Playful . . . Claudia McGehee's scratchboard illustrations--similar in style to woodcuts--emphasize contrasts of light and texture: between snow and soil, fox and field, bird and birch tree. -- The Wall Street Journal

It's a counting book. It's a winter animal book. It's a just plain beautiful book! . . . The prettiest nondenominational winter book seen in ages. -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

An atmospheric tribute to the beauty of winter and its creatures.

​One red fox walks across the white snow--quietly stalking winter. Two ravens croak and gurgle--raucously talking winter. Three snowshoe hares hop on big paws--silently tracking winter. Four red squirrels feast at their midden full of cones--hungrily cracking winter. Wherever you look, another creature is making its mark on the snow-covered season.

Inspired by the author's years in Alaska, this lyrical book celebrates the rhythms of the tundra and its inhabitants. Poetic lines and stunning scratchboard art create the perfect read for chilly days--whether winter is just beginning or just starting to melt into spring.

Cooperative Children's Book Center CCBC Choices List - Seasons and Celebrations (2025)

Playful . . . breathtaking. -- The New York Times

Stunning, saturated watercolor and gouache illustrations . . . thought-provoking text . . . A lovingly told exploration of compromise leading to a new outlook on life. -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)​

An unconventional story about navigating differences and learning to be present.

​When a cat and her human go for walks, the human always decides where they go and what they do. But what if it were the other way around? the cat asks one day. So the next time, the human follows the cat. When the cat is in control, she wants to stop more often, and she wants to chase squirrels and climb up trees. Her human finds all these detours ridiculous. But when you walk at a cat's pace, you can see the most amazing things.

Painted in richly saturated colors, The Cat Way explores the strange path to compromise and cooperation. Walking together might take some patience--but it can also lead to the most incredible surprises.

Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books About Families List (2024)

Straightforward, heartfelt words and thin-lined, fully imagined drawings from Desnitskaya (On the Edge of the World) give tender voice to one child's refugee experience. -- Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

Encouraging empathy and understanding, this illuminating picture book offers a realistic account of finding oneself in a new place and shines a light on the healing power of hope. -- Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)

A beautiful tale of loss and adjustment; for those who have never had to leave home, perhaps a lesson in insight and empathy. Highly recommended. -- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

Beautifully crafted and warmly empathetic. -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

A poignant story about a displaced family making a home in the aftermath of war.

We used to live in a big city. In our apartment window was a star-shaped lamp, shining through the cold. I could recognize home from far away. But then the war began, and we left for another country. Everything is different here--the food, the language, even Mom and me. Today Mom bought us a package of scissors, glue, and cardboard. Can we make this place feel a little more like home?

Narrated by a young refugee, A Star Shines Through is based on the experiences of the author-illustrator, who left Russia with her family after the start of the Ukraine War. With an evocative palette of blues and yellows, Anna Desnitskaya shows how making art can create a sense of hope, even amidst emigration and resettling.

Cooperative Children's Book Center CCBC Choices List - Picture Books (2025)

A day's journey through a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.

Do you know how red tastes? What about blue, orange, purple, or even white? As a boy, a girl, and their chameleon go through their day, they meet a bounty of colorful fruits and vegetables. They wake up with bright tomatoes and hibiscus, taste sunshine in yellow pineapples and mangoes, yawn with purple yams, and drift off to sleep as the colors darken to black.

Translated from Filipino, this imaginative book features produce harvested from the Philippines and around the world. Whether children love carrots, moringa, dragon fruit, eggplants, or red beans, How Do You Eat Color? offers them dozens of different--and delicious--opportunities to eat something new. Engaging back matter after the story will help readers explore healthy eating and learn ways to incorporate plants into their meals.

In a sea of hibernation titles, this one's worth staying awake for. -- Kirkus Reviews

A cozy tale about a restless sleeper, his hibernating friends, and how he creates his best winter yet.

