illustrations and hilarious narrator mean this book is full of facts and fun. With bees officially on the endangered animals list, it's more important now than ever to get on board with our flying, honey-making friends!