This is a wonderful and disparate collection of nonfiction picture books, and they all deserve attention for many reasons. Librarians and teachers should consider these because of the important subject matter, the quality of the writing, and the engaging nature of the illustrations. From information about animal homes to facts about the elusive narwhal, there’s a lot of learning that will go on when kids peruse these books. They would also make great additions to a classroom library, a school (or public) library, or a child’s bookshelf at home. These are about animals, and therefore sure to be a kid magnet.

Candace Fleming is, perhaps, the queen of nonfiction picture books, and her newest, “Narwhal: Unicorn of the Arctic” is both lovely and filled with fascinating information. Not a lot is known about narwhals, in part because they live in the Arctic, and in part because in the winter, they live in a remote part of the Arctic and spend a lot of time underwater. As we learn, their lives are regulated by their migratory patterns, but it’s also a life fraught with danger. Unexpected changes in weather can mean death for these mammals who can get caught under the ice and suffocate or starve to death if their passage to open waters freezes up. Interestingly, this book is written in second person. “Scientists call you unicorn of the Arctic because of your tusk…a single twisting rod of ivory that sprouts from your upper left jaw.” I had no idea that the narwhal’s tusk is as thick as a lamppost and taller than a man. The illustrations by Deena So’Oteh are visually gripping in shades of blue and green with a center foldout that shows the narwhals diving into the dark depths of the ocean for food. At the end is a double page spread with additional nonfiction information about the narwhal. (Anne Schwartz Books)

Continuing the underwater theme is “Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall” by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Jason Chin. Children will be fascinated to learn that the whale’s cycle of life doesn’t end with death. When a whale dies, its body sinks to the ocean floor and becomes a whole ecosystem for the creatures that exist there. This would be a fabulous companion book to Melissa Stewart’s “Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean Floor Ecosystem.” The beginning of the book is a bit sad as we are introduced to the whale who dies. Granted her death is peaceful, and she dies of old age. But it’s a bit sad nonetheless. We know she is 90 years old, and Brunelle explains that whales’ ages can be determined from their ear canals. Every six months they develop a new layer of wax, and by examining the wax we can not only determine the age of a whale but a lot of other important, valuable information. But the focus of the book is on the ecosystem that the huge body of the whale creates at the deep, dark depths of the ocean where it lands after a slow descent. We learn about the different phases that the carcass will go through, beginning with the mobile scavenger phase. This includes creatures who are lured by the scent of the whale’s body that travels miles underwater. One of them is the sleeper shark, one of the few large creatures who can live at such a depth. Then there is the enrichment opportunist phase. The next couple of years will see a set of creatures that will eat the fragments of decomposing flesh and waste material. This includes crabs, snails, clams and worms, who find this sustenance in the mud around the whale’s decaying carcass, which is now mostly skeletal. The last phase is the sulfophilic phase, which can last a century. Bacteria cover the bones and break down the material left. In turn, other creatures come to graze. We learn how the decomposition of the whale’s body truly becomes part of the circle of life. More information at the end of the book provides a selected bibliography, information about how to see videos of whale falls online, other books, and a summary of the phases. (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House)

“When Beavers Flew: An Incredible True Story of Rescue and Relocation” by Kristen Tracy and Luisa Uribe is a touching story that illustrates how each animal that is part of an ecosystem is important. Eighty years ago, the beaver in McCall, Idaho were having conflicts with the people who were building homes there. The town was growing and clashing with the beavers and their ability to dam up creeks and rivers, causing wetlands. While we know that wetlands are important, back then no one wanted a backyard full of water. An Idaho Fish and Game warden named Elmo Heter figured out a brilliant solution. He decided to keep a few beavers where they were, but to relocate others to areas far away where they could build their dams and be free from the intervention of people who didn’t appreciate their feats of engineering. “Elmo knew that without beavers, wetlands and the animals that lived in them would disappear. He hoped to find a balance.” Getting the beaver to the remote location was a sticky problem, and several of Elmo’s ideas didn’t work. But finally, he thought to use parachutes to drop the beavers safely into the back county. We learn how Elmo created the boxes and safely tested them before actually using them on live animals. And we learn the positive outcome of his work. At the end is the Author’s Note, Selected Sources, and more information. (Random House Studio)

“An Animal A Day: 365 Amazing Animals to Take You Through the Year” is a large picture book with, of course, lots of animals and information about them. Each “date” has an illustration of the animal, a paragraph about the animal, and scientific name, animal group, wingspan or length, weight, diet, location, and status. Looking at September 20th, we see the Secretary Bird. It’s a bird of prey, and an interesting fact the authors note is that the “secretary bird kills its prey by stamping on it – even a highly venomous puff adder or cobra – before eating it.” This bird can grow up to 7 feet, but is only 9 pounds. It lives in Africa and is endangered. While the illustrations are not highly colored, there are also pages where the background color is black, making the illustrations pop out. The table of contents sorts them by month, and there are pages that delve into specifics like migration and desert survival. Some animals merit a double-page spread, while other pages feature several animals on a single page. This is the kind of book middle grade readers will love perusing at random (probably not by date!) to read about the different animals. I can see this being a highly sought-after addition to a school library or classroom. At home, this would be a book that would keep children engaged for hours. (RHCBooks/ Random House)

Similarly, the book, “A Dinosaur A Day: 365 Incredible Dinosaurs to Take You Through the Year,” is a book with, no surprise, 365 dinosaurs. The table of contents shares the double-page spreads that feature specific dinosaurs that are, for example, insect eaters, fish-eaters, dinosaurs with beaks, sea reptiles, and so on. There is a paragraph about each animal with information about the period in which the dinosaurs lived, their size, and where their fossils were found. At the end is information about the end of the dinosaurs and the creatures that may be their descendants. There’s a pronunciation guide, a glossary, and an index. This, too, is a volume that kids of that certain age when they are fascinated by dinosaurs, will love to read. Perfect for school libraries, classrooms, and kids who love dinosaurs. (RHCBooks/ Random House)

And last, but certainly not least, is a book that comes out in March of 2025. Be sure to put it on your preorder list—it’s worth it! “Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live” by Mike Unwin and Jenni Desmond is a beautifully illustrated book filled with fascinating information about animals we know, and some we might not be familiar with. The overarching idea is about different animals and how their homes, their “safe places,” differ. From a polar bear’s snow den to the underwater lodge of a beaver to being stuck inside a tree (literally) as the rhinoceros hornbill is, learning about the homes of these animals is a thrilling and fun, fact-filled ride. There are engaging facts on each page, and at the end is a double page spread titled “Planet Home” with a world map showing the homes of the animals included in the book as well as more information about how they help the environment and humans. The authors include the fact that we have not been kind to our planet earth. They mention cutting down forests, draining wetlands, throwing garbage in the oceans, burning fossil fuels, and how the ultimate effect of all that is that “countless animal homes are disappearing and many species are in danger.” I love it all — the illustrations, the narrative, the message. This is an important book to consider as an addition to a school library, a classroom, or just for any child who loves nature and animals. (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Please note: These books are provided by the publishers for review purposes.