While it is difficult for adults to understand the extent of changes in the world brought about by the 2020 pandemic, it must be so much more confusing to children. Waiting and spending time indoors while a favorite park is closed or school is shut down has been a constant companion for children in 2020.
During the global pandemic in early 2020, stories of wildlife showing up in unexpected places began to emerge. From foxes cavorting in gardens to geese sunbathing in Israel, these stories invited us to take pause, gaze with wonder, and enjoy the whimsy of seeing creatures explore what was previously primarily a human habitat. In this book for children of all ages, Martina’s magical words combine with artist Kelly Ulrich’s inspired illustrations to create a book that takes you on a journey around the world from the comfort of your own living room, while also gently highlighting the balance between nature and humanity.
This perfectly revolting — and perfectly timely! — introduction to germs from award-winning comedy writer Edward Kay will turn any kid into a master of microbes! Children get up close and personal with germs (ew!) in this entertaining, thoroughly researched exploration of the science and history of these tiny, ubiquitous creatures. Heavy on the gross factor to keep readers engaged, the book covers what germs are, how we get sick, how the human immune system works and the best ways to stay healthy. There are intriguing stories about early attempts to fight disease (heard about corpse catapults? how about shaved chicken butts?), and the plagues and pandemics that changed the course of history. A look to the future describes how germs may be helpful for cleaning the environment and solving crimes. It’s a kid-friendly overview that provides the perfect introduction to the world of germs.
Told through the voices―and windows―of children from around the world, this story’s comforting message and bright illustrations bring hope into your home even as our world changes outside. The book’s beautiful design reveals similarities―“In different windows everywhere, I see rainbows, hearts, and teddy bears”―that can comfort and unite us, even in hard times.
A Junior Library Guild selection. With the skies, roads, and waterways clear and quiet during the COVID-19 pandemic, the natural world seemed to return to an earlier, wilder state. Animals crossed boundaries that people had set over centuries, reclaiming ancient habitats. From sea lions who clambered into a parking lot in Argentina to deer who wandered in a Japanese subway to lions lounging in the middle of South African roads to kangaroos who bounced through a shopping district in Australia, this thoroughly researched, stunningly illustrated book tells the stories of these newly footloose creatures — and describes what the COVID-19 “pause” taught scientists about how ecosystems and wildlife can rebound if the right environmental conditions are achieved.
A rhyming story that shares ways we can send our feelings to one another across any distance.
On a hot summer day, the elephant family decides to do something fun and visit the Human Town! Junior and Lulu, the elephants become disappointed to see humans are not taking good care of their environment. “Does this mean humans will soon be extinct?” asks Junior. This story is a playful look from outside to what humans are doing to the planet and to themselves.
Though we think of Earth’s five oceans as separate and distinct, they are actually a linked system of circulating water that is one single ocean — the global ocean. This comprehensive and accessible overview explores the global ocean’s enormous influence on the planet, as well as humans’ often-detrimental influence on the ocean. But it also highlights some of the many ways people are working to restore and heal the global ocean — from everyday actions to large institutional projects — making the message of urgency as hopeful as it is accurate. Filled with fascinating information, stunning visuals and plenty of calls to action, readers will be inspired to discover what they can do to help heal Earth’s most important feature and, ultimately, our planet.
For centuries, blue powders and dyes were some of the most sought-after materials in the world. Ancient Afghan painters ground mass quantities of sapphire rocks to use for their paints, while snails were harvested in Eurasia for the tiny amounts of blue that their bodies would release. And then there was indigo, which was so valuable that American plantations grew it as a cash crop on the backs of African slaves. It wasn’t until 1905, when Adolf von Baeyer created a chemical blue dye, that blue could be used for anything and everything–most notably that uniform of workers everywhere, blue jeans. With stunning illustrations by Caldecott Honor Artist Daniel Minter, this vibrant and fascinating picturebook follows one color’s journey through time and across the world, as it becomes the blue we know today.
This book is the WOW Recommends: Book of the Month for November 2022.
Packed with information, hilariously but accurately (well…except for the chickens) illustrated, Hannah Holt and Korwin Briggs’ A History of Underwear with Professor Chicken is sure to wedge its way into the annals of history-based picture books. From Paleolithic loincloths to Henry VIII’s wives wearing underwear on their heads to Mary Walker, a civil war surgeon who was arrested for wearing men’s underwear and clothing to better work on patients, this book surveys the vast and fascinating history of our most private clothing. Modeled by chickens, we trace the history of underwear from the very first discovery- a paleolithic nomad whose body was found completely preserved in ice. From there, we look across time and culture in this completely accessible, new take on boring old nonfiction picture books.