Primary (ages 6-9)

Material appropriate for primary age groups

Mia’s Story: A Sketchbook of Hopes & Dreams

From award-winning picture book artist Michael Foreman comes the uplifting tale of a girl whose search for a lost puppy leads to some wondrous wildflowers — and a magical way to transform her barren village. In a bleak little village in Chile, Papa comes home from his day of selling metal scraps with a wonderful surprise for his daughter, Mia. It’s a puppy she names Poco, who follows the little girl everywhere — until one day, as puppies will do, Poco wanders away. As Mia searches for her pup, she finds herself all alone at the top of the highest mountain, where she gathers a clump of snow-white flowers to plant by her home. Soon Mia’s fragrant flowers have spread through the village and blanketed the once-ugly dump. Before long, she is selling her flowers in the city square, telling crowds of customers that “they come from the stars.” But wherever the flowers are, Mia is always reminded of Poco. Is it possible the flowers may bring back her beloved dog after all?

Take a closer look at Mia’s Story as examined in WOW Review.

Hiromi’s Hands

Growing up in New York City, Hiromi Suzuki misses spending time with her father, a sushi chef who works long hours in the family’s Japanese restaurant. So one day when she is eight years old, Hiromi begs her father to take her to the Fulton Fish Market, where he buys fresh fish. Hiromi is fascinated by what she sees and learns; by the time she is thirteen, she is ready to take the next step. She asks her father to teach her to make sushi. Little does Hiromi realize that her request would lead her to the forefront of a minor culinary revolution, as women claimed their place in the once all-male world of sushi chefs. Hiromi’s Hands is the true story of a young girl’s determination to follow her dream, and a tribute to the loving family who supported her.

Linnea’s Windowsill Garden (Linnea Books)

Linnea loves plants. She grows them all over her room – in pots, and crates, even in glass jars.
In this book, she takes you on a tour of her indoor garden. She tells you about her orange tree (and plantable pits and seeds, including melons, tomatoes, and grapes); she shows you how to take a cutting from a Busy Lizzie and how to trim an avocado plant.

And she teaches you what keeps plants satisfied: the art of watering properly (plants don’t like standing with their feet in water) and fertilizing. And what to do when plants are attacked by whiteflies or other nasty bugs.

Linnea also makes garden-cress cheese (from homegrown cress, of course); discusses the pleasures and possible pitfalls of growing an amaryllis; and writes a plant newspaper, The Green Gazette.

Linnea’s Windowsill Garden will informs and inspire anyone who wants to grow an indoor garden of their own.

Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur!: A Palestinian Folktale

There was once a woman who had a little pot for a child. The little pot made lots of noise as she rolled everywhere. Unfortunately she wasn’t old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. That naughty pot ran off with things that did not belong to her until she learned her lesson.

Priceless Gifts

There is an old saying that good things come in small packages. In this story from Italy, storytellers Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss show us that good things also come in furry packages. When a merchant finds himself in a land that is overrun by rats, he realizes that he has the most priceless gift in this country, namely his ship’s cats.

Once Upon a Wedding

The bride and groom had always dreamed of having little angels in their wedding party. Instead they get Agnes, John, and Paul. On the day of the wedding, Agnes wants to be a bride, not a flower girl; John discovers a loose tooth; and Paul has a serious case of ants in his pants. All three find out that a wedding, while beautiful, can get a bit boring. It’s much more fun to play African jungle under the banquet tables.

Close To The Wind: The Beaufort Scale

In 1810, a British naval officer and surveyor named Francis Beaufort developed a scale to give sailors a common language for describing the wind. From 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane), stunning artwork and jaunty prose show what life at sea must have been like for a young boy serving as a midshipman in the 1800s. As William sails from Naples to the Caribbean, we learn intriguing historical information and nautical terminology, and witness how the wind affected day-to-day life on a ship. Detailed illustrations show the wind at work, and readers will be engrossed and fascinated as they watch the storm develop in magnificent full-color paintings.

Linnea In Monet’s Garden

Linnea has visited Claude Monet’s garden! In Paris, she got to see many of his actual paintings. Now she understands what it means for a painter to be called an Impressionist. This innovative art book for children contains full-color photos of many of Monet’s famous paintings.

Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest: Where Birds Begin

Bird lovers of all ages will feel right at home with Irene Kelly’s latest nature title. How does a bird make its nest? Very carefully! Many birds build intricate nests out of twigs, leaves, feathers, mud–even dollar bills and clothespins. Some nests are gigantic, housing hundreds of birds or weighing as much as a car, while others are just large enough to keep one egg safe and warm. Whether simple or fancy, every species finds a unique way and clever place to raise its young.