When snow begins to blanket the trees, naptime is here for the animals of the forest--everyone, it seems, except for Badger! He doesn't feel like sleeping, and he's got some big plans for the cold months ahead. But Mr. Bear has posted a DO NOT DISTURB sign. Marmot won't answer the door. Even the nighthawk is sound asleep. Badger draws, knits, and reads for hours, but he doesn't want to spend all this time alone. Can he find anyone to join his winter fun?

Featuring a delightful, crayon-illustrated cast of animals, The Most Beautiful Winter encourages children to make the most of the coldest time of year. An excellent pick for hibernation lessons, snuggly bedtimes, and winter parties, this amusing story will charm readers all season long.

The Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List - Family/School/Community & Outstanding Merit (2024)

An unforgettable tale of persistence and problem-solving, based on the amazing true story of a Thai soccer team who made their own place to play.

In Thailand's Phang Nga Bay, atop a network of stilts, floats the village of Koh Panyee--where a group of boys loved soccer but had nowhere to practice. Where could they find space to dribble, juggle, shoot, and score? The boys looked out at the water and started gathering tools. Even while their neighbors laughed, they sawed wood, hammered nails, and tied barrels together. The team worked for weeks to build Koh Panyee's first floating field--a place to practice, and a place to transform their community...

With engaging soccer scenes and atmospheric images of southern Thailand, this inspiring book follows a group of boys who became a team long before they had jerseys or even a field. Plank by plank, they built their dream.

The Children's Book Council Children's FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade (2024)

The Children's Book Council Teacher FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade (2024)

National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council Best STEM Books Award List (2024)

Colorado Humanities Colorado Book Award in Children's Literature Finalist (2024)

Missouri Association of School Librarians Dogwood Readers Award in Kindergarten - 2nd Grade Finalist (2023-2024)

What do Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring, Peru's Vinicunca mountain, the star Betelgeuse, and a drop of water have in common? Rainbows! In this iridescent collection, Joyce Sidman, Nikki Grimes, Janet Wong, and seventeen other poets explore bursts of color across nature. Each selection explores a new rainbow--and not just the ones in the sky. In haiku, free verse, and other forms, the poets capture marvels like crystals, pilot glories, Gouldian finches, and marble caves. Acclaimed illustrator Jamey Christoph brings each rainbow to life in brilliant color and playful detail.

With dazzling language, luminous artwork, and fascinating science sidebars, A Universe of Rainbows is a mind-boggling tour of wonders big and small. From your own windowsill to Colombia's Caño Cristales to the constellation Orion, rainbows are everywhere--in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

Poems by:

• Nikki Grimes
• Matt Forrest Esenwine
• Renee M. LaTulippe
• Joyce Sidman
• Irene Latham
• David L. Harrison
• Heidi E. Y. Stemple & Jane Yolen
• Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
• Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy
• Rebecca Kai Dotlich
• Marilyn Singer
• Charles Waters
• Laura Purdie Salas
• Charles Ghigna
• Lee Wardlaw
• Janet Wong
• Allan Wolf
• Georgia Heard

A moving refugee story, told through the language of knitting.

Knit one. Purl one. Oh no--there goes another stitch: and a family of mice watches its nest unravel. They flee across the water, past a fire-breathing dragon, toward the unknown. At last the family lands in a place where they can gather the strings of their past and their present together. With the help of some new friends, they can knit a new life.

Illustrated with colored-pencil drawings and plenty of yarn, this poetic book is a gentle way to discuss migration and displacement with children. Thread by Thread expresses both the pain of losing a home--and the joy of creating a new place to belong.

ALSC Notable Children's Books List - Middle Readers (2025)

A 2025 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book

Unites STEM learning with literary excellence . . . an essential purchase. -- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

[A] beautiful work of natural history. -- The Wall Street Journal

Astounding, unusual, and breathtaking dwellings.-- Shelf Awareness (STARRED REVIEW)

Stunning . . . An exceptional exploration. -- Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)

A spectacular tour through the dwellings of twenty-seven different animals, from a hermit crab's secondhand shell to a beaver's lakeside dam to a comet moth's silk cocoon.

