Midnight & Moon by Kelly Cooper and Daniel Miyares. This story is a gentle, somewhat somber journey of two unlikely friends – a little girl named Clara, and a horse named Moon. Clara cannot speak, but hears and observes the most tiny and delicate details all around her. Moon, her new baby foal, is blind, and finds his way guided by the sounds he hears and the way he bumps against other horses’ backs. While most people think of Clara as quiet, Moon can hear her breaths and giggles, and knows her as a safe space. The book flips back and forth between locations – the farm, and Clara’s school ..read more

Only the Trees Know By Jane Whittingham @picture.book.jane Illustrated by Cinyee Chiu @ccinyee Only the Trees Know is about waiting and curiosity. Winter has been long, and Little Rabbit feels like it’s never going to end. He doesn’t like being patient, and begins to ask everyone around him when Spring will be arriving. When he’s told to ask the trees, they don’t seem to give him any answers… yet. I like that this book subtly explores things like hibernation and migration in the middle of its beautiful figurative language. From the very first page the alliteration and metaphors make ..read more

I Hope by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. What do you hope for your children? Your students? Your family? I Hope is all about the things we hope our children become, the people that they will be, and the way they will interact with others and the world around them. The version I borrowed from the public library is written in both English and Plains Cree, featuring lovely artwork by Gabrielle Grimard. The pages include a diverse group of children living out days in their communities. Published by Orca Books Opinions are my own. You can purchase this book on amazon using m ..read more

Crimson Twill may not be who you typically picture when you think of a witch. Instead of a pointy black hat and cape, she stands out in a polka-dot dress and red hat with a bow. Rather than cackling, she giggles and skips her way through life. She also is a small town witch, living with her mom in Cackle County, but dreams of all of the exciting things in the city. And in CRIMSON TWILL Witch in the City, Crimson gets to go on a magical adventure to discover friendship, fashion, and ways that she is truly a wonderful little witch. At 54 pages, this chapter book aimed at ages 7-9 is a funny and ..read more

Months ago I posted about SOUNDS ALL AROUND, The Science of How Sound Works. LIGHTS DAY AND NIGHT is just as great and serves as a fun introduction to light, how the eye works, and the ways that we use light to communicate. The way the text and illustrations work together is so important in a book like this so that it doesn’t just feel like a textbook, and I really think this series is successful in that way! The artwork allows us to visualize all of the things we are learning, and uses shadow and streams of light itself for interest. Lights Day and Night is published by Kids Can Press , wri ..read more

Looking for more biographies to add to your picture book collection? This #womeninstem book is a fantastic addition, following the story of Maria Mitchell, who pushed boundaries and challenged expectations to become the first woman astronomer, even having a comet named after her. This book isn’t a simple biography, but really dives into the inquisitive mind that Maria had, challenging young readers to think outside the box and to ask lots and lots of questions. Just because something is the way it has always been done, doesn’t mean it cannot — or maybe even should not — change. A timely lesso ..read more

GRASSHOPPER by Tatiana Ukhova is a fascinating wordless picture book that explores both the beauty and ruthlessness of the animal kingdom through a young girl’s day in nature. We are taken on a journey of a child observing and interacting with the little creatures around her. When she accidentally hurts a grasshopper, she does everything she can to protect and rectify her mistake. However, her attempts don’t go as planned, and her beloved Grasshopper even eats another bug she thought might have become its best friend. WOW. The artwork is stunning, and transported me right back to being a chil ..read more

Did you know that reticulated pythons can grow to be the length of a school bus? That they have tiny belly scales that act similarly to having hundreds of tiny feet? Have you ever seen the word knickerbockers in a children’s book? How to Promenade with a Python (and Not Get Eaten) is a clever, fact-filled early chapter book told through the eyes of a cockroach narrator named Celeste. She’s knowledgeable and a creative problem-solver, and wants to help us go on an evening stroll with a python without getting into trouble (aka… being eaten). I really enjoy the quirky humour non-fiction books t ..read more

I used to joke that there’s actually no way whales are a real thing, because the facts about them just do. not. feel. POSSIBLE! And yet… nature – absolutely incredible, breathtaking nature – continues to captivate us with these creatures. I love this book. In fact, I want to specifically point out that Greystone Kids really knocks it out of the park when it comes to books about our relationship to nature. You could do an entire Earth Day celebration and only use books by Greystone and have the best time reading and learning. I’m always so impressed by the art, the research and the obvious car ..read more

Ironically, Sour Cakes by Karen Krossing, is incredibly sweet! The story of a sister trying to help her younger sister through her dark and gloomy day, this book explores mental health, creativity, empathy, and kindness. Feeling sour and holding space for these emotions can be okay! And at the same time, feeling stuck in that weighty world can also be frustrating. Anna Kwan’s artwork helps depict the heavy fog that exists when battling sadness and depression, and the loving bond between the sisters. A lovely book published by Owl Kids that I borrowed from the public library. Written by Kare ..read more