Just in time for spring, several nonfiction picture books are ready to be shared. They are about flowers and plants, about animals and their environment, about people who help the environment, and even about how our bodies are filled with energy. Some are quiet books, perfect for nighttime read-alouds; others are exciting books filled with bright colors and details kids will want to think about. They are all fabulous.
Spring is in the air and the crocuses are blooming! It’s time for reading picture books that will get children excited about seeing baby animals, looking for flowering bulbs, and just enjoying the beautiful colors, smells, and sounds of nature as everything comes to life after a bitterly cold winter. These seven lovely picture books will do just that!
“We’re Not From Here” by Geoff Rodkey is a fantastic story that could be dystopian, except for the humor-filled pages that seem to be anything but dystopia-like, in spite of the novel’s destruction of Earth and the possible extermination of the human race thing going on. Lan, the narrator, and Lan’s sister and parents are living on Mars after Earth is destroyed by a nuclear apocalypse. But things are not great on Mars. Food and water are running out, clothes are turning to rags, and the air processors are failing so everyone is always tired.
There are many different kinds of picture books. Some are bedtime stories, some are sweet or silly, and some have wonderful messages to share for readers of all ages. These nine books are picture books that would be appropriate for a wide range of ages, and they all have lovely themes to discuss with kids.
With “Wildcard,” the sequel to “Warcross,” author Marie Lu fulfills her unspoken promise to readers to keep the action and the tech fast and furious, just like the action in the fictional game of Warcross. The sequel takes the reader forward, but also lets the reader visit the past.
There is no such thing as too many picture books on the bookshelf. They are created to bring joy to young and old because often, adults or older readers are the ones sharing the picture books by reading them aloud. Wonderful authors and illustrators work to make books that will be enjoyed by everyone.
“Hoo Hoo Who” by Mary Maier and Lauren Horton is not just an adorable picture book about an owl whose glasses are broken. He can’t see who is coming to Mouse’s birthday party, so he asks, “Hoo hoo are you?” The hints include yellow feathers, splashy feet and the phrase, “Quack quack with their smiling little beak.” This picture book has lovely illustrations and clever text that will encourage expressive language in young children. Speech pathologist and author Lauren Horton also provides materials on the publisher’s website and blog. (Building Block Press)
“The Truth Lies Here” by Lindsey Klingele is almost like two stories. One story is about mysterious disappearances and deaths in a small Michigan town. Bodies burned almost beyond recognition are found, and the reader meets two of the victims just before they are brutally killed — or rather burned — in the first pages.
“Which One Doesn’t Belong? Playing with Shapes” by math teacher Christopher Danielson is an amazing picture book sure to make those who read it feel great about their math abilities. It’s a no-brainer, because in this wonderful and creative book of math problems, there are no wrong answers!
From an updated classic to a new, thoughtful story filled with questions, these four dog books, picture books for young and old children, will delight all kinds of readers. Especially dog lovers — and aren’t most kids dog lovers at heart?
“Stand on the Sky” by Erin Bow is a book that stands out from many other middle grade reads. The setting and the plot are an introduction into another culture — one that seems to be another world from a life where cold food is nuked in a microwave and there’s a Starbucks on every corner. Aisulu is the twelve-year-old main character who lives with her family in Mongolia.
In “New Kid,” Jerry Craft introduces Jordan Banks, a wanna-be artist and seventh grader who is starting at a new school, a fancy private school. It’s called Riverdale Academy Day School (RAD) and it’s exclusive, prestigious, and filled with mostly rich white kids, all of which Jordan is not. Each new student gets a “guide,” and Jordan is lucky — his guide is Liam, a kid who, while rich and white, really needs a friend.
Books about historical figures are wonderful to read to young and older children at any time, but March is Women’s History Month, so it’s a perfect time to learn about new picture books featuring important famous — and not-so-famous — women from around the world. Each of the six books listed here is powerful in its own right. Each one deserves a special place on a classroom. library, or home bookshelf.