Acclaimed creator Isabelle Simler presents a poetic journey through amazing animal homes across the world. In Europe, alpine marmots stay safe in underground refuges. In southeast Asia, Sumatran orangutans doze off in treetop bedrooms. In Mexico and the southwestern US, elf owls nest in holes in saguaro cacti. On every continent but Antarctica, honeybees mold wax into palaces for their queens. No matter where you travel, some creature is making an extraordinary place to call home.

With connections to life cycles, camouflage, and other biological concepts, Home is a spellbinding showcase of the wonders of the natural world. Enchanting poetry, fascinating back matter, and intricately detailed art invite young readers to be amazed by the creativity and diversity of our animal neighbors.

Cooperative Children's Book Center CCBC Choices List - Poetry (2025)

Warmhearted . . . memorable . . . [a] work of thoughtful exploration. -- Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

A dreamlike tale about a bear, a boy, and the conversation they share one snowy evening.

​Hiro is a bear too curious to sleep all winter long. So she packs her things, heads out of her cave, and follows some odd tracks in the snow.... straight into a bonfire party! Everyone runs away--except for Émile. He is a boy too curious to give up his chance to talk to a bear. What it's like, being a bear? Émile asks Hiro. As bear and boy sit, talk, and roast marshmallows, a friendship sparks between them...

With wonderfully quirky narration and richly colored art, this enchanting book begs to be read aloud on cozy nights by the fire. Young readers will be delighted by Hiro and Émile's winter world of crackling bonfires, bear songs, and ooey-gooey toasted marshmallows.

Music is everywhere--can you hear it around you? Music might comfort you, or it might make you cry. Even if someone doesn't know your language, they can still understand you. There are sounds to celebrate an important day and sounds to help us find courage, strength, and hope. There are notes to remind you of where you came from and to remind you of the people who came before you. Whether you love gospel choirs, piano concertos, mariachi bands, or gamelan orchestras, music can connect you with people from across our planet.

Humming with color and variety, And There Was Music is a tribute to an art form that unites humanity even as it showcases our diversity. Readers will enjoy spotting their favorite genres and instruments in the art--and using the back matter to discover even more sounds to love.

A whimsical portrait of animals--and antonyms--in action.

​How do you contrast creatures as different as cheetahs and tortoises, or as similar as butterflies and moths? In this lively book of poetry, antonym pairs introduce thirty-two members of the animal kingdom. Each spread presents the voices of two unique creatures: are you more like an obedient sheep or a rebellious goat? What about a tidy pig or a messy warthog? A bossy gorilla or a meek monkey?

With bold, vibrant art and amusing free verse, this collection is a memorable way to explore vocabulary, opposites, and animal traits with young readers. Every flip of the page brings a new set of faces--and another chance to laugh.

Tucker the dog never means to be trouble: he just loves to play. But at the animal shelter, every visitor says he's too much trouble--until Laura. Laura thinks Tucker might be just right for a very special job. Could all his energy make him an amazing conservation dog? Laura trains Tucker to track down Gila monsters, endangered flowers, even grizzly bear poop. His first assignment is in Hawaii, searching for invasive rosy wolf snails hidden under leaves. Where will his nose lead him next?

With colorful, endearing art and dashes of humor, Trouble Dog invites children to join scientists--and their canine colleagues--in their work to save wildlife around the world. Readers will cheer for Tucker's inspiring journey from shelter dog to eager trainee to confident globetrotter. The story concludes with photos and further information about the real dogs and trainers of Working Dogs for Conservation, the world's largest and oldest conservation dog organization.

Charming, whimsical. -- The New York Times

Subtle, beautiful, and detailed, this gem is recommended for all collections. -- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

A stellar story of pals weathering ups and downs with aplomb. -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

A simple yet sensitive tale about friendship and acceptance.

Goat and Bunny are best friends. They love meeting up to eat canned grass together. But when they share coffee, a hike, or dinner at Bunny's burrow, Goat and Bunny realize that they aren't as similar as they thought. Can these friends learn to accept each other's personalities and preferences--even if it means changing their plans?

