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My Leaf Book

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Submitted by Ms. Sam!

My Leaf Book by Monica Wellington introduces new topics to children in picture book form. The illustrations are bright and eye-catching as we travel through a beautiful forest and learn all about trees and leaves. There is a strong non-fiction element to this picture book and those elements really bring the book to life. Children will be able to learn about leaves and see what they actually look like. There are ten different tree types along with various shapes that children can learn from. There are also different activities that kids can do at home and keep their own leaf journal. See this book listed in our catalog

I Don’t Want to Be a Frog

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Submitted by Ms. Carol!

I Don’t Want To Be A Frog by Dev Petty is a cute story about nature. It is a story about a little frog who is just not happy being a frog. He thinks frogs are wet, slimy, and eat too many bugs. He wants to be something cute and warm. He has many ideas. A cat, a rabbit, a pig, or an owl would be nice. Father Frog explains that he cannot be these things because he is a frog. He does not have long ears like a rabbit. He does not have a curly tail or like to eat garbage like a pig. He does not have wings, he does not look wise, and he cannot turn his head all the way around like an owl. It is not until the big scary wolf appears that Little Frog begins to understand. Wolf tells Little Frog a little secret. He says he is very hungry and he loves to eat cats, rabbits, pigs, and owls. The one thing he never eats is frogs because they are wet and slimy and full of bugs! Little Frog realizes he is what he is, and it is all a part of nature, and he is finally glad that he is a frog. See this book listed in our catalog

Winter Is Coming

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Submitted by Ms. Sue!

Winter Is Coming by Tony Johnson, illustrated by Jim LaMarche. A girl with her sketch book walks through the woods throughout the seasons of fall to winter. She quietly observes many of the forest animals as they begin to prepare for winter. In September, fall is on its way, but winter is coming and you can feel it. She is quiet, quiet as a red fox comes near. He sniffs a red apple. Wrinkled or not it is food. From her perch on an old wooden plank placed high in a tree, the girl can see many of the animals as they forage for food. Skunks waddle by. They smell not really bad but real. It is October and she sees woodpeckers hammering their holes and plugging them with acorns. Animals do not waste. November is here and chipmunks are chattering and busy eating seeds from pinecones. Deer come near nibbling, looking for food. Winter is coming. Canadian geese honk overhead and a flock of turkeys jostle by. She is quiet, quiet and then the snow is dusting her. It is late November and winter is here. See this book listed in our catalog

Little Boo

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Submitted by Ms. Allana!

Little Boo by Stephen Wunderli, illustrated by Tim Zeltner. What would you call a little seed who is trying to be scary? Boo! Of course! Little Boo is a seed but he kind of resembles a ghostly shape, which gives away what time of year it is. It’s Fall, and little Boo is making his way through the gardens and fields trying to scare other creatures. The wind tells little Boo that it isn’t time to be scary yet. What exactly does she mean? The snow comes and covers little Boo as he is resting underground for what seems like a very long time. Changes happen to little Boo as he is under the ground. When he finally feels the warm sunshine, he reaches for it. He stretches and reaches and begins to grow. Will he eventually become something scary? The wind knows. This is a delightful seasonal story for preschoolers and little ones. The illustrations are unique too. The artist used acrylic on plywood with stains and glazes for a wonderful effect. See this book listed in our catalog

Yes, Let’s

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Submitted by Ms. Amy!

In Yes, Let’s by Galen Goodwin Longstreth a family packs their backpacks with a picnic lunch and snacks, and heads out to the woods to enjoy nature and being together. The simple, rhyming text and funny drawings show some of the fun things you can do in the woods: hiking, playing in streams, stopping for a picnic, exploring, or just relaxing and spending time with your family. I love how realistic the illustrations are: this is a normal, imperfect family. There are muddy hands and feet, an argument over wanting to wear sparkly shoes instead of boots for hiking, and Mom doesn’t look like a supermodel in her swimsuit. Getting away from our screens and electronics and taking some time to bond with our families and enjoy nature is a great way to spend some free time. Reading Yes, Let’s might inspire you to plan your next family adventure! See this book listed in our catalog

Big Bug

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Submitted by Ms. Jill!

Is a bug big? Or little? What about a leaf, a flower, a dog, a cow? It’s all a matter of perspective, and Big Bug is a beautifully simple introduction to perspective, scale, and comparison for young readers. Henry Cole’s gorgeous illustrations and spare text begin with a close-up look at a ladybug, which looks enormous, then zoom out to show how small the insect is compared to the big leaf it sits on. Or is the leaf little? By progressively widening the view, each page reverses the size perception until we see how small the world is beneath the “big, big sky.” Then the view draws nearer again, step by step, to a small and cozy scene of a “big dog,” curled up indoors taking a “little nap.” Very observant readers may find the tiny ladybug hiding in the final illustration. See this book listed in our catalog