With playful art and gentle humor, It Is Okay reminds young readers that kindness and respect are essential for friendship. Differences don't have to stop friends from spending time together--instead, they can spark whole new kinds of fun.

A little boy's aquarium has been attacked, and his poor fish is terrified! Who could be behind this horrible crime? Never fear: Ramon Fellini is on the case! This brave dog has donned his cleverest cat costume in order to track down the culprit. How does Fellini know a cat is to blame? Why does he say strange things like Does this house have any other fish? No time for such questions--Fellini is about to reveal the truth! Unless the ace detective has a different agenda in mind...

With dramatic colors, ironic humor, and plenty of clues to discover in the art, this whodunit is a laugh-out-loud read for pet lovers. Children will love using their own sleuthing skills to solve the mystery and predict what Detective Ramon Fellini does next.

Vivid examples . . . plenty of thought-provoking surprises. -- The Wall Street Journal

An awe-inspiring journey through the kingdoms of animals, plants, protists, fungi, archaea, and bacteria.

​Life is all around us--in millions of different forms! In this spectacular book, Carly Allen-Fletcher invites children on an amazing tour of scientific classification's six kingdoms of life. Every page will spark new questions: what makes each kingdom unique? Where do scientists place camels, baobabs, seaweed, and bread molds? How about the tiny things wriggling under our microscopes? What weird and wonderful life-forms have been discovered in the geysers of Yellowstone and on the seafloors off the coast of Namibia?

Exploding with bright colors and mind-boggling details, Kingdoms of Life presents the kaleidoscopic beauty of life on our planet. This fascinating book is the perfect introduction to how the science of classification helps us explore and understand the wonders of nature.

The New York Times New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Books Award (2024)

Soothing and lyrical. -- The New York Times

A thoughtful book that will resonate with travelers, homebodies, and anyone who's ever longed for an old friend or a new journey.

Dan is the owner of a café, living in a small town on the coast. Aki is a sailor on the sea, traveling from place to place. Dan loves his familiar views and enjoys welcoming visitors from far away. Aki loves the wonders he sees abroad and enjoys meeting new people in distant lands. Though Dan likes his life, and Aki likes his life, they each feel so alone sometimes. But every once in a while, separate lives can collide and make the world feel large and small all at once.

Following the parallel stories of Dan and Aki, Here and There introduces readers to two contrasting yet connected characters. Thea Lu's evocative text and art will spark lasting conversations about home, travel, and the similarities between very different people.

Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition (2024)

In her noisy classroom, Milly is the quiet one: Show and Tell is the worst part of her week. She'd rather hide in her secret place and fix forgotten things. When Milly finds an old, broken robot, she takes out her toolbox and gets to work. But then the robot surprises her: Hi, I'm Arnold, he says. Milly has made her first friend--someone who will listen to her ideas and help her with her projects. With Arnold by her side, can even Show and Tell become something better than before?

Illustrated in playful watercolors, The Quiet One is a tender story about how our passions can bring us closer to those around us. This warm, encouraging book will resonate with young introverts, aspiring engineers, and anyone who's ever longed to have their voice heard.

USBBY Outstanding International Books List (2025)

Wonderful . . . engaging detail . . . a beautiful addition to nonfiction collections looking for books on the subject, and those seeking more translated works. -- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

A curiosity-sparking book about water in rainstorms, the Great Lakes, the drip from our taps, and other places in our world.

Water is everywhere, and we rely on it every single day. But do you ever wonder about water? How much water is on our planet? What happens when there is too much water or too little water? Why does it rain? What are lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans? Why are the seas and oceans blue and salty? What lives underwater? What about water in human history--how did people get water in ancient times? How do we get water today? What do humans build to travel on the water, and how have we harnessed waterpower? How do we protect this amazing resource for the future?

Gorgeous and informative, Water invites children to tour through science and history with two characters they may recognize from Wind: Discovering Air in Motion. Colorful acrylic art and energetic text help readers learn about the natural resource we have depended on since the beginning of life itself.

With its soothing text and radiant artwork, this elegant picture book displays the majesty of nature and reminds readers that beauty is fleeting but also worth savoring.